Tile over slate

Fa'iz

I have a 270 sq. ft. kitchen that I'm flooring with 20x20 porcelain tile. Under the vinyl that's currently there, I found slate that was installed back in the late 70's. It all appears in solid condition, no cracks, or movement, from what I've seen.

Can I just tile over it, would using ditra help, or should I remove it entirely (I would really like to avoid this)? Any other suggestion would be great.

Thanks!

joecaption

Far better to just remove the old slate.
It's going to throw off your floor heights, if you have a dishwasher it may not fit under the countertop.
Why take a chance on that new floor cracking?

Fa'iz

I'm really new to DIY work, since this is my first home. What's the best way to go about removing the slate?

joecaption

I use one of these tools with a tile chisle. It's a 2" wide chisle in it with a raised spot in the middle of it so it lifts and cracks the tile. Make sure to wear safety glasses.
You could even rent one at Home Depot. They rent the Hilti brand but works just as good.
Get yourself some 5 gal. buckets to haul it out of the house.