Slate Roofs Pros and Cons

Slate roofs have been around a long time. As a matter of fact, some slate roofs have lasted for well over a century and are still going strong. Their popularity is limited only by the expense--but they are definitely worth considering if you can afford one.

Here's an overview of the pros and cons of installing a slate roof.

Slate roofs are expensive. The major disadvantage of slate roofs is that they're several times more expensive than other forms of roofing.

Natural slate roofs are beautiful. Few roofs are as striking as a slate roof made of quarried stone. If slate is used on the roof it can also be used to highlight your counter tops and flooring inside of your home.

Slate is durable. You can hope for a decade of life out of other types of roofs but slate can last a century or more. Your house will never need a new roof.

Not a do-it-yourself project. Slate has to be cut and nailed quite precisely, or breakage can result. Many do-it-yourselfers run afoul with breaking slate and watch the cost of their project skyrocket. A professional slate roof installer should be brought on board to make sure the job is done right.

Extra roof support is required. A slate roof weighs three times as much as a roof laid with asphalt shingles.

Some slate roof installers even offer alternative plastic and rubber slates that look like the real thing, weigh a lot less, and are considerably less expensive. Another recent trick of the trade is using tracks during the installation process, which eliminates nailing.