How to cover a roof with slate with your own hands. Video

Are you asking yourself how to cover and cover the entire roof with slate correctly? Installing slate on the roof is not difficult if you first familiarize yourself with all the technology of work, prepare the necessary tools and fasteners. In this article you will learn in detail about laying slate with your own hands and its advantages.

Slate characteristics

Many new roofing materials have appeared on the modern market, but the popularity of conventional asbestos-cement slate remains unchanged. This can be explained by the affordable cost of this material, the ability to install the roofing on your own, without the use of specialized construction tools. Classic slate is suitable for simple pitched roofs, it can be used to cover hip or hip roofs.

• Slate has a high resistance to static loads, resistance to aggressive external environments, easy workability.
• The disadvantages include a fairly large mass of material - when installing it yourself, you need to involve several assistants to lift the slate sheets onto the roof without a certain risk of damaging them.

Having considered the question of how to cover a roof with slate, we note that such material is best used for installation on roofs with simple geometry.

The coating installation technology involves the correct laying of slate on the roof in accordance with GOST 30340-95. The slate can be of the following type:

When choosing the type of slate, you need to know its marking, where its height and wave pitch will be indicated. The final arrangement of sheets of this material on the roof should be drawn up taking into account these parameters. With a wide wave pitch, a large area of ​​building material will be lost to the vertical overlap. It is worth choosing slate and the method of its installation, focusing on its size and the configuration of all roof slopes.

When determining how to cover the roof with slate, you need to take into account the drainage system. When placing a rain gutter under the roof overhang, you need to lay the outermost row with an overhang of 250 mm from the wall of the building. When water flows from the roof to the ground, the overhang must be at least 400 mm.

Slate rafter systems

Before installing the roofing yourself, you need to make sure that the rafter-type system will be suitable for laying slate. Such material can be classified as heavy, and the structure of the pitched roof frame is designed for high loads, for example, such as:

• total mass of the roofing pie;
• atmospheric external loads;
• the weight of the people installing and maintaining the roof.

When designing a roof for metal tiles or other lightweight materials, you may need to reduce the pitch of the rafters or use struts to increase the reliability of wooden trusses.

For a slate roof, the minimum cross-section of the rafters will be 50×180 mm, the sheathing is installed from 60×60 mm bars.

The sheathing pitch is 1000 mm.

When using sheathing made of bars, you need to take into account that each slate sheet must have a certain support of at least three lintels.

A beam of 60×120 m is installed in the ridge part.

For more correct laying of slate, the lathing is made from dry special lumber without any deformation.

If a chimney or exhaust pipe is installed on the roof, then special sheathing will be required before laying the final roof covering. The installation of the drainage system is carried out before laying the roofing. On the very bottom row of the sheathing you need to fill a strip of metal, which will prevent the destruction of the lower edge of the roof under external loads. The metal strip must be waterproofed on both sides, and holes must be made for roof fasteners.

Slate roof covering

The sheets must be installed with a certain overlap along the horizontal plane in one or two waves. When overlapping in one wave, they cover a fairly steep slope with a slight external snow load. An overlap of two waves is suitable for flatter slopes; this design is much more reliable, but the final cost of the coating for this installation also increases, this is especially noticeable with a wider wave pitch. The top sheet is vertically overlapped with the bottom sheet by at least 200 mm.

The installation technology requires starting installation from the corner of the lower slope and continuing along the entire eaves edge. The slate must be laid taking into account the wind rose: and the overlap of the sheets must be located on the leeward side. The first row of sheets must be laid along a pre-tensioned special rope so that the overhang is very neat and even. To avoid combining several layers of slate at one point, different types of laying are used. The more common methods are installation with and without offset.

Offset installation is popular due to its simplicity. In this case, the next row is laid with an offset relative to the first. Thanks to this method, it is possible to avoid a certain overlap of wave overlaps and no more than two sheets of slate are joined at any different point.

When installing offset, trim the outer slate sheets and trim the upper edge of the outer row on the roof slope.

Offset installation is ideal for installing eight-wave slate. With this method, it will be enough to make an offset of four waves and use halves of cut slate sheets to start each odd row. And all the offset lines in this installation option will be located very nicely and evenly in a checkerboard pattern.

If you install slate without displacement, you save roofing material, but this is the most labor-intensive method, which should be taken into account when starting installation and installation yourself. In this case, you will need to trim the corners by one wave width and 140 mm in height. To lay the covering pieces from left to right, you need to trim the bottom corner of each slate sheet in the top row on the side that will cover the previous sheet in the horizontal row.

Laying slate with offset

Slate roofing is directly related to the choice of fasteners and the method of installation. Slate nails, self-tapping screws and various screws are characterized by a wider head and are mounted using a specific rubber gasket, which ensures sufficient tightness of the fastening point. It is important to remember that the fasteners are not driven in or screwed in all the way.

It is necessary to lay slate on the roof only at the crest of the wave. The first point of attachment is considered to be the lower part of the overlapped wave with a certain distance from the edge. The second fastening point is considered to be a point diagonally from the first, and its fastening at the top in the second wave is carried out after installing the overlying slate roofing sheet.

After installing the covering yourself, you need to lay special ridge parts made of asbestos cement, install all junctions and joints, and ensure reliable and high-quality waterproofing.

If you want to paint the slate, we will strip and coat it with a silicone primer before painting the slate. Then you can coat it; waterproof paint based on silicone or acrylic is suitable for this purpose, which is what we recommend.

Safety rules when working with slate sheets

When working on the roof, you need to follow not only installation technologies, but also safety precautions. It is necessary to use safety cables and special ropes. If the height of the house is higher than 6 meters, it is necessary to provide appropriate fencing. To carefully lift slate sheets, you need to use a special nylon cable and a block system. In low-rise buildings, the material is supplied by assistants.

