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Stone Roofs


© Shefali Kumar

Stone Roofs

The most common stone to be used as a roofing material is slate. Read on to find more about the use of stone for your roof and some interesting options that you can use.

Stone Roofs in History

Stone, in various forms, has been used for roofs for a long time. Initially, stone was not used in roofs as it was thought to be too heavy for the columns below to support. Some interesting examples are found in:

Advantages of Stone Roofs

Stone roofs using slate became popular in areas where slate was easily and locally found. Compared to wood and thatch, slate provided some useful features:

  • long lasting
  • waterproof surface naturally
  • low maintenance with most applications
  • individual pieces relatively heavy so the roof is suitable for areas of high winds
  • esthetically pleasing, imbibing a rustic, rurified look
  • can be reused
  • good fire protection
  • are a part of the heritage in some areas like rural Britain
  • material by itself not given to rot or insect problems

Disadvantages of Stone Roofs

Some of the major disadvantages of stone roofs are:

  • they are very expensive - both in terms of material cost and labor
  • due to the weight of slate, extra support is sometimes needed
  • hard to walk on for a non-professional with breakage
  • the lifespan of the stone is greater than that of the underlayment

Roofing Options

Stone-coated steel roofing is a very viable option. The esthetic appeal of stone is somewhat adapted to the versatility of a metal roof. Check the links below for more information about them.

Simulated natural slate is gaining popularity for its look, durability and fire resistance. Made usually with cement and a varied component, such as wood fiber, fiberglass, or Pearlite. Some manufacturers are:

Construction Details

Here are some sources that provide information about the technical aspect of stone roofs:

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The copyright of the article Stone Roofs in Building Construction is owned by Shefali Kumar. Permission to republish Stone Roofs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

1.   Dec 4, 2001 11:03 AM
I'd love to have some of the roofs you talk about and show with links here. Thanks.

-- posted by jerrib





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