slate

My favourite slate is very, very special. It comes from only one quarry in the Lake District at Elterwater. Geologically it is a water lain tuff with slump and turbidity structures from the Borrowdale Volcanic Series which makes it incredibly beautiful but that may be too much information. Similar slates can be seen on the track up the Old Man of Coniston from the Coppermines side. I love it because it tells an ancient story of huge volcanic eruptions some 400 or so million years ago and the ash settling quietly into the surrounding seas. Our flooring slate is riven Brazilian slate for economic reasons - we simply could not afford to buy these British slates as they are around eight times the price. I also sculpt in this unforgiving stuff but for the house we'll be using it for small features in floors and walls. Our Brazilian slate floor tiles are from Mrs Stone Store at Burton - definitely recommended as a supplier (on price, quality and friendly and helpful service). The Brazilian flooring slate is of two types :- multi-coloured and dark grey. we have over 140 sq.m. It will be part of our heating system as it will absorb heat and transfer it to the radiator underfoot in our concrete floor. This thermal mass is crucial to evening out the temperatures from the massive passive solar gain we expect. (Check out Sue Roaf's Ecohouse 2 for the theory). We have also managed to get seventy seven 2.4 x 1.2m 100mm PI foam boards as part of a Jewson's offer some 50% cheaper than list price and even £5 a board better than the Ebay offers. These are to insulate under the concrete slab. We are not having any central heating system other than that great yellow orb. Down the plot last week just before the equinox working late on our first turf roofed shed and the sun is already setting over the Islay hills and directly into our sunspace. We will have about eight months of sunsets in the arc between SW and NW out over the Sound of Jura, not just a quality of light but also a source of warmth.