Where To Find Slate For Mosaics
Slate is a great material for using in mosaics. I am often asked where to find it. Sources of slate will vary according to where in the world you live, but the good news is that there are a number of different options.
So, if you fancy using slate in your next mosaic, here are a few places to try. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but will hopefully provide some ideas for how to source it.
Garden Centres/Landscape suppliers
These type of places often sell slate in bulk, but you can often buy smaller bags as well. Slate chips are commonly used for landscaping and can be bought in different sizes and colours. I buy ones that are around 10-30mm in size to use in my mosaic kits, as they are usually okay to use as they are without having to cut them down further. You will usually need to give this type of slate a good wash before using it in your mosaic though.
Washing slate chips in a riddle.
Tile Stores
You can buy slate floor tiles from tile stores. The tiles often come in different sizes and feature different kinds of slate. Some stores will sell the tiles individually and many will allow you to order samples online. Some tiles stores might have spare/scrap/end of line tiles so it’s always worth asking in store! Note that floor tiles can sometimes be harder to work with than recycled roof slates. They are often quite thick and will need to be split (with a hammer and chisel) to be able to use them in a mosaic.
Roofing Companies
Recycled roof slates are great for using in mosaics. Try talking to local roofing companies or roofing suppliers - they may have waste/broken slates left over from jobs that would usually be destined for landfill. They may also be willing to sell individual or small quantities of slates.
Broken slates are of no use to roofers, but are perfect for mosaics. The type of slate used in roofing varies, so when working with recycled roof slates, it can sometimes be pot luck as to what type of slate you end up with.
‘Waste’ Spanish slate, salvaged from the site of a roofing job.
Second-hand Marketplaces.
You can often find slate on second-hand marketplaces like Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Craigslist etc Sometimes slates are sold as a job lot, sometimes you will be able to buy individual roof slates.
The Clean Slate Company
This is a small business located in the USA who sell slate from their quarry. They are very supportive of mosaic artists and this is a great option for buying slate if you live in the USA. https://thecleanslatecompany.org
Go Foraging
If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where slate occurs naturally, you can go foraging. However, please be mindful of the environment. Obey any local laws/restrictions, don’t collect from nature reserves etc and only take a small amount.
Using Slate To Make Mosaics
Once you have found your slate, and are ready to get started with using it in your mosaics, I have a few options if you need some help…
Slate Mosaic Online Course: This course covers how to prepare slate along with different ways you can use it in a mosaic. Learn how to make a ‘slate sampler’ that uses slate to create various effects in seven different designs. This course is hosted by Mosaic Arts Online.
Slate Mountain Landscape Online Course: This course also shows you how to prepare slate, but is focused on using it to create a landscape design. It also includes how incorporate slate rods and other materials into your design.
Mosaic Membership: This is an ongoing subscription programme, where I teach live online every month. There are some training videos for working with slate, as well as a community group where you can ask questions and share your work.