When installing a roof, the wide variety of materials to choose from can be overwhelming. Knowing which kind of tiles are best to invest in for a beautiful and durable roof is essential. Slate roofing tiles are one of the most high-quality and long-lasting roofing tiles around, yet durability is just one of the many benefits a slate roof may bring to your project. Here’s a look at some of the reasons slate makes a great choice for roofing tiles:

Durable

When properly maintained, slate roofs can last for decades, even centuries. Naturally strong, and absorbing little water, slate roofs are less susceptible to leaking and frost damage than other, less durable materials.

Here at UK Slate, we supply only those slates which attain the A1, T1 and S1 BSEN standards for water absorption, carbon content, and thermal cycling. Our Estillo 29 slate, for example, tested just 0.29% for water absorption. This means that when you buy from UK Slate, you can be confident that your roof will stand strong whatever the weather.

From time to time, prolonged extreme weather and general old age can leave a building looking tired and neglected. But once the slate tiles have been carefully removed and tidied up, they can often be re-laid to provide a home with decades more protection from the elements.

Aesthetically Pleasing

Here at UK Slate, we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between beauty and durability. As well as being hard-wearing, slate tiles have a beautiful, classic, rustic look, undiminished by time or the elements.

When using slate, you have plenty of options to customise your roof in both size and colour. Not all slates are grey, they actually come in a range of colours, from the gentle green of our Elterdale, to the deep purples of Welsh Heather Blue. There is plenty to choose from when roofing with slate. Whether you wish to blend in with the colour tradition of your local area or make a statement with a more striking hue, slate tiles are the ideal material to achieve the desired aesthetic and provide an elegant finish to your project.

With a long-established pedigree as a roofing material, slate tiles remain the go-to for more traditional builds such as vintage homes, and historical restorations. Yet much of the beauty of working with slate comes in its versatility, as slate tiles can achieve stunning results atop more modern, innovative projects. The limit truly is your imagination.

But the colour of the slate is not the only factor to consider when choosing your slate. For centuries, slates have been cut into a variety of shapes for more decorative and prestigious markets.

Fire Resistant

Slate is very resistant to fire, able to withstand higher temperatures than many metals can. It’s great for enduring severe temperature changes, which is why it makes an ideal choice for the likes of roofs and floors. It’s why it also makes a great choice for the kitchen, due to its resistance to heat and burning. Slate slabs that are designed to be used as counter tops in kitchens are chosen for their ability to withstand the level of heat it may come across in typical kitchen conditions.

Slate forms naturally when layers of rock are exposed to extreme pressure and heat, so it’s no surprise that it’s so resistant to fire. This natural property makes slate a great choice for roofing material as it reduces the chances of a building’s roof catching alight in the event of a fire.

Environmentally Friendly

Waste from roofing is a substantial part of the total waste sent to landfills each year. Asphalt shingle roofing, for example, needs replacing every couple of decades. Waste is reduced substantially by choosing slate, due to its greater life-span. Choosing slate is a sustainable solution to ever-more prevalent environmental concerns, allowing you to rest-assured that your roof, while meeting your needs, does not do so at the expense of the environment.

Here at UK Slate, supplying quality natural slate roofing and excellent customer service to every client is our priority. If you require high-quality tiles for your roof, and want to know how we can help you, you can contact us on 015395 59289 to speak with our highly-skilled team and they will happily answer any query you may have.

Vermont Slate is one of the most highly regarded products world-wide. Within the slate world, this is at the top of the ladder. It has been used in the USA and the UK for centuries on many projects- from prestigious buildings to simple cottages – and is utilised by all sorts of people, from designers to builders. Details of projects in the UK date back all the way to the 1890s where the slate is still on the roof today, doing what it was made to do: protect the building.

Not only can Vermont slate protect your building and do so for years and years, it can be a mesmerising style statement. UK slate what exactly makes this slate so special? And can it enhance your building’s exterior? UK Slate investigates!

A Clean and Stylish Approach

When it comes to home design, your roof can be the difference between a clean and modern aesthetic and a finish which lacks attention to detail. The versatility of Vermont slate means it can fit within any design approach. For a more contemporary approach to your project, consider the Eureka Vein roof tiles accompanied with a modern polymer render, and more glass entrances around your property. This is sure to ooze a modern, clean, and elegant air. An open brick aesthetic can also work well for a unique approach to an up-to-date design.

English Heritage

Vermont Green slate has been used many times within specific English Heritage projects including several National Parks and Crown Estates, and it’s not hard to see why! The simple yet elegant aesthetic presents a classic look which produces the perfect combination of a chic, ‘chateau’ feel whilst maintaining a remarkable fuss-free exterior.

