Slate roof repair, defects and methods for detecting them, repair work

Among the popular roofing materials was and remains affordable and easy to install slate. It is resistant to weather and atmospheric loads, is not afraid of moisture, is durable and reliable. Its service life, even in difficult conditions, is at least 15 years. But even such a stable and reliable roofing material will require repair and maintenance over time. What should you do if your slate roof leaks or has surface defects? How to carry out repairs correctly, what to use, what technology to use? We will try to find detailed answers to these and other questions.

Snow on a slate roof

Ask a question you are interested in on our forum without registration
and you will quickly receive an answer and advice from our specialists and forum visitors! Why are we so sure of this? Because we pay them for it!

I saw an advertisement for such an anti-icer liquid. But it is sprayed after the snow has fallen. And then everything will melt. dripping with water. But it’s an expensive pleasure – 7 thousand for 5 liters. And secondly, you also have to climb the ladder and climb on the icy roof, risking your neck.

What is needed to prepare the composition

The mixture consists of two components: asbestos and cement. This paste is easy to prepare at home.

asbestos – 3 parts;
cement – 1 part;
water – 0.5 parts;
dispersion polyvinyl acetate glue – 0.5 parts.

Water and glue can be added as needed until the paste reaches a creamy consistency.

prepare a separate container;
pour out the required amount of asbestos and cement (proportion 3:1);
mix the ingredients thoroughly;
add water and dispersion glue;
Stir the paste until a homogeneous creamy consistency is achieved.

How to walk on slate covered with glass insulation.

Given: 7 years ago I bought a garage - approximately 5m x 6m, with iron pipes running at the top every 80-90 centimeters. Straight to the pipes! slate laid. The roof slope is minimal - about 50-60 centimeters over the mentioned 6 meters. The pipes from the snow, which was thrown from the common road by the caretaker, bent - especially noticeably in the middle of the garage. Well, 5-7 centimeters - enough for the slate to crack along the sagging pipes - one crack line on 2 middle sheets. Since the parking lot has been threatened with demolition for a long time, I didn’t do anything completely, but covered the slate with glass insulation (not myself). The stekloizol survived the winter normally, but in the summer the stekloizol leaked in one wave of slate. Since I had several linear meters of foil Guerlain (20 cm wide) left from the furnace work (at the dacha), I decided to run a Guerlain strip 6 meters long along this wave.

The question is: how to walk on this slate covered with glass insulation? My weight is 80 kg. Underlay the board? Should I use special shoes like sneakers? What else do you recommend?

walk just carefully walk just carefully, (+)

do not run, do not jump, etc. I have the same problem, a week ago I sealed some places on the roof with roofing sealant. I wore sneakers, but I weigh less.

Best regards, Dmitry.

But you probably have slate on the boards? And probably boards every half meter? And for me - on pipes - that is, the support is not on a 10-15 centimeter board, but on a 1 cm junction of the pipe (imagine a pipe with a diameter of 7-8 cm and slate lies on it. And between adjacent pipes there is 70-80 cm of emptiness. But thank you nonetheless. Best regards, Igor

> just walk carefully, (+) > > don’t run, don’t jump, etc. > I have the same problem, a week ago I sealed some places on the roof with roofing sealant. > I wore sneakers, but I weigh less. quoted1 > > Best regards, Dmitry.

Well, at least tell me how to walk on such slate without breaking it?

The question is: how to walk on this slate covered with glass insulation? My weight is 80 kg. Underlay the board? Should I use special shoes like sneakers? What else do you recommend?

Safety precautions when removing slate from the roof

Dismantling the roof should be carried out observing certain safety measures

dismantling a slate roof can only be done in dry weather, since it is very easy to slip and fall from the roof on old wet slate, especially when covered with lichen;
before starting work, you should check the strength of the rafter structure and make sure that the roof will support the weight of the people working on it;
To avoid contact of asbestos-cement particles, which are hazardous to health, on the skin, lungs and eyes, it is necessary to use gloves, thick clothing with buttoned cuffs and collar, a respirator and safety glasses. Gloves will also protect your hands from accidental cuts from sharp chips of slate sheets;
Having removed a number of slate sheets, you need to immediately dismantle the waterproofing membrane or roofing felt in order to move along the sheathing without the risk of accidentally falling through;

shoes for working on the roof should have soft rubber soles - they slip less; it is important to strictly ensure that no one stands or walks in the place under the slope where the detachable slate sheet can slip - the weight of the roofing element exceeds 20 kg, and its fall even from a small height can cause very serious injury and even kill a person; to move along the roof, it is necessary to use boards with padded blocks (ladders) to distribute the weight of a person over a large area - otherwise the old roofing material will break underfoot. The ladders are equipped with hooks for hooking onto the ridge;

Be sure to use safety ropes that will protect you from injury if you fall from the roof. The rope must be securely fastened to the roof ridge.

It is recommended that the work be carried out by two or three people, but dismantling can be done alone if you follow certain technology

How can you move (walk) on a slate roof safely without breaking the slate?

It is necessary to redo the ridges and gables, the slate roof - how you can walk and work on it, what you can come up with, or what are the secrets of roofers.

Slate is a fairly hard roofing material and can withstand the weight of a person. But you cannot walk on a slate roof wearing shoes with metal heels. If the roof needs to be repaired, then you need a special roof ladder; when performing work on it, you can climb to the required height. The ladder protects the roof covering from any damage and evenly distributes the weight on it.

You can make a staircase with your own hands; its design is simple:

First you need to decide what kind of slate it is.

For example, you are guaranteed not to break metal slate; in the worst case, you will push through it if the sheet is thin.

You can’t walk on bitumen (Ondulin, for example).