You need to walk on the installed surface very carefully. In order to move freely on a slate roof during its repair or maintenance, you need to install wooden ladders to distribute the load more evenly.

Compliance with all safety precautions implies the use of protective equipment when working with asbestos-cement building material: when drilling or cutting sheets, use a respirator correctly to protect your respiratory tract from harmful slate dust.

Do-it-yourself slate roofing for a private house

How to cover a roof with slate with your own hands for a private house? We learn how to cover a roof correctly, everything about installation with step-by-step instructions + photos and videos, and painting

Slate roofing: do-it-yourself installation and repair

In the recent past, slate roofing was practically the only competitor to roofing felt. There were almost no other roofing materials. Today the market offers a wide choice, but slate is still quite widespread. This is due to its very low price, easy installation, and long service life.

Types of roofing slate

Materials based on asbestos and cement are most often laid on roofs. There are also polymer, metal, bitumen, Euro slate, but in our country they are used very rarely. For some reason these new products didn’t take root well.

Types and sizes of slate sheets

Asbestos slate can be flat or wave. Fences are often made from flat ones, and wave ones are laid on the roof. Traditionally, six, seven and eight wave material is made. Moreover, the seven-wave one is the smallest in size.

Dimensions and price of 7-wave slate:

• wave pitch 15 cm;
• length – 1750 mm;
• width – 980 mm;
• thickness – 5.2 mm or 5.8 mm;
• weight – 18.5 kg or 23.0 kg;
• price 120-150 rubles per sheet.

8-wave slate is standardized by GOST 30340-95. Its dimensions:

• length – 1750 mm,
• width – 1130 mm,
• thickness – 5.0 mm; 5.2 mm; 5.8 mm.
• weight depending on thickness: 20 kg, 20.6 kg, 26 kg;
• the price is around 200 rubles per sheet.

7 and 8 wave slate - all parameters

6-wave slate has the following dimensions:

• length – 1750 mm;
• width – 1125 mm;
• wave pitch – 20 cm;
• wave height – 5.4 cm;
• sheet thickness –6 mm or 75 mm;
• the price for a sheet of slate is about 200 rubles.

When choosing, pay attention to the thickness of the sheet. The more rainfall your area receives, the thicker the sheets are required. The thickness also depends on the slope angle. On non-steep slopes, precipitation lingers longer, which means the thickness of the material should also be greater.

If you work yourself, do not try to buy the largest sheets. They are more difficult to work with and usually produce more waste. For the roof of a small bathhouse, the optimal size is 7-wave slate.

When calculating the quantity, they do not take the total area of ​​the sheet, but the useful one - without taking into account those areas that overlap with adjacent ones

When calculating the number of sheets, they do not consider the total sheet area, but the useful one - minus those parts that will overlap. It is less than the total by about 15-20% (depending on the method of installation and the slope of the roof).

There are three standard types of sheets:

• VO - standard profile and size. This is the material that is usually used for roofs of houses or baths. Additional elements are also produced in this series: for the design of the ridge KPO-1 and KPO-2, for the design of valleys and pipes they produce trays or corners U-90 and U-120.
• UV - sheets of larger size. Their use makes it possible to reduce the number of joints, but due to their large sizes, more issues arise during transportation.
• VU - reinforced profiles. They are used more often on the roofs of industrial enterprises. It makes sense to use on roofs with low slopes in regions with a lot of snow.

There are also asbestos and non-asbestos slates. In the second option, cellulose fibers are used as reinforcing elements, and acrylates add strength to the material. In terms of characteristics, they are almost the same, but the second option does not contain asbestos that is harmful to health. If the not-so-healthy composition of this material is holding you back, then you can use asbestos-free slate.

Life time

The number of freezing/thawing cycles that the material must withstand is about 25-30. Since there are 2-3 cycles per year, or even more, the service life will be about 7-9 years. Not a very impressive figure. But it can be easily increased. All you need to do for this is to paint the slate. This can be done either before installation, or by painting an already installed roof. If you have a spray gun, it is more convenient to paint a large surface; if you work with a brush, it is easier to do it on the ground.

The service life of a slate roof will be longer if it is painted.

There are mainly two types of paint used for painting:

• Acrylic water-dispersed. They create a water-repellent film on the surface and fill the slightest cracks. As a result, both water and snow melt away faster. The disadvantage of these paints is that they fade quite quickly.
• Alkyd paints. They retain color for a long time, create a smoother surface, since they are thicker compared to other compositions.

Choose those properties that are more important for your case. Painting increases the service life of a slate roof by 1.5-2 times. In addition, the look is completely different, more stylish and modern. The disadvantages include the need to update the paint layer: you will have to paint it every 3-5 years.

Roofing device

Slate roofs are mainly made of single or gable roofs. First, a rafter system is erected, then transverse sheathing bars are placed on it. Since the weight of the sheets is quite decent (a square meter weighs about 14-16 kg), you need to use bars with a medium section of 40*40 mm or 50*50 mm - depending on the thickness (and weight) of the sheets and the amount of snow falling in winter.

The simplest version of a slate pie

Before installation, all lumber must be treated with antiseptics and fire-prevention impregnations. In the simplest version, the antiseptic is hot drying oil, which needs to be passed over all the bars and planks at least twice.

If the roof is cold (a very bad choice for a bathhouse), after installing the rafter system, you can immediately begin installing the sheathing. But it is highly desirable to use at least roofing felt for better thermal and waterproofing. It is laid across the joists and nailed down with nails or staples from a construction stapler. One strip overlaps the other by 15-20 cm, the joint is taped. They start rolling from the bottom, moving upward. The sheathing is mounted along the fixed roofing felt.

