Using a brickwork (square pattern) will give you large and small pieces at the edges, which you might find more pleasing. We have similar rough slate in a basement area; and the joints averaging 1/2" also may help you achieve a pleasing edge.

Slate Flooring in a Brick (square) pattern

worthy, the brick square pattern might be another solution to my dilemna - I am going to do a dry run tomorrow am with the slate to see what it all looks like. Thanks.

you can have a small piece or a large piece at the walls and still have even cuts with a standard block pattern.

think --- if 4" is the cut size of your current layout, shift it exactly 1/2 tile (8") then that would leave you with a 12" cut. THis might use up more tile, but certainly would be more pleasing to the eye than a tiny cut.

don't forget to factor in grout joint width when laying it out and your tile grid chaulk lines to install to.

floorman67, I bought 3/8 inch spacers and am going to do a dry run this am with the spacers to see what it looks like. Now that I am thinking about it, I would prefer not to do the block pattern because to my eye with the slate being more of a busy look - I don't want to have grout lines that alternate. Someone mentioned laying it diagonal but our house has more of a modern look and I think square to the walls is better - I will post another picture when we get some laid and after it is all done so folks can see.

I used grout release yesterday on all of the slate - what do you think of a grout bag? Will it help minimize/reduce grout clean up?

We use grout bags for some custom stone and vertical surface work. Personally, I do not like them for floor tile work, but some swear by them. To each their own. You still need to "work" the gout down into the joints with your squeegee/rubber-float, and still need to smooth them out and wipe them down with water and a good quality grout sponge. The easiest and most efficient way to get the tile clean has always been, and still remains, the right ratio of water (enough so it wipes clean but not too much to water the joints and change the grout) and a good quality sponge made for grouting.

Another thing -- The correct way to clean-wipe the joints is moving the sponge diagonally over the joints so you do not wipen them out and get a depression that catches dirt later and is harder to keep clean. This is a common error DIY'ers (and some neophyte installers) make. Either way, it will still get grout on the face of the tiles, and if the tiles have a rough surface, cleaning out face still needs to be addressed. There is no easy, quick way. Sometimes with very aggressive rough surfaces and surfaces with inperfections, you ahve to use the corner of your sponge to get in there and clean off the face and depressions.

floorman67, thanks for the hints, I have several sponges and buckets for clean water from the two bathroom tile jobs we just completed. I just thought we would try the grout bag to see how it works with the slate to minimize some of the clean up due to the rough texture - if it's too much trouble, we will switch back to the other way.

We had a slight delay though - its over 100 outside today. I had the slate laid out on the driveway to clean it and put the grout release on it. I brought some of the slate in this morning - but the rest of the slate got too hot to work with. We've carried it all inside to cool off. Our garage was hot too - so we have it stacked around the room against the walls. We have the room squared and a few pieces laid out to see the pattern. I don't think the slate will cool off till tomorrow - even with my air conditioning set at 68 degrees - got some passive solar going on in here. So much for my electric bill.

post some piuctures when you are done.

would love to see your finished product.

Here are a couple of shots on the slate floor in progress. Will post more when done in a separate post. Once we get the grout in - we chose natural gray - it will come together as one floor rather than separate pieces of slate. Can't wait.

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