Slate Roofs

Reclaimed welsh

slates.

New Spanish

Slate

History of slate Roofs

Here is a brief history of slate roofs, and how they have progressed through time.

In Europe the first recorded slate roof was installed in 1287 in North Wales, England. Slate was used on castles and churches because of its durability against fire and weather. Since it was extremely expensive and time consuming to install, only the wealthy could take advantage of it. It wasn’t until the 1800’s in Wale and Spain that the quarrying process became advanced enough for slate to be available for roofing everyday homes.

Welsh Slate is one of the most common slate in all of the UK. These slate are so durable that there are reclamation yards selling second hand Welsh slates due to their long life span and strong quality; Welsh slates are often known to last over 100 years. However due to the increasing cost for Welsh slate most houses re slated in the UK are mainly slates from Spain and other countries such as Brazil. To this day almost 90% of all European roofing slate is quarried in Spain. Spanish slates can last up to and over 75 years.

Spanish slate dates back to Ordovician period, roughly 400 million years ago. In comparison, Welsh Penrhyn slate is much older, dating back to the Cambrian era, which was over 600 million years ago. Essentially, Welsh Penrhyn slate has been inside the earth for much longer period of time, giving it very different properties than the younger Spanish slate.

Most notably, the Welsh slate’s age has made it denser, which means it is stronger and more durable. It is also much less susceptible to iron sulphide deposits, which are also known as pyrites. Spanish slates, however, are susceptible to pyrites, and in some cases where quality is poor, they can react in a way that causes rust, discolouration and disintegration. In time, these problems can result in slate roof failure.

However if the slate is sourced from a reputable supplier and a good quality slate is bought then it can be just as good as a Welsh in nearly every aspect.

Over time the techniques used for slating roofs has changed. There are many new methods which can often be better a solution than the old traditional way.

Cementing the back of the slate commonly known a back pointing is a thing of the past. A modern slate roof is now felted which eliminates the use of this old tradition.

With the advanced technology of today we have better roofing products to install on roofs such as breathable felt and dry ridge systems.

Not only that we also have the ability to test products like never before and to test the best methods for roofing.

Now not everything in roofing can be tested. Sometimes a roof can have different details to them, swept valleys, mitred hips etc. An experienced slater handles these issues with no problem and will approach each and every project with the same dedication and precision.

Using these products with new and old methods, we can ensure every slate roof we lay has been done to the best quality.

Don't take our word for it-check out our gallery to view our work and to see how great a slated roof by us actually looks and how significantly we can improve your home.