If we are talking about asbestos-cement slate, then you need to know the following:

You should not walk during the rain or immediately after it.

You can’t walk in late autumn, when it rains during the day and the moisture freezes at night and there is heavy ice.

It is also necessary to take into account the “age” of slate; it is a durable material (roofing), but still it becomes more fragile over the years.

How can you use ondulin to cover a roof?

Ondulin can be classified as a universal material that combines both lightness (the weight of a sheet with an area of 1.9 m2 is only 6.5 kg) and strength, the ability to withstand a load of 300 kg/m2. The technology for laying ondulin on the roof surface offers several options:

On old roofing without dismantling it. It is allowed to lay ondulin on the roof if the rafters, beams and other structural elements of the roof are in satisfactory condition and do not need to be replaced;
On a roof covered with roofing felt. Before installation, it is necessary to check the integrity of the old coating and repair damage;
On the roof of a built house or other structure.

In the case of laying ondulin on an old roof, a new sheathing is made, before this it is necessary to lay and strengthen a vapor barrier, it is better to glue the insulation joints with mounting tape. If necessary, thermal insulation is also performed, and then ondulin is installed on the old roof according to the usual scheme.

If ondulin is mounted on a roofing material covering, it is necessary to carefully repair all damage, seal cracks, after which a counter-lattice is installed on the roof along the rafters and the lathing is perpendicular to the location of the rafter system. This implementation of the lathing will allow moisture and condensation to evaporate from the surface of the roofing felt covering. After this, ondulin is laid on the sheathing according to the usual pattern.

When installing ondulin on a new roof, a high-quality sheathing, vapor barrier, and, if desired, insulation of the roof are first performed. After this, the roofing material is attached.

Advantages and disadvantages of slate

Wave slate is excellent not only for technical premises, but it is also often used in the construction of residential buildings, because it has the ability to retain heat and protect the home from adverse environmental conditions.

Although this material was invented a long time ago and has been used for a long time, it still remains the most popular roofing covering.

Slate is made from clay shale, which is naturally separated from other rocks. The surface of the leaf can be wavy or flat.

In the second case, to achieve good strength, the composition includes chrysolite fibers, which act as reinforcing screeds. Flat slate is used in the construction of fences and fences, as well as to create wall panels.

Wave slate is more suitable for roofing work. Today, this building material is constantly being improved and, thanks to this, its appearance and thermal insulation qualities are improving. The width of the sheet is measured not in meters, but in waves.

Now let's figure out what the advantages of slate are:

Such material, with proper care, can last half a century or even longer;

Installing slate is much easier than installing other roofing materials. Therefore, construction companies set lower prices for slate roofing;

Slate roofing significantly increases the waterproofness of the entire structure;

The material is resistant to too low or too high temperatures;

You can walk on such a roof even in winter, because it is very resistant to mechanical damage;

A slate roof has very low fire hazard ratings;

This roofing covering absorbs rain noise well and is also resistant to solar radiation;

The advantage of slate is its low cost;

Paint is very easy to apply to such a roof, so you can choose any color or shade;

Sheets can be cut with a regular hacksaw, and this has a beneficial effect on the cost of installation work;

Moisture does not condense on a slate roof, so you can save on vapor barriers.

Of course, like any material, slate has its drawbacks:

This is a very fragile material, which makes it very difficult to transport and store. It is better to carry it in a vertical position so that it does not burst under its own weight due to its small thickness;

You need to be especially careful when walking on a slate roof;

After prolonged use, the coating loses some of its waterproofing qualities;

The edges of the sheets often break off;

If the roof is located in the shade, then mosses and lichens appear on it;

Due to natural factors, slate changes its color.

Selection of roofing materials

Old slate can be replaced with new slate. But, besides this material, there are currently a large number of new roofing materials. These include:

Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main characteristics of roofing materials can be summarized in a table.

The cheapest roofing material is slate . However, slate sheets have their disadvantages. The most important of them is that slate contains asbestos, which is recognized as a carcinogen. For this reason, slate production is prohibited in Western countries. In addition, a roof covered with slate has a gray, unesthetic appearance and needs to be painted.

Corrugated sheeting is a cold-rolled sheet of metal, which is galvanized or coated with a paint layer to protect against corrosion. The sheet thickness varies from 0.5 to 1 mm. The corrugated sheet is corrugated for greater rigidity and strength.

Metal tiles are profiled galvanized metal sheets coated on both sides with polymer. In its properties it is similar to corrugated sheeting, but it has a much more beautiful appearance and, imitating natural tiles, decorates a country house.

Soft (bitumen) shingles are made from bitumen using a fiberglass backing. Due to their flexibility, such tiles can be easily installed on curved roof surfaces. It has bright colors that are not affected by external influences.

Ondulin (euro slate) is a material that contains cardboard, rubber, and minerals. All this is impregnated with bitumen. Despite its cheapness, ondulin is quite durable and waterproof. And its low weight makes it easy to install on the roof.

Asbestos slate

There are three types of slate covering: metal, Euro-standard and asbestos. Metal is made of thin galvanized steel coated with a protective layer of polymer.

The composition of Euro slate includes cellulose and basalt fibers, fiberglass, and jute. The last type is the most popular. The material is characterized by very high rigidity, because asbestos fibers are stronger than even steel.

They are connected by cement. Asbestos threads are evenly distributed over the sheet, which creates a good reinforcing mesh. This helps to increase the impact strength and strength of the coating.

There are different types of corrugated asbestos slate:

VU is a wavy slate with a reinforced profile. This material is used for roofing work in the construction of industrial buildings.

VO - slate with a regular profile, having a rectangular shape. Not only the sheets themselves can be made from it, but also other roofing elements, for example, a slate roof ridge.

