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newbie home improvement question:

A

andylawcc

Lifer
what's the difference between a Shingle and a Slate? my dad (being equally uninformed on the same subject) wants to install slate just because his friends said it's cool. (My dad is in Asia, not here in the States) Now I've been to Home Depot and one roofing company and they say I will have to special order them because "most people don't use slates" or "slates are more expensive compare to other alternatives." So what are slates? just a better looking Shingle?
 
throw up some solar panels instead 😀...some states/govs give you money on your power bill if you generate enough electricity to provide them with extra 😛
 
Copied and pasted.

SLATE vs. ASPHALT.
While no one can deny that slate, tile, wood, and metal, often look very attractive on a roof (at least initially), in the final analysis, over a range of factors, they simply can't compete with the overall benefits and features of asphalt shingles, which in many cases look the same (or better) than natural materials, while delivering superior performance and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Here's how slate stacks up:
Like concrete, slate is generally very heavy, and is difficult to replace. It requires a longer lead-time for ordering, and a specialized installation process. It is also extremely expensive.
 
Originally posted by: andylawcc
ahh ha, so it is a matter of cost. gotcha.
Click to expand...

It's more than cost. I own a house "framing" business and anytime someone wants to install slate roofing there is a whole new level of codes to follow and stregthening of the actual structure and substructure that needs to happen before they can be set- it's a LOT of wieght going up there- imagine lining your roof with bags of cement... and how much that would weigh.
Normally I'm a big advocate of do-it-yourself, but if you haven't done this before you'll want this done professionally.
 
slate is too expensive

if you like the look get "fake" slate. they make it now. it's plastic type material but it's much cheaper than the real thing
 
Originally posted by: blert
Originally posted by: andylawcc
ahh ha, so it is a matter of cost. gotcha.
Click to expand...

It's more than cost. I own a house "framing" business and anytime someone wants to install slate roofing there is a whole new level of codes to follow and stregthening of the actual structure and substructure that needs to happen before they can be set- it's a LOT of wieght going up there- imagine lining your roof with bags of cement... and how much that would weigh.
Normally I'm a big advocate of do-it-yourself, but if you haven't done this before you'll want this done professionally.
Click to expand...

Very true. Slate will require some serious reinforcement of the roof and load walls. Unless your dad owns a very high-end house (worth millions) and/or slate is the norm in his neigborhood, he doesn't want to do this.

I'm sure his friends think they look cool. But do any of them own a slate roof?
 
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