“Air slate” by Porcelanosa

[Packard]

Is anyone familiar with this stuff? Natural stone in very thin gauges laminated to a flexible fiberglass backing.

Touted advantages are:

Light weight
Flexible
Less total expense ( labor and materials).
https://www.porcelanosa-usa.com/about-us/news/featured-product-airslate/

Unknown:  Fabrication methods. Install using thin set?

One person install?

Lots of appealing images.  Not one whiff of the cost, however.
https://www.google.com/search?q=air+slate+porcelanosa&client=firefox-b-1-m&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzlMrAt-j8AhVPEVkFHVVsDZkQ_AUoAnoECAIQBA&biw=1121&bih=714&dpr=2

 

[six-point socket II]

To give you an idea about price, in Germany it runs between 200,- and 250,- Euro per square meter. "Tile" size is 120x240 cm. It's only 2 to 4 mm thick. I found boxes containing either 2.88 square meter or 14.40 square meter.

For installation they recommend a reaction resin adhesive by a company called Butech. Thin set technique. Grouting is also done with special products. (Depending on install.)

One person install? Possible I think. However given the size of these, I would probably have at least two people installing it.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Packard]

Porcelanosa has a New Jersey showroom, that showcases extravagantly expensive kitchens and bathrooms.  So, I knew it was going to be more than Formica.  I guess it is going to be less than using slabs for a shower surround. At least it won’t require adding some structural support beforehand.

I cannot imagine how they slice the stone to 1/8” to 3/16” thickness.  And they say it is flexible, but stone is generally quite rigid and fractures easily.

 

[six-point socket II]

In the German instructions it is described as a/ named a "natural stone foil".

My guess is, how they make it is probably a well kept company secret. But I'm willing to ask next time I'm with our natural stone/ tiling specialist. They quite probably sell this, and other Porcelanosa products. Also pretty sure they have terrific look books.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Packard]

My interest is more curiosity that practicality. But still, an interesting product.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I want to know more. I like the look of slate.

 

[Cheese]

I installed a 440 sq ft patio a number of years ago and used rough sawn New York bluestone...it was absolutely beautiful. The stone at that time was not calendared to a uniform thickness so the height of the stones varied from 3/4" to 2-1/2". Now that becomes a hot mess to set all the stones so that things are level. It probably took me the better part of 6 months just to set the stones to a uniform height.

[attachimg=1]

So recently, I was at Home Depot and spotted some porcelain tiles that were manufactured to a uniform thickness and they replicated, quite well the look and color of NY bluestone. These tiles are meant to be installed outside, they are within .030" thickness of each other and because they're porcelain, they will not spall and the layers will not separate like NY bluestone.

They also have a non-slip surface similar to natural NY bluestone so what's not to like?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Corso-I...orcelain-Paver-610010002317/315040212#overlay

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I'm thinking a concrete sidewalk or slab with these tiles veneered to the substrate would be a Godsend for the average Joe.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] the Home Depot stuff is undoubtedly far easier to work with, but the uniformity also leaves me cold. I much prefer the complexity of the lay-out of the job you did, to the advertising photos of the squares.
Even though I joke about my level of OCD, sometimes mindless uniformity is not as appealing. I would have at least off-set them like a subway tile. Plus, they are all so big, it almost looks like control-joints in concrete.
The color variation and texture make yours stand out as craftsman done.

 

[Packard]

I installed a 440 sq ft patio a number of years ago and used rough sawn New York bluestone...it was absolutely beautiful. The stone at that time was not calendared to a uniform thickness so the height of the stones varied from 3/4" to 2-1/2". Now that becomes a hot mess to set all the stones so that things are level. It probably took me the better part of 6 months just to set the stones to a uniform height.

[attachimg=1]

I recently used 12” x 24” slate-look porcelain tile for a bathroom floor.  My reasoning was that it had the best wet surface traction of any tile I saw, and 24” was the maximum cut I can make on my tile cutter.  I did not see any 24” x 24” available.  It it was, I would have gone with that.  I like the very minimum amount of grout, and the minimum number of grout lines. 

To my eye, the tile was a very convincing replica of slate.  It had rectified edges (my preference in all cases) and allowed a 1/8” minimum grout line.  I used the darkest gray grout  available. 