UV is a wavy unified slate. It has a good wave width and sheet size. All this allows you to significantly reduce the number of joints.

Silicone paste for roof repair

Silicone paste is often used to repair roofs. The product has increased adhesion to materials made from asbestos cement.

Before starting work, prepare the damaged area: clean it of dust and small dirt crumbs, using a brush for cleaning metal products. To do this, use acetone or a special solvent.

Before sealing the crack, it is filled with crushed asbestos chips, which are then filled with silicone slate adhesive. Such restoration is not difficult to carry out, and the whole process takes a maximum of a day and is completed at the stage of tinting the treated area to match the general style of the roof. At the same time, coloring plays not only an aesthetic role, but also gives the connection additional reliability. In this case, painting is simply necessary. The top layer allows you to secure a multi-layer patch, since asbestos-cement sheets themselves are porous.

Preparing for slate installation

First you need to measure the area of the future slate roof in order to calculate the required volume of material.

This process will allow you to roughly estimate the upcoming costs of constructing the structure. In order to take measurements, you can use the building design, or hire a professional.

After purchasing roofing material, you need to check if there are any defects on it. Damaged sheets should be replaced.

Also, during the preparation process, mounting holes are drilled, and the material itself is cut to length.

You definitely need to pay attention to the fact that if you are going to cover the roof with slate, you will need reinforced sheathing. In order to create it, it is better to hire specialists, because the service life of the structure, as well as your comfort, depends on the quality of the support.

Installation: the easier it is to cover

1. Ondulin sheets are very light and small, so you can cover the roof with them even alone and without the help of experienced specialists. The consumption of this coating is less than that of metal tiles. The components are inexpensive. This material has high elasticity and flexibility, so it is very easy to install. And even a complex roof configuration will not be an obstacle to this - Euro slate sheets bend perfectly. No special tools are needed to install ondulin. All you need is a tape measure, a hammer and a hacksaw for working with wood. Well, don’t forget to prepare lubricant for the saw teeth.

When the angle of inclination is 15 0 or more, the sheathing is packed in increments of 65 cm; if the angle of inclination is less than 15 0, then the sheathing pitch should be reduced to 45 cm.

Another advantage of Onduline is that it can be easily laid on slate without removing the old coating (photo: onduline.com)

Roof pitch angle for various conditions and roofing materials

2. As for metal tiles, its installation requires some experience. After all, you will have to work with metal, and it is very important not to confuse the order of installation of the strips and components. It is imperative to make accurate vertical measurements, checking the result with a level. Well, in the case of a complex roof shape, laying metal tiles is not at all profitable - half of the material may go to waste. And special tools are needed to work with this roof. This includes a screwdriver, electric nibblers capable of cutting metal, and a level. So it’s better for amateurs not to take risks, but to pay a good master.

As for the base for these roofs, it will differ in that Ondulin requires a more frequent sheathing step, and if the roof slope is less than 15 0, it is advisable to use a solid base because it is less rigid. This will require some additional costs for the rafter system.

The sheathing pitch for metal tiles will depend on the type of metal tile profile

How roofing work is done when using slate

The slate sheets are attached from the bottom to the top vertically. The point of this is that the upper wave overlaps the lower one.

In this case, one sheet must overlap the other by at least 10 cm. To ensure that all sheets protrude at the same distance, a tape or rope is stretched along the edge.

There are two ways to lay sheets. The choice depends on the roof slopes. If the vertical slope is narrow and the horizontal slope is wide, then offset laying is used.

This option is notable in that it does not involve cutting the sheets at the joints. The sheet is attached to the sheathing one wave to the side. Each subsequent sheet is fixed on the previous one, overlapping one wave. In this case, laying is done in horizontal rows.

In the case where the vertical slope is narrow and the horizontal slope is wide, an installation with cut corners is used.

In this case, the corners of the diagonal sheets are removed, and the joint is made with a small gap. This method allows you to avoid the appearance of cracks and defects in the roofing.

To install the sheets, galvanized self-tapping screws with rubber gaskets on the heads are used. The best effect is achieved by fittings whose threads do not reach the cap, because they do not damage the roofing material itself.

The screws are screwed tightly. Usually they fasten every third wave or retreat on each side by one wave and fix only the second and penultimate slope.

Before cutting the leaf, it must be moistened with water. Then the slate for the roof does not crumble, does not generate dust and is easy to cut.

For cutting, use a hacksaw or an angle grinder with a small-diameter disk. But there is another way: sometimes several holes are made on the cut line at a distance of 2 cm from each other, and then the desired part is broken off.

After the installation of the sheets is completed, they usually proceed to sealing the joints using polyurethane foam or bitumen tape and installing a ridge, which should overlap the sheets themselves by at least 20 centimeters.

All roofing work ends with the fastening of drainpipes and gutters.

Practical advice

Craftsmen insist that slate must be fastened with nails. At first this seems like a risky task; for beginners, it’s worth practicing on slate scraps. Each nail goes in more confidently, and after a dozen repetitions the nails are driven in on their own.

Before laying the slate, it won’t hurt to walk along the sheathing. Suddenly the board needs to be replaced or sagging and cracks in the sheathing beams are visible.

The marking is used as a beacon to correctly lay the roof with slate, since it is applied on one wave along the edge with a smaller thickness. The next sheet is placed on the wave with markings. This covers the inscriptions and makes the joint look neater.

How to lift sheets onto the roof

To climb on your own, you will need a pair of strong hooks and a rope. If you add an intermediate support point, it is possible to tighten the entire mass of roofing materials without outside help. The cargo, fixed with ropes, is pulled up and placed individually.

