Slate tile advice (not started yet)

[davekelly]

hello eveyone,

im new here and hope someone has the time to point me in the right direction.

im just about to tile the bathroom floor and walls in black slate and want to do it full justice so i have a few questions:-

1. Do i need any special adhesive?
2. do i seal before grouting?
3. i want it a matt finish not shiney so do i use an impregnator rather than sealer?
4. i know slate has tiny little holes and crevices and i want to avoid it having a 'dusty' haze around the grouting rather than clean lines if you get me. how do i do this? mask off the tiles or is there a better tool?
5. any tips for the strip laying as show

i.e this photo is a matt finish with no dusty haze of grout


really hope someone can help me out and sorry for all the questions

thanks again

 

[david campbell]

what type of slate is it?
is it calibrated? are they the same thickness?
i would seal before and after laying,maybe more than once each time!
is there a pattern?
what substrate are you adhering them to?

 

[davekelly]

Hey thanks for your reply.
They are getting delivered today I hope I've got a sample which is black slate from India I think. It's going on woodern floors. I'm not sure if they are calabrated.

What sealer would you say was on those pics?

 

[david campbell]

hard to tell from the pics but i use mn slate-seal from lithofin,unless they are already polished it won't make them look to glossy

as for adhesive mapei keraquick/keraflex

 

[davekelly]

What's hg impregnating sealer like? That says matt finish