Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 May 27, 2012 7:41 pm Hi there, and thank you in advance... (I suspect there will be many questions over the next couple of years)... We recently bought a large two story brick (veneer) home, circa '80s. There is an entry foyer, tiled, leading into a pretty large family room and kitchen, and off to the side of the kitchen is a formal dining room (carpeted) attached to the living room - the carpet runs through, and we want to keep the carpet in the living room only. The family room and kitchen is all slate. It is the multi coloured (mottled), ridgy slate - not a smooth surface to be seen. The tiles in the foyer and the slate in the family room and kitchen, have to go. It would also be wise to include the new floor covering through into the dining room. I like (love) a particular timber laminate - but it's been suggested to me that you can't put timber laminate over slate. That sounds likely, but I wonder it anyone has a differing view point? Also, if the slate were ground down, flat and smooth, could it be done then? Otherwise is the only alternative the jackhammer? If anyone has any other ideas or options about resurfacing slate, I would love to hear about them! Many thanks! *I'll also have some other questions surrounding this - but I should start somewhere. Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 2May 27, 2012 8:00 pm As slate is a many-layered natural material you can't get it ground down completely flat. The layers overlap randomly as you can see on the surface, so you are shearing off multiple layers which are not "stacked" evenly. Therefore you will have dips and ridges no matter what. Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 3May 27, 2012 8:39 pm Thanks so much for your reply... I thought that might be the case. Oh, god, I can't face the jackhammering - or the expense of it - it's such a large surface area. Any resurfacing options? Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 4May 27, 2012 10:18 pm You could also prime the surface and then apply a levelling compound, however with the cost of removing them being around about the same as this option, you'd be best to simply remove them. The 80's has a lot to answer for and not just in flooring surfaces ! CALL 1300GOHARVEY www.harveynormanflooring.com.au Carpet, Rugs, Timber, Bamboo, Laminate, Vinyl & Vinyl Tiles TIMBERMAX Real Australian Hardwood Flooring IN STORES NOW Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 5May 27, 2012 10:23 pm Thank you, we thought about this option actually - but are concerned about how much it will raise the floor up... having said that, are you sure? That couldn't possibly cost as much as jacking them all up... surely? The latter's a HUGE job, whereas the levelling situation would be a lot less messy, and time consuming (not to mention less noisy)... Thanks HN duder! Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 6May 28, 2012 5:06 am Well you would have to work on a coat of primer to make the surface able to take the ardit then you would need at least 2 coats, if not three. It would only build the floor height up by 1 or 2 mm past the floor now. Most of the levelling ardit would go in the low points. Could be as much as $50m2 even.....whereas a tile removal guy can be as low as $25.- $30 m2 (in Melbourne metro anyway). CALL 1300GOHARVEY www.harveynormanflooring.com.au Carpet, Rugs, Timber, Bamboo, Laminate, Vinyl & Vinyl Tiles TIMBERMAX Real Australian Hardwood Flooring IN STORES NOW Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 7May 28, 2012 9:07 am Wow, yes I see what you mean, that would really make it exorbitant. Having said that, I wonder how long the removal would take, because I can't see us being able to live here while it was being done (not to mention the dust etc.). So is that who I should look for - a tile removal guy? (I'm in Sydney's Northern Beaches btw.) The front all tiles are level - they're big square tiles - would they need to be removed too? Obviously the carpet would too, but is that something the floor layer would be able to do? I really like the Eligna timber laminate range - in particular the white brushed pine planks... Anybody have experience with this product? Thanks again, and sorry for the million questions! Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 8May 28, 2012 7:24 pm Your local Harvey Norman store in Balgowlah, Gordon or even across at Castle Hill would surely have a contact for a tile removal professional. If you like limewash, or whites/greys then you should check out the soon-to-be released Vintage Oak laminate flooring. It will be on show in a couple of weeks and is so good looking we expect it to break all of our records in terms of popularity ! Lifetime warranty with a AC4 wear layer. Can't tell the difference between vintage European French oak and this floor. It looks amazing. CALL 1300GOHARVEY www.harveynormanflooring.com.au Carpet, Rugs, Timber, Bamboo, Laminate, Vinyl & Vinyl Tiles TIMBERMAX Real Australian Hardwood Flooring IN STORES NOW Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 9May 28, 2012 7:41 pm If it's anything like the slate tiles we had there is the option to diy the bulk of it if your that way inclined, I had a lot of joy with the cheap bunnings hammer drill in hammer only mode and a large flat chisel, about $100, mixed with goggles, dust mask, ear muffs and a skip or two! Probably do about a square meter an hour, give or take, it didn't end up perfectly smooth, but the floating floor looks good now! 2 Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 10May 29, 2012 9:26 am Thanks storm. Hehe, I am pretty handy - but more with furniture restoring/upcycling, painting, stuff like that. I don't think my back would take it. I'd tackle it if it were a much smaller area, but it's pretty darn big. My husband? Now way! Lol. Sounds nice HN... Thanks Re: Ugly slate floor: What to do? Timber Laminate, options? 12Jun 12, 2014 2:31 pm Just wanted to check with you Cerian.. I have a 54m2 area covered with Slate and I was thinking of the same idea of covering it with laminate. Was just wondering whether you were able to cover the floor with laminate Do let me know... Thanks I would probably render it and then paint it as per your other advice, or gyrpock over the top. 1 3303 at most it will have a short lintel which could be moved up just below the ceiling or even above. Above means you need to patch the cornice and might need to deal with… 2 61339 Engineering timber is certainly a less fuss option, times cheaper to supply and install and better withstands humidity. 1 15841 |