Slate has been in the existence for centuries now and is still gaining a lot of popularity in the world. But, since the technology has grown and gotten better, the development of new materials could be seen. One of the major changes the roofing world has seen is the development of synthetic shingles. They are exactly like slate and are rapidly getting popular in the market. Since they look the same, you can refer synthetic shingles to as synthetic slate. But they have major differences when compared with natural slate. Since your house is the most precious thing in your life, you definitely do not want it to get destroyed. Thus, it is important that you know the differences and chooses the perfect roofing material for your house.
Differences Between Natural Slate and Synthetic Slate
The below-mentioned points simply talk about the major differences between natural slate and synthetic slate. Read on to know them in detail, then, make your smart move.
Worrying about the weight of the roofing materials is something that you must avoid. However, slate roofs are extremely heavy compared to synthetic slate roofs and any other common type of roof. Your home needs to be built in a way that it easily carries the weight of a slate roof. If your home is unable to withstand the weight of the natural slate, you may have to retrofit it so that it can hold the weight easily.
The lifespan is basically the number of years your roof is going to survive. As per records and proofs, slate is the longest-lasting roofing material on the market today. If your slate roof is installed and flashed properly, it would be the last roof on earth to survive healthily. Whereas, synthetic slate does not last for long – lasts around 40-50 years if installed correctly. This means that having a slate roof on board is ideally the best choice for your house.
It is important to know when you are investing in a new roof, you will have two warranties – one from your contractor for their workmanship and another from the manufacturer on your roofing materials. Since slate tiles are made naturally, they do not have any manufacturer’s warranty on the slate roofing materials. But synthetic slate arrives with a lifetime limited material warranty depending on the manufacturer of the roofing material.
If you are thinking of buying any of those roofing materials at a cheap price, you should think again. Both natural slate and synthetic slate are big investments. The bitter truth here is most homeowners cannot afford to purchase these two roofing materials. But there is still hope with a synthetic slate roof. It is cheaper than a natural slate roof.
Whether you choose natural slate or synthetic slate, you will get to see benefits from both of them. Indeed, your house will be more secure with a natural slate roof but you should also not underestimate the capability of a synthetic slate roof. Both roofing materials are ideal for your house despite having minor advantages and disadvantages. Now, it is your time to decide what exactly you want to do! Contact the team at The Slate Roofing Company today if you are located in Sydney, the South Coast of NSW or the Southern Highlands!