An Introduction to

Roofing Slate

Prepared with the assistance of

Dr. I. Sims, PhD, CGeol, Stats Consultancy

Who are SSQ?

Founded in 1983
Producers and exporters
of natural slate from Spain,
Argentina and Brazil

Specialists in finest quality

imported slate

Market leader in UK;

exports to Europe and
worldwide

Objectives

To explain the geological background of roofing

slates

To demonstrate why natural slate makes such

good roofing material

To explain the new European Standard for roofing

slates

To provide advice on problem free slate

specification

Contents

Introduction to slate geology, extraction and

source

Performance issues
The new European Standard & Quality Control
Problem-Free Specification
Conclusion

An introduction to slate

Definition
A smooth fine grained metamorphic rock
which can be split into layers.

History
Used since Roman times
in Europe

Used for roofing in the

UK for over 1000 years

The Formation of Natural Slate

Natural Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock, formed from
the compressive pressure from both the sea and the earths
core.

Slate Layer

Geology

500 M yrs

300 M yrs

200 M yrs

Marine life
Dinosaurs

Cambrian
Devonian

Mud on
ocean
bed

Reptiles

Ordovician

Hersynian
Movements
(volcanoes,
earthquakes, and
rising of mountains)

2.5 M yrs Today

HomoSapien
s

Mineralogical Composition

Main Components:

Chlorite
Quartz
Mica (including muscovite)

Additions

Feldspar
Carbonates (e.g. calcite & dolomite)
Opaques (e.g. pyrites, graphite)

Geology

Geology

Extraction

Quarry rock face

Slate extracted
around quartz vein

Slate Production
SSQ

Slate Production Video

Sources of Slate Used in UK

Percentage

70%

80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%

12%

20%
10%

5%

8%

5%

0%

UK

Spanish

Brazilian

Chinese

Other

Performance Issues

Advantages of Natural Slates for Roofing

Durable

Flexible

Waterproof
Minimum maintenance
Non combustible
Not susceptible to acid attack
thus pollution resistant

Natural product
Life cycle cost

Properties of a Good Roofing slate

Suitability to climatic conditions:

Resistant to frost
Resistant to repeated wetting and
drying

Suitability for use on a roof:

Flatness
Regular thickness
Square cut
Longitudinal grain

Possible Visible Defects of Roofing slates

Non flatness
Irregularity in thickness
Cracks
Transversal grain
Non squareness
Flaking
Delamination

Defective Slate

Cracks
Different
thickness
Twisted

Steps

Possible Invisible Defects in a roofing slate

Inclusions such as oxidising pyrite

Water absorption too high
Non resistance to acid attack
Non resistance to freeze-thaw cycles
Inclusions
Brittleness/breaking strength too low
Pre-existing delamination
Calcium carbonate content too high

Defective Slate: Pyrite Leaching

Leaching and
curved slates

Testing and Standards

International Standards

Until recently there were a number of international

testing standards, with varying degrees of
complexity:

In May 2006 the new BS European Standard

(BS EN 12326) was introduced to supersede all other
European national standards

BS EN12326 Sample Test Certificate

SSQ Group
301 Elveden Road
London, NW10 7SS

CE Mark

05
EN 12326 1:2004
Roofing and external cladding slate
Dimensions and dimensional variation

Complies

Nominal thickness and variation

Complies

Mechanical resistance

Characteristic MoR

Transverse

38 MPa

Longitudinal

85 Mpa

Mean failure load

Transverse

593 N

Longitudinal

1115 N

Water permeability water absorption

Complies < 0.6%

Carbonate content

20%

Durability water absorption

Complies < 0.6%

Durability freeze thaw cycling

Not required

Durability thermal cycling

Complies with code T2

Durability sulfur dioxide exposure

Complies with code S2

Durability non-carbonate content

Complies: equal to or less than 20%

Release of dangerous substances

None in conditions of use as roofing or external cladding

External fire performance

Deemed to satisfy

Reaction to fire

Deemed to satisfy class A1

BS EN12326 CE Marking

UK building regulations have been modified to ensure

that only CE marked roofing products are used.

The CE mark is the manufacturers claim that the slate,

has been tested to BS EN 12326

You can check that slates are tested to the BS EN by

looking for the CE marking on packaging and or any
documentation accompanying the slates.