If you have a couple of assistants at your disposal and the amount of work is small, you can lift the slate onto the roof manually, feeding each sheet from the ladder. One person stands on the ladder, the second one hands the sheet from the ground to the first one. Or an assistant can fix the load on the ground with ropes and support it while lifting it up.

If there is a strong ladder, the materials are lifted with emphasis on the ladder, as if on a sled.

If you need to lift more than one sheet at one time, you will have to get a car winch and also build an auxiliary pallet. An arrow with a crank is attached to the mauerlat (a thick beam at the base of the rafters). The cable of a car winch is passed through the boom collar. From below, the material is placed on a pallet and neatly tied.

After tying the materials, the ropes are fed to the winch hook. It is important to prevent the load from swinging so that the slate does not fly into the window, for example. To do this, you need to hold the load from the ground with slings. There should be no people under the load. By turning the boom, we bring the pallet towards us and attach the slate to the roof.

Slate painting

If we talk about asbestos-cement slate, then painting such a roof is a waste of money. Paint will not add any protective functions. Slate has a porous structure, and some of the pigment will separate.

Therefore, it is wiser to decide in advance on the choice of roof color and buy slate with factory pigmentation. Among asbestos-cement sheets there are two types of staining:

continuous coloring, when the pigment is mixed with the raw material;
surface painting with spraying of multilayer systems that increase paint strength, light resistance and reflective properties.

How to protect slate from damage

It is important to pay attention to the quality of the product and the seller’s guarantees. This does not protect against defective materials, but it does provide an opportunity to get your money back.

Trees growing close to the house must have their crowns regularly shaped to prevent branches from breaking the slate in the wind.

You can walk on slate, but it is wiser to lay additional boards and walk on them while installing the roof.

Select slate in accordance with load standards. Thick slate will burst, sagging from its own weight. Thin slate will not withstand a palm-high layer of snow.

Slate painting

Carrying out this operation will increase the service life and decorative qualities of your roof. An acrylic film will delay the destruction of slate for several decades.

But the choice of paint must be approached very responsibly. It is better to use compounds from trusted manufacturers that are resistant to solar radiation and temperature changes.

The use of water-dispersion paint has a very important advantage: the mixture seals all microcracks on the surface of the material.

In winter, roofing slate coated with this composition becomes more slippery, which helps remove snow and moisture.

Alkyd paints make the surface more elastic, and this prevents the appearance of defects. This type of coating also protects the roof from fading.

Dismantling asbestos-cement sheets without damage

In cases where sheets of old roofing material are suitable for subsequent use, the covering must be disassembled carefully. Dismantling a slate roof should also begin with the ridge element. Next, the sheets are removed in the order that is opposite to their installation.

In this case, the sequence of actions is as follows: the fasteners are carefully removed, and the removed element is carefully lowered to the ground.

The fasteners are simply removed when the roof was mounted on self-tapping screws. To unscrew them, use a wrench or screwdriver with an appropriate attachment. But this method is relevant when a relatively new roof needs to be dismantled.

To remove smooth nails, a nail puller is used, under the heel of which a board is placed to prevent the sheets from splitting under the action of a point load.

If the nail has gone right through the sheathing and its end is bent, it can be removed in one of two ways:

from the inside of the rafter structure, you need to remove layers of steam, hydro and thermal insulation, bend the free part of the nail and tap it in the direction from bottom to top, then use a nail puller from the outside;
bite off the nail head using a tool such as a mini bolt cutter, or cut it off with a grinder.

Causes of slate roof leaks

Why might a slate roof need to be repaired? There are many reasons:

From old age. When installed correctly, the approximate lifespan of a slate roof is 10 to 15 years. In areas with a temperate climate, with good installation and correct slope, the period can reach 20–25 years.
From walking on a slate roof. If you are forced to walk on the roof, then you need to fill one or more boards with cross bars and secure them to the roof ridge. Thanks to this simple device, your weight will be distributed over the entire plane and will protect the slate from cracks.
From a sudden change in temperature. Slate is a material that absorbs moisture. Therefore, if severe frost comes after prolonged rains, this can lead to the fact that frozen water can destroy the leaf.
From moss and lichens. Typically, the northern part of the roof deteriorates faster, since it is on this side that moss and lichens live. They not only spoil the appearance, but also destroy the slate itself. To solve this problem, some people paint slate with a special paint. This not only gives the house a much better appearance, but also makes the slate surface smoother. After all, then most of the microcracks are filled. In addition, such a solution will ensure better water drainage and prevent the appearance of parasitic vegetation.
From branches falling on the roof or vandalism by people.
From stagnant water and moisture, in problem areas such as roof windows and pipes. If you have a leaking roof, we recommend sealing them.
From an incorrect roof angle.
From improper installation of sheets, resulting in constant stress. Over time, the sheets may crack. Problems can also arise if the sheets are nailed without rubber gaskets.
From careless transportation. You may not see the defects right away, but after you walk on the roof a couple of times, it may burst. Therefore, it is better to pay a trusted carrier than to save money and then pay for roof repairs.

What to do if the roof leaks ↑

When a leak is detected, the first thing you need to do is inspect the roof and find the problem area.

It is important to know! A competent approach to slate roof repair will extend the life of the material up to 10 years. Just a few decades ago, the following method was extremely common: the damaged area was cleaned of layers of dirt, moss, dust, etc.

d. Next came priming with drying oil. The crack itself was covered with strips of cloth soaked in oil paint, and then the area was painted over to be safe. To create an attractive look for a repaired roof, the entire surface was often painted, which was a rather labor-intensive and ineffective method - after 3-4 years the roof again became unusable

Just a few decades ago, the following method was extremely common: the damaged area was cleaned of layers of dirt, moss, dust, etc. This was followed by priming with drying oil. The crack itself was covered with strips of cloth soaked in oil paint, and then the area was painted over to be safe. To create an attractive appearance for the repaired roof, the entire surface was often painted, which was a rather labor-intensive and ineffective method - after 3-4 years the roof again became unusable.

