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FAKE SLATE, AUTHENTIC ROOF
You’d think something fake would fall apart and not be as durable as the real thing. Well, that is true in most cases. The fake Coach purse you bought online to save a few bucks will most likely fall apart in a month, but putting Synthetic slate on your roof will actually be more durable then authentic slate!
What it’s Made Out of
The “original” synthetic slate was produced by Jim Crowe with plastic, virgin rubber, and cellulose. It looks almost exactly like real slate pulled from the earth. It still holds true to the natural beauty and the uniqueness of real slate. Nowadays, there are several manufacturers producing synthetic slate, tile and wood shake products.
Why Synthetic Rather than Authentic
Synthetic slate is installed with regular nails and doesn’t require precision cutting tools. It is easy to cut in the field and lighter than asphalt shingles which makes them much lighter than regular slate. Synthetic slate shingles weigh a quarter of what regular slate shingles weigh. Due to their light weight, delivery and installation are much easier and cheaper. This also means there are no extra support beams needed. Regular slate requires extra reinforcement to hold the weight of the heavy shingles.
It’s Green
Once a synthetic roof has reached the end of its useful-life it can be recycled. So not only are you choosing a more durable, less upkeep roof, you’re also choosing a green one. A figuratively green roof of course, unless you want a green roof, because there are many color options when it comes to synthetic slate roofs. One supplier had almost ten color options. You can also choose Eco blends, which are cool colors and help keep the cost of heating and cooling your house down.
Interested to know how much it would cost to replace your roof with synthetic slate? Click on this website to get an estimate for your house.
Durability, Upkeep, Price
Okay, I’ve told you they’re durable, but why. They have been manufactured to reduce the effects of the sun. They are class 4 wind resistant and class A fire resistant. They are built to last for 100 years and many companies offer a 50-year warranty with the installation of synthetic slate shingles. You’ll spend more on the front end, with installation, but will pay little to nothing after the roof is installed because synthetic slate roofs have no maintenance or upkeep needs. Synthetic slate shingles cost $700 to $1200 per square or $7 to $12 per square foot.
Is it Worth it?
An average house (1700 square feet to 2,100 square feet) can cost anywhere from $6,800 to $8,400 to replace the entire roof with asphalt shingles. The average person will replace their roof three times during their life. This means the average person will spend $20,400 to $25,200 on their roof during their life. It would cost that same homeowner anywhere from $11,900 to $25,200 to replace their roof once with synthetic slate shingles. With the prices being fairly close to each other, I guess the real question is how long do you plan on living in your home? If you plan on staying in your home for years and years to come, synthetic roof is the best, more affordable and durable option. If you plan on moving in 5 years, it probably isn’t worth the investment.
What do you think? Is a Synthetic Slate Roof the best option for you?
Sources:
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/great-slate
http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/mechanical-systems/the-benefits-of-synthetic-slate-shingles
http://www.remodelingexpense.com/costs/cost-of-synthetic-slate-roof/