Kitchen Countertops - Slate, Yes, Slate!
Slate is the quiet, little known, but serious, player in countertops for kitchens! Of course, slate is traditionally seen as a building material for flooring, roofing, cladding on buildings, wherever there is a need for a very strong, solidly performing material. So, why not kitchen countertops? I'll warn you in advance...mention slate to people in the biz, including countertop fabricators, and most likely you'll get, "No way, slate will stain and is too porous!" It could be followed by "You're nuts!" While I've been accused of being nuts on numerous occasions, it doesn't apply to this situation. Trust me...
Rarely marketed to kitchen and bath designers for some reason, slate is, perhaps, one of the strongest, if not the strongest, materials one can use as a kitchen countertop, even exceeding the properties of granite. Slate, as a countertop material, has numerous properties that we need in a hard working countertop surface. And, by the by, I'm VERY conservative in terms of recommending countertop surfaces to my clients. Countertops are expensive, permanent, materials, not to be taken lightly by a specifier. I don't. Slate works!
Color
Slate is available in a variety of colors. Mostly understated, in middle to dark tones, the colors of slate are generally seen as:
- Red
- Deep Purple
- Deep Purple/Turquoise Combination
- Turquoise
- Gray
- Black
The look is quiet, elegant, strong, simplistic, nature-like, minimalist, dependent on its application within the room. Slate is almost always honed, although it can be oiled for a slightly more glossy look.
Pattern/Graining
Depending on the variety of the slate, the grain type and pattern can vary. Some slates, as Black Lace, has a distinctive highly textural, high-style look. Other slates exhibit very little graining whatsoever. Others are mottled. Some are quiet, with little graining, except for one strong, localized grain pattern, running through the slate, for a look of pure, natural beauty! Graining pattern/direction/type cannot be predicted. Unless you want to schlep to the factory in New England, pick out your own slabs and tell them where to cut and where not to cut. Short of that, pictures of existing installations should prove to be a good guide.
Edging
Typically, slate edges are simple square edges with a very small radius top and bottom. Variations could be any edge one would see in granite. Due to the understated look, slate is not often seen with an ogee (OG) edge. Slate is perfect for a rough cut, exposed, edge. Perfect for today's uber-rustic-eco aesthetics.
Properties
One of the best properties of slate is its extremely low absorption rate, lower than granite. Designers can consider most slates as being stain-free. I have performed testing on the turquoise/green colors and have found these slate colors to be stain-free. Slate in the gray/black family may need a sealer. As a result of slate's low absorption, the material can be considered anti bacterial in nature and totally eco friendly.
Some slates (and partially-metamorphosed “mudstones” which are incorrectly called slates) are significantly weaker, than the slates I am talking about and are more absorptive, softer and prone to delamination and “self-splitting”. The slates that are good for countertops are found in the New England region.
Slab material generally is available in smaller sizes than granite, resulting in an additional seam or two. You should pay attention to seaming issues. Have your designer take a close look at how best to put the pieces together according to your cabinet plan.
Care
Soap and water, or even a tough cleaning product such as Fantastic can be used. If a sheen is desired, use a diluted solution of Murphy's Oil Soap and water. Apply, and buff off before it dries.
Scratches are easily removed, simply, with a sponge, during normal cleaning of the countertop. Deeper scratches are easily rubbed out with wet steel wool. Small white scratches are fairly typical to see during use over time, but are easily wiped clean during the day, if you see them at all.
Really only the gray and black stones need to be sealed as they are more absorptive in nature than other colored slates. Thus, mild soaps only should be used on these colors, so as not to strip the sealer. I usually get samples and then do a whole "food stuffs" test over a 24 hour period, beat it up in other ways and then evaluate.
I really love slate. It's eco friendly, it feels like butter to the touch, it's understated and fits many design aesthetics. I can't wait till I use it again for a project. Never had a client complain once installed, and I've installed quite a few slate countertops, only raves. And, THAT'S the test!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at 09:45PM
Reader Comments (95)
I have mottled purple slate counter tops from Sheldon Slate. I went to their quarry in New Granville NY. I had ordered samples from them and from Evergreen. I was informed that Sheldon supplies Evergreen with their counters, so to cut out the middle guy I would just contact SHeldon Slate. They were so helpful and I love my counters. Even my kitchen and contractor (who tried to talk me out of getting slate) admit they are the most amazing counters they have ever seen. They were shocked that we needed NO sealers. I also used the Sheldon honed red tiles for my back splash. I tested my samples with anything I could think of that stains and honestly nothing did. My counters are like a work of art. My purple is mottled, it has veins of turquoise and some black with fools gold flecks in it.
