slate tiles drying

[jan]

Hi, trying to plan the floor of my kitchen. The slab has been laid and is drying (1 week down about 3 more to go) and have picked out some slate tiles. The site I am planning to buy from and all other information I have found states that the tiles should be completely dry before being laid. What I can not seem to find is how long it will take for them to do this. Can any one shed any light on this as I am trying to coordinate kitchen fitters etc?

 

[doug boardley]

I suppose it depends on how/where you store them jan, can you store them in a well ventilated room where air can circulate right round them,? if so it shouldn't take too long to dry them out

 

[jan]

yup will be in currently unusable living/dining room and keeping the whole place well ventilated as trung to get the slab in the kitchen dry and the plaster on the walls following the redampproofing dry aswell. oh am I having fun or what! so few days? or weeks? just want to check that they will definately be dry by the time the slab is. Thank you for your advice:8::smilewinkgrin:

 

[doug boardley]

the slate will be well dry before your slab jan, don't forget that as soon as the back of your slate comes into contact with your adhesive, they'll be subject to a degree of moisture anyway:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Jan - Prehaps you've miss read the information and it was a reference to the slate being dry before you seal them.
I can see no long term wait for the tiles to dry after delivery - assumming they have been kept in a covered pallet , and with air circulation they would dry in a few hours.
We often wash the faces (both sides) prior to fixing to remove any loose dirt and this is usually done at the collation stage where we check for thickness, colour, quality.

Timeless John.

 

[jan]

John that is quite possible, but the company did seem to say something about shipping the wet or some such, so I may have become compleatly confused. so long as they are ok to lay when the slab is dry I will panic no more.

 

[doug boardley]

when I take delivery of slate, I tend to lay the tiles on a bench, give them a buff over with a hard felt pad on my orbital sander, this removes packaging marks and drives off surface moisture, then stand in a well ventilated room to steep out the more ingrained dampness:20:

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Jan - As long as the tiles are clean, the adhesive will stick.

Remember there will be tiles that have to be cut on a wet machine so a certain amount of moisture will be present.
Depending on the size of the job and the method of delivery, you may, if your ordering over the internet, find the tiles delivered in a pallet and covered in polythene.
1st of all keep the tiles stacked on there edges so there is no uneven downward pressure to break the lower tiles.
2nd open up the side of the polythene to allow the air to get in but keep the top covered to keep the elements out (snow,rain etc it is summer after all!)

Hope it all goes well.

John.

 

[doug boardley]

in the old days, we used to damp slate and clay tiles down before we fixed 'em on mortar beds.....:nopity:

 

[incetilingltd]

Jan,

Slightly off topic but thought it was worth a mention make sure the slate is spot less before it is sealed in some cases this can take a couple of days. because if it is sealed with the dusty haze on top you wil find it incredibly hard to get a great finish!