Roof tiles are important for a home's visual appeal and safety. Because a roof must endure all of nature's elements, including sunlight, rain, wind, and other elements, its quality cannot be compromised. The roof must be tiled in order to ensure that the building is fully free of leaks and safety hazards. There have been many kinds of roofing materials available since the dawn of time, but the slate roof has consistently kept the top rank. This article explains about different types of slate roofs available in the market and their features. Before getting into the topic, let’s see what roof tiling is.

The external covering of rooftops is called roof tiling. It is coated in a variety of tiles, ensuring the safety of the inhabitants and keeping out dust, rain, sunlight, and other outside influences. Typically, roof tiles are made of Terracotta or Slate. However, roof tiles can also be made from concrete, metal, and plastic. Because these materials are so effective at keeping out danger, they are still widely employed today.

Being fire-resistant is unquestionably a huge plus for roofing tiles. They are capable of withstanding heat as well as resisting fire. Villages near volcanoes or locations near the equator can undoubtedly agree on how much they value the roofing tiles' ability to withstand fire. Since the planet is getting hotter due to global warming and rising temperatures, roofing tiles may soon become standard practice everywhere.

Types of roof slate materials

At first, only natural slates were available, but later, new materials, like metal, asphalt, concrete, etc., were frequently employed to create slates. However, they can never compare to the comfort and quality that a genuine natural slate provides. Anyway, we're going to discuss the range of slate roof styles that currently rule the roofing industry.

• Natural slates

It is vital to understand what natural slates are, before addressing other types of slate.

Natural slate is made up of mica, chlorite, and quarts, which makes it easier to split into thin layers of slabs. Slates have a variety of colors, including purple, green, and others, due to their mineral composition, which makes them even more lovely and desirable as a roofing material.

• Fiber cement slate

Fiber cement slate roofing, a less expensive option than natural slate roofing, is created by manufacturers using sand, cellulose fibers, and cement. Asbestos was a component of fiber cement before the 1980s. Slates made of fiber cement are available in an extensive range of factory-applied colors and unique shapes, including diamond-shaped slates. Slate made with fiber cement resists water, fire, and insects well.

• Bituminous slate

Bitumen (asphalt) is a material that manufacturers utilize to create both bituminous slate and asphalt shingles, and as a result, the estimated life spans, maintenance needs, and installation procedures are comparable. However, bituminous slates have a smooth surface similar to genuine slate, while asphalt shingles have a rough, sandpaper-like texture.

• Metal slate

Metal slate roofing that is energy- and eco-friendly offers durability, resistance to strong winds, moisture, mold, pests, and fire, and a lifespan of 40 to 70 years. Manufacturers create stiff metal roofing sheets (usually made of pricey copper, zinc, copper alloys, and steel) using modular press-formed and vertical-seam panels that are painted, coated, or covered in granules. 

Types of slate roofs

• Standard

Standard slate roof systems are made of 1/4" to 3/8" slate that has been square-cut and is a uniform length and breadth. Standard roofs are constructed using horizontal courses that are evenly spaced apart and vertical junctions that are alternated and meticulously positioned.

• Random width

Random-width slate roofs use slates that have the same length and thickness but come in a range of widths, sharing the characteristics of a normal slate installation. These slates are laid in divisions in order to give enough joint distance while avoiding joint alignment.

• Multi-colored slate roof

When a variety of hues is available, it is customary to combine blends of different colors to produce a multicolored slate roof. Although it is possible to have a multicolored slate roof with a uniform-size installation, this is less typical.

• Graduated-length slate roof

Graduated Thickness/Graduated Length Roofs made of slate typically have three, four, or more successive thicknesses, with the largest and thickest slates located at the eaves. After that, the slates are arranged in decreasing order of length and thickness, with the tiniest and thinnest slates at the top.

• Textural slate roofs

A textural slate roof is made up of a variety of slates with varying thicknesses and surface textures. Slates of various thicknesses are placed next to one another during installation, giving the structure a rougher-hewn appearance.

Closing thought

The slate roof styles cannot be confined to the aforementioned ones. Hand-down slate roofs, staggered butt-scale roofs, and other variations are also common in the roofing industry. Each variety of roof slate adds a unique appearance to your home. Therefore, it is essential to understand the slate materials and styles before deciding which one to use for your home. Different styles have different installation costs, material costs, etc.