If you are looking for a design which reflects a true classic and timeless style, then Vermont Slate can help. Its back-story and origin also gives you the perfect slice of history, right there on your roof!

Think to the Future

Many interior designers, builders and even homeowners are designing and constructing houses now with the future in mind, and this comes to design too. With trends coming and going, keeping a slate style which will never go out of style and will last for a considerable amount of time is vital.

By utilising Vermont slate into your design, you can not only create a long-lasting and withstanding structure, but you can also ensure a lavish and sustainably styled visual.

How Our Vermont Slate is Unique

Here at UK Slate our Vermont range is totally unique, and when compared to other tile and slate specialists, our methods of extraction are completely distinctive. The majority of our competitors tend to source their stock of Vermont Slate from more corporate companies. This loses the traceability factor, as repeatedly their slate will be obtained from several varying quarries and mixed in the production process.

We differentiate from our competitors here as when we procure our Vermont Slate, the slate extracted is from a single family-owned (and run) quarry. The raw block is cut in the production sheds on site to ensure that the slates are made ‘on the grain’ which not only improves the strength of the slate, but also the longevity and workability of the finished product. This is when we supply it to our fantastic customers.

We are the only exclusive Vermont Structural Slate merchants in the UK and the only suppliers of the unique Mottled Vermont Slate too! Get in touch with our team today to find out more about our Vermont Slate ant other slate roof tiles – our friendly team are more than happy to assist.

While fireplaces were initially a necessity for when the house became chillier in the winter months, in the more modern day it is also used for relaxation, style and to create ambience. So, when the summer sun has set and we are getting ready for the cosy winter nights in, a fireplace can make our evenings just a little bit more special.

Someone keen to add an aura of elegance to their home may be looking to add a fireplace to the room and, while there are plenty of choices out there, there is nothing quite like a slate fireplace.

They make for the perfect snug space, making it irresistible to grab a good book, a cup of tea and settle in for a truly relaxing evening.

So what benefits does a slate fireplace have and how does it really differ from any other gas or wood fire?

Stylish Slate

Modern day interiors and designs can sometimes seem a bit clean cut and not quite to your taste; however, a slate fire can come in both modern and traditional styles.

With both a contemporary yet rustic aesthetic to it, a slate fireplace can serve its purpose in many different spaces. It can fit into a modern-styled interior as well as a more classically-designed area, all the while looking like it was meant to fit there and creating a snug and elegant style.

If you ever decide to change up your interior design, you don’t have to worry about your slate fireplace or hearth, as it will naturally fit into any new interior.

Anything from floral wallpaper to metallic tile or even clean white painted walls; whatever your interior preference, your slate fire is there to stay!

Thermal Behaviour

Slate not only looks stupendous as part of your interior design but it also does its job perfectly. Due to the material’s thermal stability and chemical inertness, slate has been used for centuries for many kinds of heat-related things.

Slate is an excellent choice for a fireplace, since in its natural form it is not only fire resistant but extremely energy efficient as well. This means you don’t have to worry about safety considerations or your utility bill.

Of all the materials to choose your hearth to be made from, slate tiles themselves are completely fire proof, meaning you don’t have to worry about you and your family’s safety, leaving you to enjoy the atmosphere by the fire in relaxation.

Easy Installation and Low-Cost Repairs

One of the great hallmarks of slate is that it’s extremely easy and fuss-free to install in your home. When it comes to ordering and installing a slate fire hearth, an expert in the industry will usually work closely with you. At UK Slate, we certainly do.

Whatever the space you install it in, a slate fire can work around your requirements and the area you have to work with.

While slate is also extremely sturdy and unlikely to get damaged, if an incident or damage does occur, the costs for repairs are also extremely low. In certain instances, that small piece of slate can be replaced instead of the entire fire, avoiding any expensive replacements.

Crafted and Tailored for You

Unlike a standard electric or gas fire which you pick up in any store, a slate hearth can be much more unique and bespoke.

Every hearth supplied is crafted and tailored to every customers requirements and vision, meaning you have your very own custom product that is special and unique to you and your home. We don’t believe that one-size-fits-all when it comes to interior design, so we will change and adapt the size, style and design to match your room, meaning that, no matter what, it will fit effortlessly.

While the leaves are still falling and winter isn’t quite here, now is the perfect time to make your home even more cosy and comfy, ready to relax for some dark mornings and stress-free nights in.

We would love to hear your thoughts on how you would like your slate hearth to be designed. Additionally, we offer a wide variety of slate for other purposes, such as natural slate flooring and slate roof tiles.

So please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team at UK Slate who would be more than happy to transform your ideas into reality.