As the construction of the house is nearing completion, many begin to think about the construction of the roof. Today there are a huge number of possible roof options using various technologies. Be that as it may, people prefer the slate. This roofing material is quite durable and can last, as practice shows, for many years. I think many people saw old houses built back in the USSR with green from time to time, but not damaged slate.
What is slate?
While the composition of the material is the same, the size of the slate may vary. The thickness may also be different. Basically, it ranges from 0.5 to 0.9 cm. The width of the sheet depends entirely on the number of waves. Usually there are 6 or 8.
Dimensions
The main aspect that should be considered when choosing is the size of the slate. This is easy to explain: knowing the exact dimensions of the sheet, you can correctly calculate the amount of roofing material you need without any problems.
So, the size of the 8-wave slate may vary. It all depends on which manufacturer produced this or that material. But for the most part, the size of such a sheet is 113 by 175 cm.
The 6-wave slate size is slightly smaller. It is usually 112.5 by 175 cm. there is practically no difference between the two sheets. It would seem more waves, larger and larger. But really not so. All because in the eight-wave they are located more compactly, i.e. the distance between two adjacent waves is less than in a six-wave one. Therefore, if you wanted to change one sheet for another, you will not succeed, because the waves will not match.
Benefits
Like most
roofing materials, slate has advantages and disadvantages. Its main advantages are the following:
• High strength. This material can easily withstand the weight of a person, which cannot be said, for example, about bitumen slate sheets.
• Long service life. This fact is easy to confirm by which, even today you can see a house with still Soviet slate.
• Fire resistance. It is not combustible at all, which allows its use in high-risk facilities.
• Availability. The low price of such material helps to reduce the cost of construction.
disadvantages
The main disadvantages are:
• Limited slate size, ie there are only a few variations of this material.
• Contains asbestos, which is a fine substance that adversely affects the human respiratory system. Therefore, during installation and slate processing, it is imperative to protect the nose and mouth with a respirator. In its absence, you can use a wet gauze bandage or a moistened piece of rags tied to your face.
Now you know what slate, what are its main advantages and disadvantages. Knowing the size of the slate, its most common modifications, you can easily calculate the required amount of this material on the roof of your house, which will allow you to save significantly.