Slate roofing is one of the oldest types of roofing in Europe and the United States. It’s made using a tone that is quarried from slate quarries, cut into shingles, and placed onto roofs. In this blog post, we are going to explore the history of slate roofs, the benefits of slate roofs, and the drawbacks of slate roofs. If you are interested in having a slate roof installed on your home or commercial building, please give us a call. We will be happy to explore your options with you.
Slate tiles have been used on roofs for hundreds and hundreds of years. They are particularly common in parts of Germany and France, where the slate stone is plentiful. You are likely to see them in very old buildings, as well as very new buildings. If you look closely, you’ll notice the tiles overlap in a very pretty, almost fairy-tale style, which is a hallmark of traditional slate roof design. If you’re looking to give an air of elegant history to your building, a slate roof might be the right call for you.
When used properly, slate is durable and beautiful roofing material. It adds a bit of old-world charm to any building, old or new. Because they’re made of stone, slate roofs are also fire resistant, which we highly recommend as climate change leads to more, bigger, faster wildfires, and wildfires in places where they weren’t previously common. Slate roofs are pretty on dry and rainy days, and they shimmer when they’re frosty. They are also a natural material, which means you won’t be using petroleum products any more than necessary. Slate roofs are very durable and, if properly installed, can last a century or more without needing to be replaced.
Slate Roofs Drawbacks
However, slate roofs have their drawbacks, too, and we think it’s important to make an informed decision before installing one. For instance, because they are made from a stone that must be quarried, they are more expensive than other materials like terra cotta tiles or composite shingles, which can be manufactured relatively easily. Because they are stone, they are also heavier than some other roofing materials, which means that they are more expensive to ship to your location and will require a sturdier structure to hold them up once they’re installed. Slate roofing components are also more easily broken than terra cotta tiles or shingles, too, so if you have a repair worker who isn’t careful, you can end up with serious damage on your roof.
Even with these challenges, though, we are big fans of slate roofs and love to install them whenever we get a chance. They’re really elegant when finished and, we think, a real joy to install. A lot of roofing contractors don’t have the expertise to properly install slate roofs, which can be a bit tricky, but we’ve made sure to get the training and experience we need to do the job right. We hope you will give us a call today and explore the possibility of putting a slate roof on your home or commercial building.
