That product has since been discontinued.) We installed new EcoStar synthetic slates over a Carlisle ice barrier membrane underlayment rated for high temperatures. (The roof had been installed by another contractor, but it was heartbreaking to see the waste involved. We tried to salvage the synthetic slates, but they were too brittle. Contributing to the problem, water had collected in large depressions molded in the shingles to designate the nailing areas and had leaked through the nail holes, causing the roof deck to swell in numerous locations. We once had to tear off an entire 30-square roof because the material was not approved for slopes under 6:12 without an ice-dam membrane underlayment, and it was leaking in hundreds of spots. These slates often have some surprising requirements. Of course, it always helps to draw out details on scraps of plywood, no matter what the crew’s native language may be.įaux slate quirks.
Installing slate digital everything bundle issues manuals#
Many manufacturers, for instance, publish French and Spanish versions of their manuals the Hungarian crews we have worked with for years have had a Spanish-speaking crew member or two use Spanish instructions to communicate to the rest of the crew. Not every roofing crew can easily digest written instructions in English videos, complete and clear illustrations, or instructions in workers’ native languages are helpful. Good support and training for the installation of the material is necessary too. For example, one manufacturer’s slate product has interlocking channels, which, the manufacturer points out, require the starter row to be very straight otherwise, the variation telegraphs all the way up the whole roof.Ĭommunication. It’s critical to read and follow the directions carefully to avoid installing a product incorrectly. The installation method even varies depending on the molded shape. The materials may be recycled or new, and may include plastics, polymers, rubber, minerals, UV inhibitors to reduce sun damage, and a number of other ingredients, depending on the manufacturer. Each type of synthetic slate is different from the next. Synthetic slates are also a bit less expensive than real slate-not a whole lot less, but a bit. If there are potential issues, why risk using synthetic slates at all? Probably the number one reason we use synthetic slates is clients want the look of slate but don’t want to reframe their entire roof to support the weight of genuine slate. Still, there are tricks to installing them successfully. Other brands, however, have been around for quite a while with few or no problems, like Majestic EcoStar, the brand we have been using since 1999 without product failures.
Several brands have had failures leading to class-action lawsuits and premature need for replacement. Synthetic slates have had a mixed record in the U.S.
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