Today, another method is popular - a mixture of cement and PVA glue with the addition of fluffed or crushed sheet asbestos. The proportions proposed by most craftsmen are as follows: 2 parts cement to 3 parts asbestos-adhesive mixture. Moreover, PVA glue must first be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. The final mass has the consistency of homemade sour cream. The grade of cement used is not lower than M-400.

After preparation, the mixture is applied to the areas to be repaired and rubbed in thoroughly. For the best effect, experts recommend applying at least two layers. The advantage of this method is that traces of repair are almost invisible, and if the composition is properly prepared, the repair will extend the life of the roof by 6-8 years.

One of the disadvantages is the rapid hardening of the mixture, which it is advisable to use completely within 1.5-2 hours, and, if not enough, then prepare the next portion.

It is best to carry out work in sunless but dry weather - slower drying of the applied “patch” will ensure greater durability and efficiency of the repair.

It is important to know! Any roofing work is associated with increased danger. They must be carried out in compliance with safety regulations.

Detection of defects on the slate surface

If you compare slate with corrugated sheets or seam roofing, where flaws can be easily noticed, then this is not so easy to do with slate. But you can’t let everything take its course. After all, if the roof is leaking somewhere, this can lead to the rafters becoming saturated with moisture, the insulation becoming damp and becoming useless, and the ceiling becoming covered in stains.

If you suspect your roof is leaking, the first step is to get into the attic space. A damp smell or moldy spots tell us that there is a small leak somewhere. The best time to look for damage is after rain or a tidal shower. Once in the attic, carefully inspect the roof. Compared to the entire plane, the leak will appear as dark spots. Also, pay attention to the places where the nails are placed. If the cracks are clearly visible, then you need to start repairs immediately.

Reasons for the formation of defects

Let's start by looking at the reasons why slate fails.

Shock loads. Unfortunately, pinpoint impacts create holes in asbestos-cement material. Atmospheric precipitation will not damage this roofing material. But trees often grow near houses, and in a strong wind, branches can break and fall on the roof, damaging it. This also applies to throwing a stone or walking on a roof covering.
Life activity of simple plants: moss, lichens. They are well fixed on the rough surface of asbestos slate, destroying the material, or rather its structure. In this case, colonies of plants fill the lower waves of material, thereby causing water jams, working like dams. Firstly, this is an additional load, and secondly, the likelihood of leaks increases. This problem with mosses can be solved simply - the roofing material is painted with a special paint, the surface becomes smooth, which means that plant spores will not be able to catch on. If the slate is not painted, and vegetation is already beginning to take over the space, then the roof will have to be cleaned in any way: mechanical, hydraulic, chemical.
Aging of building materials. Over time, any material loses its technical and operational qualities. And slate is no exception. In addition, the negative impact of natural stress accelerates the aging process. For example, in industrial cities it passes faster than in rural areas.
Incorrect installation. The process of laying and fastening slate is simple, but it contains some nuances, the implementation of which determines the quality of the final result, and, accordingly, the duration of operation, plus the integrity of the material itself. For example, for fastening you need to use roofing nails, and not ordinary nails; if the hole for the fastener was drilled with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the fastener, then thermal expansion creates greater stresses at the junction of the two materials. And there are many such nuances.

So, having dealt with the reasons for the appearance of defects, let’s move on to how to detect defects in roofing material.

Types of cracks

If a defect is detected, you should figure out what type of crack it is, because your subsequent actions depend on this. They come in three types:

crack on the upper wave;
on the lower wave;
across the sheet.

The first type of cracks is the most noticeable and at the same time the most harmless, since water does not stagnate on it. The repair will be simple and quick. It will not be so easy to make a crack on the bottom wave of the sheet. Water will enter through it, so repairs must be started immediately. And the last thing is a transverse crack. If the sheet is not yet completely cracked, this will happen very soon. It is almost impossible to repair this type of crack, so the sheet needs to be replaced. How to repair a crack in slate?

Replacement of corrugated roofing on an old house

Profiled sheets equipped with polymer protection can effectively withstand various aggressive influences.

They can be damaged under the following circumstances:

In case of strong impacts, when heavy objects (large branches or tree trunks) fall on the roof.
Due to improper installation.
If walking on the surface of roofing sheets is allowed without following proper maintenance guidelines.

The consequence of such impacts on profiled sheets is the appearance of dents, holes, and damage to the protective layer, which provokes corrosion. In such cases, it is necessary to replace the roof by laying new sheets instead of damaged ones.

The first step is to review the nature of the damage. This will allow you to decide how to replace the roof on the house, to see the scale of the necessary repairs: will it be a local replacement of damaged areas of the roof, or its complete reconstruction. If it is necessary to carry out major work to completely replace the roof covering, you need to carefully inspect the entire rafter structure, thermal insulation and waterproofing. The fact is that these systems are often also damaged during holes in the corrugated sheet.

Next, they determine what exactly the dacha will be covered with after dismantling the worn-out cladding. Often, instead of profiled sheets, metal tiles are laid, which are distinguished by their visual appeal, low cost and ease of installation. It will be necessary to calculate the selected coating and prepare the truss structure for its installation.

Preparatory work

If you decide to repair slate sheets, then I would like to remind you that you should never forget about safety precautions. In some countries around the world, slate is banned due to the harm it can cause to human health. Therefore, when working with this material, the respiratory tract should be protected from asbestos fibers.

