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• Slate roofs how to#

In the U.S., it is mostly mined from Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virgina.

Slate is found in large quantities in India, Brazil, Asia, and the United States. Still expensive, it wasn’t until the 1800s that slate became available to the average homeowner. Eventually, it started being used in America around the 16th century, and the first quarry opened in 1734 on the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Even then, it was expensive for most folks, and was mainly found on castles or military buildings. The first recorded use of slate as a roofing material on a private home was in approx. For most people, a slate roof will be their first and last roof. Slate is almost impervious to water, extremely durable, and is often called the Rolls Royce of roofing materials, or the lifetime roof. Slate roofing is found on homes of distinction and would be the roof of choice for most people, if finances allowed. Asphalt shingle roofing may be the most popular, but that’s only because it is cheap to purchase and install. When choosing a roofing material, it’s important to know all of the options that are available. The smaller pieces are fashioned by hand or machine into shingles. The larger pieces are used for countertops, blackboards, electric panels and flooring. Usually harvested in large slabs, it is then sawn and quartered along the layers, or cleavage lines, until the desired dimensions are reached. The different stages of compression form the layers in a piece of slate that allows it to be split or sawn into different thicknesses. Slate develops as fine clay compressed by the weight of the earth, transforming it into shale and finally into slate. Slate roofing shingles are mined from the earth and represent one of the earliest roofing materials used as civilization began to expand across the globe. What Is Slate Roofing (And Why Does It Matter)?

Slate roofs how to#

Here is an all-encompassing rundown of slate roofing, including an explanation of why slate roofing is important, how to install slate roofing, several beautiful examples of designs, and 5 helpful upkeep suggestions if you’re new to slate roofing. It is fire and insect resistant, eco-friendly, and naturally sourced. If you are an architect, designer, or ready to build your own home, slate should be a consideration when specifying a roofing material. Unlike asphalt shingles, builders have used slate roofing on historic buildings, residential homes, and businesses for centuries because its look is timeless, and slate tile retains its value better than most options. The image pictured above is not an example of our work but on a building that is dates beyond 1900.Slate roofing is a premium roofing material that looks beautiful and is one of the most durable materials on the market. A relatively recent interest in historic preservation and historic style has revitalized the material. Slate peaked in the early 1900s but then declined as asphalt shingles flooded the market by hugely cheaper pricing of the material. It’s the only region in the world that produces such a wide variety of colors. It comes in a rare variety of colors- green, gray, black, purple, and red. The slate of Vermont and New York is special in its composition. The community had trouble growing the endeavor until railroad could ship out the product. In 1850 Welsh immigrants arrived in Fair Haven, Vermont- the hot spot of slate production. However, it was not until the second half of the 19th century that slate became mass quarried. To this day, Vermont is a major producer, quarrying primarily S1 quality stone. That opening allowed it to be available to general consumers. In America, slate roofs did appear in the 1600s but the first quarry did not open until 1785. It’s specialization in this stone remains to this day since almost 90% of European slate roofing originates from Spain. In the 1800s, the Spanish began a quarrying process that was efficient enough to produce slate for everyday homes. For most people, the material was too expensive and could usually only be found on castles or other militaristic structures. The first recorded slate roof of a private home is reported to be in North Wales, England around 1300A.D. It’s malleable breakability yet tough qualities allow it to be broken into thin but durable sheets. Slate is a fine-grain, homogeneous rock that derives from shale sediment composing of clay or volcanic ash.