I can't say enough....Sheldon Slate.
Just another note after reading someone question about oiling the slate. On Vermont slate from Sheldons that I have, if I oil it, it basically sits on top of the slate it isn't absorbed at all, so what happens is ..around the sink area where it might get wet washing dishes or water on it, I have to reapply the oil more frequently so it has a sheen like the rest of the counter. The sheen is beautiful as all the colors become more vibrant, but I only do it occasionally.
Well Linda, I am the "middle guy" you refer to and I sure don't recommend cutting me out and here's why:
Sink templating issues - how, exactly, should the overhangs or non overhangs on all 4 sides of the sink and which will vary depending on the type of sink, be templated and why?
Where should seams be? And why?
What about specifying slab sizes?
Grain/movement issues need to be considered carefully in the context of the placement of cabinetry
What should the overhangs be in various areas around the countertops?
Who is doing the fabricating? Will they fabricate it with care and quality, one time for one customer, never to hear from them again, or might they take more care when working for a designer who gives them repeat business?
What about details around cooktops, ranges, refrigerators, downdrafts?
What about observing other details such as gaps or collisions around moldings?
What is being done to make sure uneven walls are not an issue?
What about details surrounding scheduling templating, shipment, installation, checking the material?
Calculating the right sizes, and taking into account the above issues for a very custom fit?
And more...dinner's here, gotta run. But, there ARE more details that are in my personal toolbox that make the difference between a first class installation and a cheap one!
Hi, Susan
Thank you for all the wonderful information about slate. I love it and would seriously like to consider it, however, I am in North Carolina and so far, you are correct, everyone I talk to about it says I definitely don't want slate in my kitchen. Furthermore, apparently no one around here has any New England slate. I called several kitchen design and natural stone places and at least three didn't even return my calls even though I talked with them and they said they'd get back to me. Two others said they called all of their suppliers and the best they came up with was some Italian slate that wasn't recommended for countertops. I'm being steered in the direction of soapstone or honed black granite. Can you offer any suggestions for getting what I really want, despite my geographic location? Thank you so much!
Amy
Susan....You are not the middle man, I was referring too. I certainly used a Kitchen Designer such as yourself. I was only talking about the slate counter, coming from a place that had to get it(the slab itself) from another company. You are absolutely right in all that you stated above.
Amy, have you contacted Vermont Structural Slate? Perhaps if they are delivering stone to your general area, they could bring along material for you, at least an attempt at a mid-"green" solution. I'm sure they do not just ship to the Northeast. See what you can find out.
Linda, oh, got it, thanks for clarifying! I appreciate it.
Thank you so much, Susan! At your suggestion, I contacted Vermont Structural and they can ship to a fabricator in my area. I've been talking to a kitchen design place here that is very eager to work with me on this. I also came across Evergreen Slate Co. that is willing to work with me as well. Samples are headed my way! Thanks again!!
Amy
Perhaps someone has already asked this question, but are there any food safety issues involved with having slate countertops? Any considerations? Other than staining, I haven't seen any disadvantages to having slate. Thanks. This has been a very helpful site.
I wanted to follow up on the post regarding Sheldon Slate in NY. I've done some work for them in the past and you won't find a nicer bunch of guys. Ask for John Tatko, he's been working their quarries forever and knows everything you need to know about slate.
And while I'm at it, I've also done work for Vt Structural Slate too (I live in VT). They are also a top-notch company.
And no, these guys aren't paying me to write this. Both companies are great at what they do and I thought I'd pass along something from the local perspective.
thank you susan for the great forum!i have a some salvage blackboard slate from a school. would this make a good countertop? i think i would trim it with oak.
we am in the process of renovating our kitchen. I have always dreamed of the offwhite cabinets with a glaze. Everyone is steering me to the traditional stained cabinets (which i dont want) because they say the cabints will look horrible in 5 years because of knicks and scratches. I work out of my home baking so they will get alot of use anyone have any problems or suggestions ????
Hi Susan,
I am having problems with my Italian Slate countertops in my kitchen. Originally I wanted munson slate from new england b/c i was told that was the best for counters and many people i know use it. My contractor used a different slate because of time and i have so many problems with white "stains" from different foods that fall on the counter. I've tried 2 different water based sealers include stonetech bulletproof which i know is highly recommended by many people. Do you think removing the sealer could be helpful? I love the slate counters but I'm just not sure why i get thse white marks so easily.
Thank you very much.
