Free pool table = DIY slate countertops. *video*
Back when we were picking up one of my endless Craigslist treasures, the guy selling it said: I have a pool table I’m getting rid of, you interested?
We weren’t… but on the way home, Paul said something to the extent of: pool tables are heavy because there is a slab of slate inside.
And I was like – wait… What?
Define slab of slate.
Then I got out my phone to check what I knew in my bones.
Do you know what Craigslist is FULL of?
FREE POOL TABLES
=
FREE SLATE
=
FREE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
I like the look of contrast/dark counters with light cabinets… and since the cabinets around our kitchen’s perimeter will be white, I had been thinking soapstone for the countertops– but free slate will be even better.
For the piano island, we already have the reclaimed Carrara, which fits with my general design plan of a contrasting countertop layout similar to below… marble on the island, dark counter on the perimeter. (more of my kitchen inspiration here, here.)
Now.
Before we begin, know this: a conversation about slate countertops is no different than a conversation about Carrara or soapstone.
Either:
These are materials used beautifully throughout history that will develop a patina and enhance your kitchen and bring you a lifetime of happiness forever because you are a special snowflake who appreciates the beauty of natural stone.
OR
These materials are utterly incompatible with a working kitchen and anyone who tells you otherwise is an idiot.
I am not trying to tell you which camp you should fall into, I’m just recapping.
Personally, I am comfortable making decisions that other people think are idiotic… if you are not, do not choose these materials.
Either way, here is my compiled research about the Mohs scale of mineral hardness: a petrological examination of metamorphic properties, sedimentary shale, porosity, permeability, and absorption measurements.
If that sounds hideously boring, just skip down to the video.
Ok! For comparison’s sake, let’s include soapstone because people are used to thinking of it as a traditional kitchen countertop material.
The primary ingredient in soapstone is talc—the softest mineral on the Moh scale… Slate is soapstone’s cousin: a metamorphic product of sedimentary shale; it has a hardness from 2.5 to 4 on the Moh’s scale.
-Both scratch easily, but scratches are usually superficial and can be buffed out.
-If you choose slate over soapstone, the provenance of your slate could be important: Vermont slate is the hardest on the Moh -scale, from 5-6; this is still soft for a rock.
-In comparison, granite scores 7-8 on the Moh scale.
-Granite has a porosity ratio of between 0.4% – 1.5%
-Marble has a porosity ratio of between 0.5% – 2%
-Slate has a porosity ratio of between 0.4% – 5%
I think because people associate slate with blackboards, there is a perception that it is sort of delicate… but if you have any familiarity with a slate roof, you know that when maintained, they will easily last over 100 years.
Anyway… Do I actually care about Mohs and his rock-mansplaning? No.
But I know I’m setting myself up for outrage from the Appropriate-Cooking-Evaluators, and I’m going to be running afoul of those people soon enough, (with the MOST EGREGIOUSLY HORRIBLE DECISION I CAN MAKE) so I decided to pretend that I am scrupulous in my decision making and I ran my own scientific test of durability: we left a slab out in the backyard.
Paul rolled the monster saw that weighs 9 million pounds out onto it 47 times… I used it as a potting surface… We rolled the mower over it… And raked over it.
My report:
I am pleased!
We also set a chunk on the piano island and have been using it as countertop.
My report:
I am pleased!
Will I be MORE pleased when Santa brings Paul some snazzy new router bits for making tiered/fancy/unnecessary/ogee/waterfall/bevel edges? WHY YES, I WILL.
Paul said he already had something he could use to make a simple bullnose, and I was all, LOL Paul.
If you’re like— whoa, that does NOT look pleasing! This is after we did a batch of kale,
My kale method involves glass ball jars, and you can see, the slate WILL scratch if you grind the base of a jar in a circle; but the scratches are surprisingly superficial.
I clean my counters with water and some Dr. Bronner’s, and I found that if I use a scrubby pad, the scuffs pretty much wipe away. (But even if they didn’t, I wouldn’t care, so don’t base your decisions on my personal preferences without a test run for yourself!)
I did not try oiling the stone, because:
A – fewer steps are better steps.
B – I prefer the lighter shade.
C – I am someone who likes patina.
I really love the color and I prefer the matte finish… but you could oil the slate to give it a darker/richer, more-uniform appearance.
The test piece we put on the piano has a vein through it, and I think we’ll probably discard it… the rest of the pieces are unmarked, (pictured below) so we didn’t cut those yet… what you are seeing below is the underside of the stone. The top of the slate is perfectly smooth and looks like the piece above on our countertop, minus the vein.
Anyway, getting the slate was just the beginning… now for the exciting part!
Disclaimer:
DO NOT TRY THIS.
IT IS PROBABLY A TERRIBLE IDEA.
Cutting stone (or tile) requires water… and my job was to hold the hose.
However, the entire time I was convinced that the whole undertaking was about to explode, so I shut my eyes.
Paul said – WHY do you have your eyes closed? PLEASE watch what you are doing!
The saw was deafening and Paul had earplugs in… So I had to shout to explain that water + electricity + spinning metal blade = CERTAIN DEATH.
And that dying while trying to save money on kitchen countertops was something I wanted to have my eyes closed for.
Paul was like – A: no one is going to die. B: this was YOUR idea.
December 8, 2016 @ 1:41 pm
Brilliant!!! You may have just solved MY countertop dilemma, as I have been unable to find salvaged soapstone or even remnants fo my relatively small counter. My husband is not a Paul, but he is pretty handy. He unfortunately feels overwhelmed by the many projects I pick for him. Once I show him your cheerful video of Paul tackling the project with you, he may decide he can work in one more. Paul may not have been cheerful in the undertaking, but the music creatively covers any under-the-breath cursing or ear-splitting swearing. Keeping the video focused on the process, without showing Paul’s face was also a move in my favor!