Instead of roofing felt, it is recommended to use waterproofing membranes or films that are rolled out and fixed in the same way. And the roof insulation should be carried out from the side of the attic, fixing the thermal insulation mats between the lags. Mineral wool mats are often used as insulation. A vapor barrier film is placed over them. It is pressed with a counter crate - the planks here need a small thickness, since they only need to hold a lightweight insulation. Finishing can be added to the top, if provided.

It is highly advisable to have an insulated roof on bathhouses.

Under the crate when using sheets of a standard profile (VO), a bar of 50 * 50 mm is taken, under reinforced 75 * 75 mm. The pitch of the crate is from 50 to 75 cm. It is chosen so that it is convenient to fasten the sheets: each of them must have at least two crossbars.

All planks in the sheathing must be installed strictly horizontally. To do this, align the bottom strip exactly along the roof overhang. Then cut a piece of the block, the length of which is equal to the selected step. And with its help you verify all distances.

The sheathing strips are nailed to the rafters with long roofing nails. Two for each connection. The sheathing is made continuous around the pipe and in the valley.

Laying slate

There are two laying schemes: with and without offset seams. When laying without offset, it turns out that four sheets converge in one place. In this case, they will not lie down normally. Therefore, two of them need to be trimmed. For two sheets lying obliquely, the corners must be cut so that the distance between them is no more than 3 mm. If you have an angle grinder, this is easy to implement. How - see in the video.

When laying with an offset, the corners do not need to be trimmed, the first and last sheet will need to be trimmed. Cut along the entire length. A stripe of two or three waves will be “unnecessary” - the seam will move by that distance.

When laying, one slate sheet overlaps the other by one or two waves. Two waves require overlap at small slope angles - up to 20°. On steeper roofs, it is enough to cover one wave.

When laying the second and subsequent rows, they are also placed on top of the row below. Here on steep slopes 10 cm is enough, on flatter slopes - 20 cm.

Slate laying schemes depending on the roof slope

Before installing slate, it is necessary to install gutters. Then the bottom edge of the sheets is aligned so that precipitation falls directly into the gutter.

To make it easier to expose the sheets of the bottom row, two nails are driven into the extreme rafters, between which a cord is pulled. The bottom edge is leveled along it.

After laying all the sheets on the roof plane, all that remains is to close the ridge. This can be done using special shaped elements - KPO-1 and KPO-2, or two antiseptic-treated and painted boards, which are assembled as in the figure.

Ridge finishing options

Difficulties may also arise when bypassing the chimney. If it is a brick pipe, there are special corners made of the same asbestos cement. First, they are nailed to the crate, then the slate cut to size is laid.

If the pipe is round, you will need a special cap. It can be made the old fashioned way from galvanized steel. There are modern multiflexes on sale, with which the sealing of the passage will not be a pipe. Read about how to remove a pipe through the roof here.

What and how to attach

For fastening, galvanized roofing nails with a large hat or self-tapping screws are used. Self-tapping screws must be taken with a thread that does not start from the cap itself, but lower - this way there will be less chance of splitting the sheet.

It is recommended to put metal washers or rubber gaskets under the fasteners. Rubber is a better option as it seals the hole better. You can cut gaskets from two layers of roofing material, but it’s better not to do square ones - the look is very unsightly for such a roof.

You need to fasten it to the crest of the wave - with a screw or a nail - it’s not so important

There must be at least four nails or screws for each sheet. But the more snow falls, or the stronger the wind, the more fasteners you will need. There may be six or eight of them. They are nailed in different ways: one above the other or in a checkerboard pattern. Whatever seems more reliable to you, do so.

When installing slate, there is an important rule: it must be fastened to the crest of the ox, to its very protruding part. So that the water rolls down and does not flow into the hole.

How to style with offset seams

It is recommended to drill a hole for each fastener. It should be a couple of millimeters larger than the diameter of the fastener. With this approach, the slate can move a little, which is useful when the building shrinks or during heating / cooling and changing its size from this. With this fastening, the sheets very rarely burst.

Sometimes slate has to be cut not only along, but also across: not all sheets are always completely on the roof. Sometimes halves are needed. This is where a problem can arise: cutting waves across is very inconvenient. Watch the video to see how to do this quickly and without problems. Just before work, it is advisable to wet the cutting line - there will be less dust. If it is dust with asbestos, then it is very harmful to health.

Slate roofing maintenance and repair

It is necessary to check the condition of the roof twice a year: before the start of the rainy season - in early autumn and after it ends - in late spring.

It is necessary to clear away debris, plants and moss. It is mosses that need to be fought most actively: they secrete an acid-containing liquid, which quickly destroys the slate.

Over time, cracks appear on the roof

Sometimes the sheets crack or small holes form on them. They can be sealed with putty. You can cook it yourself. You will need:

First, asbestos and cement are mixed in dry form. In a separate bowl, PVA is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 * 1.

The repaired area is cleaned of dirt, washed with water, then allowed to dry. Then they are smeared with PVA diluted in water. After drying, an aqueous solution of PVA is gradually added to the mixture of cement and asbestos until a paste-like consistency is obtained.

This mass covers the damage. The layer must be at least 2 mm. After the putty dries, the repair site is painted over. It is better to work with PVA on a cloudy day - on a heated roof everything sets instantly, and you won’t have time to properly level it.

Do-it-yourself slate roof: types and sizes of slate, roof design and installation

Slate roofs can be called classics: they were made by home craftsmen with their own hands for many decades in a row. Today there are many other materials, but slate remains

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The procedure for installing a slate roof

The installation of a slate roof begins by checking the asbestos-cement sheets for compliance with the declared dimensions and looking for defective products (more details: ""). Then the corners or longitudinal strips are cut.

You must follow the rules on how to lift slate onto the roof. The sheets are transferred one by one to the roof and secured.

