• What can be cooked from squid: quick and tasty

    The emergence of innovative roofing materials did not prevent slate from maintaining its leading position against the background of its competitors. This is explained by the durability, functionality and low cost of the coating.

    How is slate made and where is it used?

    Slate has a long history of use in the construction industry, and its popularity has not diminished to this day. The use of slate in roofing work began in the Middle Ages. Currently, slate is produced in wave and flat form. To make flat products more rigid, their structure is reinforced with chrysolite fibers, which play the role of a reinforcing element. In addition, in this way, their thermal insulation characteristics are enhanced. Using this material, you can create fences, make wall panels.

    Roofs are most often formed from wave slate. Innovative technologies allowed to increase its strength, durability and external aesthetics by an order of magnitude. To measure the length and width of one sheet, use the number of waves (6, 7, 8). Each of these products has standard dimensions.

    Advantages and disadvantages

    Slate has the following advantages:

    • Long-term operation (50 years).
    • Convenience of laying on the roof surface. This is especially famous for wave slate, which has the fastest installation speed among all other roofing materials.
    • Reliable protection from moisture. A house with a slate roof is afraid of significant atmospheric precipitation.
    • The composition of the slate is not afraid of temperature fluctuations.
    • Slate roofing is not afraid of mechanical influences, including snow load in winter.
    • Low weight with significant dimensions.
    • Excellent Fire safety... The material does not collapse even when exposed to direct flame.
    • It resists solar radiation well and absorbs noise.
    • The slate roof can be painted in any other color if desired. For this, special formulations are available for sale.
    • You can use a regular saw to adjust the sheets to size. In this case, special devices are not necessary.
    • On the roofs of this type you do not need to use a vapor barrier, because condensation does not accumulate on the surface of the material.


    Among the disadvantages of the slate coating are the following:

    • Fragility... This imposes certain difficulties on the transportation and stacking of sheets. It is better to transfer from place to place in an upright position, which is guaranteed to keep it from cracking. It is for this reason that movement on a slate roof should be carried out as carefully as possible.
    • Wear... During operation, a decrease in hydrophobicity and breakage of transverse edges can be observed. Shady areas of such a roof are usually covered with lichen over time. The overall color scheme fades gradually.

    Varieties of asbestos-cement slate

    Waves on the sheet and the general name are typical for the three main types of slate - metal, European and asbestos-cement. Metal slate is made from galvanized steel sheets coated with polymer protection... Euroslate consists of cellulose, fiberglass, jute and basalt fiber. However, neither the metal nor the European variety could bypass the traditional asbestos cement material in popularity. The strength of asbestos fibers is an order of magnitude superior to steel wire. Connected with cement, they take the form of a stone. Due to the fact that asbestos fibers are evenly distributed in the cement, this makes them look like a reinforcing mesh. Thus, the sheets are more viscous and impact-resistant.


    Corrugated roofing slate is presented in several modifications:

    1. IN... Rectangular sheets with a regular profile. Along with standard sheets, other forms of roofing parts are produced.
    2. HC... Unified material with a convenient size for stacking. In this case, it is possible to minimize the number of joints.
    3. WU... The profile is reinforced to impart additional strength to the corrugated sheets. A very popular option for covering industrial buildings.

    Roof preparation for slate laying

    First, you need to make a calculation of the stacking area, which will make it possible to determine the amount of purchased material and its approximate cost. If you have a building project on hand, this procedure will not take much time.

    Before installing a slate roof, you need to do the following:

    1. Inspect the material for cracks and chips.
    2. Measure the length and width.
    3. Make holes for mounting.
    4. Carry out, if necessary, trimming individual sheets under right size... For this, an electric or mechanical saw is used.

    How to paint slate

    To increase service life and enhance aesthetics, slate sheets can be painted in any desired shade. Let's figure out how to paint a slate roof and the best way to do it. Acrylic paint is able to create additional protection against external destructive factors, postponing the terms overhaul roofs for several decades to come. When using water-based paint, it is possible to achieve a uniform layer, while hiding small defects. You can also paint flat slate. Knowing how to paint flat slate, and how to do it correctly, you can do the work yourself.


    This material will accelerate the removal of moisture from the roofing surface, keeping it from freezing during frost. Alkyd paint resists slate cracking well, forming an elastic protective film on its surface. As a result, the roof receives additional protection against solar radiation and burnout. Due to this, the service life of the material is approximately doubled.

    Installation of slate roof battens

    The construction of a frame for a slate coating is not particularly difficult if you know the sequence of operations. The structure must have good strength, since the load from the sheets is quite decent.

    The order of construction of the lathing:

    1. Installation of beams and fastening of rafters. Optimal size the pitch of the rafters under the slate sheet is 1-2 m, depending on the length of the ridge element. The rafter pair includes two beams fastened at an angle, for which a crossbar is used.
    2. Arrangement of the lathing... It is better to start filling the frame from the bottom. The bar is placed on the lower edge of the rafters and fixed with 2-3 nails. Too frequent lathing can not be done, due to the good strength of the slate sheet. It is enough to have one crossbar at the ends, and one more in the center. Standard slate sheets 120x68 cm are usually equipped with a crate with a pitch of 50 cm. Long (70-80 mm) galvanized nails are used as fasteners. At the same time, gutters are installed, the presence of which determines how much the edge of the overhang will be given from the wall.
    3. Laying insulation and waterproofing... The role of the waterproofing layer in this case can be performed by rolled roofing material. To facilitate movement on the surface of the crate, it is best to choose a vertical direction for laying it. In this case, the roll can be thrown over the roofing ridge, unfolding it on both sides. For fastening roofing material, staples and a construction stapler are used. The adjacent strips should be laid with an overlap of 10 cm. After that, the fiberglass and the waterproofing film are mounted. To prevent the insulation from falling down, the roof is lined with construction cardboard at the bottom.
    4. Site near the chimney... The adjoining of the slate-covered roof and the chimney depends on the location of the latter. If it is on the ridge, in this case, the waterproofing material is equipped with a lower galvanized apron, in which a cutout for the pipe is made. Slate is mounted on the apron, and the pipe is covered with asbestos. The pipe emerging on the slope along the lower edge of the abutment must be installed under the slate and foil. In the absence of a waterproofing film, the adjoining sheet is laid on the bottom of the slate, and on the top - under the slate. The top apron is often replaced cement mortar laid in the space between the chimney and the roof.