It should also be noted that before starting slate repair work, you need to clean the roof surface from debris, dirt, various vegetation or anything else. You should walk on slate with extreme caution when using plank flooring.

Repairing damage with mastic

It is important to remember that at the joints the slate sheets are treated with mastic with a special reinforcing filler with a wavy structure.

The bitumen is melted in a separate container, having previously been crushed. Foam and impurities formed during the process are removed. The melting process occurs at temperatures above 200 o C until the bitumen is completely dehydrated. The grout consists not only of bitumen; a filler is added to the composition, which is preheated to a temperature of 110 o C.

Hot mastic, using a spatula or other suitable tool, is applied to the surface prepared for repair.

Sometimes a kind of rubber slate paint is used to restore damaged sheets. The product has increased adhesive and strength properties. This method of slate restoration is gaining popularity.

Methods for sealing cracks in slate

Using cement mortar

Repairing a crack in slate with cement mortar is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fix a leak. You should take into account the fact that the repair process will take place upstairs, and this will significantly complicate your work. The proportions of the solution are 1:2, using cement grade M-500.

The solution must be brought to a soft dough. Before application, the slate must first be moistened. The solution should be applied with a spatula in a layer that is not too thick so that moisture does not linger at the repair site. After the procedure is completed and the solution has completely dried, the area must be primed and painted with special slate waterproof paint.

Using butyl rubber sealing tape

This device is used not only for sealing cracks in slate, but also for sealing sheet joints. The material is easy to use and made of non-woven material. Thanks to this, after installation it can be coated with paint of a suitable color.

Repair work on slate is carried out in the following order:

We clean and degrease the area we need. For this we need a solvent or some other suitable means.
We cut the tape so as to cover not only the crack, but also to create a small gap.
As the gluing progresses, gradually remove the film, avoiding the tape sticking together or creasing.
Carefully press the tape against the slate so that there are no cracks or any gaps. The tape should adhere to the slate as tightly as possible.
Be sure to paint the patches with high-quality paint.

Using polyurethane foam and silicone sealant

The process of repairing slate is simple and is popular among home craftsmen. To do this you need:

Degrease the damaged area.
Seal the area with polyurethane foam.
Leave until completely dry.
Apply sealant to the slate.
Cover everything with resin or epoxy glue.

Using bitumen mastic

Repairing slate with this material is easy. What is required for this:

light a fire by placing the container on several stones or bricks;
place several pieces of bitumen in a container;
Stir the mastic, bringing it to a rare state.

When working with bitumen mastic at sub-zero temperatures, add 10% waste. Thanks to this, the material will be more elastic and will not crack. This way, your slate will be ready for use.

How to arrange a rafter system for slate

Before installing slate yourself, make sure that the rafter system is suitable for laying slate. Since this roofing material is quite heavy, the roof frame must be designed to withstand high loads, which are expressed in:

Total weight of the roofing pie;
Atmospheric loads;
The weight of people installing, maintaining or repairing the roof.

When designing a roof for laying metal tiles, ondulin or other materials lighter than slate, you may need to reduce the installation pitch of the rafter legs or use struts that can increase the rigidity of wood trusses. Pay more attention to the roof frame if the old soft roof is covered with slate.

The minimum cross-section of rafters for a slate roof is 50 x 180 mm, and 60 x 60 bars or unedged boards with a thickness of 15-25 mm are used to make the sheathing. The lathing is performed in increments of 200-1000 mm.

When using sheathing made from bars, be sure to take into account the fact that each sheet of slate must be supported by at least three horizontal lintels. A beam measuring 60 x 120 mm or a board measuring 60 x 150 mm is mounted in the ridge part.

For proper laying of slate, dry lumber that does not have deformations is used for lathing.

In cases where a chimney or exhaust pipe is installed on the roof, these structures require a special sheathing, which is installed before installing the roofing.

The drainage system is also installed before laying the roofing. In this case, a metal strip is placed on the bottom row of the sheathing, the width of which is 300 mm and the thickness is 2-3 mm. This will help prevent the lower edges of the roof from collapsing under stress. The metal strip must be waterproofed on both sides and also have holes for fastening the roof.

Slate sheet repair

It is worth knowing that any repair manipulations with slate should be carried out only after it has been cleaned of debris and moss, thoroughly washed and dried. In addition, you should degrease the crack or hole with cotton wool soaked in solvent or acetone.

Repair option 1

If you don’t know how to repair holes in slate, then the simplest and most ancient method by which you can repair a hole is to use bitumen mastic. Previously, only it was used to cover up any holes in the walls of the house or fence/roof. It is simply prepared in a bucket over a fire, melting it to a viscous state. If repair work is carried out in cold weather (with minuses), then about 10% of the waste must be added to the bitumen mass so that the mastic is plastic. The crack is gradually filled with the finished mixture, leveling it level with the sheet.

Repair option 2

Or you can use a cement-sand mixture if you don’t know what and how to fill holes in the slate. To prepare the mixture, you need to mix the above components in a ratio of 1:2. Dilute the mixture with water to the consistency of thick sour cream. The resulting solution is used to cover holes and cracks and leave to dry in the shade. The finished repaired sheet can be painted in the desired color.

Repair option 3

Also, to seal slate roofs, you can use a ready-made putty solution without having to bother with special inventions. The mixture can be purchased at a specialty store. Before applying it, the surface of the crack or hole must be well primed. Then putty is applied to the hole and after six hours it is covered with a piece of fiberglass. Another layer of putty is applied on top, and thus the use of a sealing combination saves the slate.

Repair option 4

And here, in order to cover a slate roof, you can use a mixture of cement, asbestos and PVA glue. This mass is very plastic and fits well into all the joints and gaps of the slate.

