Slate roof for shed

If you want a shed to last for years, why not put a slate roof on it! Created by nature over 500 million years ago, natural roofing slate has been sheltering man from the elements for more than a thousand years. If you do decide to build a shed with a slate roof, you will need to make sure the structure is strong enough to support the weight.  The standard thicknesses of a slate roof in North America is ¼”.  One square of slate which will cover 100 square feet of roof area weighs approximately 950 LBS per square.

When considering a slate roof, depending on the size and nearby home, you can make the roof a blend of several colors, weathering slate, unfading slate, single size and random widths/lengths. Let’s say your gable shed is 10’ x 8’ you might want to consider a smaller slate tile like a 14” length which will give you 5.5” exposure when installed with a 3” headlap.

The minimum plywood requirements are 5/8” but ¾” is preferred.