Hobby on the roof of the slate

Picture yourself in a calm haven just above your house, with the wind whispering through your hair and the sun caressing your face. That’s the allure of converting your roof into a haven of slate. It’s not just about mending shingles; it’s also about designing an area where you can relax and pursue your passions.

Roof slate enthusiasts take comfort in converting their rooftops into colorful gardens, warm lounge areas, or even tiny studios for creating art. Slate is a great material for creative projects because it is durable and resistant to weather. The slate roof transforms from a simple covering into an extension of your hobbies, whether you’re painting landscapes outside, cultivating a rooftop garden, or putting up a telescope for stargazing.

Slate’s distinct combination of utility and beauty appeals to a lot of people. Its innate beauty and toughness give your home a more appealing appearance while also offering a sturdy base for your private retreat on your rooftop. With a little forethought and creativity, your slate-topped retreat can quickly become a favorite place for unwinding, working, or just taking in the scenery.

"As a hobby, learning about the world of slate roofing reveals a special fusion of historical detail, practical skill, and craftsmanship. By studying the craft of choosing and shaping slate tiles, as well as their durability and environmental advantages, taking up slate roofing as a hobby, you can connect with centuries-old customs and sustainable building methods while also improving the aesthetics of your home. Find out how this practical pastime can change the way you think about roofing while enhancing the classic beauty of your home."

Slate roof – material features and installation rules

Slate roofs are a common sight in Russia, but because asbestos-cement slate sheets are carcinogenic, their manufacture was outlawed in Europe. However, as technology has advanced, having a good slate is no longer a reason to be afraid. The characteristics of slate, its applications, and slate nails should not be overlooked are covered in this article.

So what is slate?

Natural slate is made from tiles that are separated from clay shalers. With good reason, natural slate is regarded as one of the oldest building materials. Slate roof tiles were prevalent in the Middle Ages, and some of those structures have endured to this day!

Since actual slate is currently used very infrequently for roofing, asbestos-cement sheets have started to be referred to as slate.

The way the slate-covered roof looked

Slate was later used to refer to various roofing materials that had wavy sheets as their shape. Thus, non-zabestic slate, metal screen (metal wavy sheets), and euro-shifer (wavy sheets from the would be) are available.

Cement slate asbestos is a cheap and simple material to install. Sometimes it’s less expensive than tin and tiles. It is critical that a slate of this kind has low heat conductivity, strong resistance to frost, resilience to the negative effects of the surrounding environment, and fire safety.

The asbestos-cement slate is modified in the following ways:

  • wavy slate with an ordinary profile (in). Sheets of proper rectangular shape;
  • wavy slate with enhanced profile (WU). Suitable for the construction of industrial structures;
  • wavy slate with a unified profile (UV). The dimensions of the sheet are greater than in, but smaller. Due to this, the number of joints is reduced by almost double.

Some features of the use of slate

When applying slate to the roof, it’s important to pay close attention to how smooth the slate leaf’s exterior is.

This is how the slate is arranged:

  • The slate sheets are laid from right to left in the transverse direction, in such a way as to ensure the overlap of one of the sheets per wave;
  • In the longitudinal direction, slate should be placed from the bottom up, following the overlap of the upper sheets below the row (14 cm).

DIY slate can be painted following one of the suggested methods for laying the slate:

  • with a displacement of the longitudinal edges of the slate by one wave relative to the sheets below (you need pruning of a certain number of sheets by 1-3 waves);
  • with the combination of the longitudinal edges of all sheets located below (it will be necessary to cut the corners of the sheets to provide directness to the joints of the joints).

Shifer"s roof: creation of a crate

The roof has to be ready by building a sturdy, dependable base before slate installation can begin. A wooden beam crate measuring 6 by 6 cm is the ideal foundation for applying asbestos cement.

The bars are arranged with their heights alternating: the even heights are 63 mm, and the odd heights are 60 mm. Since every one of our bars is the same size, even ones will need to have 3 mm-thick wooden strips added to them. We will be able to guarantee the slate’s longitudinal splendor density because of this.

Starting from the cornice and working their way down to the skate, the crate’s bars are typically fixed in place in 53-centimeter steps. Anti-defense brackets, screws, and nails are used to secure them.

The crate’s dimensions are planned to guarantee that every slate sheet is laid in both the transverse and longitudinal directions.

In the event that the aforementioned principle cannot be followed, the penultimate sheets in the transverse rows are cut off close to the pedimental overhang, and the sheets are cut close to the skate in the longitudinal direction.

The beginning of the installation of slate roof on the roof

The asbestos-cement sheets are inspected for marriage or damage, and their dimensions are verified before they are installed. Following this, the sheets are trimmed at the corners or along the longitudinal stripes.

