Interested in a slate roof? Are you looking for the information you need to decide if slate roofing is right for you?
Choosing a roofing material is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make during the roof replacement process. While most homeowners choose asphalt or metal, slate roofing is still a popular residential material in the United States.
However, you’re the only one who can decide if it's right for you. The best way to do this is by learning the pros and cons of slate roofing.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has given homeowners the confidence to make the right decisions with transparent information. So, let’s learn if a slate roof is right for you.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn the following:
- A brief overview of what a slate roof is
- The pros of a slate roof
- The cons of a slate roof
What is a slate roof?
A slate roof is a premium roof system made primarily out of natural slate tiles and other slate roofing accessories. The slate is mined (mainly in Italy) and cut into square tiles installed individually instead of on strips or mats.
Just know that the availability and how soon they can be delivered depends heavily on the suppliers in the area. Having to mine the materials is a big reason, but slate roofing is also not as readily available as other roofing materials.
However, the look and lifespan are enough for it to be popular with homeowners with large budgets. In fact, the curb appeal is so popular that manufacturers make asphalt shingles and synthetic shingles to mimic the look.
What are the pros of a slate roof?
After learning what it simply is, let’s start with the good of slate roofing. While the list of pros isn’t long, they are huge reasons homeowners invest in a slate roof.
Below is a breakdown of the following slate roofing pros:
- Durability
- Lifespan
- Curb appeal
Slate tiles stand up well to the elements
A slate roof is very durable, which means it stands up well to the elements. Like all roofing materials, slate tiles will show signs of wear as the years pass.
The color will lighten from prolonged UV exposure, but a slate roof handles wear and tear better than most other roofing materials. This is especially true when it comes to storm damage.
The weight of the tiles makes it hard for wind to damage the roof, while the slate itself is solid enough to avoid most hail damage. However, anything falling, like tree limbs, on a slate roof will most likely lead to broken tiles.
Slate roofs are long-lasting
As I just said, slate roofing is durable. Because of this, it’s actually one of the longest-lasting roof systems available in residential roofing.
A slate roof will last 75 to 100 years as long as it’s installed and flashed properly. It could even go past 100 years in the right conditions and with routine maintenance.
As long as everything is done correctly, a slate roof will be the last one you’ll ever need. A fun thing I like to tell homeowners is that their grandkids won’t even have to worry about it.
However, quality of installation, foot traffic, weather, maintenance, and other factors determine how long a slate roof lasts.
A slate roof has very high curb appeal
Slate roofs are beautiful and eye-catching from every angle, which provides a home with very high curb appeal. If you show homeowners pictures of all roofing materials, most would say slate is the best looking.
And as I said at the beginning, other materials are now made to mimic the look of a slate roof. Obviously, looks are subjective, and everyone has different tastes.
However, you won’t find many other roofs that stand out or turn heads the way a slate roof does.
What are the cons of a slate roof?
Now, it’s time for the cons of slate roofing. Keep in mind that these cons aren’t necessarily things that make it a bad roofing material.
However, homeowners must consider them when deciding if slate roofing is right for them.
Let’s get to the following cons of a slate roof:
- Fragile
- Repair and installation difficulty
- Weight
- Material warranty
- Cost
Slate roof tiles are very fragile
While a slate roof is very durable after installation, the tiles are very fragile. Every single slate tile must be handled carefully before and during installation because they break so easily.
This is even true after your slate roof is installed because it takes experience to walk or work on the tiles without breaking them. If someone breaks slate tiles when walking on the roof, it will lead to a leak that won’t be easy (or cheap) to fix.
That’s why no one should be on a slate roof unless they know how to maneuver around the right way.
Slate roofs are difficult to repair and install
As I said at the very beginning, slate tiles are installed one at a time. This makes a slate roof installation a very difficult, labor-intensive, and time-consuming project.
It’s a completely different ball game than normal shingles, so it takes a specialized installer with experience to install slate tiles correctly. However, a slate roof is also very hard and expensive to repair.
Broken tiles are not easy to remove or replace, which makes tracking and fixing leaks harder. On top of this, there’s also the concern of breaking other tiles while trying to take care of the original problem.
That’s why hiring a local roofing contractor with extensive slate roofing experience is crucial before getting a replacement or repairs on a current slate roof.
A slate roof puts a lot of weight on your home’s structure
Slate roofs are incredibly heavy once installed. It adds so much weight that a house has to be built or framed to handle the weight to prevent the walls and/or roof from caving in.
So, any existing home that can’t hold the weight must be retrofitted with more structural support. This must be approved by a structural engineer and completed before the first slate tiles can even be installed.
If you’re seriously interested in a slate roof, bring up the weight factor with your roofing contractor and determine if your home can handle a slate roof as is.
Slate tiles don’t come with a material warranty
After investing in a new roof, you usually get warranties on the contractor’s workmanship and the roofing materials. Unlike most other roof types, slate tiles are naturally made.
Unfortunately, this means there’s usually no manufacturer warranty on the slate tiles or the roof system. You’ll only have your roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty to fall back on for any problems.
Not only is it crucial to hire a local roofing contractor with slate roofing experience, but you must also find one that stands behind their work. I believe any roofer who takes pride in their workmanship should have no problem standing behind it for at least 10 years.
Slate roofing is one of the most expensive roofing materials
One of the biggest pros of a slate roof is the fact that it’s one of the longest-lasting roofing materials available. However, it’s also one of the most expensive types of roofing materials.
It’s impossible to give you an exact price without an inspection. However, I can give you an idea of the price range for a new slate roof.
For labor and materials, you can expect a slate roof to start around $15.00 to $20.00 per square foot, with the potential to get up to around $30.00 or more. You’ll be paying much more if you have to retrofit your home for more structural support.
For comparison, you can actually expect to pay at least 4 times more for a slate roof than an asphalt shingle roof.
Is a slate roof right for you?
After reading this article, you have the information you need to determine if slate roofing is right for you. If you’re looking for affordability, a slate roof is probably not for you.
You’re not alone if this is the case. Slate roofing is simply not possible with many homeowners’ budgets.
But as I’ve said a couple of times, there are alternatives. In fact, synthetic slate shingles are skyrocketing in popularity because of how close they look to the real thing.
So, you’re not out of luck if you want the slate look without some of the drawbacks listed here. That’s why I wrote another article comparing natural slate to synthetic shingles to continue helping you narrow down your roofing material options.
Check out Slate Roof vs. Synthetic Slate Roof to learn how synthetic slate shingles compare to natural tiles on key decision-making factors.