    Features of installing the lathing

    It is important not to forget about the potential danger of deformation of thick timber in high humidity conditions. If a thinner element is used, it may not support the weight of the roof structure. The optimal timber thickness is 50-75 mm.


    Recommended to apply edged board without bark, since under it during operation they can start harmful insects destroying wood. All wooden elements of the lathing should be treated with an antiseptic and fire protection. There are situations when some time passes between the construction of the lathing and the laying of the slate. In this case, it is advisable to strengthen the fastening of roofing material with several additional brackets to protect against gusts of wind.

    Slate roofing technology

    It is better to carry out the roof of the roof with slate with your own hands from the bottom of the roof, moving to the top in vertical rows. In this case, the high wave should overlap the low wave in the previous row. The size of the overlap of one slate sheet on the other is 10-20 cm. For greater ease of installation and keeping the edges of the roof flat, a stretched cord or construction tape is used.

    The configuration of the roof directly affects what kind of slate roofing technology will be chosen - in a runaway, or with a cut of the corners:

    • At a run... The most convenient option for roofs with narrow vertical and wide horizontal slopes. In this case, trimming of sheets at the joining areas is not carried out. The very first sheet is laid with an indent of one wave from the crate. The next sheet in the same row is laid with an overlap of slate by one wave to the previous one. When installing the second row, an overlap of one or two waves is also applied to adjacent elements. In the future, the laying principle is repeated.
    • Cut corners... Thus, slopes wide vertically and horizontally narrow are formed. To achieve a snug fit of the material at the point of convergence of four sheets without any distortions and distortions, the corners are sawed off from a pair of diagonally located elements. You need to know how to cut slate correctly. When joining, a technological gap of 3 mm should remain between them. The cutting technique is directly influenced by the styling direction. For example, when moving from left to right in the first row, one upper left corner is trimmed. In the last row, the right corner from the bottom is to be trimmed. In the center rows, two opposite corners are trimmed.


    You need to know how to fix the slate on the roof. As fasteners, special galvanized self-tapping screws 10 cm long with rubber gaskets or slate nails are used. Before sawing corners or trimming slate sheets, it is recommended to wet the cut site first. As a result, the material softens slightly and there is less dust.

    Completion of the slate roofing

    At the last stage, a metal ridge is installed and the cracks under the sheets are closed. polyurethane foam... The degree of crossing of the slate sheet by the ridge is 20-25 cm. When blowing out the foam, one should try not to disturb the integrity of the slate. After drying, the areas covered in this way are painted with the same material as the entire roof. Then you can install the corner pieces and the drain.

    During operation, the slate can become covered with cracks and other damage. Due to the roughness on such a surface, there is a gradual accumulation of fallen leaves, dirt and dust. As a result, “branded” moss and lichen appear, which can destroy the material. Also dangerous are the chips that have arisen as a result of impacts, which can gradually turn into serious cracks. In winter, large masses of snow often accumulate on the surface of the slate, which provoke a sharp increase in the load on the structure. As a result, the slate can burst.

    To extend the service life of the slate roof, the following maintenance activities are carried out:

    • Regular surface integrity check (every six months).
    • Timely cleaning of slate sheets, for which a broom or an electric pump is suitable.
    • In winter, it is advisable to free the roof from snow and ice.


    To avoid snow accumulation, it is recommended to initially apply a sufficient slope. slate roof.

    To repair a slate roof, you can use the following simple method:

    1. Preparation of a repair mixture. It is necessary to mix cement and asbestos in a 2/3 ratio, adding also PVA glue. The finished mass is diluted in water 1: 1.
    2. While the mixture matures, the area to be repaired is cleaned of dirt by washing it off with water. Dry the clean surface.
    3. An aqueous solution of PVA glue and water 1: 3 is used as a primer.
    4. When filling repair mixture chips and cracks, it is advisable not to exceed the recommended layer thickness of 2 mm.
    5. When the covered area is dry, it is painted in a general tone.

    What is a roof for a house?

    Of course, in order to protect the owners from wind, rain and snow, to keep the house warm and cozy.

    There are many various materials for roofs, the main properties of which are durability and resistance to various atmospheric precipitation.

    The most traditional of them in Russia is slate. It is made of asbestos cement, has a wavy profile from 6 to 8 waves per sheet.

    The length of the sheet is 1750 mm, the width depends on the number of waves and the step of the wave.

    So the standard 8-wave slate is 1750 by 1125 mm in size, and the coverage area is about 2 square meters excluding gaps.

    This material has become widespread due to its reliability and sufficient easy installation, which, as a rule, does not require the involvement of expensive specialists.

    The work plan given here and a few tips will help you in arranging the roof with your own hands.

    Beginning of work. Instruments

    Check the tools first. To lay slate on the roof, you will need a fairly large list of tools, but you can do without some of this list:

    • axe;
    • hammer;
    • nail puller;
    • pliers;
    • chisel;
    • chisel;
    • screwdriwer set;
    • mallet;
    • scissors for metal;
    • saw on wood;
    • hacksaw for metal;
    • electric drill;
    • drill;
    • electric screwdriver;
    • hand disc electric saw (grinder);
    • cutting discs for stone.

    If something is missing, then before starting work necessary tools must be purchased.

