What Is the Best Slate for Roofing?
The use of slates for roofing may seem new, but they have been in constant use for centuries. They have gained traction, becoming one of the most popular methods of roofing globally. Slates are sources from different countries till they make their way to our homes. Slates come in two forms, natural and synthetic. Most people tend to use natural slates for a couple of reasons.
First of all, slates from different countries are not all the same. For natural roof slates, the raw material used to make it is variable, with no regulations from different countries. This is why even colour variations can be straightforward.
Below is a slate guideline on some of the best slates you can consider using for your next building project.
English Roof Slate
The natural English slate is quite common, with extractions happening even back in the 17th century. The Burlington and Westmorland slate is very popular due to its lifespan, based on hundreds of years. The material is not only hard in quality, but it is also attractive on houses. The appearances vary, and that's what makes the two variations unique and widely recognised as great slates.
Due to how good they are, don't expect that they would be cheap, but they are certainly affordable. English roof slates are worth adding to your house if you are not on a strict budget. The Westmorland version can cost upwards of Ł200 per square metre when new.
For a reclaimed slate, you can expect to spend about Ł40, and they are just as good. Installing the slates needs a whole new skill set since it is a complex process. Choose a professional roofing company and avoid doing it yourself since you may end up with more losses than you could have imagined.
Welsh Natural Slates
The Welsh slate has a reputation for being the best slate globally, even better than the English slate at some level. Its colours are pretty intriguing, with two variations being blue-grey and purple. These are unique colours for roofing slates. The other fantastic factor about the colours is that they can last for more than 100 years without losing their look and quality.
The Welsh slate doesn't need much maintenance and even installation is easy, making the process faster and cheaper. The actual slates cost can be costly but there are always more affordable options, especially from specialists who work on roofing supplies specifically. From £40 to £80 per square metre, it is well within your building budget.
Spanish Slate
Most of the roofing slates in the world come from Spain due to its vast productions. The quality tends to vary due to mass production, but it is the easiest slate to the source. Its variant, called the Benuza Blue Heavy, is the most popular compared to other quality versions from the Welsh and English slates. However, the cheaper ones don't tend to have a high life expectancy but are good enough depending on your roofing project's budget and scale.
Other best types of slates that follow this list include the Chinese Slate and Brazilian slates. Whichever you choose, you should always consider factors such as quality, colour and cost.
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