Vermont slate. Hand-cut. Built to outlive the structure.
Natural slate, terracotta clay, and composite. The same stone and the same hand-cut courses that have stood on Harvard dormitories for a century — engineered for the Texas climate.
Four materials. Hundred-year horizons.
Specified by load, climate, and architectural intent — not by inventory. We carry every line because the right material is determined by the deck and the design.
Vermont Natural Slate
Quarried in Poultney, VT. Hand-cut graduated courses, S1-grade. The same stone on Harvard and the Capitol.
- Spec
- 3/8″ thick · graduated
- Warranty
- 75–150 yr
- ASTM C406 Grade S1 — the highest weathering classification
- Graduated coursing: larger butts at eave, tapering toward ridge
- Copper nails only, direct-to-deck on 1″ pine plank
- 150-year design life with virtually zero maintenance
Eight layers. Cut and set by hand.
Structural review
Licensed P.E. reviews deck load. Natural slate runs 800–1,500 lbs per square. Rafters and decking reinforced when required, signed and sealed.
Deck preparation
Solid 1″ pine plank or 5/8″ APA-rated sheathing minimum. No OSB. Existing deck inspected board-by-board.
Ice & water
Self-adhered membrane across the entire deck. 36″ at eaves, 18″ at hips and ridges, full coverage in valleys.
Battens or direct-to-deck
Clay tile fastened to 1×2 PT battens with stainless screws. Slate fastened direct-to-deck with copper nails only.
Hand-cut courses
Graduated coursing on natural slate — larger butts at eave, tapering to smaller at ridge. Hand-trimmed at every hip and valley.
Copper flashings
16-oz cold-rolled copper at every valley, sidewall, chimney, and penetration. Pre-bent on our brake to 1/32″ tolerance.
Ridge & hip
Saddle ridge in matching stone, bedded in elastomeric cement. Optional metal cresting for historic builds.
Walk inspection
Hand-touch every slate. Each replaced if even hairline cracked. Final flyover plus property-filed warranty.
One slate roof. Four asphalt cycles.
| Natural slate | Clay tile | Composite slate | Architectural shingle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | 100+ yr | 75 yr | 50 yr | 25 yr |
| Weight (lb/sq) | 800–1,500 | 650–1,100 | 240 | 240 |
| Reinforcement | Often | Sometimes | No | No |
| Impact rating | Class 4 | Class 3 | Class 4 | Class 3–4 |
| Fire class | A | A | A | A |
| Replacement cycles · 100 yr | 0 | 1 | 1–2 | 3–4 |
| Initial cost (tier) | $$$$$ | $$$$ | $$$$ | $$ |
Westover Hills. 4,900 sq ft. Forty-two days, by hand.
- Material
- Vermont graduated slate
- Sq ft
- 4,900
- Crew days
- 42
- Warranty
- 75 yr quarry
Eleven weeks. P.E. review to property-filed warranty.
Quarried, kiln-fired, and signed for.
- 75-yr quarry warranty on natural Vermont slate
- 75-yr kiln warranty on Ludowici clay tile
- 50-yr ltd warranty on DaVinci composite
- Lifetime Quality Roofing workmanship
- Notarized and filed with the property
- P.E.-stamped structural reinforcement records
Slate inventory reservation available — we'll match your stone from the same vein for future repairs over the roof's lifetime.