I'm trying to find a countertop that:
1- I love
2-is available in southern Colorado
3-is affordable (less than $90/sq. ft.installed)
4- is as sustainable as I can manage
There are no winners so far. Slate tops in the "I love it" category. I don't understand, however, what makes slate "eco-friendly" other than it is a natural product and may require no sealing.
Thanks for any help.
Hi! I am looking at buying a restored historic home that now has "Chinese black slate" kitchen countertops. Can you tell me what you know about the slate mined from China?? Any information would be appreciated!
Thanks,
i have a woodburning stove with a slab of slate under it. i'm renovatinf my house and getting a new kitchen, and love the idea of slate countertops. the slate under the woodburner has been there for a really long time. it has no stains or marks even after lots of abuse. the natural surface is a little uneven and rough. any chance of getting it honed somewhere?
i live in central pennsylvania, and wonder if there is slate that comes from this area that's suitable for countertops. was kind of looking for reclaimed slate, to be as ecofriendly as i can, but like the look enough that i'll look elsewhere,too!
I am redoing my kitchen and am absolutely stuck on the idea of honed black slate countertops. Would honed Absolute Black granite be a better choice? I prefer slate though but will settle for the granite if this type of slate is not for kitchens. Thanks
i am trying to figure out my color variation for floors and counter tops in my kitchen, although i know which materials i am using. Cabinets are dark chocolate brown with the aluminum back splash. Silver accents throughout including the oven, refigerator and dish washer.Ultimately, it is a modern kitchen. I will be using slate, but is it to much to use on the counter tops and the floor. Can i use the black slate around the counter tops and put white quartz on the island and which floor and color would best fit.
Trying to do some "green" remodeling - is it possible to re-use slate blackboards? They come from 110 yr old school & are 2 inches thick, 36 inches wide, in various lengths. Any thoughts or concerns??
thanks! liz
I inherited 2 large slabs/sheets of black slate that I believe my father in law salvaged from a school. I live in the Central Valley of California and so did he. How do I determine if it is the type of slate that I could use for my kitchen counter tops?
I used a 1/4 inch thick old slate chalkboard to make a countertop. Looks really, really good! Now I'm re-doing the other part of my kitchen and considering using the slate from an old pool table. It's a full 1" thick. The slabs are big enough to fit an an undermount sink, but I am worried about chipping on the edges and I have no idea how to cut the inside corners. Any suggestions?
Help! I definitely want the green slate for our kitchen counter tops. But our stone supplier only handles Brazilian slate - says the Vermont slate is three times as expensive and the Brazilian slate is just as good. Is he correct? Does it have the same attibutes as the vermont (or similar) slates?
For the black/grey slates mentioned, what is a good sealant to use?
For Flooring, Countertop, Roofing Wall Cladding can be found at
American Slate Company or www.Americanslate.com
I am in the kitchen renovation process, My contractor threw out the idea of slate to me (although he has never worked with it at a countertop application) I have been reading through your site and am happy to hear such good feed back.
My question is that he had suggested going to the rock place he typically goes to to get slate for exterior applications, talk to them about getting it cut to countertop size. I live in NC, would this be the type of place I would go for the slate for Countertops? or do I need to be ordering prefab or specific North East Slate?
After reading this, I do not know what I have on my counter top.. slate, mudstone, soapstone. I was told it was slate. It is black , 12' by 12 ' . My question is ... I have very hard water. I am noticing a white hue around the sink . What should I do ?
Thanks.
I LOVE THE GREEN SLATE IN THE KITCHEN PHOTOS. I LOVE THE ROUGH EDGE ON THE SINK TOP SLAB OF GREEN SLATE. CAN YOU GET THIS EDGE (HAND CHISELED I SUPPOSE) ON ALL EXPOSED EDGES OR JUST ON ONE EDGE?
We are renovating our kitchen and have the slate from our pool table. I wanted to use it as the top of the island. Should we oil it or seal it. Also the edges are to be cut, but considering putting a wood edge around to protect from nicks and and cuts. Anyone else used pool table slate in kitchens, how did it turn out?
We are also planning to use old blackboard slate for our kitchen counters. I would love to connect with someone else who has done or is doing the same thing. There are quite a few details for us to still work out, such as how to deal with the varying thickness and what to use for the edge, and it would be great to hear what others think.
Thanks,
Vanessa
We used slate blackboards salvaged from an old school as our kitchen countertops. We cut them with a wet saw, laid them on top of existing countertops (like really big pieces of tile) and used oak edging along the front edges of the counters. Because the blackboards were so large, we only have one seam--at a right angle where the counter joins a breakfast bar. We used black silicone in the seam, and it has held up very well. The counters are beautiful!
