Slate Roof Repairs and Re-Slating in Rathfarnham
A single slipped slate is easy to spot from the street, but the reason it slipped is not. It might be a fixing that has failed, a slate that has cracked or softened, a batten that can no longer hold a nail, or a nearby detail that has let water in. Emerald Isle Roofers Dublin repairs slate roofs and carries out re-slating for properties in Rathfarnham from our business base in Blanchardstown, and we identify the cause before deciding the remedy.
If a slate has come down or is hanging at the roof edge, keep the area below clear. Slates are heavy and their edges are sharp. Please do not attempt to push one back into place or retrieve one from the roof.
Materials and work covered
We work with natural slate and fibre-cement slate. Natural slate is quarried and split, so thickness, texture and colour vary from piece to piece. Fibre-cement slate is manufactured to uniform dimensions and is lighter. The two age differently, are fixed in different ways and look different side by side, so replacements are matched to the existing slate type and size wherever that is achievable.
Our slate work ranges from replacing individual slates to renewing ridges, hips and valleys, re-slating a single slope or re-covering a whole roof. The extent depends on how widespread the failures are and on the condition of the fixings and battens, which often matters as much as the slates themselves.
How natural and fibre-cement slate behave differently
Natural slate, when sound, can last a very long time, and failures are often in the nails or battens holding it rather than in the stone. Some slates do delaminate, crack or soften with age, and that varies with the source and quality of the slate. Fibre-cement slate tends to show its age as a whole, with surface wear, edge damage or loss of fixing appearing across a slope.
That difference shapes the repair. On a natural slate roof, replacing failed fixings and individual slates can keep a sound roof in service. On a fibre-cement roof, widespread surface deterioration may mean that replacing individual slates only defers a decision. We explain which pattern your roof is showing.
Why slates slip and how they are refixed
The most common reason a slate slips is that its nails have corroded or the timber they were driven into has weakened. Other causes include a slate cracking at the nail holes, storm loading or damage from someone walking on the roof. If several slates have slipped in the same area, the fixings or battens in that area deserve a closer look than the slates themselves.
A slate that cannot be renailed in the normal way is commonly secured with a purpose-made clip or strap. That is an accepted repair for isolated slates. Where fixings are failing widely, however, clipping slate after slate does not address the underlying cause, and the assessment should say so.
For what you can safely note from the ground, read slipped slates and broken roof tiles.
Ridges, hips, valleys and abutments
Many slate roof leaks start at the details rather than in the open slope. Ridges and hips may be bedded or mechanically fixed, and bedding can crack or loosen. Valleys carry concentrated water from two slopes and may be lined with lead or another material. Where a slate roof meets a wall or a chimney, the flashing and the slates beside it work together.
When a leak sits near one of these details, the detail is assessed with the slates around it. Replacing slates alongside a failing valley or flashing will not stop water that is entering at the junction.
For valley, flashing and abutment work, see lead flashing and valley repairs.
Repairing slates or re-slating the roof
Repair is appropriate when failures are scattered, the slate itself is sound and the fixings and battens can still do their job. Re-slating a slope or a whole roof becomes the better option when slates are failing throughout, fixings have corroded widely, battens are deteriorating, or repeat repairs are not keeping up.
On a natural slate roof being re-slated, sound existing slates can sometimes be salvaged and reused, which can help keep the appearance consistent. Whether that is practical depends on how many are sound and how they come off. Any reuse, top-up with new slate or change of material should be stated in the quotation.
Where full replacement is being considered, see re-roofing in Rathfarnham.
Battens, underlay and approving hidden work
Under the slates are battens and, depending on when the roof was built or last renewed, an underlay or sarking layer. When slates are lifted, the condition of these can be seen. Battens that are soft or split, or underlay that has torn or perished, can affect whether a repair will hold.
If lifting slates reveals more than was expected, we show you what has been found, explain whether it affects the repair and price any extra work separately. Nothing beyond the agreed scope is carried out until you authorise it.
Slate roof enquiries from Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham is served from our Blanchardstown base. Helpful details are which slope is affected, whether slates have slipped, cracked or come down, whether there is a leak inside and where, and whether any earlier repairs or re-slating are known. A photograph taken safely from the ground can be useful, but is never required.
The quotation should state whether the work is a repair, a slope re-slate or full re-slating, which slate is proposed, how ridges, hips, valleys and abutments are handled, the access method and anything that depends on what is found once slates are lifted.
Frequently asked questions
Can you match the slates on my roof?
We match type and size as closely as possible. Natural slate varies in colour and texture and new slate can look different at first, so a close match rather than an identical one is the realistic aim.
Is a clip or strap an acceptable way to fix a slipped slate?
For an isolated slate, yes. Where many slates are slipping because fixings are failing widely, clips do not address the cause and a broader repair or re-slating should be discussed.
Can old natural slates be reused when a roof is re-slated?
Sometimes, where enough are sound and can be removed without damage. The proportion reused and any new slate added are stated in the quotation.
My slate roof is very old. Does it need replacing?
Not on age alone. Many natural slate roofs remain serviceable for a long time with fixing repairs. The decision depends on the condition of the slates, fixings and battens.
Should I go up and check for loose slates after a storm?
No. Look from the ground for anything obviously displaced, keep clear of areas where debris could fall, and arrange a professional assessment.
For the full Dublin service, see our slate roofing service.
For other roofing work at a Rathfarnham property, see roofing services in Rathfarnham.
Request a Roofing Quote for Slate Roofing & Repairs in Rathfarnham
Send Emerald Isle Roofers Dublin your details and a short description of the work required.
Emergency roofing: 083 158 8431