The only option that would have offered better slip resistance would have been a mosaic tile.  And I hate all those grout lines.

It installed easily and was remarkably flat.  I used those wedged spacers to eliminate lippage.  I am happy with the result.  I would consider using elsewhere in the house. 

The entryway in my house had large format granite slabs. If I seal them, I think they will be close in appearance to the tile.  A nice tie-in.

So recently, I was at Home Depot and spotted some porcelain tiles that were manufactured to a uniform thickness and they replicated, quite well the look and color of NY bluestone. These tiles are meant to be installed outside, they are within .030" thickness of each other and because they're porcelain, they will not spall and the layers will not separate like NY bluestone.

They also have a non-slip surface similar to natural NY bluestone so what's not to like?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Corso-I...orcelain-Paver-610010002317/315040212#overlay

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

I'm thinking a concrete sidewalk or slab with these tiles veneered to the substrate would be a Godsend for the average Joe.

 

[Fourmi]

Hi,
I've registered to reply to this, I know it's a pretty rare material to find out there.

I use Porcelanosa exclusively for tile, used Airslate a great deal. Many features at my own home and for clients have been done using this material.

It's very expensive, care has to be taken with handling, even more care with cutting and fitting - it's reduced me to frustration on occasion. It can be fitted flat or curved - concave and convex.

2 person job for large areas. Fitting is only advised with the 2 part Butech glue - Butech is the Porcelanosa brand of adhesives - all excellent quality.

I have fitted GamaDecor kitchens - the Porcelanosa brand, and I also use products from their natural stone range - Antic Colonnial.

I maybe able to answer questions concerning Airslate if anyone is interested.

 

[Packard]

Thanks for that reply.  I was mainly curious how natural stone could be made flexible.  In my mind it would crack with even the slightest bending.

Is this more expensive than slabs of the same stone?

 

[Fourmi]

Sounds weird as you would think it would crack, but it really doesn't. It's resin bonded onto a fibreglass mat, between 1mm and 3mm thick including the backer. You do get quite a relief between thickest and thinnest parts of the same sheet, so it's great to light from above with LED strips.

I can't remember the exact minimum radius but when I went around the Porcelanosa headquarters in Spain, I seem to remember seeing columns wrapped in Airslate of about 200mm radius (about 16" diameter).

Comparing price to natural stone is difficult as the price of natural stone varies so much. I have used a fair bit of natural stone from Porcelanosa, and I'd still say the Airslate costs more, plus the special adhesive.

I've done a large wall in the shower at my place with it, top lit with LEDs, a water proof stone treatment on the Airslate, water just runs off.

I cut using a Mafell MT55 and a 125mm ultra thin diamond wheel with a 20mm bore adapter. Deals with the dust pretty well and I can cut 45 degree cuts for doing folds around corners. I used to use the Festool rail mounted grinder, but it's less refined than the Mafell.

 

[Cheese]

1. I've done a large wall in the shower at my place with it, top lit with LEDs, a water proof stone treatment on the Airslate, water just runs off.

2. I cut using a Mafell MT55 and a 125mm ultra thin diamond wheel with a 20mm bore adapter. Deals with the dust pretty well and I can cut 45 degree cuts for doing folds around corners. I used to use the Festool rail mounted grinder, but it's less refined than the Mafell.

1. Wow...sounds sweet any photos?

2. What diamond blade did you use with the Mafell?  Here's some porcelain tile cut with an ATS blade on a MT 55. Just curious how your cuts compare? This is okay but certainly not the level of a wet saw.

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[attachimg=2]

 

[eschumac]

I installed a 440 sq ft patio a number of years ago and used rough sawn New York bluestone...it was absolutely beautiful.

Cheese, That looks amazing. I've only done a little like what you did there. I have a Grabo vacuum grip with the rockseal. Changed my life with tile and stone. Being able to grip the stone and drop it speeds things up. With the big stuff you can mount the Grabo on a wheeled cart to lift straight up.

 

[Fourmi]

Agreed on the Grabos, I have a couple and use them for so many things.

The diamond blade is less than 1mm thick, nothing special but it only needs to cut max 3mm. It wouldn't work on thicker tile or porcelain due to deflection.

The Airslate is cut dry, hence why I use the MT55. For tile I use a wet diamond tile saw.