Slate Roofing Tile Advantagese that add Classic Beauty to a Home

Also, due to its weight compared to other roofing materials, it is less susceptible to storm and wind damage. Lastly it easily sheds snow and ice thus making it extremely beneficial in colder climates.

Slate roofing tiles are however pricey and thus why they are not used very frequently today. However, they can still be seen on older historic homes and high end houses. If you’re in the process of remodeling an old home, it is certainly worth considering investing in slate roofing as they can help preserve its old home ambiance and style. If the cost of real slate roof tiles is beyond your reach, but you still want to have that slate look appearance on your roof, you may want to consider using synthetic slate roofing tiles. They are less expensive and look very much like the real deal.

The key reason why slate became such a viable roofing product is that it can be cleaved, or split, in one direction and into various sheet thicknesses. Thus relatively lightweight compared to other stone materials, roofing tiles could be cut and trimmed from the thin sheets. Slate roofing tiles come in many standard sizes varying in lengths from 12 to 24 inches, and widths from 6 to 12 inches, respectively. They typically range in thickness from 3/16ths to 5/16ths of an inch, however most slate roofing tiles are around ¼ inch thick, +/- 1/16 of an inch. This said, some slate roof tiles can be purchased in excess of 1 inch thick.

Another benefit of the fact that slate is a quarried natural stone is that slate roofing tiles come in a variety of different colors and shades. Slate roofing tile colors and tones can range the gambit, however in general they tend to vary from a grayish-black, to a greenish gray, to a light to dark purple or reddish. Between these main colors there is a wide spectrum of earthy color shades. As a result, there is a slate roofing tile color that can match just about any house paint scheme. Also, slate roof tiles can be purchased with various levels of expected fading or weathering. Unfading slate roof tiles, for example, are predicted to fade very little over time. In addition, any fading that does occur is predicted to be uniform throughout the entire roof.

Fading roof slate, on the other hand, can fade significantly over time and from shingle to shingle. The amount of fading associated with slate roofing tiles is dependent upon the natural aspects of where it was quarried and the skill in the supplier being able to predict it accurately.

An additional benefit of slate roofing is its insulating properties. Due to its denseness and thickness compared to other roofing products, it can provide better insulation to your home thus reducing your home’s overall energy costs. Also, slate roofing tiles also require very little maintenance. In the rare event of a broken slate tile, only the broken tile itself needs to be repaired. A skilled slate roofing contractor can easily make these types of repairs.

To conclude, if you have an old home that you plan to remodel and want to add an elegant and natural look to its roof, consider slate roofing tiles. Their old world charm will offer your home unique beauty, while at the same time provide many functional and long term cost saving advantages. Alternatively, if you are on a tight budget and can’t afford real slate roofing tiles you may want to consider synthetic slate roofing tiles. They look virtually the same as natural slate tiles, but are more affordable both from a material and installation cost.