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How to Repair Slate Roofs InspectAPedia®  -     How to repair slate roofs - a guide How to replace individual roofing slates without having to dismantle the slate roof Comparing methods to secure individual roofing slates during slate roof repairs Questions & answers about methods for removing and replacing broken or damaged roofing slates using either copper tabs or slate hooks to secure the new slate

This article explains how to remove and replace individual slates during repairs to a leaky or damaged slate roof. By using copper tabs or slate hooks it is possible to replace just a single roofing slate where needed.

This article series describes describing procedures for evaluating the condition of slate roofing and for repairing leaky or damaged slate roofs. How to inspect, identify defects, and estimate remaining life of slate roofs are addressed.

The abandonment of good slate roofs which should have been repaired is a financial shame and the destruction of a valued asset. At the same time, careless optimism about a bad slate roof which is at the end of its life risks an angry inspection client. This article reviews some slate roof repair tips. We also provide slate sources and where to buy slate roofing materials and slate roofing tools and products.

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How to Repair Slate Roofs - individual roofing slate replacement

How to Replace Damaged or Lost Roofing Slates using the Copper Tab Method

A proper slate repair involves several steps:

• Cut the concealed nails, holding the damaged slate in place. There are usually two nails.
• acquire the properly sized replacement slate. If the exposure is ten inches the slates should be twenty-three inches long. A proper slate application uses slates which are twice the exposure plus a three-inch allowance for head lap.
• slide the slate into place, use the gap between the sides of the above-course of slates to mark the location of a single holding nail.
• the nail hole is punched into the slate from the back, so that the ragged part of the hole is on the front or face of the slate. This will allow the nail to sit flush in the hole. It's a crude form of counter-sinking.
• nail the replacement slate into place with a copper nail. Sometimes the edges of the nail head have to be cut off to pass between the sides of the two slates in the covering upper course.

How to Replace Damaged or Lost Roofing Slates using the Slate Hook Method

• 
  Slate hook installation-1, the hook is driven in place where the missing slate is to be installed - nailed into the side butt joint of the lower slate course
  
  
  
• 
  Slate hook installation-2, the new slate slides over the hook, is seated, and the hook, pops up into place to hold the new slate securely

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about methods for removing and replacing broken or damaged roofing slates using either copper tabs or slate hooks to secure the new slate

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SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR
  SLATE ROOF COLORS
    GREEN SLATES
    RED SLATE
    RIBBON SLATE
  SLATE ROOF COLORS & SLATE CHEMISTRY
  SLATE ROOF CONDITION, OTHER FACTORS
  SLATE ROOF DEFECTS
    BROKEN CRACKED ROOFING SLATES
    DELAMINATING
    FLASHING
    LOOSE LOST SLIDING SLATES
    MINERAL INCUSION
    STAINING SLATE
    THICKNESS
    WORN OUT SLATE ROOFS
  SLATE ROOF HARDWARE
  SLATE ROOF INSPECTION PROCEDURE
  SLATE ROOF INSTALLATION QUALITY
  SLATE ROOF LEAKS
  SLATE ROOF LEAKS, TEMPORARY REPAIR
  SLATE ROOF LIFE EXPECTANCY
  SLATE ROOF PATTERNS
    CLOSED LAP
    CONVENTIONAL
    CURVED ROOF
    DIAMOND
    DIAGONAL
    DUTCH LAP
    FRENCH
    GRADUATED
  SLATE ROOF PHOTO LIBRARY
  SLATE ROOF REPAIRS
    Copper Tab Method
    Slate Hook Method
  SLATE ROOF REPAIR, WORN OUT
    SOFT DETERIORATED SLATES
    BEYOND REPAIR
  SLATE ROOF REPAIRS, HISTORY OF
  SLATE ROOFS, STEEP SLOPE
    MANSARD ROOF
    STEEPLES
  SLATE ROOF TYPES
  SLATE ROOF TYPES, RIBBON SLATES
  SLATE ROOF PHOTO LIBRARY
  SLATE ROOF REPAIR REFERENCES
  SLATE ROOF SOURCES
SLATE ROOF INSPECTION CLASS

