Slate Roofing - DIY

[Barney12]

Hi All

 

I've done a small amount of slating. I.e slated a few small workshop roofs etc. But I would not call myself an expert by any means.

However, I've been considering "having a bash" (Mmmm inappropriate choice of term ) at doing my slate roof myself with the help of my nephew. The principle reason being nothing more than the sense of accomplishment and being able to say "I did that".

 

Its not a complicated roof, no valleys etc, just one straight ridge. The battens will be done by MBC. Two dormers (but no slate detail). The tiles we've chosen are "prime" and the supplier is telling me that they will need almost no grading. 

 

We will have to nail the slates. Slate hooks are forbidden on the National Park (heaven knows why!).

 

Talk me out of it? Risks (other than falling off the roof )? Biting of more than I can chew? 

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by Barney12
Typo

[PeterW]

Can you persuade them to let you use Nulok..?? No visible hooks and very DIY friendly. 

 

http://www.nulokroofing.com/uk/images/downloads/Nulok_Brochure_2016.pdf

[RichS]

Well I'd guess that the fact you're even considering it means you feel fairly confident.

 

As long as you take your time and make sure you set out the bottom course correctly then it shouldn't be a problem, especially with no valleys etc.

 

[Barney12]

29 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Can you persuade them to let you use Nulok..?? No visible hooks and very DIY friendly. 

 

http://www.nulokroofing.com/uk/images/downloads/Nulok_Brochure_2016.pdf

 

Not a chance  Natural slate only and the exact type, colour etc is subject to planning approval (which we now have).

[Barney12]

28 minutes ago, RichS said:

Well I'd guess that the fact you're even considering it means you feel fairly confident.

 

 

Be careful not to confuse confidence with blind enthusiasm  

[Construction Channel]

You'll be fine. There is loads of info online about how to slate. And worst comes to worst you can always take them back off again. 

 

Funnyly enough I am grading my slates today Because the scaffolders have just postponed me until Monday. ? Grading slates is boring but at least it's not brickwork ?

[MikeSharp01]

1 hour ago, RichS said:

 

As long as you take your time and make sure you set out the bottom course correctly then it shouldn't be a problem, especially with no valleys etc.

 

 

+1 to that. Our friendly local roofer, known round here as 'Gary the roofer' says that setting out the battens, checking for square, calculating the guages and getting the base row in exactly is the only way.

[Pete]

If you have done a few small roofs already and it is battened out you should be OK.  As long as the battens are straight and you make sure you keep your slates to the middle of the batten when laying. Just check along the bottom of the slates you have laid now and then to make sure they look right.

[Triassic]

I'd give it a go. My self build neighbour's wife and mother in law sized all the slates and fitted their roof. It took them around three weeks, but saved them thousands.

[Jeremy Harris]

I've done three slate roofs, two smaller ones and one large (farmhouse) scantle slate roof.  Slates that are well graded and nailed or clipped to constant pitch battens are pretty easy to fit, there's a knack to cutting them, but after wasting a dozen or so you'll be OK. 

 

A scantle slate roof is a complete PITA, though, and I'd never think about doing one again.  It takes forever to sort out and plan, plus you need enough space for the pegs, and the battens will end up on a variable pitch, because of the mix of slate sizes as you go up the roof.

 

I only mention the issue with scantle slate, as it's traditional in Cornwall and Devon and I know some conservation areas still insist on it.

[Barney12]

3 minutes ago, JSHarris said:

 

I only mention the issue with scantle slate, as it's traditional in Cornwall and Devon and I know some conservation areas still insist on it.

 

Thanks. Thankfully the park are not quite that bad. We've had a Spanish prime 500x250 approved. 

The MBC guys are battening tommorow (yes Sunday) so I've got to decide on the headlap. So many decisions! 

 

[PeterW]

7 hours ago, Barney12 said:

 

Not a chance  Natural slate only and the exact type, colour etc is subject to planning approval (which we now have).

 

Nulok works with natural slate - difference is that you just get the one lap rather than two. 

[Barney12]

So here's the South roof.

 

The result of 3 days work by me and two friends. If you combined the knowledge of all three of us then I reckon you'd be half way to a pro roofer  Actually one of the guys has done a lot of roofing but he's a bit agricultural, took me ages to convince him to use slate and half, he said it was fussy crap  

 

Note that we decided to scrap the sticky flashing stuff supplied with the GSE solar trays and instead went for lead. I think it was the right decision in our exposed position. I really don't like the way the flashing trays 'kick' the slates at the sides and top but if you install them to spec then there is nothing you can do about it. But I'm probably being fussy! If you're very observant you'll notice the colour difference on the slates below the solar PV. That's because even with two coats of patina oil as soon as it rained it chucked white residue all over the slates so I decided to clean it off.  

 

How did we do? 

 

 

[Construction Channel]

Looks good  

I got about 30 slates down today then it decided to rain, now everything is wet and I'm sat on my arse in the office  

[Barney12]

North roof now underway. The pitch change is where the metal seam roof was supposed to be going on the lower half. Ditched due to the incompetence of Tata steel and getting generally fed up! However, I'm quite pleased with how the slate is looking. The lead flashing at the pitch change actually breaks the roof up. 

 

Holly mother of feckinuss those tripple glazed Velux dormers were heavy. 60 kg a peice  

 

[PeterW]

What size are the Velux....? I'm looking forward to some 78x140s.......

[Barney12]

55 minutes ago, PeterW said:

What size are the Velux....? I'm looking forward to some 78x140s.......

 

134 x 98. So yours will be just a little lighter Not much though!

[Construction Channel]

I assume you took the glass out of the frame first.... my 78x98s were a measly 44 kg  

[Barney12]

18 minutes ago, Construction Channel said:

I assume you took the glass out of the frame first.... my 78x98s were a measly 44 kg  

 

Yes. But the frame weighs bugger all!

[Mr Punter]

A really good call doing it all in natural slate.  Looks great.  What did you use for the verges?

[Barney12]

25 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

A really good call doing it all in natural slate.  Looks great.  What did you use for the verges?

 

I used the Kytun dry verge.

Would have never known about it if it hadn't have been for this very forum!

It was an un-budgeted cost but I'm really pleased I went for it.

 

As an aside the "roofing specialist" at my nearest Jewson (Which is apparently a "super branch") had never heard of it.

[Mr Punter]

did you use plastic or ali?

[Barney12]

Just now, Mr Punter said:

did you use plastic or ali?

 

Aluminium. In the slate grey colour.

 

[Russell griffiths]

Can I ask what problems you had with tata 

im thinking of using them but haven't made any contact yet. 

[Barney12]

9 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Can I ask what problems you had with tata 

im thinking of using them but haven't made any contact yet. 

 

Slow to respond to enquiries, if at all.

Technically hopeless.

Promises broken.

40% price hike.

 

I wouldn't touch them with a 10ft barge pole!!