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TYPES OF SLATE ROOFING
There’s a LOT to love about slate roofing. As one of the most eco-friendly, durable, and attractive roofing materials available, any home is sure to benefit from the addition of a slate roof. With so many types of roof slates, it can be hard to know which style to go with. If you want to add beauty and value to your home, here are seven types of slate roof styles to consider. The function of a slate roof is to provide shelter, shed rain and snow, and resist wind and other loads. This is achieved with simple and adaptable methods of installation that have proved successful for centuries around the world. In many cases, local requirements, or necessity, lead to the development of slating styles that suit or benefit from the regional supply of material. In other cases, it is the genius of the design professional or roofing professional that deserves the credit for creating a spectacular roofscape.
1) Graduated Slate Roof
This traditional style of roof slating, originating in the UK, Wales or Scotland, offers style and functionality. With a graduated slate roof, the slates vary in both length and width, with the larger slates closer to the eaves and the smaller slates closer to the top of the roof. This style roof was developed in the days when quarries produced slate on an “as available” basis, rather than in specific sizes. This required the roofer to sort the slates by hand when it arrived on the job site.
The practice of installing slates of varying lengths and widths on a roof came from the days when some quarries produced slate on an “as available” basis rather than in specified lengths and widths. This led to the roofing contractor sorting the slate on site and installing the longest and widest slates at the eaves (where they carried the most water) and “graduating” several other lengths into the roof in courses so that the shortest and narrowest slates were at the top of the roof, where they carried the least water. The normal exposure of each length was maintained, decreasing from the eave to the top of the roof. A well laid-out graduated slate roof should show no discernible break between the various lengths of slates used as they move up the roof.
By installing the longest and widest slates at the eaves, where they carry the most water, and “graduating” to several other lengths closer to the top, water is more effectively diverted away from the home. A properly constructed graduated slate roof should show no obvious disconnect between the different sizes of slates used as the eye moves up the roof, providing functional style to your home.
2) Standard Slate Roofs
The standard uniform slate roof style is the most common style seen on homes in the U.S. Standard slate roofs are made up of 1/4? – 3/8? slate of one uniform length and width and with square-cut butts. All of the tiles are set in evenly spaced horizontal courses with carefully aligned vertical joints. If you’re interested in creating a more organized, clean and clutter-free exterior design, a standard slate roof may be a good choice.
3) Random Width Slate Roof
A random width slate roof offers more texture and less uniformity than a standard slate roof. Even though the two styles share some of the same attributes, random width slate roofs are cut to one length and thickness in a variety of widths. Slate tiles are set in courses, where the roofer periodically inserts two slates on top of each other to create an attractive textural effect. When the lower slate in the pair is dropped down a few inches and the slate on top is raised up, it creates a thicker texture and staggering of the exposed butts. A random width slate roof is sure to add style and sophistication to your home.
4) Staggered Butt Slate Roof
Another type of classic slate roof is the staggered butt style. The staggered butt style has slates that vary in length, or can be laid on the roof in such a way as to give off the effect that they’re varied in length. With these longer pieces of slate extending beyond the butt line of other slates, it creates a visually appealing “hang-down” appearance. The amount of stagger can vary from roof to roof, letting the homeowner control how dramatic the texture appears.
5) Mixed Color Patterns
Slate roofs are available in a wide variety of different colors. You can mix and match to create just about any unique color combination you want. Additionally, you can use different colors to create interesting patterns. If you truly want to make your home stand out, choose a mixed color slate roof.
6) Textural Slate Roofs
Textural slate roofs use slates made with rougher surfaces and higher variances of lengths, widths and thicknesses. This creates a unique texture, leaving slates of various sizes lying adjacent to each other. As the slates are rougher and thicker, it is common for textural slate butt corners to be randomly missing to acceptable dimensions. As the slates are rougher and thicker, it is common for textural slate butt corners to be randomly missing to acceptable dimensions.