Slate Roofing References

• SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR home page
• SLATE ROOF PHOTO LIBRARY Our online photo dictionary of roofing slate colors, types, and conditions has moved to its own web page
• SLATE ROOF INSPECTION CLASS presentation notes and illustrations
• Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
• The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
• Slate Roofs , Steven Trapasso, presentation to NY Metro ASHI, Inc. chapter seminar, November 1990.
• The Old-House Journal , Special Roof Issue , April 1983, The Old-House Journal, PO Box 50214, Boulder, CO 80321-0214
• National Slate Technology Center courses for architects, builders, etc.
• Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
• Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America
• National Slate Association includes list of slate testing laboratories

Slate Replacement & Repair Sources

If less than 25% of the slates on a roof are damaged or sliding down from worn out nails, slate repairs are in order. Luckily replacement slates are available from a variety of slate quarries, slate suppliers, and slate roofing companies. Slate "look alike" products are also available using cementious materials. If the building owner cannot afford to repair a slate roof where most slates are intact, holding action slate roof repairs should be followed, such as simply sliding metal flashing up under broken or missing slates on the roof.

• Vermont Structural Slate Co., PO Box 98 Fair Haven, VT 05743 802/265-4933 802/265-3865 FAX (Green, purple, unfading red, and Spanish imported black.)
• Rising & Nelson Slate Co., West Pawlet, VT 05775; 802/645-0150 (all VT colors plus Buckingham Gray from VA and blacks from PA.)
• Evergreen Slate Co., 68 Potter Ave., Granville, NY 12832; 518/642-2530. Vermont slates in 10 colors.
• Hilltop Slate Co., Middle Granville, NY 12849; 518/642-2270 (all VT colors plus imported Spanish Black)
• Structural Slate Co., Pen Argyl, PA 18072; 215/863-4145 (PA black)
• Buckingham Slate Co., 4110 Fitzhugh Ave., Richmond, VA 23230; 805/355-4351 (VA Buckingham Grey)

In addition to these slate sources there are several slate look-alike substitutes. While the application techniques, flashing and nailing concerns are similar, the wear characteristics of these materials may be quite different and were not evaluated for this paper. This paper is not an endorsement, nor a critique of any of these materials.

• Eternit, Inc., rigid fiber reinforced cement roofing slates (and board products. Village Center Drive, Reading, PA 19607 800/233-3155
• BritSlate^TM are made from 100% quarried slate particles combined with an adhesive (epoxy?) and no fillers with no questionable side effects according to the manufacturer. According to the manufacturer, they can be cut, drilled, etc. and come with a 50-year guarantee. They're less prone to breakage than slate, fireproof, and do not absorb water (like natural slate), and do not encourage organic growth (moss and lichens) because they are not porous. BritSlate North America, Inc., 647 West Boylston St., Worcester, MA 01606 508/852-4888 508/852-7224 FAX 2/90.
• Reinforced-cement shingles which "look like slate but are lighter and one-third the cost" are available from Atlas International Building Products, 5600 Hochelaga St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H1N 1W1. [$180/square loose or $400./sq. installed, 30-year guarantee.]
• Supra-Slate "looks like slate and is manufactured in colors of real quarry slate." Tegusol is a double interlocking clay roof tile. Available from: Supradur Manufacturing Corporation, PO Box 908, Rye, NY 10580 800/223-1948 or 914/967-8230. or 122 East 42nd St., NY, NY 10168 212/697-1160
• Lifetile(R) Boral Concrete Products, Inc., produces high density extruded concrete roofing tiles meeting Class "A" requirements. Dallas, TX 214/544-2227

• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
• How to Inspect & Repair Slate Roofs a detailed article about evaluating the condition of slate roofing and repairing worn or damaged slate roofs.
• Slate Roof Photo Library photographs of colors, types, patterns of slate roofs, slate roof wear, slate roof conditions.
• Slate References page from the ASHI Technical Journal
• Slate Sources, Repairs page from the ASHI Technical Journal
• Roofing: Defect Recognition, Repair, Prevention for Roofing & Flashing main web page
• Inspecting and Evaluating Slate Roofs Hudson Valley ASHI seminar content
• Choosing a Roofing Contractor How to find and select a roofing contractor - (thanks to Jessie Schrader)
• Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
• The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
• Slate Roofs , Steven Trapasso, presentation to NY Metro ASHI, Inc. chapter seminar, November 1990.
• The Old-House Journal , Special Roof Issue , April 1983, The Old-House Journal, PO Box 50214, Boulder, CO 80321-0214
• National Slate Technology Center courses for architects, builders, etc.
• Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America
• National Slate Association includes list of slate testing laboratories

