Stone Roofing

Stone, as a roofing material has been around for centuries. Since before the medieval period, mankind has used slate and fired clay to shed water above his head.

Slate should not be used on roofs that may inadvertently receive discharge from roofs above. This may be in the form of overflowing gutters or flooded parapets. Large quantities of water will not only penetrate the building, but will shatter the brittle tiles. Therefore, porch roofs are out of the question.

Although, as with many natural roofing materials, it is perhaps advantageous to replace individual tiles, due to the broad spectrum of asphalt shingles that mimic the appearance of slate at a distance, there is little need to re-roof entire houses with the stone. Nor, is it altogether a fiscally sound investment.

Fired clay, on the other hand, is another matter entirely. Fiberglass and composite panels are available that not only duplicate the corrugations of clay, but constitute an upgrade of durability, although the difference between this material and it's synthetic competitor's cost is not so great.