Whats that you slate? Part 1.

A long time ago, we decided on tile. Then I changed my mind. I was younger then, more romantic, I wanted to fulfill the Craftsman ethic with truly natural materials. Of course, there is a reason people make porcelain tile I now realize.

When we purchased the slate, the pallet of stone tiles had been dropped and it was our (Andrea's) job to sort out the unbroken tile. Once we had those, we realized that this stuff was wayyy more variable than the samples had suggested. There were mica streaks, rust veins, flecks, chips and blots of every color we hadn't thought of. But, it was a natural stone, "nature's messy" I thought. We would just have to make some music with this noise. But I'm no good with music, so Andrea got to sorting again.

First, the heating wire had to be laid

(heated floors will make the winter that much more bearable).

Then the careful, and I mean careful! laying of thin-set and tiles.

Nice work, hon!

And with a little babysitting and a few long nights of washing thin-set off the tools, you get a bathroom floor hewn from a damn mountianside!