The sequence of actions for installing the roofing is as follows:

Laying slate on the roof, detailed video:

Installation of a ridge on a slate roof

The technological process, which provides for how to properly cover a roof with slate, includes work on arranging the roofing. A wooden block is mounted on this element and 2 sheathing beams are attached to both sides along its entire length.

After completing the covering of the slopes with asbestos-cement sheets, brackets are mounted on the wooden beam installed on the ridge for attaching portable walking bridges and a ridge beam to them. Its top edge is rounded before covering the roof with slate for the ridge. The block along its entire length is covered with rolled material. Only after this they begin to lay the ridge slate.

Installing a roof ridge on a pitched slate roof is not difficult. First, the KPO1 ridge is installed with a wide bell to the pediment. From the side of the adjacent slope it is covered with a KPO2 ridge. Then mark the holes for the fasteners. Drill 2 holes along the longitudinal axis of the wave through both skates. It is also necessary to make two more holes on the flat flaps of the ordinary skates so that they simultaneously pass through the crests of the waves on the slate sheets for the main covering.

The roof slope at the junction with the rib is covered with wedges (as the oblique parts of the sheets are called), their dimensions are determined directly during the work. These elements are mounted close to the rib beam and secured in a similar way to slate using screws or nails.

A piece of rolled material 35 centimeters wide is attached to the edge of the sheathing and then KPO skates are laid in pairs from bottom to top. The mounting method is the same as on the skate.

You need to know not only how to properly cover a roof with slate, but also how to carry out preventive measures that will ensure a long service life of the coating. Information regarding troubleshooting and repair work on roofs made of asbestos-cement sheets would be useful.

Slate painting

After staining the slate, a protective layer appears on it, which prevents the destruction of the material and prevents it from absorbing water. In addition, the frost resistance of asbestos-cement sheets increases. Also, a layer of paint will protect against the appearance of mosses and lichens on the surface of the roof.

Slate roof repair

In this case, damage can be eliminated by applying putty:

• chalk and drying oil are used to prepare the putty solution;
• places with defects are smeared with putty and bituminous mastic is applied to the cracks. After it has dried, it is painted over with oil paint.

The above method allows you to eliminate small cracks, but if they are large, then they are recommended to be eliminated by gluing fabric patches. But before repairing a slate roof using this method, it is necessary to clean and prime the areas with drying oil. To apply the patches, use thick oil paint. They should be slightly larger in size than the damaged areas - about 2-3 centimeters. Read also: “How to cover a roof with slate correctly with your own hands - a guide to roofing To install a new element in place, one worker lifts the weakened components of the roofing covering, located from the installation site on the sides and top, at this time the second person places it on the edge of the sheet , located on the side, and moves towards the ridge. The new product is then placed under the sheet fixed on top of it. The loosened nails are returned to their previous position. Thus, the repair can be considered complete and the roof will no longer leak.

Do-it-yourself slate laying is a fairly simple, albeit responsible undertaking that even a beginner in construction work can do.

In order for a roof made of slate to serve as expected (more than 50 years), you should approach roofing work armed with theoretical knowledge in advance.

The article discusses the technology of the process and provides brief instructions that will tell you how to properly cover a roof with slate.

Material selection

Slate roofs are always popular in the construction of summer houses, cottages, country houses, garages and other buildings.

This is a fairly inexpensive material: one square meter of roofing, taking into account waterproofing and fastening systems, will cost you about 250 - 300 rubles when laying slate yourself.

If you resort to the services of professional installers, the cost of the roof will increase slightly, but will still remain quite acceptable.

The service life of slate with proper installation is more than 50 years. At the same time, the material reliably protects the room from moisture penetration, is not afraid of precipitation and sunlight, and is fire resistant.

The size and thickness of slate sheets are regulated by GOSTs: a standard sheet of 6 - 8 waves should be 1.75 m in length.

The width varies from 5.8 mm to 7.5 mm depending on the type of sheet. Asbestos cement, the main material for the production of slate, is gray or light gray in color.

To give the material a different color, a special technology using pigments is used, so you can easily choose an option that will harmoniously fit into the architecture of the building.

A pitched roof may have a smaller angle of inclination, but before covering the roof with slate, you should install a denser sheathing and a reliable waterproofing layer.

Sheets on flatter roofs will have to be laid with a strong overlap, up to 30 cm.

Calculation of the required number of sheets

Before you start laying slate yourself, you need to calculate how many sheets you will need for construction work.

You need to accurately measure the dimensions of the roof using a tape measure or use drawings if the roof has not yet been erected.

It is worth buying materials with a small reserve so that at the last moment you do not have to go to the store for additional materials and arrange delivery.

The length of the roof is measured along the eaves overhang, then divided by the width of one sheet.

10% is added to the resulting figure - this is the margin for laying slate sheets overlapping. Round the resulting figure - this is how many full sheets are needed for one horizontal row.

Then measure the length of the roof from the edge of the eaves to the ridge, add 15 - 20% and round again.

Divide the resulting figure by the length of one sheet - this way you will find out how many horizontal rows will be needed to completely cover the roof.

The product of the two results obtained is the total number of sheets that will be required.

When choosing slate in a store, carefully check the integrity of each sheet, as this is a fragile material that easily chips and cracks.

Be sure to make sure that the material is well packaged for transportation: several layers of paper are laid between the sheets so that they are not damaged during transportation.

Before ordering slate from a store, prepare a place to store it: choose a large, flat space and cover it with waterproof film.

Slate is very heavy (the weight of one sheet can reach 30 - 35 kg), so it must be stored in an easily accessible place where it will be convenient for workers to approach.

Preparing the rafter system for installation

Before you start laying slate, you need to prepare a reliable rafter system.

Since slate is heavier than most modern materials, the rafter system must be very strong and withstand heavy physical loads.

The lathing will serve as a good base for installation.

