| Author | Message | ||
     Joe (Joe) Moderator Username: Joe Post Number: 562 Registered: 07-2006 |
I fixed the layout. When you guys post photos, 600 pixels wide is enough. Also, put a page break in between them and after your text so they align vertically rather than horizontally. | ||
| Joe (Joe) Moderator Username: Joe Post Number: 561 Registered: 07-2006 |
It looks repairable and restorable to me. If the slates are good enough to reuse, there's no sense in taking them off. It's a late 1800s sea green slate. We work on these all the time. If you insist on removing the roof and sorting out the "good" ones, then use them on one side and reslate the other side with new slate. | ||
| Old_school (Old_school) Senior Member Username: Old_school Post Number: 489 Registered: 01-2009 |
I didn't think they had started to quarry slate in Vermont that early. (1838) and it looks like Vermont semi weathering gray / green. With only 12 rows of slate and the nails through the gutter straps and the nails holding on the tarps, I would consider taking it off and mixing in new and relaying it. You will find as least 50% of the slates will be holed or broken, so you my just want to redo it with new slate. Much cleaner anyway, and you can install some half round gutters useing hanger brackets or fascia brackets instead of nailing through the slates. Even 120 years out of a roof is nothing to sneeze at! You will also have the oportunity to rework the chimneys as they do need some work. I had the same quandry on a 120 year old slate roof here in Kalamazoo about 20 years ago. We used new slates with the same type of pattern and it looks great. | ||
| Age_old (Age_old) New member Username: Age_old Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2010 |
They are 12-24. The side with the yellow trim is north facing, it seems to be the softest and having the most older repairs(if you want to call them that, most are face nailed in). The south side has recieved the brunt of the wind damage but is much cleaner and seems harder. There is some flaking on the underside of the south side, which is visable with the open lathe. The north side is sitting on 12 inch planks with little spacing. The staining around the chimneys appears to be creosote seepage and rust from prior flashings. After second guessing myself, I went back into the attic space to investigate. Having a more trained eye than I did nearly 10 years ago when looking I realized that what I had thought to be watermill saw marks on the pine decking are early machanical planer marks. I also discovered that near the eave edge there is an oak deck board, which is more typical of the decking material found in this region on the pre-1840 homes that I have been on. The oak deck board, very well may be original, I am curious to see one of the cut nails in it which secure it to the rafters. I also discovered that near the eave edge there was also traces of other lathe boards spaced inbetween the existing lathe boards. So, I must conclude that I was wrong in original thought that this was original to the house. The replacement lathe is nailed with a cut nail, I could not get one out (when I had to start using the flashlight while sitting on the roof, the wife started getting a little nervous,lol) but based on the year the house was built,the patina on the replacement decking/lathe and the cut nails in the decking and the slate, my thoughts are now that this is the replacement probably after the original wood roof failed. 30 years on the original wood would put this around 1870, I would say 1880's at the latest, by 1890 I see wire nails in this area, at least on the decking boards. So....where do I go from here? I have enough in the stockpile to go through and do the repairs, but am I losing the battle considering the age? Would I better off to pull it and relay it, sorting out the bad, or just start over? What would you do? | ||
| Age_old (Age_old) New member Username: Age_old Post Number: 4 Registered: 08-2010 |
Slate man, Here are some more pics from further away.   | ||
| Blue_sky_roofing (Blue_sky_roofing) Member Username: Blue_sky_roofing Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2010 |
What size slate? - 12x20? Your slate sure looks like it could go many more years to me (although those cut nails may be the defining factor). Just needs some standard repair / maintenance. What does the backside of the slate look like? I'm guessing that it is pretty decent too as I don't see any dust / flaking laying around or trapped in between slates - looks very clean. | ||
| Blue_sky_roofing (Blue_sky_roofing) Member Username: Blue_sky_roofing Post Number: 25 Registered: 05-2010 |
Is that a blue tarp draped over the roof next to the chimney? And who spilled the paint when painting the ridge roll? lol. Just some thoughts: It looks like the chimney could use a little repointing work (love the stonework of the chimney - looks great!) Also, I would suggest changing the ridge roll to copper, or .032 painted Al. (This is what I always use. It comes in a 4x8 sheet and cut into 1x8 strips and then bend to the pitch of the roof so that there is 6" on each side). It looks as though the ridge is pretty flattened out and have seen cases where it concaved into a trough, and water just runs to the seam and into the house When installing, use washered hex head screws so if a binder or a slate from the last full row breaks, it will be a lot easier to repair / replace. | ||
| Age_old (Age_old) New member Username: Age_old Post Number: 3 Registered: 08-2010 |
No signs of any paper. I will get some more pics up later. | ||
| Slate_man (Slate_man) Senior Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 627 Registered: 01-2007 |
Any other picture, not as closes. And of the decking? Is there any signs of any paper? | ||
| Walter_musson (Walter_musson) Senior Member Username: Walter_musson Post Number: 181 Registered: 07-2006 |
You can't | ||
| Age_old (Age_old) New member Username: Age_old Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2010 |
It is on my home and I am more than convinced that it is original to the house. I am into historical restoration... mainly, millwork and standing seam work. I do some slate, but mainly repairs.(thanks to coming across the slate bible some years ago) I have never been into it enough to say for certain where a slate came from, which is why I thought I would ask on here. I have done some work on this roof and know, that there are no other nail holes in the planking. Nor signs that the planking has been replaced. I know for certain that the house was built in 1838. All these things have led me to try and salvage the roof. But the wind recently has done significant damage, especially last week, and now I am thinking that it may be better to just start over. From everything I have read, 170 years is pretty much pushing the limit on the lifespan of Vermont, is it not? Where can I buy another suitable Vermont slate that is going to last another 170 years? | ||
| John_chan (John_chan) Senior Member Username: John_chan Post Number: 65 Registered: 08-2006 |
The slate looks like Vermont Semi-Weathering Green. If you need an estimate on it or if you need some slate, you can contact our Columbus office at 800-666-7445 or at www.durableslate.com. | ||
| Old_school (Old_school) Senior Member Username: Old_school Post Number: 488 Registered: 01-2009 |
Looks like semi weathering gray /green out of Vermont. 160 years old? Not sure if that is the original or if it was installed about 100 years ago. Those big pictures are hard to see on the site, but you have some great details in them. | ||
| Age_old (Age_old) New member Username: Age_old Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2010 |
Help me identify this. Located in Central Ohio. Original to the home built in 1838 and hung on cut nails. Penn at 170 years old? Vermont?    |
