How to properly cover a roof with slate with your own hands - the technology for performing the work. Slate laying technology How to cover a roof joint with slate with your own hands
Do-it-yourself slate laying is a fairly simple, albeit responsible undertaking that even a beginner in construction work can do.
In order for a roof made of slate to serve as expected (more than 50 years), you should approach roofing work armed with theoretical knowledge in advance.
The article discusses the technology of the process and provides brief instructions that will tell you how to properly cover a roof with slate.
Material selection
Slate roofs are always popular in the construction of summer houses, cottages, country houses, garages and other buildings.
This is a fairly inexpensive material: one square meter of roofing, taking into account waterproofing and fastening systems, will cost you about 250 - 300 rubles when laying slate yourself.
If you resort to the services of professional installers, the cost of the roof will increase slightly, but will still remain quite acceptable.
The service life of slate with proper installation is more than 50 years. At the same time, the material reliably protects the room from moisture penetration, is not afraid of precipitation and sunlight, and is fire resistant.
The size and thickness of slate sheets are regulated by GOSTs: a standard sheet of 6 - 8 waves should be 1.75 m in length.
The width varies from 5.8 mm to 7.5 mm depending on the type of sheet. Asbestos cement, the main material for the production of slate, is gray or light gray in color.
To give the material a different color, a special technology using pigments is used, so you can easily choose an option that will harmoniously fit into the architecture of the building.
A pitched roof may have a smaller angle of inclination, but before covering the roof with slate, you should install a denser sheathing and a reliable waterproofing layer.
Sheets on flatter roofs will have to be laid with a strong overlap, up to 30 cm.
Calculation of the required number of sheets
Before you start laying slate yourself, you need to calculate how many sheets you will need for construction work.
You need to accurately measure the dimensions of the roof using a tape measure or use drawings if the roof has not yet been erected.
It is worth buying materials with a small reserve so that at the last moment you do not have to go to the store for additional materials and arrange delivery.
The length of the roof is measured along the eaves overhang, then divided by the width of one sheet.
10% is added to the resulting figure - this is the margin for laying slate sheets overlapping. Round the resulting figure - this is how many full sheets are needed for one horizontal row.
Then measure the length of the roof from the edge of the eaves to the ridge, add 15 - 20% and round again.
Divide the resulting figure by the length of one sheet - this way you will find out how many horizontal rows will be needed to completely cover the roof.
The product of the two results obtained is the total number of sheets that will be required.
When choosing slate in a store, carefully check the integrity of each sheet, as this is a fragile material that easily chips and cracks.
Be sure to make sure that the material is well packaged for transportation: several layers of paper are laid between the sheets so that they are not damaged during transportation.
Before ordering slate from a store, prepare a place to store it: choose a large, flat space and cover it with waterproof film.
Slate is very heavy (the weight of one sheet can reach 30 - 35 kg), so it must be stored in an easily accessible place where it will be convenient for workers to approach.
Preparing the rafter system for installation
Before you start laying slate, you need to prepare a reliable rafter system.
Since slate is heavier than most modern materials, the rafter system must be very strong and withstand heavy physical loads.
The lathing will serve as a good base for installation.
Before covering the roof with slate with your own hands, pay attention to several important details:
- rafter legs should be made of high-quality, well-dried materials. The minimum section thickness of the board is 60 by 150 mm, the optimal thickness is 100 by 150 mm. Give preference to beams without branches or unedged boards;
- The minimum size of beams for sheathing is 6 cm by 6 cm; it is better to give preference to coniferous species. The flatter the roof you are going to cover with slate yourself, the stronger the sheathing should be;
- the weight of slate is a large load even for a strong sheathing, so it is important to evenly distribute the load. Optimal support for the sheet can be provided by 3-4 bars located no closer than 15-16 cm from the edge of the sheet;
- To provide more reliable support in the sheathing, it is better to use beams of different diameters. In even rows, as a rule, bars of a standard size are installed, and in odd rows - 2-3 mm higher. The bar for the cornice should be another 2-3 mm higher. The easiest way to increase the size of the bars is to increase them using special linings.
