Slate roofing is another historical roof that has been around for centuries in both America and Europe. The appeal of slate is its impressive beauty, its longevity ( over 100+ years), and use in achieving a more traditional look.
What Is Slate?
Slate roof shingles are a beautiful and durable option for your home. They are made of natural stone quarried out of the earth, making them a green choice for your home. Slate is easily identified by how the light shines on it from a particular angle, which is because of its high (up to 40%) mica content.
One special quality of slate is its cleavage abilities. Slate is sedimentary rock, able to be split into thin, even layers that cleave together, like each card in a card deck. Slate shingle roofing is a specialized type of roofing that requires installers who are experts in working with slate. At Apex, we employ professional, skilled roofers, experienced in difficult roofing jobs.
Size, Color And Thickness
Although it is often available in a couple preset sizes, most slate orders can be made to order. This means that you have the ability to select slates in different sizes, both width and height, which can play a large role in how your roof looks. Different textures and thickness available provide numerous aesthetic possibilities. Slate roofing can be applied to a variety of architectural styles. A Plantation or Colonial style building will look best with slates of all the same width and height. A graduated roof looks nice on a Georgian style home. Cottage style treatments may work best with a Tudor.
Pros
- Aesthetically Beautiful Appearance
- Very Durable
- Great Resale Value
- Fireproof
- Pest Resistant
- Environmentally Friendly Choice
Slate shingles add that special something to a home with their classic, unrivaled beauty. Slate shingles are natural and can last for decades if undisturbed. There are not many roofing materials that are able to be called 100-percent natural, but slate is one of these!
Slate is naturally resistant to pests such as carpenter ants or termites. Because of its density, slate absorbs very little water. This is a plus, because accumulation of water is a leading cause of house rot. If installed properly, water landing on the slate roof sheds away.
Because it is a stone, slate is also fireproof. This fact alone will not prevent a house fire, but it does provide protection from burning because of embers or sparks hitting the roof.
Cons
One drawback to slate is how much it weighs, which most houses are not meant to handle. It’s also quite costly for materials and labor. Those two factors alone are the reasons why slate roofing is not a popular roof and as time goes on it only gets less popular. However, you can also consider a fake slate roof, which is made up of a composite mix of materials and can be installed on any house.
Synthetic Slate
Synthetic slate does its best at mimicking real slate, and it lasts around 50 years, capturing much of the beauty and longevity of a real traditional slate roof. Fake slate is also somewhat expensive, but not as expensive as real slate, and installation is easier, so labor costs are reduced. Its light weight also makes it the more popular choice.
Fire-resistance is another advantage of synthetic slate. Most synthetic slate shingles have a Class A fire rating, which is the highest rating possible. This means that the material can resist severe exposure to fire better than other roofing materials.
In terms of energy efficiency, synthetic slate can help keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This is because the material reflects sunlight, which helps keep your home cooler during hot weather. And because it’s a good insulator, it can also help keep heat inside your home during colder months.
Synthetic slate is also very durable. It’s designed to withstand severe weather conditions, such as high winds, hail, and snow. And because it’s made of synthetic materials, it’s not susceptible to rot or decay. Another advantage of synthetic slate is that it’s environmentally friendly. Most synthetic slate is made from recycled materials, so it doesn’t put strain on natural resources. And because it lasts so long, you won’t have to replace your roof as often, which further reduces your environmental impact.
Experienced, Professional Slate Roof Installers
We have been very fortunate to have previously and currently been trusted to install customers’ slate roofing projects. Like metal, slate is an old art, and not too many contractors have the skill set to install it. We value the old arts and hope to keep them alive. We pride ourselves on being one of the few companies who still know how to install slate. And if real slate isn’t for you, we can very easily install fake slate on your home with a similarly beautiful look!
We have plenty of pictures from previous slate and fake slate projects that have been completed. Feel free to browse around and don’t hesitate to call with any questions.
