Slate is one of the natural types of stone that has existed in nature for over 400 years. Due to its extraordinary strength and durability, the material gained its popularity in the 15th century. Even then, it was widely used as a roof on cathedrals and castles. Many architectural monuments are still decorated with slate tiles, which, after many years, have not lost their strength and presentable appearance. The ability to ennoble the building and emphasize the high we alth of its owner makes slate stone popular today. What are the advantages of slate roofing over other materials and whether it is easy to install, we will consider in this article.
What is slate roofing?
Slate tiles are an elite-class piece roofing material made from rocks of stone, characterized by the ability to split into thin but strong layers.
It can be laid on roofs of the most complex geometry, for which not any roof is suitable. Slate tiles are most commonly found in dark grey, brown, and dark green. Materialpremium slates may have a shiny finish and brighter shades, but due to the high cost, such slates are more often used for decorating surfaces. The thickness of the plate ranges from 4-9 mm, while its shape and size can be very diverse.
But, unfortunately, in our world there are no perfect materials, and slate roofing is no exception. We will try to consider the pros and cons of this coverage in more detail.
Positive features of slate roofing
Slate stone deserved the title of high-tech and elite material for a reason. This has been facilitated by a number of positive features, which attract a lot of sympathy from homeowners. Namely:
- Great service life. Rock stone has incredible strength and retains its properties for several hundred years.
- The material is UV-resistant, so it does not lose its color throughout the entire period of operation.
- Stone of natural origin is completely safe for the environment, as it does not contain harmful substances.
- Slate plates are very easy to machine and do not crack during nailing.
- The roof of this material has a high level of sound absorption, so it does not create discomfort during rain.
- Slate does not crack or deform under the influence of heat and is absolutely fireproof.
- Excellent temperature resistance, non-absorbent and non-corrosive.
Disadvantagesmaterial
Almost any roof has several negative qualities. Slate tiles have only two drawbacks - heavy weight and high cost.
Because shale deposits are deep enough to reach the surface, it takes a lot of effort and expensive equipment. The extracted material undergoes exclusively manual processing by skilled craftsmen, which also requires considerable costs. Both circumstances make slate roofing a luxury that not everyone can afford. The cost of 1 sq. m of material reaches about 150 euros.
The installation of a slate roof is not cheap either. The price of laying such plates is quite high, since the work must be carried out by experienced and professional craftsmen, whose services are usually expensive.
The large weight of natural stone (more than 50kg per 1 sq. m of material) requires the installation of a reinforced truss system.
What should be the basis for laying slate roofing
Despite the excellent characteristics of slate roofing, the duration of its operation largely depends on the correct implementation of the preparatory work.
Note that the roof slope for slate roofing must be at least 25 degrees.
A very important stage in the construction of the roof is the installation of the crate, which can be made in the form of a solid base or gratings installed with a small step. AtIn this case, the step between the boards should not exceed half the width of the slate plate.
Usually, 40x60 cm wooden slats are used to make the crate, which are fixed on the rafters with nails. The rafter system is carried out in a standard way, but taking into account the weight of stone tiles.
Styling technology
Installation of slate roofing is a very troublesome and responsible process. As mentioned earlier, it is better to entrust the installation to a knowledgeable person who has extensive experience working with this material. Otherwise, if even minor mistakes are made, an expensive roof can quickly fail.
The technology of laying slate tiles on the roof involves the use of one of three possible ways of arranging the plates: English, French, German.
For the English method, plates of the correct shape and the same size with rounded edges are selected. The essence of this method is that the tile of the upper row is installed with an overlap on the previous row. The material is fixed in horizontal rows using copper nails or hooks.
The French masonry method involves the use of square tiles, while the upper and lower corners are pre-cut. In this case, a beautiful scaly effect is created, thanks to which this styling method is called the most attractive.
Masonry in the German way can be made from tiles of different sizes. Each platelocated at an angle, which contributes to the rapid removal of water during rain. Closer to the edge of the roof, the slope should increase.
Before you begin to fix the slate slabs, it is necessary to lay waterproofing material on the crate. On it, you can pre-mark the location of the tiles, which will simplify and speed up the process of their installation.
Conclusion
From the foregoing, we can conclude that a strong and durable roof is obtained from this material. The slate roof is a luxurious and expensive element of the house, which is able to attract the admiring glances of passers-by for many years. The price of slate slabs is, of course, high, but how can an elite class material be cheap? And given the highest degree of reliability of natural coverage, we can safely say that its cost is fully justified.
