How Do Slate Roofs Work

Slate roofs are a critical design feature of many historic buildings that cannot be duplicated using substitute materials.

How do slate roofs work.

Slate is a fine grained foliated homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism it is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. Slate shingles must hang on their nails. If you re one of the lucky individuals who has a slate roof on his house you re almost guaranteed that you won t have to replace it for its first 60 to 100 years. A slate roof is among the best roofing materials to have yet due to superior quality they will be a more expensive material to install than other roofs.

Stainless steel roofing nails may also be used especially for hard roof decks but may make removal for repair work difficult. A slate roof will easily last over 100 years which is at least double of what other roofing materials can offer. It is to be kept in mind that repairing any kind of pitched roof is a dangerous task. During the rainy season slate roofs become.

Slate roofing tiles are very delicate and can easily crack and dislodge under your weight. Although a slate roof is initially quite costly it will often last for a lifetime and beyond. Do they specialize in slate roofing. Over nailing under nailing can impose stresses on the.

Slate roofs can and should be maintained and repaired to effectively extend their serviceable lives. This qualifier is crucial considering the special handling required for slate shingles. If the roofs are made of slate or tiles it is even more hazardous. Ideally you would only allow specially trained roofers to work on roofs covered in slate but for emergency repairs or the retrieval of the occasional frisbee it can t be avoided.

Foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering but instead is in planes perpendicular to the direction of metamorphic compression. How to work on slate roofs. The roofers should try to adhere to the below mentioned precautions while working on slate roofs. For people who do not plan to ever sell their home the incredible longevity of slate is a highly desirable benefit.

Many slate tile manufacturers offer up to 100 year warranty on their products. For s 1 grade slates used in new roofing large head solid copper roofing nails are most often specified. Precautions needed to work safely on slate roofs. This can be carried out cheaply and it s work you can comfortably undertake yourself.

A square foot of the area of your house can cost several hundred dollars in comparison to a few hundred with other roofing materials.