SFA

I have searched for threads here and for older ones on Stone Advice to get some legitimate information. There were not any threads that completely answered my questions. Most public forums on the internet are almost a lost cause at this point because of all the misinformation. I have a customer who is interested in Slate for their countertops. I was told by a few professionals that some slates are similar to soapstone in that they are "impenetrable" and require no sealing. I realize that slate is softer than granite but I was also informed that scratches on slate are relatively easier to repair. I recieved this information from a reputable soapstone source but I want to check this information because slate is not his normal medium. I would appreciate any advice on the matter.

-Tom Bloh

i did a vanity out of 3cm slate. it scratches easily, but because it was a honed finish it is easy to repair. the slate i used was black (if color enhanced), and light grey if not. The customer wanted it they grey color, so i put SB on it and it worked like a champ. It was very absorbant and darkened a lot if moisture was on the stone, so the sealer fixed that problem. In this case the slate needed to be sealed. You will have to test whatever stone you use to make sure it performs the way you need/want it to.

Some slates have color variation as you get through layers of the material so re-finishing slate is not always advisable - but it depends on which slate is chosen whether scratches can be repaired or not.

Honed slate scratches way too easy for kitchen countertops, usually you can scratch it with your fingernail on most slates.
My suggestion is get a sample and test it !

Slate is a layered material, it can also flake off in layers at the edge and invisible repairs aren't likely.
I did not know there were nonporous slates.

There are any types if slate, be sure that the one you use has the required properties. Why slate? Color answer 90% of the time, followed by "I just like it" or "I don't know". If the color/appearance is the driving force behind the slate decision, then I would strongly suggest honed, sealed black granite or any other honed granite. Some dread the idea of getting a stain on the stone, with sealers today that worry is also gone. Meeting client expectations is the name of the game. The best way to do that, imo, is to help set those very same expectations with good information.

My advice is to skip the slate and go with a honed granite, everyone will be way happier in the long run.

We put some in the men's restroom at a US slab distribution center at their request. It was beautiful. Brazilian black slate.

Two weeks later, we pulled it out of the men's restroom at the same slab distribution center at their request.

Looked like Willie Nelson's face after 2 weeks.

Boyd, SFA