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
• The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for this article. All rights and contents are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
• Architectural elements: the technological revolution: Galvanized iron roof plates and corrugated sheets; cast iron facades, columns, door and window caps, ... (American historical catalog collection), Diana S Waite, available used out of Amazon.
• Asphalt Roofing Residential Manual,
• Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
• Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
• Built-Up Roof Systems, Manual, C.W. Griffin, Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (July 1982), ISBN-10: 0070247838, ISBN-13: 978-0070247833
• Concrete Folded Plate Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author), Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998, ISBN-10: 0340662662, ISBN-13: 978-0340662663
• Concrete Shell Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author),
• Concrete Dome Roofs (Longman Concrete Design and Construction Series),
• Concrete Roofing Tile, History of the, Batsford, 1959, AISN B000HLLOUC (available used)
• Copper Roofing, by CDA
• Copper Roofing, Master specifications for copper roofing and sheet metal work in building construction: Institutional, commercial, industrial, I.E. Anderson, 1961 (hard to find)
• Corrugated Iron, Building on the Frontier, Simon Holloway
• Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
• Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design Construction methods for new and existing buildings Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection Details on optimal soil formulation Illustrations featuring various stages of construction Best practices for green roof maintenance A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality Tips on the LEED design and certification process Considerations for assessing return on investment Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs Useful checklists, tables, and charts
• Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
• Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
• Historic Slate Roofs : With How-to Info and Specifications, Tina Skinner (Ed), Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN-10: 0764330012 , ISBN-13: 978-0764330018
• Low Slope Roofing, Manual of, 4th Ed., C.W. Griffin, Richard Fricklas, McGraw-Hill Professional; 4 edition, 2006, ISBN-10: 007145828X, ISBN-13: 978-0071458283
  • Roof failure causes in depth (and specific methods for avoiding them)
  • Roof design fundamentals and flourishes, based on voluminous industry research and experience
  • New technologies and materials -- using them safely and correctly
  • Comprehensive coverage of all major roofing systems pecifications, inspection, and maintenance tools for roofing work
• Metal Roofing, an Illustrated Guide, R.A. Knowlton , [metal shingle roofs],
• Patio Roofs, how to build, Sunset Books
• Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
• Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
• Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
• Roof Tiling & Slating, a Practical Guide, Kevin Taylor, Crowood Press (2008), ISBN 978-1847970237,
  If you have never fixed a roof tile or slate before but have wondered how to go about repairing or replacing them, then this is the book for you. Many of the technical books about roof tiling and slating are rather vague and conveniently ignore some of the trickier problems and how they can be resolved. In Roof Tiling and Slating, the author rejects this cautious approach. Kevin Taylor uses both his extensive knowledge of the trade and his ability to explain the subject in easily understandable terms, to demonstrate how to carry out the work safely to a high standard, using tried and tested methods. 
  This clay roof tile guide considers the various types of tiles, slates, and roofing materials on the market as well as their uses, how to estimate the required quantities, and where to buy them. It also discusses how to check and assess a roof and how to identify and rectify problems; describes how to efficiently "set out" roofs from small, simple jobs to larger and more complicated projects, thus making the work quicker, simpler, and neater; examines the correct and the incorrect ways of installing background materials such as underlay, battens, and valley liners; explains how to install interlocking tiles, plain tiles, and artificial and natural slates; covers both modern and traditional methods and skills, including cutting materials by hand without the assistance of power tools; and provides invaluable guidance on repairs and maintenance issues, and highlights common mistakes and how they can be avoided. The author, Kevin Taylor, works for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors as a technical manager presenting technical advice and providing education and training for young roofers.
• The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
• Slate Roofing in Canada (Studi4es in archaeology, architecture, and history),
• Smart Guide: Roofing: Step-by-Step Projects, Creative Homeowner (Ed), 2004, ISBN-10: 1580111491, ISBN-13: 978-1580111492
• Solar heating, radiative cooling and thermal movement: Their effects on built-up roofing (United States. National Bureau of Standards. Technical note), William C Cullen, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off (1963), ASIN: B0007FTV2Q
• Tile Roofs of Alfred: A Clay Tradition in Alfred NY
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
• Wood Shingle Roofs, Care and Maintenance of wood shingle and shake roofs (EC), Stanley S. Niemiec (out of print)
• ...