We, too, are looking into the world of synthetic slates. We've narrowed our search down to Ecostar and Davinci which seem to offer the best product and warranty. Davinci looks the best to me, but you have to get one of their authorized installers to do the work, and in our area (VA) there is only one -- which naturally drives up the price tremendously. My understanding with ecostar is that any roofer can install it(product is available through specialty building supply stores), but in order to get the 50 year warranty, you have to have a certified installer do the work. They, in turn, have to use mostly ecostar supplied materials (ie specific nails, underlayments, etc) and an ecostar rep comes out to inspect/certify the roof installation which again means $$$. We have heard a number of the complaints regarding fading of the product and curling of the edges. Still, it sounds like these problems have occurred when installation procedures (expressly outlined in the manufacturers instructions) are not followed correctly. So far, we are still seriously considering using a fake- slate, but do think the product is such that a roofer experienced with the product needs to do the installation. Also, it is a premium roofing product which comes with a premium pricetag.

Thank you, mongoct, for your professional opinion. It is very encouraging to know that the slate is likely fairly high quality since it survived honing. This was the first time I'd seen honed slate and I really like the look. I'm considering ordering a box of the tile soon so I can see whether I like the variation in the stone (beyond just the single sample tile) and so I can see how things look if I try layout the tile in my space. If I do go with this tile and the variations look similar enough, I think charcoal grout will look fantastic. The tile seems to have a mixture of dark charcoal and silver colors. I think going with a grout that matches the darker colors will be durable and hopefully allow the silver to really showcase in the tile. yillimuh, you have a beautiful bathroom! I love it! What variety of slate is that? If you have any pictures of the master bathroom, I would love to see that as well. That is very encouraging that after two years of normal usage it still looks as stunning. Also, is there a difference between just honed and honed and polished? The sample I have at home is very smooth and I'm wondering if it is somehow also polished or if that's just how the stone looks when it's honed. (I borrowed this sample from my brother so I haven't been able to interrogate the tile store employees.)

Marazzi has been hit and miss in terms of quality over the years. I tend to steer people away from their stuff, but some have used it. Most of the trouble I've has is with too much vairation in tile size, and with tiles being pringle potato chip shaped, slightly out of flat. Back to the "white line". I'm not familiar with the Marazzi "white line", is it right at the glaze/body demarkation? Grout won't "stain" the line, but it should cover it. It's just a matter of not wiping too much grout out of the joint when cleaning. Grout can wear over time, but it's really not that common in residential unless the installer messed up the grout and it ended up with less strength, then it could powder away over time. But again, no promises, as I haven't seen this white line for myself. My big concern is that if some tiles have the line and others don't, it's a problem of some sort. It might be a significant enough problem where it might show through the grout line, or at a cut edge. Inadequate glazing coverage? I don't know. The Villa Villeta that I've seen were pretty good tiles. DAL has several faux stones that are through-color, a few more that are glazed. I just put in an order for DAL Continental Slate, the Asian Black. A through-color. Not much "slate" color variation on the surface, just black/charcoal. Decent texture. It's a good tile.

YES they do. The grandmother spied on us the whole time my company was here. And she thinks we can not see her through or over the fence but we can. Sh would stand there and listen to what we were saying. Then yesterday grandson was hiding out in the little shed that has a window watching me. He is 20 years old. He has said some very sick things to me and should have been slapped silly but I am not that way I just told grandmother I do not want anything more to do with him and to keep him off my property. And I told her why. Grandmother has no idea what is really going on over here.Right after my husband died she saw men coming here and assumed I was already seeing new men. NOT NOT NOT. The men coming here were my investors and we were dealing with the death benefit . Thing is they wanted me to do one thing and I had a totally different idea so they kept coming here to try to talk me into their way putting more money in their pockets. OH NO!! but she thought I was having dates already. And she watches me like a hawk. I am 5 years older than she is and do not need her telling me what to do. Or making assumptions about my life. And see her kitchen window is just such she can see who comes and goes here and I have nothing to hide so I am not asking people that come to not park so she can not see them. And the really funny thing it I actually have several men friends that have come to help me do one thing or another. ALL of them are married and I totally respect a marriage. So now I try to bring them in the side door so they are really in full view just to frost her nosy self. I do not get mad I get even. Sorry rant over. LOL