Slate Roof Installation
Welsh slate for the premium, heritage choice or Spanish slate for outstanding performance at lower cost, natural slate installed to last generations.
Welsh slate, quarried in North Wales, is dense, exceptionally weather resistant, and commonly quoted with a 75-150 year lifespan, widely regarded as the premium UK roofing material. Spanish slate, with its deep blue-black colour and natural ripple finish, offers a very similar 75-100 year lifespan at roughly 40-60% less cost, making it the common value alternative on modern re-roofs.
Both absorb very little water and perform strongly against wind, rain and snow, well suited to Devon's coastal, exposed conditions. Sherford Roofing installs natural slate roofs across Plymouth and Devon, fixed with copper or aluminium nails (never steel, which corrodes) to BS 5534.
Our Process
Select Slate & Fixing
We confirm Welsh or Spanish slate to suit your budget and property, and specify copper or aluminium nail fixing per BS 5534 for your exposure zone.
Membrane & Batten
A breathable membrane is fitted and battened to the correct gauge for the slate size being used.
Fix Slates
Slates are fixed in the correct nailing pattern and lap for your roof pitch and exposure.
Ridge & Verge
Dry-fix ridge and verge complete a fully compliant, long-lasting slate roof.
Slate Roof Installation FAQs
Welsh slate lasts longest and is the premium, heritage choice; Spanish slate offers excellent performance at a lower cost and is very common on modern re-roofs.
The wrong fixing (steel nails rather than copper or aluminium) leads to nail sickness, corroded fixings failing over time, which is the main cause of slipped and failing slate roofs, regardless of how good the slate itself is.
Commonly 75–150 years for Welsh slate and 75–100 years for Spanish slate, depending on the specific quarry and installation quality, provided fixings are specified correctly.
Need Slate Roof Installation?
Free estimates across Plymouth and Devon. Bauder certified, Checkatrade vetted, honest advice every time.
Or call our office: 01752 741888