Sources of roofing slates, slate roof tools, slate roof supplies
How to inspect, evaluate & repair slate roofs - the basics
Where to buy roofing slate: this article describes slate sources and where to buy slate roofing materials and slate roofing tools and products. This is a detailed article describing procedures for evaluating the condition of slate roofing. How to inspect, identify defects, and estimate remaining life of slate roofs are addressed.
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The article also references slate repair procedures, repair slate sources, and slate quarries.
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.
We purchased this slate removing tool (also useful for removing other types of roof shingles where careful work is needed) at Davies Hardware, on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, NY.
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
BritSlateTM 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
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
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.
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Alan Carson and Dan Friedman are ASHI Members, home inspectors, educators and writers in Toronto and Poughkeepsie respectively. Information
in this article is taken from the references shown below, from inspection experience, from opinions shared at ASHI and other education seminars,
from the authors' personal, limited experience repairing and rebuilding of slate roofs, and from very helpful Bill Markcrow and Doug Sheldon
at Vermont Structural Slate Co.
We also paraphrased from a presentation to NY Metro ASHI Members by Mr. Steven Trapasso in October, 1990.
Mr. Trapasso has 40 years experience in working with slate, and has a clear love affair with the material, particularly when it comes
from Vermont.
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
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.
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
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.
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
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).
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
"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
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