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Slate Roofs
Slate is a type of rock which has been used on roofs for hundreds of years. Large pieces of slate may be split into flat, thin slices while remaining intact, which makes it an excellent material for roofs tiles. Slate tiles are highly regarded as a strong, lightweight roof cladding material.
Slate is a high quality building material, and although different types of slate vary considerably in how much they cost, slate is generally one of the most expensive roofing materials to build with.
Slate Roof Restoration
Slate roof restoration is one of our specialties. The slate roofing of the greater Sydney area is one of the most beautiful aspects of our community. These roofs sometimes need a little repair and restoration. We are a slate roofing company eastern suburbs communities can rely on. Your old slate roof can still last for years, if not decades, to come with a little repair and maintenance work.
Slate roof restoration helps your roof stay in great condition. A slate roof can last for well over 100 years if it is properly maintained. Slate is a naturally occurring material that is incredibly durable and water resistant. This makes slate an essential material for roofing. Many of our communities’ most historic buildings have slate roofing and we can help with repairs.
Slate roof repair is an area where we excel. Not only are we fully certified and insured, but we are also backed up by satisfied clients and years of experience. Your slate roof, no matter how old, can be brought back into shape with some quick work from our expert staff. When we work on historic buildings, we take our jobs very seriously. Maintaining the historic value and the natural beauty of these buildings is one of our strongest commitments. When you hire us to repair and maintain your historic slate roof, we will do everything to make sure that your building retains its historic value and remains structurally sound. At Crown Slate Roofing, working on historic buildings is more than just a job, it’s something we can take pride in. If you’ve been looking for a slate roofing company eastern suburbs communities can rely on, then get in touch with us today. We have the years of experience and storied reputation your heritage roof needs to get back into its classic shape.
Heritage Roof
What does ‘Heritage’ mean in roofing?
Australia is lucky to have a wealth of well preserved, historic buildings and houses. To maintain these properties, a considerable amount of work and money has to be invested to ensure that they are still around for generations to come.
In terms of roofing, this means that old, failing roof slates need to be replaced with new ones to protect the structure and interiors of these valuable properties. However, these heritage projects are often far more complex than installing a standard roof on a volume housing project.
Using the correct material is vital to a heritage project, as strict regulations often require roof replacements or repairs to be carried out with like for like products. New roofing slates with the correct profile, colour and texture are needed to match existing tiles, the age and style of a building and the surrounding environment. The challenge doesn’t end with sourcing the right roofing slate. An immense amount of planning and preparation goes on behind the scenes on a heritage project as attention to detail is paramount. Correct installation is as important as choosing the correct product to work with.
Roofing contractors who have experience of historic buildings work with a high level of craftsmanship due to the demands of heritage roofing. Heritage roofing is very methodical and has to be completed to strict standards, which means extensive planning is necessary. Conservation boundaries also have to be considered, with appropriate analysis and documentation completed. It isn’t simply a question of building or restoring a house, then putting a roof on top.
Modern roofing slates have been developed with a host of design features that make installation as quick and simple for the contractor as possible. No such luck with traditional roof slates! They are often more difficult to fit and require traditional installation methods (such as using lime and mortar). This means that the pace of work is much slower, but an exceptional finish that is faithful to the original build is considered more important than a quick installation.
The methods used should be in keeping with how the building was built originally. Customers often prefer the look of a roof that appears to be aged and weathered rather than a roof that is very obviously brand new.
Slate maintenance and repairs
A good quality slate roofing will outlast most other roof coverings. If they don’t suffer any physical damage, they will typically last for over 100 years. However, time and weather will leave their mark on a slate roof and tiles can become damaged or loose. This is why your slate roof will need to be repaired.
Why Slate Roof Repairs or Replacements are Needed?
Slates are damaged by roof settling, frost or wind, or falling objects such as tree branches. Usually such damage is isolated to one tile, or possibly to a relatively small area of the roof. When our team carry out a repair, the damaged tile is removed and the replacement is fixed using a copper clip nailed by copper clout. Using copper clip is beneficial as they are not affected by the sun as a lead clip would be and copper will last as long as the slate will. Through time the copper clip will darken and blend into the colour of the roof.
The two main reasons why tiles become loose are:
- The fixing nails fail due to rust (known as ‘nail sickness’)
- The slates themselves disintegrate around the nail holes
Slate Roof Repairs for Nail Sickness Older slate roofs in Australia often weren’t fixed with copper clouts. So, while they are still in good condition, nail deterioration or ‘nail sickness’ affects the integrity of the roof to such a degree that it needs to be replaced. The first indication of ‘nail sickness’ is usually when the lower edge of a row is out of line – one fixing will fail on a number of slates and these will then twist. A repair replacing a single slipped slate on a roof suffering from ‘nail sickness’ can only be a temporary solution and the entire roof covering will need to be replaced at some time.
When roofs begin to suffer from ‘nail sickness’ or breakdown of the actual tiles, it usually means the roof is approaching the age when complete re-roofing will be required, since the fixing nails and slates are probably all the same age. We deal with this by doing a ‘re-nail’. The tiles are removed along with any battens that have deteriorated. Rotted battens are then replaced and the original slates repositioned and re-nailed. Good quality matching second-hand tiles can be used if any of the original tiles need replacing.
The benefits of using second hand slate for re-roofing:
- Increase the life span of the roof by at least 30 years
- Your property retains the traditional slate look
- The battens and roof sarking will be new
- No more maintenance costs every year
- All slates will be fixed with copper nails
- All new flashings and ridge coverings
- Backed with a First Class Slate warranty
- No more slipping slates
- The cost is lower
Other repair work that you might need can include:
- Ridge-capping, re-bedding and pointing
- Velux window installation
- Lead roofing or valley repairs
- Heritage tiles repair
See some of our first class work here or contact us for our no obligation free quote, or to get more information on how we can help you with your slate roof repairs.
Lead roofing
Lead has been used for roofing for centuries and is one of the oldest flashing materials. It is durable and soft enough to be formed into complex shapes. Lead roofing and flashings can last over 200 years. Generally speaking, lead roofing or flashing that is in good shape may safely be left in place.
SEALANT
Lead’s flexibility lends itself to give excellent sealing properties when used with the correct neutral cure sealants. Wherever there is a join between two surfaces, lead can provide a great seal. Lead can also be used as a covering for guttering too, helping make a roof 100% water-tight.
LONGEVITY
A good quality, lead roof can last as much as three times longer than other roofing materials. This is the reason why many historic buildings have lead roofing as it is reliable and durable which also makes it a costeffective option in the long-run.
CORROSION RESISTANT
As an extremely strong and resilient metal, lead is resistant to any type of corrosion. This can include pollutions in the atmosphere and damaging UV rays, helping it stand the test of time. It can also cope with a whole range of varying temperatures making it perfect for different environments.
RECYCLABLE
Lead has one of the highest recycling rates in the world, and is one of the most recycled metals, overtaking recycling rates for aluminium, copper and zinc. This forms a huge contribution to creating a sustainable environment and therefore reducing carbon emissions.
All of these natural properties make lead a very attractive option for roofing, and it is clear now why lead has been used on so many different buildings, such as churches, cathedrals and listed buildings for centuries!