Before covering the roof with slate with your own hands, pay attention to several important details:

• rafter legs should be made of high-quality, well-dried materials. The minimum section thickness of the board is 60 by 150 mm, the optimal thickness is 100 by 150 mm. Give preference to beams without branches or unedged boards;
• The minimum size of beams for sheathing is 6 cm by 6 cm; it is better to give preference to coniferous species. The flatter the roof you are going to cover with slate yourself, the stronger the sheathing should be;
• the weight of slate is a large load even for a strong sheathing, so it is important to evenly distribute the load. Optimal support for the sheet can be provided by 3-4 bars located no closer than 15-16 cm from the edge of the sheet;
• To provide more reliable support in the sheathing, it is better to use beams of different diameters. In even rows, as a rule, bars of a standard size are installed, and in odd rows - 2-3 mm higher. The bar for the cornice should be another 2-3 mm higher. The easiest way to increase the size of the bars is to increase them using special linings.

Installing sheathing near a chimney requires compliance with fire safety regulations. The minimum distance from the pipe to the beams is 13 cm.

Slate cutting technology

To lay slate yourself, you first need to prepare, sort and cut the sheets. For cutting you will need a hacksaw, grinder or jigsaw.

Slate is cut on special wooden walkways so that the cutting line is raised above the ground. The cutting line is marked using a long ruler or straight edge.

If you are going to cut slate yourself using a jigsaw or hacksaw, then moisten the cutting line generously with water - this will soften the material, prevent overheating, and settle asbestos dust.

During the cutting process, constantly water both the slate itself and the tool with water.

You can cut slate using sharpened nails or a drill.

Holes with a diameter of 5 mm are made along the cutting line in increments of approximately half a centimeter.

Then the material must be placed on a table or other reliable support and carefully split.

Asbestos dust can cause serious harm to health, so cutting slate requires wearing a special respiratory mask, generously moistened with water.

Now let's talk about how to lay slate correctly yourself, without involving specialists.

Instructions for laying the material yourself

Laying slate on the roof begins with planning work. Pay attention to the direction of the wind: start laying the material from the leeward side - this way, even in a strong wind or thunderstorm, the roof will not leak at the joints.

To lay the rows evenly, stretch a rope or cord along the cornice.

There are two types of slate roofing: staggered (horizontal rows are slightly offset relative to each other so that the joints do not coincide) or without offset (at the intersection of the seams, the corners of each sheet are slightly trimmed).

Proper installation of slate is the key to the durability and reliability of the roof. Read the instructions to the end before laying the slate, pay attention to how to nail the slate correctly.

Staggered laying

Before covering the roof with slate, cut all the sheets necessary for work. The sheets are laid with a slight overlap to ensure more reliable waterproofing, in horizontal rows.

The main task: to shift each subsequent row relative to the previous one so that the joints do not coincide. This is how the laying of slate is carried out with your own hands.

The first row can be laid out from solid sheets so that they slightly overlap each other. The horizontal rows should overlap slightly.

Fastening is carried out using special nails or self-tapping screws, and be sure to place a soft gasket, for example, made of rubber, under the head.

The first sheet of the second horizontal row must be cut a little along, by one or two waves, so that the joints of the second row move and do not coincide with the joints of the first. Further, starting from the second, you can lay whole sheets.

Just like the sheets themselves, the horizontal rows should overlap each other a little. With a slope of 20 degrees, slate can be laid with an overlap of 14 - 17 cm, with a more gentle slope, it is necessary to increase the overlap to 20 - 22 cm to ensure reliable waterproofing.

The first sheet of the third row is cut even further to allow for further offset relative to the second row, and so on—each stacked row should be slightly offset.

So, if you cut the first sheet of the second row into one wave, then in the third row you will have to cut two or three waves, in the fourth - into three or four, etc.

To avoid large material loss, use a half sheet width offset, alternating between whole sheets and halves in even and odd rows.

Slate installation should be carried out carefully. Before nailing the slate, make holes of a slightly larger diameter, do not drive the nails in tightly.

A small gap will compensate for various climatic changes and roof shifts.

With temperature changes, the volume of slate changes, so if the nails are hammered in too tightly, the material may crack or split.

Do-it-yourself laying technology without displacement

To properly lay the slate without displacement, you must first prepare the sheets.

With this method of installation, a corner is cut off from the sheets, which overlaps with the already laid sheet.

Laying starts from the right or left lower edge of the roof - the whole sheet is laid first.

If you started work on the right side, then all other sheets of the first row must be cut off the upper right corner. If you started laying on the left side, then the upper left corner is cut off.

Sheets for the second and all subsequent rows except the last must be prepared in advance by cutting corners at all intersections.

Because the first sheet of each row touches the other sheets on only one edge, you only need to trim the bottom corner, right or left, depending on which side you started working on.

For the last sheet, you only need to cut off the upper corner on the corresponding side.

For the remaining sheets in the row, the upper and lower corners are cut off at the intersections with the adjacent row. Lastly, another solid sheet is laid.

Now you know how to properly cover a roof with slate with your own hands, how to lay it and how to attach slate to the roof.

Do-it-yourself slate roofing is reliable and inexpensive, and it’s always a pleasure to invest your labor in creating warmth and comfort in your home.

Over the past 10 years, the number of roofing materials has increased significantly, but slate is still in great demand and remains in a leading position among competitors.

And this is not strange, since its service life, functional properties and price-quality ratio adhere to the level due to which the consumer gives it his preference. The reliability of the roofing material, and in this case it is wave slate, contributes to your home comfort and serves as a protector of the hearth from weather conditions.

Slate - production technology, advantages and disadvantages

Slate is a roofing material that has been used for many years in construction, which today is the most popular and widespread method of covering roofs.