    Make sure that the cutting tool is properly sharpened, the hammer and ax are firmly on the handle, the battery of the screwdriver is fully charged.

    These simple rules safety measures will help to avoid injuries during the work, and in addition, will eliminate annoying delays.

    Slate roofing technology

    Usually 2 methods are popular in construction:

    1. without displacement of rows with undercutting of corners;
    2. with the shift of the next row by a certain number of waves

    The scheme for laying slate with an offset is the simplest. According to this technology, the first sheet of the second row must be cut longitudinally by one or several waves.

    With the correct laying of slate according to this scheme, it is possible to avoid 4-fold overlap, and therefore unwanted gaps.

    The method without shifting the rows is somewhat more laborious. In this case, the first and last sheets are stacked entirely, and on the rest it is necessary to cut off the adjacent corners of adjacent rows to ensure a tighter fit of the roof.

    It is important to leave a thermal gap of 3-4 mm between the cuts, and in no case should they touch.

    An important point is that the device of a slate roof is possible at slope angles from 10 to 25 degrees.

    The sequence of steps when laying slate with your own hands.

    Before starting to install the slate, make sure that all materials are available, including screws or special roofing nails for fastening.

    For the correct laying of the slate, it is very important that the roof lathing is correctly executed. For the lathing, a bar with a section of 60 * 60 mm with a step of 0.75 m is used.

    Thus, under each sheet of slate there will be 2 sheathing beams, which will help avoid unnecessary costs and economically use the material.

    The ridge of the roof is made of a board of 120 * 60 mm and boards of 150 * 60 mm tightly adjacent to it on both sides of the roof slope.

    Cornices and valleys must be closed with a solid crate at a distance of at least 0.5 m.

    Before installation on the crate, it is necessary to perform waterproofing from roofing material.

    It should be spread horizontally from bottom to top in an increasing pattern with an overlap. Using solid lathing Roofing material can be laid both on top and under it.

    Ideally, a layer of insulation is first spread on the crate, then steam and waterproofing, only then they begin to install the slate coating.

    • On preparatory stage cut the sheets. This can be done with a grinder with a stone circle or a regular wood saw. Remember to wear personal protective equipment when cutting. asbestos fibers that make up slate are harmful to health. Each section must be treated with acrylic water dispersion paint. Do not cut the sheet to length, as this reduces its strength. Excess length can be selected by evenly increasing the overlap of the rows.
    • Mark with twine: pull one thread horizontally along the eaves, the bottom edge of your roof will be aligned along it, and the second vertically from the corner of the roof to the ridge, in order to avoid curvature of the 2nd and further rows. It is very important to determine the direction of the prevailing winds. The first sheet is fixed so as to lay the next one after the other in the opposite direction. Then the wind will not blow into the possible gaps, and the possibility of a part of the roof breaking off when it increases is excluded. Place sheets according to the chosen pattern. With small roof slopes, it is necessary to additionally seal the joints of the slate sheets.
    • It is best to fasten the slate to the lathing with screws with a silicone gasket on the inside of the head. Each sheet is attached at 3 points - 2 at the bottom and 1 in the middle. When laying the next row, the sheets of the previous one will be fixed at 2 more points due to the overlap of the rows. Fastening must be done in advance drilled holes in the upper wave with a diameter of 1-2 mm more than the thickness of the screw. Please note that the overlap of the rows must be at least 200 mm. Drill the mounting holes at the bottom edge of the next row of sheets so that you grab the top edge of the previous row to secure it securely.
    • In the absence of screws, the slate can be fastened with special roofing nails, but such fastening is less reliable, since the nails loosen in the wood over time and rise. Accordingly, the reliability and watertightness of the roof falls.

    Never punch holes with a nail or similar method. can be easily damaged roofing material and make a much larger hole.

    On the ridge and corners of the roof, it is necessary to make overlays of metal, roofing metal or plastic.

    Observe basic safety precautions when laying slate. Work with a partner, or better three.

    Serve the slate to the roof, one sheet at a time. Take the utmost care when receiving, do not go to the very edge of the roof. Work in a slightly squatted or reclining position to reduce the pressure on the roof.

    Features of laying 8-wave slate

    The most common and popular with builders and homeowners is the 8-wave sheet due to its affordability and ease of installation.

    It can be laid in any of the ways described above, but the most technologically advanced and waste-free method is the "run-away" method, as a variant of the scheme with offset rows.

    Using this method, each odd row must be started from half of the sheet. Therefore, at the preliminary stage, you need to cut the required number of sheets in half lengthwise.

    Half of the leaf will have 4 waves in this case. With her, we begin the installation. Further, the row continues with whole sheets.

    We lay out the second row whole, and the third (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.) - again we start with half.

    Such a slate laying scheme allows you to effortlessly shift the rows and use the material completely with a minimum amount of waste.

    As you can see, if you follow these simple rules, laying slate with your own hands is available to almost any homeowner.

    It is only necessary to remember that the quality of the roof of your house largely depends on the correct preparation.

    All lines and corners must be aligned even at the sheathing stage, then the slate will fit tightly, the roof will be flat and will last a long time without leaks and repairs.














    Corrugated slate made of asbestos has dominated the vastness of our country for many decades as the main roofing material. Today it has been replaced by new products with higher technical and operational characteristics. But he did not leave the market, because today it is the cheapest material. This means that there is a need for it. Therefore, in this article we will consider the question of how to properly lay slate. Because in fact, this is a rather difficult process, as it might seem at first glance.

    Roof covered with asbestos slate Source metasold.com

    Slate specifications

    Let's start with the fact that 20-25 years ago, firms that produced new roofing materials started an anti-company against slate. They began to claim that this roofing building material contains asbestos, which causes cancer in humans. All this is outright lies, because the slate uses chrysolite asbestos - safe for humans, and not amphibole, which is harmful to us.

