07-27-2006, 02:17 PM
Aloha Les,
We got a whole pile of nice gray/green/brown cut slate tiles at a garage sale for $20. Another garage sale garnered some nice cut stone of some sort of greenish mica sort of stuff. Either one is enough to do the bath house which is six and a half by eleven feet. I think the cut slate tiles will be for the "new" (originally built in 1911) bath house and the mica stuff will be for the carport bathroom if we ever get around to building it.
The tiles are large 12" square tiles, though, so it is fortunate that the bath house has a concrete floor. Large tiles can crack if they are put over a wooden sub floor. If you are putting tile on concrete, then any size will work, however, if you are putting tiles over a wooden subfloor, then the smaller tiles may be a better choice.
For wood flooring, try calling Hal Bruener in Hilo. He has a lumber mill and may have some nice local hardwood flooring. Ohia makes a wonderful floor if you like a dark reddish brown slightly figured wood. Eucalyptus Robusta makes a nice dark brown floor and silk oak (AKA lacewood) makes a nice lighter colored floor.
If you happen to have some trees, there are several folks who will cut them into planks for you, then Hal can dry and mill them into flooring.
A hui hou,
Cathy
We got a whole pile of nice gray/green/brown cut slate tiles at a garage sale for $20. Another garage sale garnered some nice cut stone of some sort of greenish mica sort of stuff. Either one is enough to do the bath house which is six and a half by eleven feet. I think the cut slate tiles will be for the "new" (originally built in 1911) bath house and the mica stuff will be for the carport bathroom if we ever get around to building it.
The tiles are large 12" square tiles, though, so it is fortunate that the bath house has a concrete floor. Large tiles can crack if they are put over a wooden sub floor. If you are putting tile on concrete, then any size will work, however, if you are putting tiles over a wooden subfloor, then the smaller tiles may be a better choice.
For wood flooring, try calling Hal Bruener in Hilo. He has a lumber mill and may have some nice local hardwood flooring. Ohia makes a wonderful floor if you like a dark reddish brown slightly figured wood. Eucalyptus Robusta makes a nice dark brown floor and silk oak (AKA lacewood) makes a nice lighter colored floor.
If you happen to have some trees, there are several folks who will cut them into planks for you, then Hal can dry and mill them into flooring.
A hui hou,
Cathy
Kurt Wilson