Choosing a slate roof is a decision made in tribute to time-honored elegance, endurance, and even the kind of "wow" factor that leaves a lasting impression. The tailored slate roof our company builds for you will complement your home's architecture, let the interior light flow as it should, and — with our careful selection of high-quality slate from reputable quarries — last longer than you will probably live in your home. If you were to count the years wrapped in my memory, my slate-roof apprenticeship would be nudging the quarter-century mark. I’ve learned some important things along the way: how to choose slate, texture, color, and pattern; how to overcome the misconceptions one makes about cutting, shaping, and fastening slate; and how to stay true to the design of your roof (even when that involves some tricky framing). I can't imagine a better roof for preserving what I believe is the interior essence of your home.
Slate roofing has a long history of being durable, and it's true. But what's also true is that the durability of a slate roof is not a given; it has everything to do with the roofing materials used, how they're cut and sized, and how they're installed. Natural slate is the best choice for a slate roof because of its unique properties: it's composed of minerals that, in nature, have been pressure-cooked, making them resistant to breakage, fusion, and flaking; it's almost impossibly dense, making it a formidable water-shedper; and it's to all intents and purposes, a natural product, so it's not going to spring unpleasant surprises over its lifetime. By contrast, the man-made products you may be sold and that may be used in place of natural slate do not possess these minerals and properties—meaning that they're substitutes that aren't truly equal to the task.
Our custom slate roofing solutions have practical benefits that go far beyond looking good and lasting a long time. In addition to aesthetics and durability, there are many reasons to consider a tailored slate roof. Slate is a natural material that is minimally processed, making it a good choice for roofs when the environment is a concern. It's also a fire-safe material that gives you an added layer of protection for your property. Slate has a low thermal conductivity, which means it's not a very good insulator. However, you can add some insulation to your tailored slate roof to improve its energy efficiency. And there are many custom things we can do to a slate roof that you can't do to other types of roofs—like adding snow guards (not usually needed here, but common in the Northeast), using copper for flashing, and building ventilation systems to keep the roof dry and healthy. Our slate roofs can last much longer than most other types of roofs. We also can do all the maintenance you need to keep the roofing system in good shape—something you can't do with other roofing types.
