Slate is one of the most widely used building materials in scotland.
Slate roof construction scotland.
Slate has been used for this purpose for centuries.
Overview the roof covering is a building s first line of defence against the weather.
It is particularly well known for its use as a roof covering on many traditional scottish buildings.
Weather conditions in scotland also determine the need for adequate fixing methods and in this regard training and supervision are of the utmost importance.
This method was introduced for purely economic reasons.
These include features such as diminishing courses random lengths and widths of slate single nailing and laying onto sarking board rather than battens figure 1.
The relatively small and thick scottish slates were produced in a variety of lengths and widths and laid with the largest slates at the base of the roof with the smaller ones at the top.
Scottish slate roofs have a number of characteristics which make them well suited to both the local climate and the nature of the material produced by slate quarries in scotland.
Scottish slate has a well earned reputation as a long lasting material.
Any slate type not adhering to the above guidelines should not be utilised in scotland where weather at particular times of year could be considered extreme.
It s wise to inspect slate roofs regularly to spot potential problems as soon as they appear.