One of the most important aspects to consider when designing a new house is what material to use on the roof. Slate gray roofs have been common on homes of distinction since European colonists introduced them hundreds of years ago. In addition to adding beauty and value to your property, slate is extremely durable, and has been found on homes over 100 years old.
Fortunately, synthetic slate roofing tiles can provide all the benefits of real stone without the added expense associated with it. This article will consider the benefits of natural slate compared with a composite alternative from Brava Roof Tile.
What Is Slate Roofing?
Slate is a natural, renewable and sustainable building material. In America, slate can be found in many areas, but most of it is mined in the Northeastern states of Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, and Maine. The stone is excavated from the ground in large slabs, and then sent to manufacturing facilities where it is sawn and split into its final dimensions. Many companies still produce slate roofing using the old-fashioned method of hand splitting. However, by utilizing modern machinery, natural slate has become more affordable than in the past.
Benefits Of Slate Roofing Tiles
The benefits include:
- Durable - A slate roof can last over a hundred years. This makes it a wise investment for homeowners.
- Environmentally Friendly - Gray slate roofs are environmentally friendly and sustainable, because they are made from natural materials that can be recycled.
- Adds Value to Your Home - Slate roofing increases the value of your home. It's also an attractive way to update your home's exterior.
Will Slate Work On Low-Pitched Roofs?
Slate tiles are seen most often on the steep-pitched roofs of grand mansions, making some people wonder if they can be used on low-pitched roofs. The answer is yes, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, make sure the slope of your roof is at least four inches in 12 feet. This is the minimum slope required for slate roofing.
Natural Slate Has Some Disadvantages
- Slate can weigh between 800 and 1,500 pounds per hundred square feet of roof surface. You will need to have an engineer verify that your current roof structure will support the weight of the stone, as well as any additional snow load that your area normally gets.
- Installing a slate roof is complicated, and most roofing contractors do not have the experience to tackle this type of project. There are tools required that are specific to slate, and only a roofer with this experience can guarantee you a no-leak roof. You will need a specialist.
- Slate is strong, but it is brittle. Simply walking on it incorrectly can cause a tile to break, and the repair will be expensive. The same level of experience required to install the slate will be needed to repair it. That limits your options and increases the cost.
- Natural slate is expensive and can be difficult to locate.
- Slate requires regular maintenance and inspection. The inspector should be familiar with slate roofing and its installation, and should do a walk-around once a year looking for broken tiles or other issues. In 2022, the average cost of a slate repair is estimated at $1,570.
Why Synthetic Slate Roofing Tiles Are A Good Alternative To Natural Slate
Synthetic slate is made from recycled materials, so it is environmentally-friendly and easily sourced. It is lightweight compared to natural slate and can be installed by most professional roofers, which keeps the costs down.
Composite slate tiles are low/no maintenance and can last for 50 years or more without special care. Real slate is limited in color selection, but synthetic slate can be manufactured in a wide variety of colors.
Choose Brava For Composite Slate Roofing Tiles
Old World Slate composite roof tile perfectly mimics real slate in all the right ways:
- Actual slate tiles were used to make the molds.
- It is the only composite slate available in multi-colors and blends.
- The colors are fully blended, reducing issues with fading.
- Our slate has a 1”-thick profile.
- Available with a Class A or Class C Fire rating and a Class 4 impact rating - the highest in the industry.
- Can be cut with standard skill saws and installed with nails or screws.
- They are lightweight and can be installed on most code-approved homes.
Brava roof tiles are manufactured from 100%-recycled materials and can be recycled again if the roof ever has to be replaced, making them sustainable and environmentally friendly. Our roof tiles come with a 50-year limited lifetime warranty and can be shipped almost anywhere in the world. Contact us today to get your free samples and discover why Brava is the first choice for homeowners around the world.