Installing sheathing near a chimney requires compliance with fire safety regulations. The minimum distance from the pipe to the beams is 13 cm.
Slate cutting technology
To lay slate yourself, you first need to prepare, sort and cut the sheets. For cutting you will need a hacksaw, grinder or jigsaw.
Slate is cut on special wooden walkways so that the cutting line is raised above the ground. The cutting line is marked using a long ruler or straight edge.
If you are going to cut slate yourself using a jigsaw or hacksaw, then moisten the cutting line generously with water - this will soften the material, prevent overheating, and settle asbestos dust.
During the cutting process, constantly water both the slate itself and the tool with water.
You can cut slate using sharpened nails or a drill.
Holes with a diameter of 5 mm are made along the cutting line in increments of approximately half a centimeter.
Then the material must be placed on a table or other reliable support and carefully split.
Asbestos dust can cause serious harm to health, so cutting slate requires wearing a special respiratory mask, generously moistened with water.
Now let's talk about how to lay slate correctly yourself, without involving specialists.
Instructions for laying the material yourself
Laying slate on the roof begins with planning the work. Pay attention to the direction of the wind: start laying the material from the leeward side - this way, even in a strong wind or thunderstorm, the roof will not leak at the joints.
To lay the rows evenly, stretch a rope or cord along the cornice.
There are two types of slate roofing: staggered (horizontal rows are slightly offset relative to each other so that the joints do not coincide) or without offset (at the intersection of the seams, the corners of each sheet are slightly trimmed).
Proper installation of slate is the key to the durability and reliability of the roof. Read the instructions to the end before laying the slate, pay attention to how to nail the slate correctly.
Staggered laying
Before covering the roof with slate, cut all the sheets needed for the job. The sheets are laid with a slight overlap to ensure more reliable waterproofing, in horizontal rows.
The main task: to shift each subsequent row relative to the previous one so that the joints do not coincide. This is exactly how to lay slate with your own hands.
The first row can be laid out from solid sheets so that they slightly overlap each other. The horizontal rows should slightly cover each other.
Fastening is carried out using special nails or self-tapping screws, and be sure to place a soft gasket, for example, made of rubber, under the head.
The first sheet of the second horizontal row needs to be cut slightly lengthwise, by one or two waves, so that the joints of the second row are shifted and do not coincide with the joints of the first. Then, starting from the second, you can lay whole sheets.
Just like the sheets themselves, the horizontal rows should overlap each other slightly. With a slope slope of 20 degrees, slate can be laid with an overlap of 14–17 cm; with a gentler slope, it is necessary to increase the overlap to 20–22 cm to ensure reliable waterproofing.
The first sheet of the third row is cut even further to provide further offset relative to the second row, and so on - each laid row should be slightly offset.
So, if you cut the first sheet of the second row into one wave, then in the third row you will have to cut two or three waves, in the fourth - three or four, etc.
To avoid large wastage of material, use an offset of half the width of the sheet, alternating the arrangement of whole sheets and half sheets in even and odd rows.
Installation of slate should be carried out carefully. Before nailing the slate, make holes of a slightly larger diameter, do not drive the nails in tightly.
A small gap will compensate for various climate changes and roof shifts.
When the temperature changes, the volume of the slate changes, so if you hammer the nails in too tightly, the material may crack or split.
DIY installation technology without displacement
To properly lay slate without displacement, you must first prepare the sheets.
With this installation method, a corner is cut off from the sheets, which overlaps with the already laid sheet.
Laying begins from the right or left lower edge of the roof - a solid sheet is laid first.
If you started work on the right side, then you need to cut off the upper right corner of all other sheets of the first row. If you started laying on the left side, then the upper left corner is cut off.
Sheets for the second and all subsequent rows except the last must be prepared in advance by cutting off the corners at all intersection points.
Since the first sheet of each row only touches the other sheets on one edge, you only need to trim the bottom corner, right or left, depending on which side you started working on.