    In addition, the substance itself is in the product in a bound state. So we can only talk about its danger if cutting is done with the help of a grinder. In such a process from under cutting tool dust will be emitted. It is also harmful.

    Varieties of slate according to technical characteristics Source ms.decorexpro.com

    Now about technical characteristics that the buyer must know about before purchasing it:

      Today there are 6, 7 or 8-wave slate on the market.

      Sheet thickness: 5.8; 6.0 and 7.5 mm. Here, the connection is direct with the height of the wave, the larger this size, the thicker the material.

      Depending on the number of waves present, the width of the sheets varies in the range of 98-113 cm.

      The bending strength of the sheet is 16 MPa. This is the lowest figure among modern roofing materials.

      Slate itself is fragile, moreover, it does not withstand shock loads poorly.

      All manufacturers give a guarantee for 40 years of operation. Practice has shown that slate roof coverings last much longer.

    Seven Wave Asbestos Slate Source softwaremonster.info

    Advantages and disadvantages

    There is a large amount of information on the Internet regarding the merits of this roofing material. Experts, however, distinguish two main ones: low price and a good service life. The latter advantage is possible only if the slate laying technology has been maintained at 100%.

    Now about the shortcomings, which turned out to be a lot:

      Many companies producing corrugated slate offer material with rather serious errors in shape and size. Therefore, the process of laying it on the roof turns into big problem... Sheets must be fitted to each other, all the time to change their places, align and precisely join.

      Great weight. Under the slate, you will have to build a powerful rafter system which will negate the savings in purchasing this roofing... It is also difficult to lift sheets to the roof, and it is inconvenient for roofers to work, lifting them. Especially if one sheet has to be shifted, trimmed or shifted all the time.

      Sheets may break during operation. It's good if the crack will go on the upper wave. This defect is not critical. But if the break occurs along the lower plane, then the sheet will have to be changed or repaired. Again costs.

      Decking, bituminous shingles can be laid with your own hands. These are simple processes. But when the question is raised of how to properly cover the roof with slate, then without experienced master not enough. You can try on your own, but the quality of the final result is not guaranteed. Moreover, not everyone can hammer in a nail correctly so as not to break the sheets.

    Powerful roof structure under slate Source krovlyakryshi.ru

    Before proceeding directly to the topic of the article, namely, how to lay the slate, I would like to give a few recommendations.

    First, it is not worth painting the slate after it has been laid on the roof. After applying the paint and varnish material, the appearance of the coating will be good. But after a few days it will be covered with faded spots. It's all about the inhomogeneous porosity of the material. Somewhere it will quickly absorb the paint, somewhere slowly. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase dyed slate, which manufacturers offer today.

    It is useless to paint slate Source remontik.org

    On our website you can see the most popular - from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses "Low-rise Country".

    There are two painting technologies: the pigment is added to the raw material, so the color is obtained in the entire thickness of the sheets, or the paint is applied to the surface of the finished product. For this, special paints and varnishes which are well absorbed and do not fade in the sun. The first option is better, but it is correspondingly more expensive.

    The second is the installation of the lathing. The number of lathing elements depends on the angle of inclination of the roof slopes. But experts adhere to the golden rule - the slate should lie on four slats, at least. In addition, the entire roofing system must be stable. Therefore, before putting the slate on the roof, it is recommended to walk on it, try to loosen it.

    Source www.stroimdom.com.ua

    Third - how to fix the slate, and how to do it correctly. There is information on the Internet that it is optimal to carry out fastening with self-tapping screws, for which holes are made in the slate coating for them using a drill. This information is for those who do not understand anything about roofing. This technology will take a very long time. Plus, there is no guarantee that the sheets will be held firmly with self-tapping screws. In addition, under them you will have to lay either sealing washers, or fill the holes with silicone sealant.

    Craftsmen use slate nails all the time. This is a guarantee High Quality... Of course, hammering a nail like that is not easy, but not for them. You can quickly learn how to use nails, however, you will have to spoil more than one sheet. Therefore, advice - try on spoiled material or used. Twenty to thirty punched holes and you'll be hammering in nails like a real roofer.

    Slate steel nails Source hi.decorexpro.com

    Fourth - how to properly lay the slate on the roof. This refers to the arrangement of the sheets relative to each other. Like all roofing materials, slate is overlapped in one wave. So that the docking place does not stand out from the total mass of the laid material, manufacturers make the extreme wave thinner. Product marking is applied to its upper plane. It is on this plane that the neighboring slate should lie, covering the inscription.

    Attention! There is no need to hammer nails into the overlap. The joint itself is strong.

    The marking on the slate is covered with an adjacent sheet Source gid-str.ru

    On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the Low-Rise Country exhibition of houses.

    Methods of stacking sheets

    Since slate is a thick material, problems often arise precisely at the joints of the sheets. Therefore, masters use two methods:

      The longitudinal edges of the material in one row lie on the same line. To align the corners of the laid sheets, they are trimmed. The hard way, therefore, it is used if the task is to cover the roof of a small area.

      Longitudinal edges are displaced by one or two waves. This is an option without undercutting the corners. The technology is as follows: one solid sheet is laid from the corner of the roof, the second in the second top row is cut in half lengthwise, and one of its parts is laid so that the longitudinal extreme line along the edge is even.

    A few words about trimming corners. This is documented in building codes as part of the technology. The bottom line is that the overlap places of two sheets look ugly on the roof, because it is at the place of the overlap that the thickness of the coating doubles. And if you do not trim, then the corner of the fourth sheet will protrude strongly. Therefore, when installing the material, two corners are cut off, and the plane of the roof is leveled.

    It should be noted that this technology does not affect the performance of the roofing. Most likely, this is done to give the roof a presentable appearance.

