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96 Comments

  1. Renov8or
    December 11, 2016 @ 11:48 am

    Brilliant! I used slate when I renovated the kitchen in our old Brooklyn place, and that’s been my fave countertop ever (compared to granite, butcher block and marble). I oiled mine once a week with food grade mineral oil — I liked the contrast of the darker finish with the glossy white cabinets we had in that kitchen.

    When we moved, we had tenants who chipped the edge of the countertop — some kind of accident involving a cast iron skillet. Having had near misses with heavy skillets myself, I understand how it could happen. The point is, the chip somehow didn’t diminish the look of the slate. The countertop just looked more seasoned.

    Next kitchen I do I’m definitely investigating pool tables. What an awesome tip. Thank you!

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  2. regis
    December 11, 2016 @ 11:07 pm

    I have a few pieces of old slate blackboards I’ve been hanging onto, as I want to use them for a countertop, but wasn’t sure whether they needed to be sealed or not. Thanks for the research. I can now go boldly where at least one other woman has gone before. You rock!

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  3. Laura Kloss Marcheschi
    December 12, 2016 @ 9:39 am

    This is A W E S O M E! Genius!
    I was thinking the same as you…pouring water on an electric saw= S C A R Y!

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  4. Karen
    December 16, 2016 @ 12:06 am

    So is the slate one large piece or a couple small pieces. If you did a large island would you have a bunch of seams?

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  5. Sarah
    December 18, 2016 @ 12:14 pm

    I’m just sayin’, Craigslist where you live is about a bazillion times better than Craigslist where I live.

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  6. Margaret Ann in Biloxi MS
    December 19, 2016 @ 12:12 pm

    This came JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME! I am mid reno of a 940s bungalow! I wanted soapstone, but, my budget is getting scant! We do have TWO pool tables stored in our ball room! YAY!!!!! I need more details please!!!!!

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  7. cirelo
    December 20, 2016 @ 6:56 pm

    This is not a weighty objection to slate, but I stayed in an AirB&B this summer that had a slate tabletop and the sound of the dishes scraping against the slate really grated on my nerves.

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  8. Jackie
    December 22, 2016 @ 12:48 am

    I used a piece of 100 year old slate chalk board for the counter top in my bathroom. I was looking for a pool table, but this came up on craigs list first, and was a lot easier to take home! The reclaimed sideboard I used for a vanity has a bow front, so I cut it with an angle grinder and diamond bit. (that’s also how I cut the sink hole, and I used a dremel with a diamond bit for the faucet hole.
    I LOVE it! It adds the uniqueness that I wanted looks fantastic with my copper sink, and saved me about 900 from the quote for a rounded piece of any remnant stone with labour.
    I wipe it with a mix of bees wax and mineral oil once in a blue moon. It darkens it a little (I think it was a lot lighter than your piece- oiled, it’s close to the colour of the piece on the piano.).
    The only issue I have is water drops leave marks- not in the slate, in the beeswax mix. I’m going to try changing up the ratio of the wax to oil (I just melted some wax over the stove and added oil before letting it solidify) and see if that helps.
    I’d be happy to send photos if you’re interested.

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  9. Deb
    December 23, 2016 @ 1:32 pm

    Wow!!! You need a TV show. Or a whole entire magazine. Just for you. To share stuff like this that no one else would think about! Hmmmm I never wanted a pool table either until now.

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  10. Debbie Wilson
    December 29, 2016 @ 4:50 pm

    Just wondering how you removed the slate from the pool table? Is that what the slate is attached to?

    On a completely different topic, you are hilarious and your ” more is better” and “why pass it up?” attitude ( read sickness-my husband’s term) makes us related somehow!

    Reply

  11. LinkyPearl
    January 16, 2017 @ 6:55 pm

    I have slate countertops. I nabbed them from a 1900s school house. Yes, they were blackboards, but the ones back then were real thick. The counters were built from wood (or something), then clad in the wet-cut slate. They stay cool all the time, even in wicked Va. heat. (so, baking, yay.) Mine are 16 years old and have been treated with anything but kid gloves, and I use heavy Le Creuset pots. Scratches (from jars, from wine bottles, from tinfoil and sloppy guests) basically wipe right off with barely a buff from a scrubber pad or vigorous tea towel. Twice in their lives, I removed everything from their surface and went over them with steel wool. They’re not waxed but they are not chalky … maybe from oils or something? They’re beautiful and I still love them. Save some slate dust from your cutting in a jar for the future. If you were to get a big crack, you can mix the dust with epoxy and fill it.

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  12. Pamela
    January 20, 2017 @ 12:52 pm

    Egad Victoria! Puleease write something to us! If only a dribble, it’s better than not hearing how you are coming along with the house, your creativity, adventures, and interests. I just miss hearing what is happening in your wonderful world, and the amazing, unique you! Your blog is filled with so much personality and inventiveness, that it feels like I am going into withdrawal!

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  13. Elizabeth Roberts
    February 4, 2017 @ 7:27 pm

    Love you and the crazy amaizng things you do.. do you have a pic of the finished slate island and counter.. I thinking of taking on this project for a friend

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  14. Alice Schmid
    February 14, 2017 @ 9:58 am

    Wait a second!!!! What happened to the rest of the sofa reupholstering?

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  15. Wendy Molinaroli
    February 17, 2017 @ 6:56 am

    We are about to redo our kitchen in our home, instead of my office. I showed my hubster the slate idea and he loved it. I am now scouring where I live for free pool tables. I don’t want to share the video and give my friends any ideas of stealing my future counter tops! Lol. Mine. All. Mine.

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  16. Michelle Kocar
    February 25, 2017 @ 12:38 pm

    did I miss the post showing how you installed the countertops? we are struggling with how to join the 3 smaller slate pool table pieces in to on longer countertop run without the seams showing. How did you do this?

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  17. Leigh Anne Farrell
    July 18, 2017 @ 9:38 am

    I finished off my sister’s woodburning fireplace surround and hearth with 2 slate chalk boards. The area behind the stove went all the way to her 10 foot ceiling. It looked amazing and the first people that came to see her home when she listed it bought the house. I think she spent about $230 on the slate.

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  18. Kimberly Hill
    September 15, 2017 @ 10:03 am

    I love this idea, but I’m curious about the *sound* the slate makes? I was all for finding some unwanted pool tables, but then it occurred to me that I cannot stand the sound of things scraping on a chalkboard, so slate counter tops may not be the best idea for me. What has been your experience? Or does that sound not disturb you?

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  19. Alisha Rogers
    November 16, 2017 @ 3:21 pm

    Love your counter top idea!!! Both my fiancé and I are pool players and come across across free pool tables all the time. After seeing you and Paul do this in your kitchen, we have no doubt that we will be doing this in our own kitchen. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing unique ideas!!!

    Reply

  20. Debbie Walwer
    November 18, 2017 @ 7:56 am

    Thanks so much for this post. Your idea for using pool table slate is genius. You inspired us to search online sales sites and my husband (is talented and willing to do jump into projects) found pool table slate for $100.00. We have cut it and are in the process of installing it as the countertop for our outdoor grilling area. We built a grilling station and built the grill into it. We need to sand the slate, it has a bit of texture and put it in place. We have done a test fit and it looks fantastic! I never would have thought of this, thanks for sharing this idea. I love your blog, kittens and cats and your brilliant diy projects.

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