The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
Jeffrey S. Levine U.S. Department of the Interior National Park
Service JUN 29 19W Slate is one of the most aesthetically
pleasing and durable of all roofing materials. It is indicative
at once of the awesome powers of nature which have formed it and
the expertise and skill of the craftsman in hand-shaping and
laying it on the roof. Installed properly slate roofs require
relatively little maintenance and will last 60 to 125 years or
longer depending on the type of slate employed, roof
configuration, and the geographical location of the property.
Some slates have been known to last over 200 years. Found on
virtually every class of structure, slate roofs are perhaps most
often associated with institutional, ecclesiastical, and
government buildings, where longevity is an especially important
consideration in material choices. In the slate quarrying
regions of the country where supply is abundant, slate was often
used on farm and agricultural buildi