So, let's prepare the mixture:

First, mix equal parts water and PVA glue. Mix everything well until smooth.
Now mix cement and asbestos in a separate container in proportions 2:3.
Mix all ingredients until very thick sour cream.
In a separate container, prepare another PVA solution from three parts water and one part glue.
Cover the finished, degreased and dried surface of the crack with the resulting mixture of glue, cement and asbestos. Lubricate the top with additional glue solution. And again we apply two more layers of asbestos cement on top.

Repair option 5

And in this way you can seal holes from nails that have crumbled over time and now allow water to pass through. In this case, you need to take a piece of aluminum foil and cut a patch out of it according to the required hole size. The foil is greased with universal glue and the patch is placed on the hole.

Repair option 6

Here, to repair a large break or nail hole, you can use tin for patching. A piece is cut out of it, rolled into a tube and, crushed, pushed into the hole. It is necessary to compact the tin so that it fills the hole as much as possible. Now a hole is drilled in the tin plug for a self-tapping screw and the slate is fixed to the roof using a high-quality rubber gasket. In this case, water will not flow under the roof.

Repair option 7

Regular polyurethane foam will also help repair holes in slate. Craftsmen use it to fill cracks and crevices in slate roofing. This is a good answer to the question of how to repair and seal slate sheets. The mixture is applied to a clean and grease-free repairable area, and thus the hole is sealed. Then, after drying, the crack is treated with sealant and everything is lubricated with epoxy resin.

Repair option 8

Often craftsmen seal cracks in ACL with butyl rubber tape. By the way, it is good for painting, which will allow your roof not to look patched. The tape is laid on the cracks in the slate after they have been cleaned and degreased. They press well, and after drying they can be painted in any color.

Slate defects and the reasons for their occurrence
Preparatory work and methods for sealing cracks
A few more simple ways

How to repair a crack in a slate roof? This question can often be heard from summer residents whose house roof, which has been covered with slate for decades, is leaking. But for various reasons it is not possible to change.

The appearance of cracks in slate can be due to both mechanical damage and improper installation and operation.

Advantages of corrugated sheets

The professional sheet has the following advantages:

To replace the coating with your own hands, it is very important that the profiled sheet is light in weight, so it can be installed without outside help and the use of lifting equipment. An additional advantage of the material is its high rigidity with low thickness and weight. This is achieved through special profiles that serve as stiffeners

Such a coating will withstand the weight of snow loads, people and the effects of wind without sagging or deformation. Roofs made of corrugated sheets, depending on the type of this material used, can last up to half a century, which cannot be said about slate. But for the durability of such a roof, it is very important to follow the installation technology. The main advantage of the profiled sheet is its affordable price. Even those who do not have a large income can afford this material.

Roof is leaking, roof repair, repair tricks and tips

How our joy can be overshadowed when on the weekend, having crossed the threshold of our favorite dacha, hoping to enjoy the cheerful crackling of wood in the fireplace, the warmth and clean air, we suddenly hear the treacherous: drip, drip, drip. The roof is leaking, we are horrified, rushing for a basin. We substitute him under the drops and watch with sadness what happened. The holiday was ruined; bad weather insidiously made its way into our house. But maybe it's time to look at the problem from the other side? After all, rain, in a sense, is an indicator signaling problems with the roof, which is the time to patch it up before the winter cold hits. This is what helps diagnose leaks.

Often, before appearing on the surface, water travels a long and winding path, overcoming the sometimes complex roof structure.

For those who have a “simpler” roof - slate or metal with a traditional gable profile , it is easier than for owners of multi-tile roofs, but in any case, attention and patience will be needed.

The most vulnerable areas are the junctions of the roof with chimneys, the bases of television antennas, as well as joints with projections of walls and windows.

It could also be due to a suddenly cracked shingle or a hole in the slate caused by a fastening nail that has rusted or lifted.

When examining the roof from the attic, pay attention to any stains on the rafters and sheathing - these are clues that eloquently indicate the location of the leak.

memorize or mark those places on the roof where, when the weather improves and repairs can begin, you can put your foot on without risking falling through.

After all, your own safety is no less important than the integrity of the roof. For those who suffer from height anxiety or are prone to dizziness, it is better to entrust the work to professionals.

The rest should listen to the recommendations of experienced people.

Never work on a damp or icy roof!

Wear clothes that do not restrict movement and shoes with rubber soles.

Make sure that the ladder is long enough so that you do not have to work on the very top step.

If there are no special hooks on the roof ridge or rafters for installing the ladder, secure it using a special cable (a soft cable for towing a car is suitable). Throw it over the roof ridge, secure it to reliable beams and tie it with a sailor's knot.

under any circumstances and do not insure yourself by tying a cable around the chimney. It may not be able to withstand the weight of your body if it falls.

Work with a partner, he will provide the tools, and if something happens, he will provide backup.
If the damage is minor (crack, slight displacement or hole), sealing them is not difficult. Whatever your roof is - slate, metal, roofing felt or tile.

use waterproof glue, resin, which are sold in specialized stores, or drying oil putty, purchased or prepared yourself.

Due to the high consumption of material, increasingly larger damage is usually repaired with bitumen (price 41.50 rubles/kg) or cement mastic (33 rubles/kg).

After drying, the last two materials are primed and reinforced with paint on top.

For waterproofing and sealing roof joints, bitumen mastic is the most popular product. Alternative options are ready-made roof coverings containing bitumen, or more expensive, but also more reliable strips of stainless metals - stainless steel, aluminum, etc.