One question: what became of the pool table body once you stripped the slate?
December 8, 2016 @ 1:43 pm
alright people, I’m officially outing myself as a poor ignorant nobody. As a Swiss woman living anywhere but the US, I have no idea WHY a pool table would have a slate – where and why and maybe pool playing is NOT being done in a bathing suit? (OK, I’m kidding here but still in my life there are no pool tables, ever).
Second: IF slates are to be had, YES YES YESSSSSSS….. I’m always for natural material and if they come for literally free – I’m even more for them. Haven’t had the time to watch the video yet but will do ASAP and I’m sure all will be clear afterwords.
Now, third point which bothers me already for a long time. I had twice xxxx stone working surfaces and was very, very happy with them. Everything hot or cold went on them, I cut up my veggies, no problem, you srub the surface with whatever, fine. And then I often was in B&B – category ‘upper class’ with marble surfaces in bathrooms, I was twice in friends’ kitchens with marble counters and it was a pure nightmare (and I can’t explain why it’s so difficult as marble in real life is withstanding water and stuff perfectly well). In both cases and in the many B&B’s there were always notices saying: Please don’t leave anything on the surface (especially not anti-perspirants etc), don’t leave the surface wet, don’t do this and that. Heck, if I want a natural material, you want it EASY…. Can you share your accumulated wisdom please?! Many thanks
December 8, 2016 @ 2:00 pm
Great thinking ! I love it and your new foster kitten is a doll ! Good for you for figuring out how to get a great countertop cheaply and for fostering another kitty . Bless your kind ( and clever ) heart !
December 8, 2016 @ 2:10 pm
I fall into the ‘special snowflake’ category. I have always loved slate and carrera. I’m not very practical. When you stated the pool tables had slate tops I was thinking, Duh! I knew that. Why had this never occurred to me? this is why you brain is brilliant.
PBW…Paul is Elivis’s medium. She is sending you love every day.
December 8, 2016 @ 2:38 pm
Mind blown…. Can we just agree that your crazy ideas are pure out-of-the-box genius????!!! Searching Craigs List immediately.
December 8, 2016 @ 3:17 pm
I had no idea! Brilliant!
December 8, 2016 @ 3:18 pm
DAMMIT!! Our stupid house came with a hideous orange pool table that we sold for 50 bucks because we wanted it gone… if I had known that there were beautiful countertops in there… well, it would probably be taking up space in my garage right now. But STILL.
Oh, the agony of seller’s remorse.
Seriously, though… it was orange. And the bits that weren’t orange? Still ugly!
December 8, 2016 @ 3:20 pm
You are my hero. That is all.
December 8, 2016 @ 3:26 pm
Elvis just finds it easier to use Paul’s already created email than to try to create a brand new email from Cat Heaven. 🙂
December 8, 2016 @ 4:30 pm
Great idea! Would it be crass to ask what the price difference in a used pool table and the countertop slate would be? Curious
December 8, 2016 @ 5:16 pm
You guys are so smart! This will look fabulous! Curious if you considered sealing your slate as that would protect from staining/etching but as a designer who understands the limitations of stone but loves it for its imperfections I’m totally cheering you on over here!
PS: I have a pool table I would LOVE to give you. Just don’t tell my boyfriend 😉
December 8, 2016 @ 5:41 pm
Love the idea – wait to see implemented!
December 8, 2016 @ 5:45 pm
I love re-purposing the slate! It’s not like you my dear to banish something to the curb because of a character mark from Mother Nature. Natural character like any other stone, no need to banish it to the curb. That is not like you, please take another look, and look upon it with new eyes to find the perfect place for it.
December 8, 2016 @ 8:42 pm
The Elvis emails melt my heart. And the free slate countertops make it grow large with jealousy. I mean, happiness for you.
December 8, 2016 @ 11:31 pm
it took me about 2 seconds to start scouring craigslist for free pool tables in my area – i am not as fortunate as you, but i’ll keep scouring since we’re moving into our new fixer upper house tomorrow!! i’m ecstatic at the thought!! one question, you said a standard sized pool table has 3 pieces of slate in it… as in, stacked on top of each other, each the size of the pool table?? or 3 side-by-side pieces, making up the size of the pool table? Just trying to figure out how many tables i would need to be on the lookout for. Thanks! My husband is a little less skilled than yours but just as willing to do crazy diy projects to save money and make me happy 🙂
December 9, 2016 @ 2:37 am
Your genius is showing! I love this idea. 🙂
December 9, 2016 @ 8:31 am
Every post I read of yours makes me wonder just what your IQ is…your writing ability,the wit humor and expert explanations of how you find the things you do are so clear,organized and result in such happy outcomes. As a charter member of the ADD club before anybody even knew there was such a thing..I try to emulate your methodology but when I look at your immaculate wood floors and anticipate the wonder of your future Kitchen and the ultimate WIN…Paul. I have to sit down and take a nap. Have you had any offers for a DIY show from HGTV? I would pay to see it.
December 10, 2016 @ 11:59 am
Yes!! HGTV for victoriaelizabethbarnes!! of course, then she wouldn’t have time to do things to her house anymore and Paul would get old and flabby, lets, rethink this!
December 9, 2016 @ 2:19 pm
This is fabulous! I’d love to see a video how you get the slate out of a pool table!
December 10, 2016 @ 11:56 am
OH OH OH oh oh oh…I see countertops in my future!!!!!! YAY old pooltables!!!!!
December 10, 2016 @ 5:01 pm
i would think that only the person who actually builds pool tables would know that they contain slate. Your husband is amazing and you should get him on Jeopardy. So excited for y’all on your new countertops!!!!!