How difficult is it to put slates back on the roof?

Question

4 slates flew off my roof last night near the guttering. I can see a couple of thin wooden rails on the asfelt, that the slates go on. If I buy some new slates is it just a case cutting them to size with my tile cutter and making a few holes and popping a few nails in to keep them fixed to the roof?

Answer 1

Its an easy job but you need to make sure you retain the same overlap that the rest of the roof uses to avoid water seeping in due to capiliary action.

Use galvanised nails ,the roofing supplier will probably give you a handfull if you buy slates.

Take an old slate with you. Chinese, Spanish and Welsh slates all tend to be different colours. If its more that 20 years old it's liekly to be Welsh

if you haven't got a slate ripper or hole knocker, you can punch or drill holes in the slate once you've been up there and checked the overlap/battens position

As mentioned above, you might have to use lead strips. These nail to the batten under the bottom of the slate, shove the slate up into position, then fold the lead back.

The thin wooden rails are battens.

This job should be done as soon as possble as once there is a hole if gives the wind somewhere to get in and increase the roof pressure, causeing a Dorothy/Toto/Kansas problem

Answer 2

First, discover somebody that calls themselves a "slater", not a "roof craftsman". roof craftsman's are respiratory, jogging retards. those retards WILL strip a sturdy slate roof, then set up a decrease priced, decrease priced, rubbish, 15 12 months fiberglass shingle roof. A roof craftsman fixing slate is like having a ditch digger carry out ideas surgical operation! If he breaks out a tar bucket, call the police & have the fool bumped off! Fiberglass is non everlasting, slate is semi long term everlasting Slate can final a one hundred-200 years or greater (it is ROCK!) Slater's are a gifted commerce! I digress,,,,,,,,, Your roof are able to be stripped, then reinstalled, saving you particularly some funds & supply you an prolonged lifestyles. ALL roof leaks could be fastened from the exterior. Insulate the roof, in case you will end the attic, if not insulate the ceiling. Insulate the smallest area obtainable. pass nuts with the vapor barrier, caulk, insulation, etc. even with the undeniable fact that, as quickly as you put in an insulation layer, end! in case you insulate the ceiling, the attic area is unheated & don't have something performed to it. The insulation, vapor barrier, caulk etc, all is going in in an identical section. As in, you do not insulate the ceiling & then caulk the attic partitions, roof. Or extremely, it is heated & not ventilated OR not heated & ventilated. as quickly as the warmth & the moisture that is going with it, gets out, you want to do away with it.

Answer 3

if it is a slate roof they are difficult to re fix as you would normally use a lead tag to locate the slates .slates are normally fixed with nails working from bottom up and if slates slip down you can not re nail them into position as the slates above hide the fixing point ..hence the lead tags .these are strips of lead which are fixed to the lathe and hang down an inch lower than bottom of slate whenpushed into position..then turn lead strip up to locate slate ..or you could fix them with silicone ..make sure all surfaces are dry

Answer 4

slates or tiles? either way they are really easy to do. just be very careful in these winds, prob best to do it when its all died down and you've got some time when you don't have to rush