For the last sheet, you only need to cut off the upper corner on the corresponding side.
For the remaining sheets in the row, the upper and lower corners are cut off at the intersections with the adjacent row. Lastly, another solid sheet is laid.
Now you know how to properly cover a roof with slate with your own hands, how to lay it and how to attach slate to the roof.
Do-it-yourself slate roofing is reliable and inexpensive, and it’s always a pleasure to invest your labor in creating warmth and comfort in your home.
The roof can be made from flat, and wave slate. Flat slate is recommended for roofs with a large slope.
But anyway geographical location should be taken into account region.
The surface of the slate sheet is different on both sides. On one side it is more corrugated, on the other side it is smooth. When laying slate on a roof, the smooth side should be on top.
This is necessary for snow in winter rolled off the roof with ease and did not create blockages, which could lead to water leakage through the overlaps.
Calculate the number of sheets of slate required for covering it is necessary to take into account the overlap, both horizontally and vertically.
Start laying slate need to be on the side opposite to the prevailing winds in this region.
With normal installation on each sheet of slate, except for the outer ones, two corners located diagonally are cut off in order to reduce the thickness of the overlap.
When laying offset, when the next horizontal row moves half the width of the slate sheet, this is not necessary.
The main thing in roof insulation begins with the installation of slate. To do this, waterproofing is laid under the slate, usually roofing felt. But you can use other materials intended for this.
The roof should be insulated from the inside, i.e. from the attic or attic side. For insulation, it uses various materials, such as mineral wool and polystyrene foam.
Using mineral wool in a roll you need to secure it between the rafters in one or two layers using metal staples. It is better to use special blocks made of mineral wool, they are more convenient for installation.
A vapor barrier is laid on top of mineral wool or blocks. This is a special material that allows moisture to pass through in one direction and does not pass in the other, so you need to ensure correct installation.
The side that does not allow moisture to pass through should be on the outside. The vapor barrier is interrupted directly to the rafters. This membrane does not need to be pressed tightly against the insulation; it should knit a little.
Below and above near the ridge there must be holes for ventilation.
On top of this vapor barrier need to do additional sheathing. Stuff the bars lengthwise along the rafters, and slats across them. It will be possible to attach the internal cladding to them: plywood, chipboard, etc.
Insulation with expanded polystyrene occurs according to the same scheme, The seams between the plates must be filled with foam.
For that to dismantle slate you need to have a nail puller, a wooden block, ropes with attached hooks, two guide boards or beams for safe lowering of sheets.
The slate roof should be dismantled in the reverse order of installation. The first row to be removed is near the ridge. The nails must be removed with a nail puller, having first placed a wooden block under it so as not to damage the slate sheet.
The sheet must be lowered along the guides, hooking it at the bottom with two hooks with ropes. It will be better if you make a special hole in the slate with a nail for the hook.
And also watch a video about waterproofing slate roofing:
Traditional wave slate is still a popular roofing material. One of the reasons for its popularity is considered to be a simple installation technology, so every home owner can, if desired, figure out how to properly lay slate.
Features of slate coating
Despite the presence of modern products for arranging roofing surfaces on the building materials market, slate is preferred due to the presence of a number of positive characteristics, including:
Preparatory stage for installation
Before you begin installing asbestos-cement sheets, you should figure out how to lay slate correctly so that the coating is reliable and durable. Not only the installation of the roof, but also any construction work begins with the preparatory stage.
In this case, the installation of slate involves the creation of a base - it is a wooden sheathing. Before that, we must not forget about the need to lay a waterproofing layer, which is responsible for preventing moisture from entering the space under the roof and getting the insulation wet. made from well-dried quality wood.
Options for installing slate on the roof
The manufacturer's instructions with a detailed description of the technological process can help you install the slate. There are two options for carrying out the work, thanks to which asbestos-cement sheets are firmly fixed to the wooden sheathing.
Methods for laying slate allow you to lay it either with a corner cut and without displacement, or in a running direction. Each of these options has its own advantages.
