One of the best ways to think about us for your architectural design is being your partner on the project. As an architect, you already appreciate the beauty and value of genuine natural slate for roofing. What you don’t want to have happen is to see that beauty destroyed by rust stains or other negative effects of improper material selection and/or installation.

We have good reasons to favor Del Carmen roofing slate that date back to 1983 and the very first Del Carmen installation we did. After well over 30 years, that roof still looks as good as when it was first installed! The manufacturers of Del Carmen Ultra slate tiles are so confident in the performance and longevity, you’ll receive a 100 year warranty.

We mentioned above that we want you to think of us as a partner. Architecture is one of the few occupations that permits you to design something that is lived in, worked in, visited, seen, and sometimes endures for generations. The idea of having a roofer who cannot share your vision and participate in it, one who can only see it as a roofing project, that would just diminish the value of what you do.

Abardeen is among the limited number of craftsmen in slate roofing, a perfect partner in helping you accomplish the design goals of your project and protect it with a roof that is just as much a work of art as the structure you’ve designed. Our knowledge and expertise is at your disposal to design even better; functionally and aesthetically better.

Contact us to discuss your project and begin that partnership. We can address all your project requirements and concerns, provide technical specifications, and help you arrive at the ideal design that demonstrates your proficiency in selecting other professionals to collaborate with.

What roof frame structure is required for slate roofs?

This question is so frequently asked by architects we wanted to include the answer here for your convenience.

The simple answer is to design according to the structural requirements used for terracotta roofing tiles. The weight of the lightest “Marseille” pattern terracotta tiles currently available in the Melbourne area is almost 10 kg/sqm heavier than the commonly used Del Carmen 500×250 slate tiles.

Here are some approximate weight comparisons for roofing tiles:

• Natural slate – Del Carmen 500×250: 30.5 kg/sqm
• Terracotta tiles – Marseille pattern: 40kg kg/sqm
• Terracotta tiles – Swiss pattern: 43.5 kg/sqm
• Concrete tiles – – Flat slate pattern: 52 kg/sqm

The terracotta and concrete tiles listed are also the lighter weight options available. Other tiles on the market are considerably heavier. Also be aware that slate tiles vary in thickness and therefore also in weight. Plus, as the dimensions of slate tiles decrease, the weight per sqm increases conversely. Larger tiles reduce the per sqm weight.

The 500×250 though is the most commonly used in the Melbourne area. Other options include 400×250, 450×250, and 500×300.

Another consideration during roof framing is the heights at which fascias, tilt battens, verge, sole and lear gutter boards, etc., are set and finished at. This is nearly impossible to give a generalized answer on since there are many factors at play and each job has its own set of unique circumstances.

To make this easier for architects, a simple phone call to Abardeen Slate Roofing at (040) 302-2137 is the best answer we can give.