Introduction
Recycling
Demolition
Ordering 
Countertop
Cooktop

Floor

Slate!

After mutch deliberation, we decided on a slate floor. The local Expo center had 16'x16' multicolored slate for $1.99 a sqft. It is a really beutiful material. The size of the stone made installation a bit demanding, but it was worth it.

We were very concerned that we would make mistakes in the layout or installation, but out neighbor Fred helped us figure out the layout, and showed us how to install the first few tiles. He also showed us how to easily measure the boarder pices without using a ruler, as well as numerous pointers that saved us from making costly and frustrating mistakes!

It took up about two days to lay all of the full-size pieces. We then rented a wet saw an spent a day cutting, but not installing, all of the pieces that needed cutting. By doing all of the cuts in one day, we saved on the rental cost of the saw, and it took every bit of that day to do it.

In addition to the floor, we decided that we wanted to do some type of backsplash/wall treetment with the slate. While I had the wet saw rented, I cut 320 2.5"x5" pices of slate. It sounds like alot, but once I got going, it only took about an hour and a half to make all of them. They were placed without any grout, dry-style, and sealed with a non-darkening sealer.