About the slate:

We only use Welsh slate and there are four main types which we use in our work. The green slate is the local Pembrokeshire slate which, until recently, was quarried across the bridge from the workshop at Gilfach quarry. Unfortunately it is now difficult to find Pembrokeshire slate of good enough quality for lettering, so we mainly use it for barometers and other craft items.

Some of the blue/black slate comes from Corris, about 80 miles north of here, but this is becoming increasingly difficult to get now. A slighly lighter grey slate comes from Blaenau Ffestiniog,and often has attractive natural 'water' markings in the surface and sometimes iron pyrites, or 'fools gold' within the slate. The purple slate comes from Penrhyn, right in the very north of Wales, where it is mainly used for roofing slate. This slate sometimes has odd dots of greenish blue.

The photos below show two of the different types of slate; the one on the left shows a decorative plaque made from green Pembrokeshire slate, the one on the right shows polished blue/black Corris slate bookends. Both designs are sand-blasted.

We do oil the slate for items used indoors, such as the barometers, clocks and cheeseboards. This brings out the colour and will also cover any accidental scratch marks made in the slate after purchase. However, we do not recommend oiling, or any other treatment, of slate intended for use outdoors, as the oil bio-degrades away and can leave oily run marks.

Interested? Why not e-mail us with your requirements at: biz@slate-workshop.co.uk
or phone/fax us on +44 (0)1994 419543 and we'll give you a price!