I'm curious to know how others have sealed their blackboard countertops. We used a granite sealer which I'm mot crazy about. It's too shiny, Is there a matte-finish sealer that holds up well enough for kitchen counters?
Slate & Murphy's Oil Soap. We used Murphy's spray with natural orange oil on slate instead of diluted, plain Oil Soap which resulted in streaking that does not wash out with hot, soapy water. Does anyone have suggestions about what we should do?
Maybe a poultice will work. It must be a porous slate. You may want to google "removing stains from slate" and you'll get lots of information.
I just had a gray slate back splash installed and it looks like there's been some kind of sealing applied, very unevenly. It's made the slate almost black and you can see the streaks. Can this be uffed out or do I have to have it replaced.
Susan
i have some grey slate in 13x13 sizes, do you think it would be a good island counter top material? i will go with a 1/8 inch non sanded grout.
mark b
markb, you have to get a sample, put all sorts of food on it, leave it 24-48 hours, and see what you've got. My experience with gray slate is that it needs to be sealed.
Chris, I don't know the answer to that, sorry!
My husband and I are considering the use of old blackboard slate for counters as several of you have mentioned. I too would love to hear more details about edging used (because of varying thicknesses), sealers used, etc. As I recall, some of our slate is rather thin (currently in storage). Any suggestions on backing thin pieces or should we use only some minimal thickness?? Thanks in advance.
Hi,
A note on pricing at least in NYC.
I've been looking at slate, Formica (covering a custom wood counter top - not the pre-fab type bought at Home Depot) and granite counter tops. I found that high quality products in all three categories are comparable. I will be looking at "remainder pieces" this weekend at a Brooklyn yard to see if there is any lower priced granite that I can like as much as I LOVE the New England Slate I have been looking at.
So far everything I like comes in at about $95 per square foot. With a small counter top (8' long) It seems to make sense to go with the best product rather than saving a few dollars per square foot, but by selecting a remainder of "Virginia mist granite" the price drops to about half and I like that it is a greener option.
best all!
I see several post on people wanting to use old chalkboards that were gotten from schools and I am wondering if anyone has installed them as counter tops yet? My husband and I are thinking of doing the same thing and are wondering how they are working out in every day use.
I am in the process of scheduling interviews for a roofing contractor.
I know the basics (i.e. proof of insurance, license, written price, schedule) but are there any other questions
I should be asking that would effect the outcome of the roof? Is it ok to flat out as for referrals?
Do you think it is important to actually meet the foreman who will be on the job?
Any insight would help!! Thanks!
I purchased a school and after converting it to aparts. I now have 18 sheets of slate blackboard, 4 feetx 6 feet that is i/2 in thick, I would like to do a shower wall and floor and a countertop but my wife does not like the chalky look from the blackboards. is it possible to turn it to a darker gloosy look that would work in countertops. Thank you for your insight.
God, thank you! i'm in Southeast Asia and reading this, i'm totally buying the slate idea! Everyone here uses either solid surface or granite, i'd love other durable alternatives. Asian cooking is known to be more heavy and oily, would you recommend slate anyway? Anyone has advice on Asian slates? is it the same with what you guys have there? I've googled around and found that an Andy Red slate is locally available. Is is as durable?
really appreciate your reply. zazaX8 [at] gmail [dot] com
Using a slate countertop is a new idea for most of us. I do agree that it is durable and can be economical for some. I think it is great to have lots of choices when it comes to kitchen design.
Duncan Samuel
Web Appointment Scheduler
I've just read through all the slate comments, wow, so much information! I'd like to know if you have information about Italian slate vs. what you are used to in the US. I am renovating my kitchen in Italy and hoping to source materials as locally as possible. Within 250 mi radius I have two stones available: slate and luserna.
The slate here is charcoal/black colored. I love the way it looks and feels. I've brought home a few pieces from the company (they own the mine and also prepare the stones). Each is a different finish; my favorite so far is the brushed and burned which is a bit textured but still very smooth. The pieces were given to me untreated. I bought some water/oil sealant from the hardware store, but I am not sure that I've done a good job of using the stuff as so far oil and other liquids seem to stain the stone.
Do you have any experience or have you heard from anyone who have used Italian slate as counter tops? Can you please share your thoughts.
thanks,
Canan
Wow, I really like that last picture! Do you design tile? I have been wanting to get a new set but, I'm not sure what would fit with my black counter tops without making it look like a prison cell.
we used recycled antique slate roofing tiles on a kitchen island and I LOVED it; we have also used them on a sunroom floor; LOVE it; I will use slate kitchen countertops in my new house; I HATE granite