Leak prevention

That is, you will need to spend your finances not only on repairing the roof, but also on repairing the interior decoration of the premises. In order to prevent these troubles, it is necessary to inspect the roof of your home as often as possible. This should be done before the start of the winter season and in the spring after the snow melts. If there are any damages, they must be corrected immediately. These measures will protect you from serious leaks and roof repairs.

We hope that this article, and specifically the information in it, was useful to you. We wish you good luck in your endeavors and patience!

Types of roof leaks

Leaks that occur immediately after rain.

Reasons: mechanical resolution of the roofing material; violation of tightness in places where the roof adjoins vertical structures (stove pipes, ventilation, architectural elements, engineering structures); deformation of the roof base (trusses); deformation or shrinkage of the foundation leading to a change in the profile of the roof.

Roof leaks that occur when snow melts on the roof.

Reason: freezing of melt water on roof overhangs, valleys, gutters, funnels and other areas of the roof. Ice prevents the drainage of water, which is absorbed into the roofing material and, as a result of repeated thawing and freezing, destroys the roof, leading to roof leaks. Do not allow water to stagnate on the roof.

Related article: How to properly cover a garage roof

Leakage due to other reasons.

Sometimes the roof leaks due to a combination of certain factors, for example, it rains and the north wind blows. This kind of leakage occurs due to the wind blowing moisture into a certain roof slope (in this example, on the north side), on which the technology for laying roofing material has been violated or the roof has been partially destroyed. In such cases, it is necessary to consider the situation individually and find non-standard reasons for the flow of water.

Repair of damaged roof

Modern building materials make it possible to carry out roof repairs in almost any weather, but scheduled repairs should still be done in spring or autumn, when it is not hot and the rainy season has passed. With such a condition that after the repair the dry weather will remain for another 5 - 7 days.

Inspection of damage, examination of the roof

A preventive inspection of the roof should be done once a year, even if it does not bother the owners. The first stage is to study the attic, pay attention to the roof slope, look for damp places, rot, mold and any signs of roof leaks. We mark wet places with chalk.

The second stage is to study the roof from the outside, starting from the ridge, that is, the highest place, and going down each slope down to the edge of the roof. We pay special attention to the junction of the roof with vertical technical elements (pipe, ventilation and antenna), then the valley and drainage channels, which are often clogged with leaves and other debris.

Repair of ceramic tiles

Reasons for leaking roofs made of ceramic tiles: cracks or complete destruction of individual tiles, violation of waterproofing at the junction of the roof with pipes and antennas.

The destruction of ceramic tiles occurs due to improper installation or poor quality material. The solution to the problem is to replace the tiles; this is not difficult to do with such a roof.

Violation of the tightness of roof joints (ridges, valleys) and places where the roof is in contact with vertical superstructures occurs due to subsidence of roof trusses or wooden sheathing on which ceramic tiles are directly attached. Solution to the problem: inspect the roof trusses, if the roof subsidence occurs as part of natural shrinkage (ceramic roofing is heavy and a slight shrinkage of the roof should occur), seal the cracks with mortar; To repair the sheathing, you need to lift the tiles and study why the subsidence occurred; usually the repair consists of strengthening the wooden sheathing with a new block.

A mortar for sealing cracks in ceramic tiles is prepared as follows: 1 part cement and 3 parts fine sand, that is, it is an ordinary cement mortar.

Repair of the sheathing occurs in the following sequence:

Use a construction trowel to pry up and remove the destroyed tiles, having previously driven wooden wedges under the overlying plates;
remove nails from the sheathing;
we cut out the destroyed section of the sheathing with a hacksaw; for convenience, you can hammer wooden wedges under the slats;
if the waterproofing is destroyed, cut out an area with a knife and apply a slightly larger patch, covering the edges with roofing glue, bitumen or mastic;
we cut out a block of the required size for the sheathing and fasten it with nails;
lay ceramic tiles on top and secure.

The connections between ceramic tiles are not airtight, so this type of roofing does not tolerate stagnant water on the roof. While inspecting the roof, we remove all fallen leaves and twigs, especially from gutters and gutters.

You can increase the service life of the tiles by using varnish, which covers the entire roof after installation. The varnish, after contact with water (the first rain), forms a moisture barrier on the ceramic surface.

Metal tile repair

Reasons for leaking metal roofs:

obvious errors during installation (improper laying of sheets, inappropriate dimensions, etc.);
wear of fasteners, usually roofing screws with a rubber seal are used, most often the problem is the destruction of the rubber seal;
damage to the roof after clearing ice or snow (scratches, holes);
violation of moisture removal from insulation;
increased gaps between tiles at ridges, gutters and connections to vertical structures.

Methods for eliminating leaks in a roof covered with metal tiles:

small scratches on metal tiles should be covered with paint for street work; there are special paints for such repairs;
We seal gaps and leaks with silicone roofing sealant or special adhesive tape;
to replace the rubber washer of a self-tapping screw, you need to change the entire self-tapping screw, unscrew and screw in a new one;
inexpensive polyethylene vapor barrier often does not cope with the task and moisture accumulates in the insulation, instead of evaporating under the roof; this problem can only be solved by completely replacing the vapor barrier layer on the entire roof, using high-quality materials.

Repair of soft roofing (bitumen shingles)

The big advantage of bitumen shingles is that they consist of small plates. Repairing such a roof consists of finding damaged (cracks on the outer surface) or destroyed plates and replacing or repairing them.

Cracked plates are lubricated with a thin layer of roofing glue. The destroyed plate must be completely replaced; to do this, use a spatula or a large knife to separate the tile from the adjacent tiles and insert a new one.

It is necessary to work with bitumen roofing at temperatures above +5°C; at low temperatures, bitumen becomes brittle, it cracks and breaks with minimal effort.