The roof is constructed in the following manner (as a single-sided roof made of slate and any other material):

  • Each sheet individually is raised to the roof and fixed (slate nails will help in this), starting on the right side of the lower boundary of the roofing rally. Rows are overlapping;
  • Fasten holes are drilled with a manual or electric drill. Their diameter should be 2 mm larger than that of fasteners (screws, slopes or other mounts – one rule);
  • Nails should have a metal or rubber washer, which should be coated on all sides by Oliphi. Then they are inserted into the prepared holes and clogged with a hammer;

Slate nails with a national head and dimensions of 4 by 10 cm work best for fastening; an 18 mm washer diameter is needed. The excess lubricant must be driven out from under the washers by the nail.

  • After the Oliphi, the hats of the nails are smeared, and on top, after completely drying, they are painted in the color of slate sheets.

Skate for the slate roof

The roofing skate’s device is executed neatly and carefully based on the slate roof. A wooden beam must be positioned atop the skate, and two chatter timbers must be fastened on either side of the beam for the full length.

Following the slate covering of both slopes, brackets are affixed to a wooden beam fixed atop the skate, to which running portable bridges and a ridge bar are fastened.

The upper line of the installed beam is cooked in accordance with the skating slate’s radius before the roof is covered with the skate roof. Now that the bar is completely covered in rolled material, you can begin laying the skate slate.

You will find it even easier if you install slate on the roof with just one slop. Here, the horse is positioned with the second skate covering it on the pediment side of the wide bell.

Next, the holes for fastenings are marked. Following the longitudinal axis drilling of both skates, perforate each skate’s lapel, making sure the holes go through the wave crests at the main coating’s slate sheets.

Racer, or the oblique portions of sheets whose size is decided at the installation site, must be applied to the roof slope that faces the rib. They are fastened to the crate using screws or slate nails, just like regular sheets, and are placed extremely tightly against the costal beam.

The 35 cm-wide tape of rolled material is strengthened by the crate on the ribs, and then pairs of skates are placed from the bottom. They are reinforced in the same manner as the skate.

Painting the slate roof

Slate roof covering is frequently insufficient. You should consider painting the coating as soon as the slate roof is installed.

Shifer artwork

Everyone is aware that gray is typically produced by asbestos-cement slate, though the color scheme has significantly expanded recently.

The acrylic paint, which is highly resistant to atmospheric effects, is applied to the sheets to decorate the roof and to extend the life of the slate coating.

Following the application of acrylic paint, a unique protective layer is created on the roof that will fend off water absorption and destruction. Additionally, painting typically increases the roof’s resistance to frost. The paint keeps lichens and moss from growing on the slate coating.

Shifer roof repair

Long-term use of the slate roof may cause chips and cracks in the material, which could cause the roof to leak during a precipitation loss.

Under these circumstances, repairs must be made right away. Placing the individual cracks that have appeared is the simplest method.

To begin with, you must create a unique insert solution with Olifa and chalk. The completed putty needs to be carefully applied to all the damaged areas. Cracks should then be filled with bitumen mastic, which should be allowed to dry before applying any oil paint. This approach works well for minor damage.

Fabric patches are the best option if there are flaws in a large area of the roof. However, it is advisable to clean and prime the damage to the olifa before attaching the patches. The best paint to use for glue patches is oil-thick paint. The staining site should be about 2-3 centimeters larger than the patch, and the patch’s size should be slightly larger than the destroyed area’s dimensions (about 10-15 cm).

Use a cement mortar that has been mixed 1:1 with sand to patch holes in slate. After the solution has been primed and smoothed, it must be allowed to fully dry before painting.

Replace the damaged slate element with a new one as soon as possible if the roof has already started to leak. In order to remove the damaged sheet, partially extract the nails to loosen the fasteners of the surrounding roof elements.

Using a nail to completely remove the slaves from the damaged element, the entire sheet is then extracted.

When putting in a new canvas, one builder should elevate a few weak areas from above and the side of the installation site, and the other at this point should lay a new sheet along the side edge of the old sheet. The sheet then moves beneath the sheet that is positioned on top, toward the skate.

The direct roof repairs can already be completed once the leaf is securely attached to the desired position (where the replaced element was previously). Then, the weakening mounts are put back in their original location.

Slate roofs are a popular material, but you should carefully consider all of the benefits and drawbacks before making a decision. Developers are drawn to features like low weight, small cost, and simple installation; however, before diving in headfirst, weigh your options and compare roofing coatings.

What are slate nails, and how do I pick a Klyammer for a slate that is flat? How significant is the weight, and which technical details should I take extra care of?