The staggered installation method is considered more common and less labor-intensive, for the implementation of which experts recommend purchasing 8-wave products, since when using 6-wave or 7-wave material, waste increases.
Technology for laying slate in a staggered manner
Laying slate without moving sheets
Considering the methods of laying slate, it should be noted that the installation option without moving the sheets requires a lot of labor, but it saves roofing material.
Using this method allows you to combine adjacent sheets vertically by trimming the corners.
If, as an example, we consider how to lay slate without displacing the material, starting from the left side of the roof slope, then it is necessary to trim adjacent corners at the junction of the second sheet located in the bottom row and the first in the top row. Regardless of which installation method is chosen, the coating made from asbestos-cement roofing material is of high quality and at the same time inexpensive.
Features of slate roof installation
The technology for creating slate roofing has a number of nuances that must be taken into account:
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Installation procedure for slate roofing
The installation of a slate roof begins by checking the asbestos-cement sheets for compliance with the declared dimensions and looking for defective products (more details: ""). Then the corners or longitudinal strips are cut.
You must follow the rules on how to lift slate onto the roof. The sheets are transferred one by one to the roof and secured.
The sequence of actions for installing the roofing is as follows:
Laying slate on the roof, detailed video:
Installation of a ridge on a slate roof
The technological process, which provides for how to properly cover a roof with slate, includes work on arranging the roofing. A wooden block is mounted on this element and 2 sheathing beams are attached to both sides along its entire length.
After completing the covering of the slopes with asbestos-cement sheets, brackets are mounted on the wooden beam installed on the ridge for attaching portable walking bridges and a ridge beam to them. Its top edge is rounded before covering the roof with slate for the ridge. The block along its entire length is covered with rolled material. Only after this they begin to lay the ridge slate.
Installing a roof ridge on a pitched slate roof is not difficult. First, the KPO1 ridge is installed with a wide bell to the pediment. From the side of the adjacent slope it is covered with a KPO2 ridge. Then mark the holes for the fasteners. Drill 2 holes along the longitudinal axis of the wave through both skates. It is also necessary to make two more holes on the flat flaps of the ordinary skates so that they simultaneously pass through the crests of the waves on the slate sheets for the main covering.
The roof slope at the junction with the rib is covered with wedges (as the oblique parts of the sheets are called), their dimensions are determined directly during the work. These elements are mounted close to the rib beam and secured in a similar way to slate using screws or nails.
A piece of rolled material 35 centimeters wide is attached to the edge of the sheathing and then KPO skates are laid in pairs from bottom to top. The mounting method is the same as on the skate.
You need to know not only how to properly cover a roof with slate, but also how to carry out preventive measures that will ensure a long service life of the coating. Information regarding troubleshooting and repair work on roofs made of asbestos-cement sheets would be useful.
Slate painting
After painting the slate, a protective layer appears on it, which prevents the destruction of the material and prevents it from absorbing water. In addition, the frost resistance of asbestos-cement sheets increases. Also, a layer of paint will protect against the appearance of moss and lichens on the roof surface.
Slate roof repair
In this case, damage can be eliminated by applying putty:
- chalk and drying oil are used to prepare the putty solution;
- areas with defects are coated with putty and bitumen mastic is applied to the cracks. After it has dried, it is painted over with oil paint.
The above method allows you to eliminate small cracks, but if they are large, then they are recommended to be eliminated by gluing fabric patches. But before repairing a slate roof using this method, it is necessary to clean and prime the areas with drying oil. To apply the patches, use thick oil paint. They should be slightly larger in size than the damaged areas - about 2-3 centimeters. Read also: “How to cover a roof with slate correctly with your own hands - a guide to roofing To install a new element in place, one worker lifts the weakened components of the roofing covering, located from the installation site on the sides and top, at this time the second person places it on the edge of the sheet , located on the side, and moves towards the ridge. The new product is then placed under the sheet fixed on top of it. The loosened nails are returned to their previous position. Thus, the repair can be considered complete and the roof will no longer leak.
