Part earthy, part European, the time-honored aesthetic of a slate roof is enough to make you pull off the side of the road to admire it. And, it offers a handful of functional properties as well. For example, it is naturally waterproof, fire proof and rot proof.
Having originated in Europe, where it remains a faux pas to replace them with asphalt shingles, slate roofs are a recognized symbol of durability, integrity, craftsmanship, and rich history. When properly crafted, they can last the life of your house.
It's important to recognize slate varies from quarry to quarry and falls into two categories: hard and soft. Hard slate will outlast soft by an average of 25 years.
Slate also varies in color. For example, Vermont's "Slate Valley" is the only significant commercial source of colored slate, including: deep red, solid purple with green flecks or streaks, gray-green, sea green, gray with green streaks, gray-back, and clack. Slate from other popular U.S. quarries, such as those in Monson, ME, Eastern, PA; Peach Bottom, PA; and Buckingham, VA are all a shade of black or gray.