Proper headlap
Slates are nailed loose enough to hang so they lie flat without cracking.
Slate Roofing
Slate Roof Installation Morristown, NJ
A Morristown slate roofer can help you choose a slate, plan the layout and install the roof with fasteners and flashing that last as long as the stone. Call (862) 363-5004 to reach a local roofer who installs slate.
The first choice on any slate roof is the slate itself. Hard slate can last well over a century and soft slate somewhat less, and colors range from grays and blacks to greens, purples, reds and mottled blends. Unfading slate keeps its color, and weathering slate mellows to new shades with exposure.
Before ordering slate, the roof framing needs a hard look. Natural slate is among the heaviest roof coverings, so framing built for shingles may need reinforcement before slate goes on. Codes generally call for slate only on slopes of 4 in 12 or steeper, over solid sheathing.
How the slate is hung decides how long it lasts. Slates are hung on two copper nails each, set just right so the slate is held but not clamped, since a nail driven too hard cracks the slate. Copper flashing at valleys, walls and chimneys is the usual match, because it lasts on the same timescale as the stone.
Many slate roof installation calls in Morristown also turn up a need for slate roof replacement or slate roof repair.
Looking for Morristown slate roof installation? Call (862) 363-5004 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
How slate roof installation works
Every slate is placed and nailed by hand, and the layers below matter as much.
Choose the slate
The roofer confirms the framing and deck can carry the slate, helps choose a grade, size and thickness, and lays out the pattern and exposure. Exposure is the slate length minus the headlap, divided by two.
Prepare the deck
Underlayment goes over a solid deck, with ice barrier at the eaves where codes require it. Edge metal goes on along the eaves and rakes.
Lay the starter
A starter course goes on at the eave over a cant strip, so the first exposed course lies at the same angle as the rest. Joints in the first course are offset from the starter below.
Hang the slate
Course by course, slates are set with offset joints and the right headlap, each hung on two copper or stainless nails. Lower pitches get more headlap, and very steep pitches can use less.
Flash the roof
Step flashing, counter flashing and open copper valleys are built into the roof course by course. Snow guards are often added so snow does not slide off the slate in sheets.
Finish the ridge
Ridges and hips are finished with a saddle or combed ridge, mitered or Boston hips, or copper ridge caps. A stock of spare slate is left with the owner for later repairs.
What is included
Parts of a slate roof installation
Structural review
An engineer or span check confirms the structure to suit the home and climate.
Underlayment
Sheathing is repaired and dried in lapped to shed water to the eaves.
Ridge finish
Ridges and hips are finished in slate or copper to protect people, gutters and plantings below.
Valley metal
Open copper valleys and step flashing are installed instead of metals that wear out early.
Related service
Natural Slate Roofing Morristown, NJ
Natural slate is real rock, split by hand into roofing slates, which is why it can last longer than nearly any other roof covering. It does not burn, it resists rot and insects, and good slate barely changes over generations. Each slate is slightly different in thickness and texture, which gives the roof its handmade look.
For a natural slate roof in Morristown, the grade, thickness and color of the slate shape both the look and the lifespan. Synthetic slate is lighter and easier to install, but it does not carry the same lifespan as quality natural stone. Ask the roofer to show real slate samples before ordering so you see the true color and texture.
Local help
Slate Roof Installation Near Me
Around Morristown, slate installations range from additions matched to an original slate roof to full new slate roofs on custom homes. For homes in Morristown and nearby towns like Cedar Knolls, Morris Plains, Whippany and Madison that were framed for shingles, the structural check is what decides whether slate is practical, and snow guards and copper flashing are worth planning for from the start.
Searching for slate roof installation near me from Morristown or Cedar Knolls, Morris Plains, Whippany and Madison? Call (862) 363-5004 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects roofs around Morristown
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Morristown, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Morristown know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about slate roof installation
Which is better, hard or soft slate?
The main difference is durability: hard slate lasts longer than soft slate. Soft slate is easier to work, though it is not meant to last as long. The right choice depends on how long you want the roof to last and what matches the home.
Why are copper nails used on slate roofs?
The nails have to last as long as the slate, which is why copper or stainless steel is standard. Steel nails rust out and cause slates to slip, the most common failure on older slate roofs. Each slate gets two nails, driven so the slate hangs without being clamped.
How long will a slate roof installation take?
Expect a longer schedule than shingles or tile, often several weeks for an average home. Complex rooflines, copper detailing and structural work add time. Once the underlayment is down, the house is protected from rain.
How heavy is a slate roof?
Slate is among the heaviest roof coverings, several times the weight of asphalt shingles, and thicker slate weighs more. Homes built for slate carry it fine, but a house framed for shingles may need an engineer and added framing before switching. Where framing is limited, thinner slate or a lighter synthetic slate may work.
Do slate roofs need snow guards?
Smooth slate sheds snow all at once, so snow guards hold it in place to melt gradually. They matter most over doorways, walkways, decks and lower roofs. In places with little snow, they are less of a concern.
More questions? Call (862) 363-5004
Often needed together
Slate Roof Replacement
Full slate roof replacement when the stone, the nails or the flashing have failed across the roof, so the new roof lasts as long as the old one did.
Learn moreSlate Roof Repair
Replacing cracked, slipped and missing slates, renewing worn flashing and fixing the nail and valley problems behind most slate leaks, so a roof built to last a century keeps going.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, whether it is asphalt shingles, metal or another material.
Learn moreRoofing Contractor
Residential roofing work from a single leak to a full tear-off, with a written scope before any work starts.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Morristown roofer about slate roof installation
Call (862) 363-5004 to talk to a roofer serving Morristown, NJ.