Repair of the roof skate

We received a summer cottage along with the chicken coop. Produced during the Soviet era using inexpensive materials. The roof is made of slate, the walls are covered in a mixture of flush and cement with a small amount of wood added on top. Nearly every village in the Soviet Union had sheds and chicken coins of this type. Cheap, in general, and irate.

We did not take the chicken coop because we intended to raise broiler chickens. Instead, they fixed the damage by insulating the walls, replacing the wooden door, and plastering the walls. Among the upcoming yearly prospects is roof repair. However, we have to keep rainwater out of the shed even if we don’t replace the slate. In order to accomplish this, you must fix the roof skate yourself; fortunately, this is not a difficult task.

Repair of the roof skate

We will construct a roof staircase so that people can access the chicken coop’s roof.

The process is as follows: we beat the bars after 25–30 cm to a board that is 20–30 cm wide and equal to the length of one roof slope. We’ll climb upstairs on them. We beat a small piece of the plank at the end of Tesina, at an angle of roughly sixty degrees, so that they can catch on the roof. In order to prevent the plank from collapsing under the weight of the master fixing repairs, we fasten it with two bars. Hook it and raise the stairs to the roof. You can begin making repairs with your hands.

The upstairs Tesins were rotten, as was previously mentioned.

We disassemble them with a nail, being careful not to damage the slate. The reason for the puddles on the ceiling was now evident: the roofing material beneath the tesins turned out to be a holey. We also remove it.

We descend to the ground and cut fresh, 35–40 cm wide roofing material to fit the entire length of the shed.

Once more, we ascend, bringing with us nails, a hammer, and chopped pieces.

We beat the roofing material to the boards through the slate sheets, starting from the edge. We need nails that are at least 80 mm long to accomplish this. At this point, the water will flow off the slate and not into the chicken coop.

However, if you leave it that way, a strong wind will cause the roofing roof to collapse from the roof. We will build a new horse to fix it more consistently.

Of course, purchasing a pre-made iron horse from a store and covering them with slate is far simpler. Thus, nailing the roof is not necessary. However, the expense is monetary. Roads are now a metal skate element. Consequently, purchasing it individually to fix the slate roof would be excessively costly. At that point, we will fully alter the roof, after which we will install the coating in the desired color. Today, we want to fix a roof on a budget using homemade materials and our own hands. We didn’t even purchase roofing supplies. When we installed the fence, we waterproofed the pillars, so there was just a tiny bit that remained.

The boards we used to construct the summer house and shower will be used to construct the horse. We’ll apply the grandfather’s method to accomplish this. Cesenas that are at least 20 cm wide are required. We used a hacksaw of the same length to cut them since they were still 10 cm wide, and we used nails to drive them into each other.

Gather the fallen tesins and ascend the stairs. One tesin should lean against the slate and hang over it. Using two nails, we drove it straight through the slate.

Now take the second board, press its end against the first, and use nails to secure both tesins among us.

The second board will hit the roof as well. We contributed to the skate.

Similarly, the roof must be sealed all the way around.

You must proceed cautiously to avoid inadvertently shattering the roofing material that we have previously repaired.

Now, precipitation will cause the boards to swell, the gaps between them to seal, and water will not be able to enter the barn when it rains or snows. The hens will be dry and comfortable. Therefore, you can fix the roof skate quickly and essentially for free with just your own hands.

Taking up a pastime like slate roofing can change your perspective on the roof, which is often the most ignored aspect of your house. Slate provides a blank canvas for individual expression and creativity in addition to its practical use. Working with slate becomes more than just a pastime when you’re drawn to its natural beauty, robustness, or the craftsmanship involved; it’s a passion that ties you to ages-old customs.

Selecting slate for your roofing material allows you to enter a world where each tile narrates a tale of artisanal skill and geological history. Every stage of the process, from choosing the best kind of slate to becoming an expert installer, immerses you in an environment that prioritizes durability and quality. The satisfaction of building a roof that not only protects but also improves the visual appeal of your house is unmatched.

Slate roofing is a hobby that, beyond its technical aspects, cultivates a profound appreciation for sustainability and craftsmanship. Slate, in contrast to other materials, is resilient to weather and time, lasting for generations. It is a decision that appeals to people who respect both tradition and innovation since it represents a dedication to environmental responsibility and a connection to the earth’s natural resources.

Video on the topic

Slate screwed with self -tapping screws burst?

Snow in the attic through the hobby of slate roof? It is decided!

Hobby on the slate roof.

What do you think, which element is the most important for a reliable and durable roof?
Share to friends
Alexandra Fedorova

Journalist, author of articles on construction and repair. I will help you understand the complex issues related to the choice and installation of the roof.

Rate author
Innfes.com
Add a comment