While the death tolls rise from the massive earthquake last Monday in China so does the support being sent to the area.  The Chinese government deployed 100,000 troops to the hardest hit regions. To put the magnitude of this number into prospective the US government sent 17000 troops to the Gulf after Katrina hit in 2005.

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Thanks to everyone for taking the time to look at my slate blog. The visitor stats are impressive but you are all too shy to post a comment. Be the first – and go down in the annals of history!

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Customers sometimes ask, ''What is the difference between container deliveries and pallet deliveries?''

Basically, the answer is volume, price and timing. Containers of natural stone tiles, or almost anything else, would ship directly to your job site or warehouse from the oversees factory in which they are made. Container shipping is a flat rate meaning that you want to maximize the amount of product inside the container to obtain the best possible shipping price per square foot. The maximum you can fit in a container will depend on the final destination and the road weight restrictions in your state or province, but is generally between 7,000 and 8,000 sq ft for stone tile products. Because of the volume of container orders, as well as the fact that it never sees the inside of a North American warehouse and has minimal carrying costs, container prices are lower than pallet prices. The biggest drawback to container ordering, if you can meet the minimum orders, is time. A container delivery of travertine, slate or granite tiles, will usually run in the 80-90 day time frame, depending on the complexity of the order. The big advantage, aside from price, is choice. You can get virtually any size in any color imaginable.

But some of you are thinking, wow, that is a LOT of tile, I only need a few hundred square feet. No problem. Smaller quantities are available by the pallet. Minimums for stone products by the pallet range from about 300 sq ft for some higher priced items to 720 sq ft for less expensive items. Obviously, it is very difficult, and expensive to warehouse every possible combination of color and size as is available in the container, so the product selection by the pallet is often much more limited. Also, because pallet products require warehousing that has carrying costs associated with it the prices are higher than in containers. The biggest advantage to pallet quantities is that, because it is warehoused in North America, lead times are usually much shorter than container deliveries. In most cases, delivery of pallet products can be within a week.

Essentially think of it kind of like orange juice. You can get a jug, or you can get a glass. The price by the glass is much higher per ounce than by the jug, but sometimes you just don't need that whole gallon.

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It is understandable that the traditional bamboo colours, Natural and Carbonized, are not for everyone. If this is the case for you why not look for a stained bamboo product?? The natural shade of the raw material is a perfect canvas to apply stain to. Here are some of examples of the colours that are offered.

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This amazing slate arch was built by Andy Goldsworthy over two days. Success was on his fourth attempt. Built in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales.

There are no internal supports or mortar used – just compressive forces keep it together. I have not seen any of Andy’s sculptures before. I hope to find more. Please visit his website by clicking here.

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A while ago a story was published in a solid surface trade publication about the use of granite countertops and the release of Radon gas. This produced a myth that granite countertops are dangerous. It was quickly discovered that the author of the story worked for a company making laminate countertops. They were trying to scare people away from buying granite.

Once again this is being raised, this time by BuildClean^TM, a Houston-based group that claims to be a ''pending not-for-profit organization that educates consumers and the building industry about safe, healthy and environmentally friendly materials.'' The organization appears to be funded by Silestone and Cambria, two companies that manufacture synthetic stone countertops. If you visit the BuildClean site at www.BuildClean.org you will see that the organization appears to be narrowly focused on stone countertops and nothing else.

Here are some facts. Some rock contains small amounts of radioactive material. As they decay to a more stable state, they give off radiation (alpha, beta or gamma). Granite and sedimentary rocks and weathering products like clay minerals are all potassium rich. Potassium has a radio-isotope that emits radiation. When potassium decays, one of the bi-products is radon gas, which itself is radioactive.

But there is no danger from granite countertops. Remember your food was grown in clay rich soils or your meat once ate grass that was grown in such soils. Also, many people live in granite areas without any ill-effects.

A university researcher on the geochemistry of radioactive elements for nearly 20 years at Penn State University and the Colorado School of Mines stated,

''I would suggest that a good way to reduce our exposure to the radon present in outdoor air, would be to build an air-tight house out of granite slabs''

Above granite image courtesy of Zoonie.

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How you get your tiles to your job site will depend a great deal on where you buy them and the amount required. If you are picking up a small amount from your local tile retailer, you may be required to load up your old pickup or mini-van yourself and drive it home. If you are doing this, be very careful with loose tiles. It takes minimal movement and bumps to cause a lot of havoc and damage.

If you are buying a little bit more, many retail locations have a delivery service available. While that service may seem free, the cost is built into the cost of your product. Other places will deliver, but for a price.

When it comes down to it, the important thing to compare is your landed cost. What is the cost of that tile and shipping and handling delivered to your house?

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It is a sad day, as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake has ripped through the Sichuan Province in China.   With many friends on the other side of the Pacific and the death toll approaching 9000, my thoughts are with them....

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Have you used a slate medallion in a flooring project? Let me know how it worked out and please post a comment with a link to your photos!

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The focus of decks tends to be deck boards, the railings that are needed on virtually every deck are often relegated to an afterthought.  The reality is that railings are the most customizable and visible part of your deck.  Railings also play a huge role in the safety of your deck.

So what is involved when looking at railings?  There are a variety of choices available in materials alone:

- Aluminum

- Composite

- Wood (Cedar, hardwood, pressure-treated)

- Vinyl

Just to name a few.  Like decking, there are pros and cons to each.  Vinyl, composite and aluminum represent low to no maintenance and long term lifespans.  Natural wood looks and feels great, but needs periodic maintenance. Each material also varies with cost, strength and aesthetic value.

Often customers are looking to coordinate their railing materials with their deck materials.  However, this is not always the case.  We have some outstanding looking decks with materials mixed and matched: Aluminum on cedar, vinyl on composite and steel on hardwood (ipe).

Next post I'll talk about some of the labour saving you can get with different rail packages.

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Chinese Rusty 16”x16” Slate Tile living room installation – What a superb photo and great look!

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I just came across this self-leveling underlayment from Custom Building Products.

“Formulated with CustomLite™ Technology, LevelLite is 40% lighter than other self-leveling underlayments, making it easier to carry and pour. Levels floors up to 2” thick in one pour. Seeks its own level in minutes. Rated extra-heavy for high impact use. Cures fast and develops high early and final strength for quick installations. Made with 100% recycled glass – contributes to LEED certification. Protected by MoldGard^® Technology to resist mold and mildew growth.”

For more information, please visit their website by clicking here.

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“World famous and award-winning artists have selected non-glamorous slate for sculpture, jewelry, land art, or bas relief. What properties of slate made them choose this stone, usually thought of as flat, black, and dull? Our book profiles the artists who use slate and examines their artistic choices. By doing so, we provide the reader with insight into the creative process, as well as slate’s artistic potential.”

To read more about this interesting book, please click here.

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As promised, here are some pictures of a few of the hot items around the show in Orlando last week.

The first picture is an example of the Afyon Gold in a brushed and chiseled Villa pattern. Notice the color variation from piece to piece.

The second is the silver travertine, also brushed and chiseled Villa pattern.

The last picture is a nice shot of some high end, expensive, vein cut Italian travertine.

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This forum is a good few years old, but the information is still pertinent. Expansion joints and membranes are discussed, among other topics, regarding installing slate tile over a concrete patio. Click here to read and/or join in.

If you have any interesting information to add, please also leave a comment on my blog. Thanks!

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