Natural slate are tiles created by nature by splitting rocks, namely shale, after which the building material was named. Even in the Middle Ages, slate (from the German language schiefer) was used in roofing work, which can still be found in our time.

According to the design of the sheet, slate can be divided into:

• wave;
• flat.

To impart rigidity to a flat sheet of slate, special chrysolite fibers are introduced into its composition, which serve as a reinforcing element. This material is most often used to create enclosing structures and for the production of wall panels, which very well increases their thermal insulation properties.

Wave slate, as a rule, is used to form a roof. Today, thanks to the latest processing technologies, it has become more durable and has acquired an improved appearance. The length and width of a sheet are most often measured in waves (6, 7, 8), since each sheet has its own standard dimensions.

Advantages:

1. The service life of slate can reach 50 years.
2. Wave slate is the most convenient to install among all types of roofing, and thanks to this you will spend significantly less time covering your house.
3. The high level of water resistance of wave slate will reliably protect the house from precipitation.
4. Resistant to temperature changes.
5. This type of roof copes well with mechanical loads, especially in winter, when the snow cover can reach a very large mass.
6. Light weight relative to its size.
7. Slate is not flammable, although prolonged interaction with fire is strictly prohibited by the manufacturer.
8. Excellent protection from solar radiation.
9. Absorbs noise during rain.
10. Acceptable price.
11. If you want to change the color scheme of the roof, it can be easily painted.
12. In processing and preparing the required dimensions, it is not necessary to use special tools, but you can get by with a regular saw.
13. This type of roof allows you to omit a vapor barrier, since moisture does not condense under it.

It would seem that after so many positive qualities of slate it would be difficult to find negative aspects, but nothing is ideal in our world and slate is no exception.

Flaws:

1. The slate is fragile and also inconvenient during transportation. Its thickness is disproportionate to the total volume and therefore it is better to carry it in a vertical position so that it does not crack under the influence of weight.
2. If you need to walk on it, you need to be extremely careful.
3. Over time, its waterproof properties decrease.
4. The edges of the slate, located in the transverse direction, often break off.
5. In most cases, lichen forms on slate located in the shade.
6. Over the years, its color changes under the constant influence of nature.

Asbestos-cement slate - its advantages and types

Today, there are several roofing materials that come in corrugated sheet form and are also called slate. Today there are three types of slate: metal, Euro standard and asbestos.

To produce metal slate, galvanized sheet steel is used, on top of which a protective coating of polymers is most often applied. When developing Euro slate, the following components are used: cellulose, fiberglass, jute and basalt fiber.

Euro-slate sheets or metal slate, which do not include asbestos in their composition, could not gain the popularity that asbestos-cement slate has.

Its name already tells us what is included in its composition. Asbestos fibers are much stronger than steel wire; when cement acts as their connector, the material becomes very hard, like stone. The uniform distribution of thin asbestos fibers throughout the cement acts as a reinforcing reinforcing mesh, which significantly increases the impact strength and reliability of the material.

Varieties of corrugated asbestos cement roofing slate:

1. VO - wavy slate in the shape of a regular rectangle and with a regular profile. Also, in addition to the standard sheet, forms of various roofing parts are made.
2. HC is a unified corrugated slate, which is popular due to its size, which can significantly reduce the number of joints.
3. VU is a wavy slate with a reinforced profile. Mainly used in coating industrial structures and buildings.

Preparatory stage of slate roof installation

The first thing you should do before laying is to measure the area of ​​the surface to be treated. Then pre-calculate the required volume of materials. This will help you create an approximate budget for purchasing the required amount of material.

Calculating the coverage area and the amount of material needed will not take you much time, especially if you use the building design.

Before you begin laying the sheets you must:

• Carefully inspect the slate for chips and cracks;
• Measure sheets;
• Drill holes for mounting screws;
• If necessary, cut the slate to the desired size using power tools or steel cutters.

Painting slate sheets

In order to increase the service life of slate and give it a more beautiful design, it can be painted, choosing a color to your taste. An applied layer of special acrylic paint will create a protective film that will delay the destruction of the slate mixture for several decades.

Water-dispersion paint covers the surface evenly and thereby covers microcracks with a film. This type of paint accelerates the removal of water from the roof, and in winter it creates a sliding effect for ice and snow

The alkyd type of paint prevents the creation of cracks, creating an elastic effect after drying. Special elements in its composition protect the roof well from direct sunlight, preventing fading. By using this coloring method, the service life can increase by approximately 2 times.

Construction of sheathing under slate

The process of constructing slate sheathing is not complicated; the main thing is to know all the details of the installation technology. Asbestos cement slate sheets are quite heavy, so the installation of the sheathing should be taken with special responsibility.

Stages of arranging the sheathing

1. Initially, beams are installed and rafters are attached.

Rafters for sheathing under slate sheets should be installed in increments of 1-2 m, the distance depends on the length of the roof ridge. The rafter pair is formed from two beams, which are attached at an angle using a crossbar.

2. Then you immediately need to start installing the sheathing.

It is better to fill the sheathing from below. To do this, the timber must be placed along the lower edge of the rafters and secured with 2 or 3 nails. The sheathing step does not have to be frequent, since the slate sheets themselves have fairly good strength; it will be enough if the slate is attached to the beams in the middle and along the edges. For example, for standard slate sheet dimensions 120x68 cm, a step of 50 cm is quite suitable. To attach the sheathing to the rafters, it is necessary to use galvanized nails with a length of 70 to 80 mm.

At this stage, it is also important to take care of the drain gutter, since the distance of the edge of the overhang from the wall depends on its presence or absence.

3. Thermal and waterproofing

Roofing felt should be placed on the sheathing as waterproofing. In order to be able to easily move along the sheathing boards, it is best to lay it in vertical rows, throwing it over the ridge of the roof and slowly unrolling the roll.