    Source www.greengo.house

    Slate installation rules

      First, the rafter system is checked for its correct assembly. That is, under each asbestos sheet, four battens should be laid.

      To the ends rafter legs a board is nailed at the overhang. Some craftsmen use a stretched thread, but the board is better, in this case it additionally works as a stop for heavy sheet material. After the end of the work, the board is dismantled.

      The slate of the first row is being laid with an emphasis on the hammered board. Pay attention that the bottom edges of the material fit snugly against the surface of the board.

      Each sheet is nailed. Usually the scheme is as follows - after two waves to the third. Therefore, the consumption of nails is 10 pieces per sheet. We have already discussed how to fasten the slate with nails. We add that the hammer blow must be sharp.

      As for the trimming of the corners, they should be trimmed at the second and third sheets, while the first and fourth remain intact.

    Slate laying scheme Source teplica-exp.ru

    Let us dwell in more detail on how to properly trim asbestos slate. To do this, draw a cutting line with a marker. It starts from the bottom of the extreme wave, and ends at the section where the sheets intersect with each other.

    Now you need to make an incision along the line. If you have experience, then you can cut two sheets at once with the help of a grinder. If there is little experience, then each sheet will have to be cut separately, for which the top will have to be lifted and placed under it, for example, a board. The corner was cut, there was a free space to cut the corner of the lower slate.

    In this way, the slope planes are covered. If the roof is gable, then the slate is laid on two planes so that a gap of at least 5 cm remains on the ridge. This is for ventilation of the under-roof space.

    Clearance between slopes for ventilation Source pinterest.com

    And a few words about how to fix the slate with self-tapping screws. To do this, you need a drill and a drill with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 mm larger than the diameter of the self-tapping screw. The holes must be drilled so that the drill is set strictly perpendicular to the plane of the slate.

    The length of the fastener is selected so that it is sufficient not only for the height of the wave, but also for the thickness of the batten lath. That is, the self-tapping screw must go through the latter. For fastening the slate, use galvanized self-tapping screws with washers made of neoprene rubber, which does not decompose under the influence of weather conditions. Additionally, you can use a sealant.

    We must pay tribute to this method of attachment. The thing is that when you hammer in a nail, the area of ​​the material at the point of impact on the back of the slate becomes cone-shaped. That is, the thickness of the product decreases, and, accordingly, its strength.

    Drilling slate with a drill for self-tapping screws Source travelerscoffee.ru

    We can say that the use of a drill and drill in the process of installing slate sounds reasonable. But practice shows that the material hammered with nails is in no way inferior in strength and reliability. And the process of hammering itself is fast compared to drilling holes.

    Video description

    The video shows how the slate is attached to the roof with self-tapping screws:

    And some more useful information on the topic of how to cover the roof with slate.

    How to lift slate sheets to the roof

    This will require two wooden slats with a section of 50x50 mm. Their length is selected empirically, the main thing is that they are located freely at an angle of 60-70 ° and reach the edge of the roofing structure.

    They are connected to each other by two boards: from below and from above. The distance to the honey is selected so that the slate with its waves exactly falls on the slats. For the convenience of lifting, you can make a special device in the form of a poker. The material is the same slats. A rope is tied to the upper end. You can use a hook made of steel wire or reinforcement, to which the rope is also tied.

    One worker from below puts the sheet on the made sled, attaches a lifting device to it. The second one from the top pulls the sheet towards itself with a rope. The lower one helps him with his hands.

    Video description

    The video shows one of the options for lifting slate to the roof:

    How to cut slate correctly

    Before the grinders appeared, the slate was cut different ways that were difficult and ineffective. For example:

      made holes with nails along the cut line, and then broke along it;

      the same was done with a carpenter's hammer, which has a pointed nose, or a chisel with a hammer was used;

      used a regular saw, which quickly became blunt.

    Today the problem has been solved, the craftsmen began to use a grinder and diamond cutting discs. The process is fast, the cut is smooth. The only negative is a lot of dust. Therefore, a few tips:

      moisten the cut with water;

      lay the slate sheet on a flat surface;

      the diameter of the disc should be selected so that it is twice as large as the wave height of the roofing material;

      rotation of the disk - towards itself, it is clear that the dust will be thrown onto the worker, but in the process of jamming, the tool will be thrown away from the person, safety is more expensive;

      wear protective equipment: goggles, respirator and gloves.

    Video description

    The video shows how to cut slate with a grinder:

    Briefly about the main thing

    Now you understand how difficult it is to cover the roof with slate. There are many nuances of this construction process, everyone who decides to carry them out on their own is obliged to know all of them. As practice shows, beginners in this business are unhappy with the final result of their actions, so they are advised to start with small buildings: a bathhouse, garage, shed, etc.

    Slate has long been used as a roofing material, it has not lost its popularity today, especially since everyone can cope with the work on the roof on their own, if you know how to cover the roof with slate.

    The main advantages and disadvantages of slate

    The advantages of this roofing material include:

    • incombustibility,
    • ease of installation,
    • strength and low cost,
    • long service life (35-40 years).

    The slate roof is suitable for any building design, looks beautiful and lasts a long time.

    Disadvantages:

    • relatively large weight: more powerful rafter structures should be made,
    • fragility: may break if carelessly transported or mistreated.

    Types and sizes of sheets of wave slate for roofing

    Slate sheets are produced in 6, 7 and 8-wave. The standard sheet length is 1750 mm, the width depends on the number of waves and is shown in the figure, the thickness is from 5.8 to 7.5 mm, the wave pitch is 150 or 200 mm.

    The height of the crest (wave) is 40 mm for 7 and 8-wave and 54 mm for 6-wave sheet.

