1920 Slate Roof

If you are wondering what might have been or are thinking of recapturing an old look in a new house turn to time honored materials that are still available today.

1920 slate roof.

The history of roofing back then shingles. Once it was discovered that colored pigments could be mixed to create a choice of color the appeal of the product exploded. Multiple colors and a staggered edge make elk corp s truslate approximate a slate roof in the picturesque old world style of the 1920s. Can a slate roof rot.

Charles kirberg of kirberg company still in business today is pictured posing with his son in st. In period styles of residential and commercial architecture. However at the dawn of the 20th century the growing fashion for english revival houses ignited an intense interest in architectural slate roofs an almost complete about face in slate appearance and yet probably the historic peak of the industry. Wood shingles clay tile concrete slate and metal.

For example roof slate referred to shale above a coal seam and draw slate referred to shale that fell from the mine roof as. Before the mid 19th century the terms slate shale and schist were not sharply distinguished. He abandonment of good slate roofs which should have been repaired is a financial shame and the destruction of a valued asset. Pigments ei ther added to the wet mixtures or rolled into surfaces faded when they were exposed to the elements.

Shapes were not only rectangular but were in the shape of diamonds appeared thatched or could have scalloped edges. Slate roofs of quality j. Slate continued to be used well into the 20th century notably on many tudor revival style buildings of the 1920s. No but slate can get soft and deteriorate similar to rotted organic materials like lumber.

Pictured is a model t ford pickup used for roofing in the early 1920s. Because slate was available in different colors red green purple and blue gray it was an effective material for decorative patterns on many 19th century roofs gothic and mansard styles. After the civil war slate of varying quality durability and color was widely quarried all over the east from vermont to virginia. Slate has long been a regionally prominent roofing material in the northeastern u s.

In the early 1920s american roofing material manufacturers johns mansville carey eternit and century were all offering at least one asbestos cement roofing shingle to their customers. And nearby parts of canada because of the abundance of slate quarries in the area slate also became popular in the rest of the u s. Slate remains in use today. Maintenance and repair asphalt roofing has a relatively short life of 10 to 30.

By the 1920s large asbestos cement roof shingles were available in a natural gray color as well as red and blue black colors that resembled tile and slate. Williams slate co c. During this time slates were imported usually from wales. After all isn t slate stone.