Slate is one of the most visually appealing roofing materials available on the market. But is it better to have your roofers install natural slate roofing or to try synthetic slate roofing? Synthetic slate roofing is a composite product made from materials like rubber, asphalt, plastic, and metal, all molded to look like natural slate. Here are the pros and cons.
PROS
Lightweight
One of the biggest challenges with using natural slate shingles is that slate is one of the heaviest roofing materials on the market. That makes it difficult to install as a re-roofing material because the home must have the proper support system for the weight of the slate. Synthetic slate, on the other hand, is much lighter weight and can be installed on any existing roof without the need for additional weight support. That makes synthetic a much better option for re-roofing projects.
Cost
A major reason to choose synthetic over real slate is that synthetic slate is much more affordable than real slate. You can expect to pay between $13,000 and $16,000 total for your synthetic slate compared to $25,000 to $35,000 for natural slate, and that price doesn't include the cost of adding structural support for the weight of the natural slate. Synthetic is the clear winner when it comes to the initial price tag.
Fire Resistant
Both synthetic and natural slate have natural fire-resistant properties to keep fire from igniting or spreading on the roof of your home. Synthetic slate products have some of the highest fire ratings but these ratings can vary between products so make sure to check the manufacturer's listed fire rating if you choose synthetic.
Recyclable
Synthetic slate products can be recycled at the end of their life cycle and used to create more roofing products.
Easy to Transport and Install
Synthetic slate is much easier to transport and install than natural slate and that can result in lower delivery and labor costs. One reason for this is that, as mentioned, synthetic tiles are much lighter in weight. They are also easier to cut and customize on-site than natural slate.
CONS
Lifespan
One of the disadvantages of synthetic slate compared to natural slate is that the lifespan is much shorter. Natural slate can last over a century while synthetic slate has about half of that lifespan.
Fading
Another disadvantage of synthetic slate is that UV rays can cause color fading over a period of many years. Natural slate will retain its natural color even when exposed to the sun.
To learn more, contact a professional roofing service in your area such as DeShazo and Son Roofing.
After struggling with the appearance and structural integrity of my home, I realized that I had to do something to make a difference. I realized that part of the issue had to be the roof, since the home had been in my family for years and nobody had ever addressed the roof before. I met with a roofing team to talk about the problem, and they were instrumental in helping me to get things sorted out. After a few renovations, things had really improved, and I felt like things were on the up and up. I wanted to start a blog that focused on finding roofing for your home, so check out this blog.