    Features of rafter systems for slate roofs

    Reinforced crate

    Fastening of slate on the roof is carried out on a crate, for which a block of 60x60 mm, rafter boards with a thickness of 60 mm or more are used. This is due to the increased load of the roofing material on the rafter system. The distance between the lathing bars is made such that the slate sheet lies on at least two of them with a margin of 15 cm on each side.

    The smaller the slope angle, the stronger the sheathing

    For slate roofs, a slope angle of at least 22 ° is recommended. For single-slope and gable roofs angles of inclination may be smaller, but reinforced lathing is required. The principle of amplification for different slope angles is shown in the figure. A vapor barrier is placed under the slate, especially if roof insulation is planned.

    Important! Before laying the slate, all wooden structures it is necessary to treat it with an antiseptic with fire-retardant properties for 1-2 times. This will protect them from decay, fire and extend their service life.

    How to determine the amount of roof slate

    When planning the work with your own hands, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of slate for the roof so that there is enough material and there is no waste. For a person familiar with the basics of geometry, such calculations will not be difficult. For a roof with one or two slopes, you will need to measure the width and length of the house, the angle of inclination of the slope.

    It is easier to calculate slate according to roof dimensions, it is done like this:

    • determine the size of the roof along the cornice, divide the resulting distance by the size of the width of the sheet and add 10%, get the number of sheets in one row;
    • measure along the slope the distance from the ridge to the eaves and divide it by the size of the slate sheet height, get the number of rows, increase the result by 13% for overlap;
    • the resulting numbers of rows and sheets in one row are multiplied and the number of slate sheets per slope is obtained. If the roof is gable, the result is doubled.

    For hipped roofs, the area of ​​the slopes is calculated geometrically (the area of ​​the triangle and the area of ​​the trapezoid, as shown in the figure), divided by the area of ​​the slate sheet and 15% is added.

    Important! When buying slate, you should pay attention to its integrity. Slate sheets should be covered with paper or foil. You need to store the sheets on a flat horizontal surface, protected from moisture and sunlight.

    Preparatory work for the installation of the roof

    Before starting work on the slate roof, prepare all the necessary tools and a level platform on which you will saw the sheets and drill holes in them. The site should be such that the sheet can be approached from either side.

    Tools and equipment

    To mount a slate roof, you will need: a hammer, slate nails, or self-tapping screws, a drill, a grinder or a hacksaw for metal, a respirator, paint for staining sections, a step ladder, a ladder ladder, ropes, metal hooks.

    How to raise slate on the roof

    Those who plan to make a roof with their own hands often have the question of how to raise the slate on the roof. This is done with a rope and two hooks. The sheet is hooked from below with two hooks, to which a rope is tied. The rope along with a sheet of slate is pulled to the roof. You can hand the sheets using a stepladder if the work is done by two or three people.

    Preparation of slate sheets

    Before laying the slate on the roof, unpainted sheets, if necessary, can be impregnated with a water-repellent compound, painted with acrylic, water-dispersion or alkyd paint. The paint closes microcracks, makes the slate smoother, snow rolls off it easier in winter.

    The slate, depending on the ambient temperature, is subject to deformation, therefore there should be a small gap between the nail and the asbestos cement. It is done by drilling holes in the ridge of the slate 2-3 mm larger in diameter than the nail. You can also drill these holes at the place where the sheets are laid, if it will be more convenient.

    Laying slate on the roof, how to do it right with your own hands

    The drain is installed before roofing works. Slate sheets begin to be laid from the bottom row.

    How to put slate on the roof

    • In order for the sheets to lie flat, a cord is pulled along the cornice at a distance of 15 cm from the edge and the sheets are leveled along the cord;
    • the roofing material is laid in a ragged manner with an overlap of 1-2 waves, sheet per sheet, 15-20 cm row per row (the size depends on the angle of inclination of the slope). The order of stacking is as follows: first, the lower 3-4 canvases, then above them 2-3 of the second row, above the second row - 1-2 canvases of the third row, then one cloth is added to each row, starting from the bottom;
    • the overlaps of the slate waves should be in the prevailing wind direction so that the wind does not blow under the slate and does not seek to lift it.

    Sheets are sawn with a hacksaw or grinder. The sections are painted over so that the asbestos does not crumble.

    Attention! You need to drill and saw slate sheets in a respirator, especially if you use a drill and grinder. It is recommended to wet the cutting site first. Asbestos-cement dust is harmful to health.

    How and what to fix the slate on the roof

    Fastening the sheets of roofing material to the lathing is an important stage on which both the strength of the roof and the integrity of the slate itself depend during operation. It should be borne in mind the seasonal deformations and movements of the rafter systems and slate, increased loads on the roof in winter.

    Slate nails and screws

    Fastening the slate on the roof to the lathing is carried out with slate steel nails with a head with a diameter of 14 mm or self-tapping screws. The head of the nail and the slate are separated by a metal washer and a gasket of rubber or other elastic material.

    How slate sheets are nailed

    The slate is nailed with an ordinary hammer. Nails are inserted into a pre-drilled hole and hammered not all the way, but so that the slate does not move. An 8-wave slate is hammered into the 2nd and 6th wave from the joint, 7-wave - into the 2nd and 5th, respectively. Vertically, the sheet is nailed in two places to the crate. The distance from the nail to the edge of the canvas is at least 15 cm. This is how they move to the ridge.

    Important! It is not recommended to bend nails from the side of the crate if they are long. It is better to cut them to the desired length.

    Chimney junction device

    If the house has a stove, a bypass for the chimney is required on the roof. For a chimney on a roof slope, the junction is arranged differently, depending on whether there is waterproofing or not. In the presence of waterproofing, a steel sheet abutment is installed under the slate and the film, and in its absence, it is done in such a way that the upper edge of the steel sheet is under the slate, and the lower edge along the slope is above it. The junction device diagram is shown in the figure.

    Roof ridge device

    Ridge device - the final stage of roof installation. The ridge protects the roof from water ingress, provides ventilation, is a decorative element of the roof.