Slate has long been used as a roofing material, and it has not lost its popularity today, especially since everyone can handle roofing work on their own if you know how to cover a roof with slate.
The main advantages and disadvantages of slate
The advantages of this roofing material include:
- non-flammability,
- ease of installation,
- strength and cheapness,
- long service life (35-40 years).
A slate roof fits any building design, looks beautiful and lasts a long time.
Flaws:
- relatively large weight: more powerful rafter structures should be made,
- fragility: may break if transported or handled carelessly.
Types and sizes of corrugated slate sheets for roofing
Slate sheets are produced in 6, 7 and 8 waves. The standard sheet length is 1750 mm, the width depends on the number of waves and is shown in the figure, thickness from 5.8 to 7.5 mm, wave pitch 150 or 200 mm.
The height of the ridge (wave) is 40 mm for 7 and 8-wave sheets and 54 mm for 6-wave sheets.
Features of rafter systems for slate roofs
Reinforced sheathing
The slate is fastened to the roof using lathing, for which a 60x60 mm block and rafter boards 60 mm or more thick are used. This is explained by the increased load of roofing material on the rafter system. The distance between the sheathing bars is made such that the slate sheet lies on at least two of them with a margin of 15 cm on each side.
The smaller the slope angle, the stronger the sheathing
For slate roofs, a slope angle of at least 22 degrees is recommended. For single-pitch and gable roofs, the angles of inclination may be smaller, but reinforced sheathing is required. The principle of reinforcement for different slope angles is shown in the figure. A vapor barrier is placed under the slate, especially if it is planned to insulate the roof.
Important! Before laying slate, all wooden structures must be treated 1-2 times with an antiseptic with fire-retardant properties. This will protect them from rotting, fire and extend their service life.
How to determine the amount of slate for a roof
When planning to do the work yourself, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of slate for the roof so that there is enough material and there is no unnecessary waste. For a person familiar with the basics of geometry, such calculations will not be difficult. For a roof with one or two slopes, you will need to measure the width and length of the house, and the angle of inclination of the slope.
Easier calculation of slate based on roof dimensions , they do it like this:
- determine the size of the roof along the eaves, divide the resulting distance by the size of the sheet width and add 10% to obtain the number of sheets in one row;
- measure the distance along the slope from the ridge to the cornice and divide it by the height of the slate sheet, get the number of rows, increase the result by 13% for the overlap;
- the resulting numbers of rows and sheets in one row are multiplied and the number of slate sheets per slope is obtained. If the roof is gable, the result obtained is doubled.
For hipped roofs, the area of the slopes is calculated geometrically (the area of the triangle and the area of the trapezoid, as shown in the figure), divided by the area of the slate sheet and added 15%.
Important! When buying slate, you should pay attention to its integrity. Sheets of slate should be covered with paper or film. Sheets should be stored on a flat, horizontal surface, protected from moisture and sunlight.
Preparatory work for roof installation
Before you begin work on installing a slate roof, prepare all the necessary tools and a flat area on which you will cut the sheets and drill holes in them. The area should be such that the sheet can be approached from any side.
Tools and equipment
To install a slate roof you will need: a hammer, slate nails or self-tapping screws, a drill, a grinder or a hacksaw, a respirator, paint for painting the cuts, a stepladder, a ladder, ropes, metal hooks.
How to lift slate onto a roof
Those who plan to do their own roofing often have the question of how to lift slate onto the roof. This is done using a rope and two hooks. The sheet is hooked from below with two hooks to which a rope is tied. The rope along with a sheet of slate is pulled onto the roof. You can feed the sheets by hand using a stepladder if the work is performed by two or three people.
Preparing slate sheets
Before laying slate on the roof, if necessary, unpainted sheets can be impregnated with a water-repellent composition or painted with acrylic, water-dispersion or alkyd paint. The paint closes microcracks, makes the slate smoother, and snow rolls off it more easily in winter.