The roofing material should be secured using staples and a construction stapler with an overlap of about 10 cm over the previous row of waterproofing material.

You can also attach a layer of fiberglass and waterproofing film. It is worth remembering that from below you will have to line the roof with special construction cardboard to hold the fiberglass.

4. Connection to the chimney

The connection of the slate roof depends on the location of the pipe. If it goes to the ridge of the roof, then a lower apron made of galvanized iron with a cutout for the chimney should be mounted on top of the waterproofing. Slate sheets are laid on top of the apron, and asbestos is placed near the pipe. If the pipe is located on the roof slope, then the bottom sheet of the junction, if there is waterproofing, is installed under the slate and film. If there is no waterproofing, then the junction sheet is mounted so that below the pipe it is on top of the sheets, and above it is under them. Instead of an upper apron, cement mortar (cement/sand ratio -1/3) is often used to seal the space between the pipe and the slate.

The nuances of installing the sheathing

It is worth remembering that timber that is too thick can become deformed when exposed to moisture for a long time, while timber that is too thin does not guarantee the strength of the entire structure and safety. Therefore, the optimal dimensions for the thickness of the timber are about 50-75 mm.

It is best to use edged boards without wane, since otherwise, if there is bark, it may later be discovered that various beetles or other insects live under it and will destroy the sheathing. In addition, the boards should be treated with a fire and bioprotective agent.

In the event that the installation of slate will not be carried out immediately, it is better to attach the roofing material to each sheathing board with several staples in order to further eliminate the possibility of it being torn off by the wind, which very often happens.

Slate roofing technology

It is best to start attaching slate sheets from the bottom up in vertical rows, so that the high wave overlaps the low one of the previous row and the top sheet overlaps the bottom one with an overlap of about 10-20 cm. For ease of installation and to ensure that the edge of the roof is even, it is better to pull a cord or some kind of tape.

Depending on the roof configuration, there are two most popular methods of laying corrugated slate:

• with a shift (in a running start);
• with cut corners of sheets.

Offset installation

This installation method is optimal for roofs in which the vertical slope is narrow and the horizontal slope, on the contrary, is wide.

Here the sheets at the joining points do not need to be cut. The first slate sheet of the first row of roofing is attached to the sheathing at a distance of one wave from it. The second sheet of the same row is attached with an overlap of one wave to the first. The second row is also laid overlapping one or two waves to the first. Installation of the following sheets is carried out in the same way.

Laying with cut corners

This installation method will be acceptable for a slope that is wide vertically and narrow horizontally.

In order for the slate to lie perfectly flat at the junction of 4 sheets and there is no curvature, which can result in cracks, the corners of two diagonal sheets should be sawed off, these sections are joined together with a gap of 3 mm.

The cutting of the corners depends on the side of the slate laying. For example, if you are roofing from left to right, then in the first row you need to process only one upper left corner, and in the last row - one lower right corner, and in the middle - two opposite ones.

Roofing roofs with slate - slate laying schemes:

Important points

It is best to fix slate sheets to the sheathing using galvanized self-tapping screws with caps and rubber gaskets about 100 mm long. Experts advise buying self-tapping screws with threads that do not reach the washer, otherwise the slate may be damaged. The screws should be tightened tightly, but do not overdo it so as not to damage the roofing sheet. For example, for slate with eight waves, 4 screws will be enough - two for the second and two for the sixth wave.

If you need to reduce a slate sheet or saw off a corner, then initially you need to moisten the area to be treated with water, which will reduce the amount of dust and make the whole process easier. To cut slate, you can use a grinder with a stone disc or a hand saw, and there is also another method: use a pencil to draw a cut location, then make holes on the outlined line at a distance of 1.5-2 cm, after which you can break it off with a little pressure part of slate.

The final stage of slate roof installation

The last stage of installing a slate roof is installing the metal roof ridge and eliminating the gaps under the sheets using polyurethane foam.

The ridge should cross the slate sheet by 20-25 cm.

When working with foam, you should be extremely careful, as you can damage the integrity of the slate.

Foamed holes should be carefully treated with paint that was previously used for sheets.

Fastening and finishing corner elements and installing a drain is the final stage of roofing work.

Slate roofing - photo of the finished structure.

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Slate roof care and repair

A variety of cracks and other damage to slate can form as a result of weather, mechanical or biological influences.

The surface of the leaf is rough, so the remains of fallen leaves, dust, etc. accumulate on it, as a result of which lichens and moss appear, which are especially dangerous for the slate roof of a house. The thing is that they produce acid-containing substances that gradually destroy slate. Chips resulting from mechanical stress can cause subsequent cracking of the slate. During heavy snowfalls, a thick, dense snow cover forms on the roof, which is dangerous because under its weight the slate sheet can burst or, during a thaw, simply slide down along with the layer of snow. As you can see, there are many dangerous factors that can destroy the integrity of a slate roof.

To extend the service life of a slate roof, you should properly care for it:

• it is necessary to check the condition of the coating every six months;
• regularly clean the slate sheets with a broom or an electric pump, while the second option is more effective;
• In winter, it is advisable to remove snow and ice.

For minor repairs to a slate roof, you don’t need to spend a lot of effort:

1. Initially, you should create a mixture that will repair the damaged surface. To do this, you will need: dilute cement and asbestos (the composition of fine-fibred minerals of the silicate class) in a ratio of 2: 3, PVA glue diluted with water 1: 1 should be added to the resulting mass. In a separate container, prepare a 1:3 solution of glue and water.
2. Once the mixture is prepared, the surface to be treated should be thoroughly cleaned of debris.
3. Then the dust and dirt should be washed off with water, and then the surface should be dried.
4. The next step is to apply diluted glue with water to the surface to be treated.
5. Next, it is necessary to repair chips and cracks with a previously prepared mixture, the layer of which should be more than 2 mm.
6. After the slate surface has completely dried, it is painted.

