Slate Roof Installation

What is a Slate Roof?

A tradtional slate roof installation includes overlapping natural stone slate roofing tiles securely attached to a solid roof deck.

Slate roofing systems provide commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings with long-lasting protection from water damage and pest infestations while delivering premium aesthetic benefits.

A traditional slate roof installation requires a sturdy roof deck and load-bearing infrastructure to handle the weight of the natural stone.

But advancements in materials now allow a slate roof installation contractor to offer property owners and managers relatively lightweight products that mirror old-world stone.

These are options that can be employed in commercial slate roofing.

Natural Slate Roof Tiles

Stone slate roof tiles are culled from quarries around the world. In the U.S., states such as Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, and Virginia remain primary sources of natural slate roof tiles.

The stone materials come in a variety of shapes and the colors are largely driven by location and rock formations.

This class of historic slate roof tiles can last for 100 to 150 years or longer.

Although a slate roofing installation lasts 50 to 150 years when properly maintained, it’s not uncommon for a severe weather storm to negatively impact tiles, copper flashings, fasteners, and sealants.

Following any extreme weather event, it’s crucial to have a roof inspection conducted to determine whether there are any minor cracks that could result in moisture penetrations and water damage to the roof deck.

Slate Roof Installation After Hail Damage

Natural stone slate roof tiles typically run about one-quarter-inch in thickness.

Now imagine a major league pitcher hurling a baseball at a natural stone, metal, cement, composite, or asphalt roofing tile.

That’s precisely what happens when a hailstone strike the size of a baseball pummels a slate roofing system.

Even a hail storm that produces ice ranging from quarter- to golf ball-sized chunks falling at high speeds is likely to dent, chip, and create cracks in some slate roof materials, leaving a wake of damage.

But what proves increasingly problematic is that slate roof hail damage goes unnoticed.

Too often, property managers believe a historic slate roof can withstand an extreme hailstone storm.

But cracks, dents, and impact to flashing and sealants can result in slate roof leaks that cause water damage to load-bearing supports.

These supports can become dangerously weak over time, prompting the need for costly building restoration.

Slate Roof Installation After Wind Damage

Roof wind damage can be obvious when asphalt shingles appear torn or sections of metal panels are loosened.

But slate roof wind damage is not always as straightforward as everyday people might believe.

A high-wind storm can pick up and throw debris at a slate roofing system that causes damage similar to a hailstone strike.

Less obvious forms of slate roof wind damage may involve loose flashing.

When aluminum or copper flashings are pulled by strong winds, it fails to effectively provide water removal.

Galvanized and copper nails can also pop up, allowing moisture to seep into the roof deck.

In addtion to that, some strong winds can cause slate roof tiles to "chatter" and crack as wind creates forces that move individual tiles.

These are reasons why it’s crucial to have a thorough roof inspection conducted to ensure minor slate roof wind damage doesn’t lead to a costly restoration project later.

Slate Roof Installation FAQs