    The ridge of the slate roof is made of galvanized steel or ready-made ridge elements to match the color of the sheets. A sheet of galvanized steel of the required width is cut out and bent on a sheet-bending machine or by hand so that the fold angle is slightly less than the angle between the slope sheets. The same nails are used to attach the ridge. How to install the skate correctly is shown in the figure.

    How much does roofing with slate cost

    Installation of a slate roof is a simple matter, it is within the power of someone who is familiar with a hammer and a hacksaw, has enough time to work. Wave slate costs 170-260 rubles. per sheet, which is from 90 to 135 rubles / m 2. On average, taking into account fastening materials and waterproofing, the price of a roof with your own hands will cost about 200 rubles / m 2.

    When there is not enough time to cover the roof with slate with your own hands, you can hire a team. The cost of laying slate will be from 150 to 300 rubles / m2. If you need to install a rafter system, heat, steam, waterproofing, lay slate, then the work will cost from 700 to 800 rubles / m 2.

    Subject to consistent and careful performance of the work, the slate roof will serve for a long time and reliably.

    Slate can be quite called a popular material due to its reasonable cost, high reliability and durability. The decorative characteristics of the material can be increased by coating with paint of any color. The inherent qualities allow you to use the material unlimitedly, the asbestos-cement roof looks great on a modest country building, and in a luxury cottage. The problem of how to properly lay the slate is not difficult, which makes it possible for most private developers to do the work with their own hands. However, for quality performance installation works it is necessary to study all the subtleties of this process.

    There is one peculiarity in solving the problem of how to put slate on the roof: in order to prevent precipitation from getting under the roofing material, it should be laid on pitched roofs slopes of which have a slope of at least 15 degrees. If you intend to overlap a sloping roof, then you should take care of waterproofing using roofing material or a membrane. It is also necessary to arrange adjacent sheets with an overlap of up to 30 cm.

    Slate layout options

    To answer the question of how to properly lay slate, you need to understand some points. Slate is laid in horizontal rows in the direction from the eaves to the ridge. The overlay of each next sheet should be one or two waves. The rows are also stacked with an offset to the previous row of 12-20 cm.


    For the layout of slate, two options are used:

    • No offset... In this case, the sheets are laid in even rows, without displacement. In this case, the joints of the rows are located on the same line. To avoid the formation of double overlaps, the edges of the sheets are cut at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees. In this way, slate is laid on roofs that have a large width along the slope, but small size horizontally.
    • Scattered... With this layout, the sheets of each subsequent row are shifted by 1-4 waves from the previous row. The result is a stepped docking line. It is recommended to use this installation for roofs that are wide in the horizontal direction, but narrow along the slope.

    When laying wave slate, use the second method. It is considered to be less labor-intensive, since no cutting of sheets is required, and for stacking without offset, the corners of almost every sheet are cut. However, the first option saves on material.

    Asbestos-cement sheets laying technology

    The process of covering the roof with slate sheets consists of several stages.

    Stage 1. Lathing

    The quality of installation work and the durability of a slate roof largely depends on the base - the crate, it is nailed directly onto the rafter system. Slate lathing can be sparse or solid.

    For solid sheathing, planed boards, plywood or OSB boards are used. For slate, such a crate is used very rarely, when the material has an unusually small thickness.


    Standard sheets, the thickness of which corresponds to GOST, are laid on a sparse crate. For its manufacture, they take bars with a cross section of 4-7 cm, which are nailed to the rafters at a certain distance from each other. The use of thinner material is not recommended in order to prevent damage to the battens under the pressure of the snow mass. Thicker slabs can deform, leading to cracks in the slate.

    When creating slate lathing, it is best to use bars of different sizes. For example, standard elements with a cross section of 6 * 6 cm are laid in odd rows, for even rows they take bars a little thicker, about 6.3 cm.In this case, the cornice bar should be even higher, it must exceed the size of an ordinary bar by the thickness of the slate sheet.

    If all the material is of the same size, then proceed as follows: special overlays with a thickness of 3 mm are made on the bars of even rows.


    The lathing is nailed to the rafters, located at right angles to them. Fastening can be done with nails or self-tapping screws. The distance between the battens is determined by the length of the roofing sheet. Due to the strength of the slate and its inflexibility, three battens are sufficient for a standard sheet with a length of 1.75 meters. Therefore, the pitch of the lathing should be 70-75 cm.

    An additional 1-2 bars are nailed along the ridge on each side, they are necessary for the further installation of the ridge parts.

    In addition, the bars are nailed along the perimeter of the chimney, maintaining a distance of about 15 cm from it to ensure fire safety.

    Stage 2. Calculation of roofing material

    Before laying the slate, you need to do some calculations. Correct determination of the amount of roofing material will allow you to avoid unnecessary costs associated with the additional purchase of missing sheets with the corresponding transport costs.

    When performing the calculation, it should be remembered that not all of the sheet area is useful, some of it is lost under the overlap.

    • First, the number of sheets in a horizontal row is calculated using the formula

    Г = (Ш с + 2С) / (Ш l-Ш п), where

    Г - the number of sheets,

    W s - the width of the slope,

    C f - the length of the gable overhang,

    W l - sheet width,

    Ш п - the width of the sheet under the overlap.

    The number of sheets of the longitudinal row is determined in this way:

    P = (D + C k) / (D l -D n), where

    P is the number of sheets in vertical rows,

    D - the length of the slope,

    C - the length of the eaves slope,

    D l - the length of the sheet,

    D n - the length of the vertical overlap.

    The obtained values ​​of G and P are rounded to the nearest whole number and multiplied. The result is the number of slate sheets for one roof slope with certain parameters.

    Stage 3. Rules for cutting asbestos-cement sheets

    It is best to sort and cut slate sheets on the ground according to the chosen installation scheme, and then lift them to the roof.