Depending on the ambient temperature, slate is subject to deformation, so there should be a small gap between the nail and the asbestos cement. It is made by drilling holes in the ridge of slate 2-3 mm larger in diameter than the nail. You can drill these holes at the place where the sheets are laid, if it is more convenient.
Laying slate on the roof, how to do it yourself correctly
The drain is installed before the roofing work begins. Slate sheets begin to be laid from the bottom row.
How to lay slate on a roof
- In order for the sheets to lie flat, a cord is pulled along the cornice at a distance of 15 cm from the edge and the sheets are leveled along the cord;
- lay the roofing material staggered with an overlap of 1-2 waves, sheet on sheet, 15-20 cm row on row (the size depends on the angle of inclination of the slope). The laying order is as follows: first the bottom 3-4 sheets, then above them 2-3 second rows, above the second row - 1-2 sheets of the third row, then to each row, starting from the bottom, add one sheet;
- The overlaps of the slate waves should be in the prevailing direction of the wind, so that the wind does not blow under the slate and does not try to lift it.
The sheets are cut with a hacksaw or grinder. The sections are painted over to prevent the asbestos from crumbling.
Attention! You need to wear a respirator when drilling and sawing slate sheets, especially if you use a drill and grinder. It is recommended to pre-wet the cutting area. Asbestos cement dust is harmful to health.
How and with what to attach slate to the roof
Attaching sheets of roofing material to the sheathing is an important stage on which both the strength of the roof and the integrity of the slate itself depend during operation. It is necessary to keep in mind seasonal deformations and movements of rafter systems and slate, increased loads on the roof in winter.
Slate nails and screws
The slate on the roof is fastened to the sheathing using slate steel nails with a head of 14 mm in diameter or self-tapping screws. The nail head and slate are separated by a metal washer and a gasket made of rubber or other elastic material.
How to nail slate sheets
The slate is nailed with a regular hammer. The nails are inserted into a pre-drilled hole and driven in not all the way, but so that the slate does not move. 8-wave slate is driven into the 2nd and 6th waves from the joint, 7-wave slate into the 2nd and 5th, respectively. The sheet is nailed vertically in two places to the sheathing. The distance from the nail to the edge of the canvas is at least 15 cm. Continue this way until the ridge.
Important! It is not recommended to bend nails from the side of the sheathing if they are long. It is better to cut them to the desired length.
Installation of connections to the chimney
If the house has a stove, it is necessary to install a chimney pipe on the roof. For a chimney on the roof slope, the connection is arranged differently depending on whether there is waterproofing or not. If there is waterproofing, a junction made of steel sheet is installed under the slate and film, and if it is absent, it is made in such a way that the upper edge of the steel sheet is under the slate, and the lower edge along the slope is above it. The connection device diagram is shown in the figure.
Roof ridge installation
The installation of the ridge is the final stage of roof installation. The ridge protects the roof from water, provides ventilation, and is a decorative element of the roof.
The ridge of a slate roof is made of galvanized steel or ready-made ridge elements to match the color of the sheets. Cut out a sheet of galvanized steel of the required width and bend it on a sheet bending machine or by hand so that the bend angle is slightly less than the angle between the sheets of slopes. The same nails are used to fasten the ridge. How to install the skate correctly is shown in the figure.
How much does it cost to cover a slate roof?
Installing a slate roof is not a difficult task; it can be done by those who are familiar with a hammer and a hacksaw and have enough time to work. Wave slate costs 170-260 rubles. per sheet, which ranges from 90 to 135 rubles/m2. On average, taking into account fastening materials and waterproofing, the price of a do-it-yourself roof will cost about 200 rubles/m2.
When you don’t have enough time to cover the roof with slate yourself, you can hire a team. The cost of laying slate will range from 150 to 300 rubles/m2. If you need to install a rafter system, heat, steam, waterproofing, lay slate, then the work will cost from 700 to 800 rubles/m 2.
Provided that the work is carried out consistently and carefully, slate roofing will serve for a long time and reliably.
