Slate Roof Details Scotland

Not any old slate will do and not any old roofer can do a great job.

Slate roof details scotland. Slate roofs were commonly used until the 1960s when concrete tiles became more popular. However no roofing slate has been produced in scotland since the. The definitive description of slate stone and clay tile roofing in scotland. Scottish slate roofs have a number of characteristics which make them well suited to both the local climate and the nature of the material produced by slate quarries in scotland.

Quality recycled slates come with no details of age or provenance and. Scottish slate quarries closed at this time but it is still possible to source good second hand slates for roof repairs. It s wise to inspect slate roofs regularly to spot potential problems as soon as they appear. From the grey green stobo slate from peeblesshire to the high quality grey.

Reslating a roof will cost a little more than replacing with tiles but will have a longer life. Slating is one of the oldest traditional trades that is still around today but it takes knowledge skill and experience to carry it off. Due to the different geology of the quarries the colour and quality of the slates produced varied greatly and evidence of this can be seen on roofs right across scotland. These include features such as diminishing courses random lengths and widths of slate single nailing and laying onto sarking board rather than battens figure 1.

The roof covering is a building s first line of defence against the weather. This is a craft that not just any roofer can master. Provided slates for use on roofs regionally throughout scotland up to the mid twentieth century. General guidance on design is given here but for further details please refer to.