FOCUS ON….Reclaimed Slate
Natural slate has been used as a roof covering for Centuries and Welsh slate is known to be one of the best available, leading to its exportation Worldwide. Its natural, lightly rivened finish and variation in colour gives this material an aesthetic appeal which adds character to any roof.
There are three main variations of colour, the most common being a blue / grey but Welsh slate also comes in a purple hue aswell. The soft purple coloured slates are referred to as ‘Heather’ and the brighter, more pink coloureed slates are commonly known as ‘Blush’.
A number of different sizes are produced. Traditionally, each of these would have names such as ‘Duchess’ (24″ x 12″), Countess (20″ x 10″) or Viscountess (18″ x 9″) but are nowadays simply referrerd to by their size. When choosing which slate sizes to use for your project, consider the size of the roof elevationand suitable proportion. On larger roofs, slates of diminishing sizes are sometimes used.
Welsh slate is a highly durable choice of roof covering. It is imoermeable to extreme weather and relatively colour-fast. If anything, the slates tend to weather slightly darker and pick up lichens, adding more interest. It is common for a slate roof to last well over 100 years. Quite often, it is the roof timbers that fail first leading to the need to re-roof. The majority of the slates can then be re-used. The durability of slate with infrequent re-roofing and easy maintenance makes this materials a cost effective choice as a roof covering.
Reclaimed slates are much sought after and at Winchcombe Reclamation we have extensive stocks including all the common sizes and some of the more unusual. We also have reclaimed Westmorland and Delabole slate come available. It is possible for us to supply reclaimed Welsh slates in large quantities and our stock is hand sorted to ensure consistant quality.