Thanks to the technologies for processing roofing materials, colored slate has become available for sale. They paint it with special acrylic-based compounds. They are responsible for decorative qualities and protect the material from direct sunlight. Such slate sheets are used for arranging roofs and decorating the facade.
Description and features
With the spread of new generation roofing materials (for example, ondulin and metal shingles), the popularity of traditional slate began to decline. Then manufacturers began to pigment the products, while ensuring resistance to environmental influences. This is how painted slate appeared. In terms of performance, it does not differ significantly from traditional gray. Its service life is even longer, since the coating has protective properties. On sale you can find products of different shades, up to blue or cherry. Pigmentation can be done only on the surface of the sheets throughout the entire thickness of the material.
You can also paint gray slate, if its condition allows it to be mounted on the roof. For this, rubber-based compounds are well suited, which protect the material from moisture, which is important on flat and pitched roofs. Even old roofing can be given new life with this method.
Advantages and disadvantages
- resistance to direct sunlight, abundant moisture, in the case of some dyes to a chemical factor;
- fire resistance: in case of fire, the material does not ignite (but cracks form on it);
- good sound insulation, which cannot be said about a roof made of corrugated board and metal tiles;
- low price;
- immunity to temperature extremes, which allows the use of sheets in regions with different climatic characteristics;
- sufficient service life (60-70 years);
- low susceptibility to heat in hot weather (unlike metal roofing materials).
A negative quality is the content of asbestos in traditional slate, which is why it is recommended to carry out installation work in protective gloves. Recently, asbestos-free products have appeared on the market. It contains fibers of natural and synthetic origin that are safe for the body - jute, chrysotile, polyvinyl. They provide strength to the material.
The material is quite fragile and has a large mass. Therefore, you need to mount it carefully. Due to too strong mechanical stress, a piece of slate can break off. But in general, the material is easy to mount if you own a hammer and have an assistant.
Varieties of colored slate
On sale there is a wave slate color and flat. They differ in surface texture. For the roof, the first option is more often used.
In the USSR, gray slate with 7 waves was widespread. Now such material is not found in mass sales. It can only be made to order.Modern samples of wave colored products have 8 waves. The standard sizes are 113x175 cm. A wide selection of shades of this coating is available for sale. It can be mounted not only on the roof, but also on fences.
Flat colored slate has no waves on the surface. Sheets are produced in different sizes: their thickness is usually 0.6-1.2 cm, width - 1-1.5 m.The length of products can reach 3 m.Colored flat slate can be used for finishing the facade, arranging a temporary dwelling or creating a fence ... Variants in the form of narrow strips are also available, intended for use in home gardens. In the production of sheet products, chrysotile fibers are used, which gives the fabrics qualities similar to the mesh for reinforcement, and makes them stronger.
Now there is a colored polycarbonate slate. There are transparent options, as well as structures with reinforcing properties. Fiberglass is used in the production of the latter. Unlike standard slate, plastic structures are lightweight, which simplifies installation and transportation of the material. They are easy to cut and are suitable for structures of any configuration. The scope of application of such products is wide: they are used in the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses, buildings for summer recreation, swimming pools and other structures. Polycarbonate perfectly transmits the sun, which is important for plants. It has good soundproofing qualities, which allows you to equip a place to sleep in the gazebo.
Before buying, you need to calculate how much material is required to cover the surface. For the roof, it is better to purchase sheets with a margin, since in this case they are mounted with an overlap.
To eliminate the risk of acquiring a fake, inferior in performance, it is recommended to purchase slate only from trusted manufacturers. The surface color must be uniform on both the outside and the inside. If there are integrity violations on it, it is better to look for another option.
Installation features
It is necessary to move carefully on the slate-covered plane using special walking ladders. For particularly demanding cases, very soft shoes are needed.
Structures with a slope value of 25-45 degrees are best suited for covering with slate. With a large steepness, it is more difficult to mount the sheets, you will have to buy more of them. In order to securely fix the slate to the crate, it is necessary that each layer has 3 support bars. Therefore, the framework must be organized with such an expectation. With typical sheet dimensions 113x175 cm, the distance between adjacent bars should be 0.65-0.75 m. It is necessary to ensure a tight fit of asbestos-cement sheets to the battens and to each other.
Sometimes elevation differences are found in the structure. In this case, they are leveled even before laying the roofing material using special linings (for example, plywood). Slate is mounted with a horizontal overlap in one or two waves. The first method is classic, suitable for steep slopes. Nails are driven into the second wave from the beginning and a similar one from the end. Additional reinforcements are made along the edges of the roof, hammering in one more fastener.
If the roof is sloping, the method of laying slate with an overlap in two waves is suitable. This will increase its service life.
