Flooring Tile - Exterior slate tile

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rockford33
09-22-09, 09:02 PM
Just a quick question. I have a small concrete pad outside my back door (42 inches square) that I am planning on tiling. I have been looking at slate, but noticed that some are for indoor use only, some for indoor/outdoor use, and some don't mention it at all. I found some tile at Lowe's that I would like to use, but it doesn't say anything about indoor or outdoor use (12"x12" multicolor slate and 3"x6" slate border). What would make slate strictly for indoor use? I think the smaller slate tiles on Home Depot's website all say for indoor use (non-frost resistant). Since I live in Maryland, I need something frost resistant, and I am wondering if the tiles I saw would be ok outside.

Thanks,
Neil

HotinOKC
09-23-09, 02:37 PM
Be careful about some of these big box store slates. Some are just compacted mud. By a piece and stick it in a bucket of water for a few days and see if it falls apart.

Also, slate was dug from the earth after being there for thousands of years. I have not seen a slate that was specifically rated for outdoor or indoor.