    The following tools can be used to cut sheets, which is necessary in the process of laying slate with trimming corners:

    • Bulgarian,
    • Jigsaw,
    • A hacksaw for wood or aerated concrete,
    • Drill,
    • In some cases, a slate nail and hammer are used.


    The most fast way cutting with a grinder with a diamond blade is considered.

    It is necessary to cut the material according to the following plan:

    • Bridges are erected from boards on which an asbestos-cement sheet is laid. In this case, the cutting place should rise slightly above the ground.
    • Using a long piece of wood, draw a cut line with a pencil.
    • Then this place is moistened with water, this will make the slate softer and avoid overheating the disc. In addition, when cutting wet slate, a large amount of asbestos-cement dust is not generated.
    • In the process of cutting, the cutting line and the grinder's disc are constantly watered with water.

    In the same order, slate sheets are cut using a hacksaw or jigsaw.


    Cutting with a drill or slate nail is done as follows:

    • If a drill is used, a drill with a diameter of about 2 mm must be selected.
    • As in the previous version, a cut line is drawn along which through holes are drilled. The distance between the holes should be approximately 5 mm.
    • After finishing drilling, the sheet is laid on a suitable support so that the cutting line coincides with its edge. When you press on one of the edges of the sheet, it splits along the line of holes.
    • When using a slate nail, proceed in the same way as with a drill. To do this, a sharply sharpened nail is placed on the drawn line and hit on the head with a hammer. The large number of holes in the cutting line allows you to easily break the slate sheet in the right place.

    Stage 4. How to put slate sheets on the roof

    To find out how to properly lay slate on the roof, you need to familiarize yourself with some rules. According to experts, first of all, the side opposite to the prevailing wind direction is covered with slate. Consequently, if the winds blow more often from the north, then they begin laying the slate from the south side and vice versa. In this case, snow and rain will not fall into the places where the sheets are stacked on top of each other.

    You need to know how to cover the roof with slate correctly in order to avoid critical mistakes. In parallel with the cornice, a construction cord is pulled or a wooden lath is nailed. This is necessary to lay the lower horizontal row evenly. The level should pass at a distance equal to the length of the eaves.

    Laying of sheets in a "staggered" way is carried out according to the following scheme:

    • Using whole sheets of slate, form the first horizontal row. Moreover, each next sheet covers 1-2 waves of the previous sheet. For fastening, nails for slate or self-tapping screws with soft rubber gaskets are used.
    • Before laying the second row, several waves are cut off from the first sheet, the amount depends on the desired offset value, the remaining sheets of the row are laid intact. During installation, you need to ensure that each next row overlaps the previous row by 15-20 cm, depending on the angle of inclination of the slope. As the slope increases, the amount of overlap decreases.
    • The first sheet of the third and each subsequent row is cut to twice the number of waves of the sheet of the previous row. You can lay the material with an offset of half a sheet. In this case, sheets of only even rows are cut, the rest are set unchanged.
    • The ridge row completes the installation of slate sheets. It is assembled from sheets cut across.


    Layout of asbestos-cement sheets without displacement is performed as follows:

    • Lay the whole first sheet, level it and fix it with nails or self-tapping screws. Each next sheet is cut off the upper right corner (when mounting in the direction from right to left).
    • The corner of the first sheet of the second row is also cut off, but already at the bottom left. When laying, the cut corners of the sheets of the first and second rows are aligned, and after that the sheet is fixed. The rest of the sheets in this row are cut in two places - the upper right corner and the lower left. The last sheet is cut at the top right.
    • The ridge row is formed from sheets with a cut lower left corner, while the corner of the last sheet is not cut off.
    • If the slate is laid with trimming from left to right, then the opposite corners are cut off, changing the right to the left.

    Stage 5. Installation of additional elements

    Completion of works on covering the roof with slate can be called the installation of additional elements.

    In particular. you can overlap the ridge with special ridge elements, which are made of asbestos cement. Such parts consist of two hinged parts. If possible, you can bend a galvanized steel sheet in the shape of a ridge with your own hands.

    In addition, you need to know how to lay the slate on the roof around chimneys, dormer windows and in places of abutment to the walls of the building. In this case, corner pieces made of asbestos cement or galvanized are used. These elements are laid on a slate sheet and fixed with a self-tapping screw, piercing the crest of the wave. The upper part of the corner piece is tightly attached to the vertical surface and coated with sealant. The lower part must necessarily overlap at least 1 wave of roofing material.


    Galvanized or asbestos-cement trays are laid in the valleys, from the bottom up. In the process of laying, it is necessary to ensure that the longitudinal walls of the tray are covered with slate by 15 cm.

    After installing the additional elements, we can assume that the question of how to properly lay the slate on the roof has been solved.

    How to stack correctly - some of the nuances

    One of the features of installing slate on the roof is the choice of fasteners.

    You can fix asbestos-cement sheets as follows:

    • Using slate nails... These fasteners are made of strong steel grades, their main difference is a 14 mm diameter galvanized head. When choosing nails for slate, you should pay attention that their length should slightly exceed the height of the wave.
    • Using self-tapping screws for slate... In this case, the cost of fasteners will be much higher, but it is much more convenient to use such elements. The head of the self-tapping screw can have three forms: hexagon, with a straight and with a cruciform slot. Each element has a sealing washer with a rubber gasket.

    Fastening of slate sheets can be done in two ways:

    • In the slate sheets, holes are pre-drilled with a diameter slightly larger than the fastening element. In this case, the fasteners must always have a rubber gasket.
    • The nails are driven directly into the roofing material by gently tapping the head with a hammer.

    The number of fasteners is selected depending on the size of the slate sheet.

    Laying slate on the roof is enough simple job that does not require an application extra effort and large material costs.