BS EN12326 CE Marking

If the CE mark is not found, then the slates should be

rejected.

BS EN12326 CE Marking

The CE mark means the slate has been tested in the

correct way

CE Marking does not indicate the Quality of the slate

European Standard BS EN 12326

The performance of a slate is measured by various tests, with the

most important being:

Dimensional tolerances (deviation from declared length, width,

squareness and straightness)

Thickness
Resistance to flexion
Permeability - Water absorption
Durability
Freeze thaw
Thermal cycle test
Carbonate content
Sulfur dioxide exposure tests
Non-carbonate carbon content
External fire exposure
Release of dangerous substances

European Standard BS EN 12326

No pass/fail criteria, instead has levels of

performance for some tests and values for others

Any tested roofing slate can state compliance

with the standard, and show the CE mark no
matter what the quality is.

What constitutes a quality slate ?

Test Certificate What to Look For

Visible: Dimensional and thickness variations
Non-visible:

STRENGTH
Flexural
Well performing slates will have :
longitudinal Flexural Resistance In excess of 65 MPa

Test Certificate What to Look For

Water Absorption, Permeability & Durability
Quality slates have low water absorption
Low risk of freeze-thaw damage
British standard was <0.3%

New standard: A1 = <0.6% ; A2 = >0.6%

Carbonate Content
Differing types of carbonate have different potential for reaction
Safe to assume slates with lower carbonate content will weather
more slowly unless iron-sulphurs are present
Proven quality roofing slates have carbonate content <3%

Test Certificate What to Look For

Thermal Cycling / Free of Oxidation
Oxidation will occur if reactive iron-sulphur minerals are present (pyrites)
Three Classifications:

T1 free of pyrites or of leaching pyrites. Applied to slates that

exhibit colour changes that neither affect the structure of the slate nor
form runs of discolouration

T2 exhibit pyrites/ leaching pyrites. Applied to slates that form

runs of discolouration, but no structural changes

T3 exhibit pyrites/ leaching/oxidising pyrites. Applied to slates

that form runs of discolouration and may form holes around inclusions but
no structural changes.

Well performing slates will have no visible pyrites and be T1

Quick Quality Checklist

What to Look For:

Flexural Strength > 65 MPa

Water Absorption

Free of Oxidation

Avoid slates with potential for oxidation (T1)

Carbonate Content

Carbonate content < 3%, generally the lower

the better

Proof

Proven history of performance in UK

environment

Strength

Water absorption < 0.3%, generally the lower

the better (A1)

Quick Quality Checklist

What to Look For:
CE Mark

Each label has the test data included

Quick Quality Checklist

What to Look For:
Strength MOR > 65 MPa
Water Absorption < 0.3%
Low Carbonate content < 3%
Low Oxidation T1

Specification

A Check-List To Ensure Problem-Free

Slate Specification
Key Points:

Know the origin of the slate

Ask about quality control at source

Ask for reference sites

Reliability of the importer

Check for CE Mark
Ask for recent BS EN test
certificate showing date, name
and origin of slate
Are sufficient stocks available?
Service and assistance of supplier
Written guarantee based on UK
law

Specifying Slate

Contractual specifications for roofing slates will need to be more

sophisticated than in the past

No blanket specifications

Ensure CE Marked Slates only

To ensure performance for at least 30
years, request slates with:
> 65 MoR, A1, and T1 results

Slates with < 65 MoR, A2, and T3

May comply but may last only a few years on a
roof subjected to UK climactic conditions

Design Possibilities with Slate

Quality Imported Slates in UK

Spanish & Argentinean

slates are used on
listed buildings

Approved in
Snowdonia National
Park

Accepted by English
Heritage

Some accepted by
Historic Scotland

Applications of Quality Spanish Slate Scotland

Slate specially produced
for Scottish market:

equivalent in colour

equivalent in
performance to
indigenous slate

equivalent in texture
and size

Conclusion

Natural slate is the perfect roofing material

Slates may have defects not visible to the naked

eye

Check for the CE Mark on labels & Certificates

Natural slate is a low life cycle cost, low

maintenance, environmentally friendly material

Although the slate may be compliant with the new

BS EN 12326 ensure it passes the Quick Quality
Checklist

Visit our website

ssqgroup.com

An Introduction to Roofing Slate

Any Questions?