Slate roofing has been around for many centuries now and remains just as popular as ever with many different slate options available giving homeowners complete control over the look of the home.
Whatever the design, budget, and location of your home, there is a slate option to suit, from the natural beauty and elegance of traditional stone slate, and the cost-effectiveness and easy installation of synthetic alternatives at Vertex Roofing Glasgow.
Slate roof options
Luckily, for those considering a new slate roof, there is now a wide range of aesthetically unique options available.
As well as natural slate, the following synthetic alternatives are now popular slate roofing choices: Synthetic Composite, concrete, metal, bituminous, and fibre cement.
Natural Slate
Natural slate is considered one of the UK’s oldest roofing materials, with the longevity and beauty of the material meaning that it is still an extremely popular choice to this day.
On many old buildings across the nation, natural slate still sits firmly where it was placed centuries ago, looking as good as the day it was installed, and it is this durability that makes so many swear by its superiority as a roofing option.
Natural slate is an architect’s dream, coming in a huge variety of different shades and textures depending on the stone it was crafted from meaning that whatever look you are going for, there is a natural slate that will provide the perfect stylish finish.
A well maintained slate roof can last upwards of 100 years and is fully waterproof and fire resistant.
Unfortunately, all these benefits do come at a cost, and with so many cheaper alternatives available many people are opting to save money by choosing a man-made option.
Natural slate is also extremely heavy and can require additional supports to be put in place before installation, raising the costs further.
Furthermore, a broken slate can be extremely difficult to replace due to the uniqueness of the natural stone the slates were crafted from.
Synthetic Composite
Synthetic composite slates are generally made up of a composite mixture of plastic and rubber, with many manufacturers using post-industrial waste in an attempt to become more environmentally friendly.
Synthetic composite slate provides many of the same advantages as natural slate, with the added benefits of being much cheaper and more lightweight.
There will be no additional support needed for synthetic slate, no matter the nature of your home and the composite material is far more resilient to foot traffic, UV rays, and heavy impact.
Fibre Cement
By combining sand, cement, and cellulose fibres, manufacturers have managed to develop a much cheaper but comparable version of natural slate roofing.
However, cement tiles can be prone to cracking and breakages over time, especially when exposed to extreme weather conditions such as snow and high winds.
With the correct maintenance in place, fibre cement tiles can last upwards of 25 years, however, they may need retreating and repainting after just 10 years in order to reach this milestone, adding additional ongoing costs that should be taken into consideration.
Bituminous Slate
Bitumen, or asphalt, is used by roofing manufacturers for both shingles and to create bituminous slate.
Whilst shingles are coarse and grit like, bituminous slate is smooth, replicating that of natural slate tiles.
If you are looking to recreate the look and pattern of a natural slate roof whilst avoiding the associated high cost of installation.
Bituminous slate has the additional advantage of being an extremely flexible roofing option, allowing you to install these tiles over domes and corners with ease.
Unfortunately, unlike other slate types, bitumen is vulnerable to extreme temperatures, softening in high heats and becoming brittle and more prone to fracturing once cool.
Metal Slate
Metal slate roofing is energy efficient, durable (with a lifespan of anywhere from 50-70 years), and eco-friendly.
If you are opting for metal slates, however, it is worth noting that when poorly installed, pooling can occur that over time will result in leaks and rusting, diminishing both the lifespan of the roof and the aesthetic appeal of your home.
It is also important that room is left for expansion and contraction to occur as metal will react more dramatically than other slates to hot and cold temperatures.
For this reason, make sure that you only ever use a highly recommended professional contractor for your metal slate roofing installation.
Concrete
Concrete tiles may initially seem a cold and industrial choice for your home’s roof, but modern concrete slates come in a huge variety of colours and custom shapes as well as offering excellent fire and water resistance.
Concrete slate is created from a mixture of cement, sand, water, and oxide and is an incredibly energy efficient roofing option.
By limiting heat transfer, concrete is an excellent insulator and when installed correctly can survive the most severe weather conditions and have an impressive lifespan of over 50 years.
Towards the end of their life span, concrete tiles can become compromised, allowing rainwater to penetrate through the cracks and potentially causing lasting damage to your home’s structure.
Concrete is also incredibly heavy, and additional support is likely to be required prior to installation.