Slate tile patio

[JDR]

Hi,

A tiling question but in the garden so hopefully in the right forum...

I am will soon be having a new patio area built when the kitchen extension is completed and would like to lay it in slate tiles - reason being the kitchen will be in black slate and we want to continue the theme outside.

The tiles I have in mind for outside are 600x300x12-16mm - riven black slate.

Open to suggestions here - but I was thinking of bring the patio sub-base upto level, compacted soil or hardcore fill (there will be a small 2 or 3 brick wall around to support) - maybe a blinding layer of sand or perhaps drymix sand/cement to form the base with a fall to drain.

Let that stabilise - Then lay the slates on a mortar bed.

I am fairly ok on tiling inside - done that plenty of times before, but this is a bit different - am I totally way off?

Questions -

Best way to form the sub-base?
Is a mortar bed suitable or some other 'adhesive' - if so what type of mortar mix should I go for?
'Grouting' the tiles - mortar or dedicated grout?
Treating/sealing the tiles - required? - including on the underside to aid the mortar to adhere?

Thanks for any help you can give

Cheers
John

 

[WabbitPoo]

There's lots of posts about prep and about laying slabs, so have you searched first? Also, try pavingexpert.com as well.

Not brushing you off, but just dont wanna re-type what has already been said.

 

[JDR]

I have had a lok around the forum but the question is not really about laying slabs - I am looking at using slate tiles - these are thinner than a traditional slab so I am guessing that they will need a differnet base to ensure that they are well supported and fixed and not likely to crack.

 

[Thermo]

no different at all. layer of compacted mot, wet laid on a full bed of mortar