The roof is slate: advantages and disadvantages. Mounting technology

Slate is one of the natural types of stone that exists in nature for more than 400 years. Due to its extraordinary strength and durability, the material gained its popularity in the 15th century. Even then it was widely used as a roofing on cathedrals and castles. Many architectural monuments to this day are decorated with slate tiles, which after many years has not lost its strength and presentable appearance. The ability to improve the building and emphasize the high income of its owner makes the shale stone popular in our days. What advantages does the shale roof have over other materials and is it easy to install, consider this article.

What is a shale roof?

Slate tiles - this is a piece of roofing material of elite class, made of rock rocks, characterized by the ability to split into thin, but strong layers. It can fit on the roofs of the most complex geometry, for which far from any roof is suitable. Slate tiles are most often found in dark gray, brown and dark green. Premium material can have a shiny coating and brighter shades, but because of the high cost of such a slate is more often used for decorating surfaces. The thickness of the plate varies from 4-9 mm, while its shape and dimensions can be very diverse.

But, unfortunately, in our world there are no perfect materials, not an exception - and the slate roof. Pros and cons of this coverage will try to consider in more detail.

Positive features of the shale roof

The title of high-tech and high-end material shale stone deserved for a reason. This has contributed to a number of positive properties, which cause a large number of sympathies from the homeowners. Namely:

1. Huge life time. The rock of rock possesses incredible strength and retains its properties for several hundred years.
2. The material is UV-resistant, so it does not lose its color throughout its life.
3. A stone of natural origin is completely safe for the environment, since it does not contain harmful substances.
4. Shale plates are very easy to process and do not crack during the driving of nails.
5. The roof of this material has a high level of noise absorption, so it does not create discomfort during the rain.
6. Slate does not crack and does not deform under the influence of heat and is absolutely fireproof.
7. Excellent resistance to temperature changes, does not absorb moisture and does not undergo corrosion.

Disadvantages of the material

Virtually any roof has some negative qualities. Slate tile is endowed with only two disadvantages - it's heavy weight and high cost. Since the shale deposits are deep enough to reach them on the surface, it is necessary to exert a lot of effort and use expensive equipment. The extracted material is handled exclusively by skilled craftsmen, which also requires considerable expenses. Both circumstances make the shale roof a luxury item that not everyone can afford. The cost of 1 square. M of material reaches about 150 euros.

The installation of a shale roof is also cheap. The price for laying such plates is quite high, since the work should be done by experienced and professional masters whose services are usually expensive.

A large weight of natural stone (more than 50 kg per 1 sq. M of material) requires the installation of a reinforced rafter system.

What should be the basis for laying the shale roof

Despite the excellent characteristics of the shale roof, the duration of its operation largely depends on the correctness of the preparatory work.

It should be noted that the slope of the roof for the shale roof should be at least 25 degrees. A very important stage in the construction of the roof is the installation of a crate, which can be made in the form of a solid foundation or grids installed with a small step. In this case, the step between the boards should not exceed half the width of the slate plate.

Usually, the wooden crates of 40x60 cm are used for making the crate, which are fixed on the rafters with nails. The rafter system is carried out in a standard way, but taking into account the weight of the stone tiles.

Stacking technology

The installation of a shale roof is a very troublesome and responsible process. As stated earlier, the installation is best entrusted to a knowledgeable person who has extensive experience working with this material. Otherwise, assuming even minor errors, expensive roofing can quickly fail. The technology of laying slate tiles on the roof implies the use of one of three possible ways of placing the plates: English, French, German.

For the English method, choose plates of regular shape and the same size with rounded edges. The essence of this method is that the tile of the upper row is set with an allowance for the previous row. The material is attached in horizontal rows using copper nails or hooks. The French method of laying involves the use of square tiles, with the upper and lower corners pre-cut. In this case, a beautiful scaly effect is created, due to which this method of laying is called the most attractive.

Masonry in a German way can be made of tiles of different sizes. Each plate is located at an angle, which contributes to the rapid drainage of water during the rain. Closer to the edge of the roof slope should increase.

Before you begin to fasten the slate slabs, it is necessary to lay the waterproofing material on the crate. It can pre-mark the location of the tiles, which will simplify and speed up the process of their installation.

Conclusion

From all of the above, it can be concluded that this material produces a strong and durable roof. A slate roof is a luxurious and expensive element of a house that is capable of capturing admiring passers-by for many years. The price of slate slabs is, of course, high, but can high-class materials cost less? And if we take into account the highest degree of reliability of natural cover, then we can safely say that its value is fully justified.