Among a large assortment of roofing materials, people often choose slate, proven over the years and known since early childhood. Many want to save money and want to independently lay the slate on the roof. This process is quite simple and anyone can handle it, even if they have no experience in this industry. You just need to familiarize yourself with the instructions for performing and the sequence of work, prepare the necessary materials and call friends for help.

In this article

About slate

Asbestos-cement slate is used in almost the same way as it once was. And there are explanations for this. First of all, the cost of this material is affordable for every resident of our country, and its installation can be carried out independently without the use of special tools; it is easy to process.

Classic slate can be used to cover pitched, hipped and hip roofs. It is important that their inclination does not exceed 35 degrees. In this case, moisture will accumulate at the junction points, which will negatively affect the operation of the roof in the future.

This roofing material is characterized by high resistance to loads. He is not afraid of negative environmental influences.

Weight is a disadvantage of slate. If you decide to install a slate roof yourself, you need the help of friends who will help you safely lift the material directly onto the roof of the structure.
Manufacturers offer consumers the following types of slate sheets:

• 6-wave;
• 7-wave;
• 8-wave.

When choosing a material, you should pay attention to its labeling. At this point its height and wave pitch are indicated.

After a suitable material has been selected, a layout of the material on the roof is needed. For different parameters, the laying scheme will be different. Each of them has its own characteristics, for example, slate with a wide step when laying eats a lot of material at the overlap in length.

When developing a scheme, you should also remember the location of the drain. Overhang length from 2.5 cm from the wall. If you yourself cannot calculate the location of the slate, or are not confident in your abilities, it is better to seek help from specialists. Roof design is an important stage. If you make a mistake at this stage, in the future you can get a lot of unpleasant surprises not only at the construction stage, but also during the operation of the roof. And it doesn’t matter how much this project costs. The main thing is that a well-designed roof will last for many years.

Rafter system

Laying slate on the roof requires preparatory work. First of all, it is necessary to build a high-quality, reliable rafter system. Slate is a heavy material that must have a reliable rafter system design. It must withstand significant loads.

To construct a rafter system for such a roof, rafters 5 x 18 cm and bars 6 x 6 cm are used. The sheathing pitch is often 1 m. When constructing a sheathing from bars, it should be remembered that at least three jumpers must fall on each sheet of slate for high-quality support.

The sheathing is made from high-quality lumber. They should not have knots or cracks. All wood must be dry and coated with special antiseptics.

If there is a chimney or exhaust pipe on the roof, then a special sheathing must be built at their locations. The drainage system is also installed before covering with roofing material.

At the bottom of the sheathing you need to fill a strip of galvanized metal, which prevents the lower edge from collapsing under loads. The metal must be waterproofed on both sides.

How to cover a roof with slate

Slate sheets must be laid with an overlap of 1-2 waves. Installation of slate with an overlap in one wave occurs only on steep roof slopes, on which a slight load from snow is created. For other roofs the overlap is 2 waves. This design is more reliable, but this is reflected in higher material consumption, and therefore the cost of constructing the roof as a whole. The overlap in length should be at least 2 cm.

First row

Installation of slate begins from the corner of the lower slope in the opposite direction along the cornice. The overlap should be located on the other side, from where the wind most often blows in the area.

How to lay the first row correctly? To do this, use a special rope, stretched before work along the eaves beam. This way the overhang will be even.

There are several options for covering a roof with slate. Most often, the method is used without or with displacement. Let's get acquainted with them and choose your suitable option.

Offset roof installation

Installing offset roofing is a simple option, which is why it is most often used. The first row is laid as usual. In the second, there will be a shift of the material to the side by several waves. Next, repeat the 1st and 2nd rows alternately. This method allows you to avoid overlaps. And at any point no more than 2 sheets are connected. Remember, this is a necessity.

How to cover a roof with slate in this way correctly? First of all, the outermost slate sheets must be trimmed, and the upper edge of the outermost row on the slope must be trimmed. This roofing method is ideal for installing 8-wave slate. You can shift it by 4 waves, and the other part is used for subsequent rows.
As a result, all displacement lines are staggered at the same distance from each other. This roof is attractive. And this installation method provides a minimum of waste.

No offset

The technology of laying a slate roof using the non-displacement method will save money. But in this case you will have to spend a lot of effort. The corners are cut to the width of one wave and 14 cm vertically. The corners need to be trimmed in order to avoid fastening in more than 2 layers.

Fasteners

Now you need to deal with the fasteners. Do not use ordinary screws or nails. They should have a wide hat. In addition, the kit must include special rubber gaskets. They ensure the tightness of the place where the fastening was carried out. The fasteners do not need to be screwed in all the way.

The slate begins to be laid at the crest of the wave. Installation of slate occurs in the same way. The difference lies in the features and order of fastening. Installation of the second attachment point occurs only when the overlying slate sheet has been laid.

Regardless of the method of installation of the material, you need to stand confidently on the roof. To do this, you need to worry about the presence of safety ropes. Remember that you should always think about your safety.

After laying the slate on the roof, asbestos-cement ridge parts should be laid, all joints and junctions should be installed, and high-quality waterproofing should be ensured.

Painting the finished roof

Do you want to make the roof of your home attractive? You can paint it. To do this, the slate surface must be thoroughly cleaned and coated with a primer. Now you need to prepare the required amount of waterproof silicone-based paint and paint the surface of the roofing material.

Now you know how to cover a roof with slate. The material must be laid carefully, so you need to worry about your safety in advance. It is easy to cover the roof with this material. You need to know some features and sequence of work. Such information will allow you to independently cover the roof, which will last for many years.

Watch the video: how to cover a roof with slate with your own hands