What is a Slate Roof?

Slate is a type of stone that is used in a variety of construction methods, including roofing. When slate roofs are utilized, they take advantage of two breakability lines: Cleavage and grain. This makes it possible to split slate into thinner sheets, creating shingles that make for a beautiful, full roof. Even when broken, slate can still be useful to protect a home and keep water and weather out before repaired. Let’s learn more about slate roofs.

More About Slate Roofs

Slate roofs are most popular in Europe and Asia, seeing a big boom in the late 1800s and through the first World War. The development and widespread use of the steam engine throughout Europe and America saw the manufacturing of slate in different forms rise, eventually leading to the installation of slate roofs on buildings and homes in the US.

One of the reasons slate roofs became popular in the US, particularly in those with bad climates, is because of its low water absorption rate. Slate is essentially waterproof or as close to it as possible in manufacturing and construction. To this day, natural slate still beats just about every other roofing material on the planet when it comes to waterproofing due to this property.

Slate can last centuries, with little maintenance, because of its durability and waterproofing. Slate roofs are fire resistant as well and resistant to frost damage because of its waterproofing factor. In fact, you’ll still see many homes in the Northeast taking advantage of slate roofs because of its properties. Once the roof goes bad, though, many homeowners opt to invest in a more modern roofing material.

Despite its durability and the fact that it makes one of the best roofs, you’ll find few roofers or areas that use slate roofing in modern home construction. Asphalt shingles have become the popular way to save money, time and energy over slate roofing and other roofing types. Unfortunately, slate roofing has fallen to the wayside and has become almost a lost roofing form as asphalt shingles have taken over the market and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors that make modern homes dazzle.