Slate roofs around the country
Hudson Valley Carpenter
| Posted in Photo Gallery on
Slateman’s thread on the timberframe and his fine slate roof reminded me that there are a number of slate roofs in this town.
So I went out for a short drive this morning in the wealthier part of Encino and took a few photos of some slate roofs which are visible from the road.
Please feel free to post photos of any slate roofs in your area.
Replies
You live in a pretty tough 'hood...
You live in a pretty tough 'hood...
Like many older communities in SoCal, the hillside areas of Encino have always been coveted by wealthy people. Big difference in value between this typical small stucco ranch tract house on a postage stamp lot and those custom homes in the photos.
Hudson valley carpenter,
I love slate roofs, Unfortunately around here we need to import labor to do them. Darn few done around here so the technique and skill required doesn't exist.. the few that do have slate simply fly contractors in who hire local laborer to do grunt work amd they pay for motels etc. while they are here..
You show pictures of what appear to be barrel tiles over the ridges on a couple of homes.. are those actaul barrel tiles or did they figure out a way to make them in slate?
Most recent slate roof around here was a brand new house the owner took one look at it's brand new arch. shingle roof and flew in a slate guy..
1.2 million dollars later the roof was done to his satisfaction.. Giant house, eventually went over budget of 22 million (exclusive of land) Owner ordered and paid for two $30,000 crystal shandiliers, didn't like them, wound up hanging them in garage!
(sold 2 telehandlers to subcontractors) <smile>
Neat house.. you could walk through the house and never turn on or off a light.. sensors detected your presence and lights went on in front of you and off behind you.. Had 22 full time finish carpenters working almost a year to do all the finish work required.. (according to the contractor nearly $400,000 in wood carvings were used from Enkenbol alone. The owners office was first done in black walnut with Brizilian cherry floors. Owners decided it was too depressing and had it all redone in Honduras Mahogany and brass.. Something like 9 fireplaces including two outdoors.
Most recent slate roof around here.......
Photos please Frenchy. Remember the old saying about one picture being worth a thousand words?
Hudson Valley Carpenter,
Since the house has been finished for a few years now and well hidden behind a security fence etc.. I'm not really sure I should go poking around. I suspect that some of the 22+ million was spent on security..
I'll swing by it sometime and get the address. I think we can then get one of those ariel shots of the place.
Don't bet on the Google spy satellite. I tried that earlier for the home you commented about. The old oaks do a good job of hiding the house.
Best book on slate I found and Joe Jenkins is a wonderful guy. I emailed him a few times and he got right back to me. From his book, I've replaced several slates and feel confident enough to do a whole roof in slate (maybe a small one to start with).http://www.amazon.com/Slate-Roof-Bible-Understanding-Installing/dp/0964425815/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212933911&sr=8-1
I wish someone from Bethlehem ,Pa would post a few pics. There is some really cool slate work there. I did my first roofing at 17 or so up there on the Witch's Hats and such, really involved slating.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?
Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
Sphere, I'd like to see some photos from the old steel execs neighborhood too.
There are many small areas of this country, some of them known only to locals, where wealthy people have built their homes, estates, ranches, etc. It would be very interesting and instructive to see photos of those homes posted here.
the former chairman's residence.
you can only see about a third of the home here.
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carpenter in transition
Edited 4/14/2008 12:55 am ET by timkline
whaddya want me to do, go on a photo tour around town and pick out the good ones ?
here's one in Jim Thorpe, a little closer to the quarries than Bethlehem
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Front
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Rear
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Closeup
carpenter in transition
Edited 4/14/2008 1:04 am ET by timkline
Edited 4/14/2008 1:05 am ET by timkline
Edited 4/14/2008 1:06 am ET by timkline
I thought you'd have a good assortment to pic from up there.
I worked with a guy named Mike Mongolitz outta Coopersburg area ( the back side, not the 309 corridor). We did a ton of roofing up in the slate area and the "Steel" folks homes and castles, and some execs from Mack Trucks.
I remember later doing all the trim in a house owned by the owner of Reeb Millwork, talk about a ornate trim job..all oak and built up.
Also did the trim and custom kitchen for Capo Bianco residence, the guy who owns the factory that makes all the Jersey's for the NHL, NFL and such..job started out at 3.7 mill. ended up at 7.4..birds eye maple kitch alone was pushing 800K
LOTS of big work up there, back then...I had a shop off Cedar Crest and Tilghman area..forget the street tho', but that part of town ( west side). Lehigh Valley Woodcrafters was me and a financier named HAP, retired from Bell Labs and set us up in biz doing custom work for his mistress who was an Int. Des. remodeling a lot of the office suites for ASH.
Man, them was crazy times.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
owner of Reeb Millwork
you mean Jay Ruhl ?
was this a whitewashed brick home in Saucon Valley ?
the other owner is Tom Kerr in West Bethlehem.
HAP from Bell Labs, what was his name ? my wife started in the Labs out of school and since then it has become ATT, Lucent, Agere, and now LSI. i wonder if she knows him.carpenter in transition
Pretty sure HAP is dead by now. Rotherham was his last name, HAP was short for "Happy", he always was.. Albert was his real name. Always drove a Grey Lincoln Town car around A-town.
Yeah, Saucon Valley was the house..I'm thinking 93? 94? Don't remember who I was subbing to, it was so long ago. I know it was Tony Noel that I was with when we did Capo..Me and a buddy ( still to this day, he lives near Port Charles Va, now) Marshall Schwenk..you now any of these characters?
You and I have probably crossed paths in a past life..I was all over the map. Dad was Production Engineer at Allen Organ till 15 yrs ago or so, in Macungie. He still has a girl friend ( he's 80) in Alburtis. LOL I worked from NE Philly to Tannersville and Reading to Trenton ( at least it seemed that way).
I'm a Kriebel in case ya didn't know. The Southern sect , Lansdale, not the Northern , Hereford or Palm. But moved up to Zionville, Powder Valley, Limeport area before I headed south to NC.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
Albert Rotherham, hmm i'll have to ask her.
when she gets back from Austin.
so it was Jay Ruhl. that was probably about as close as we came to crossing. that house is across the street from where I grew up (15 and on). my sister babysat for the Ruhl's kids. she told me that the place was a museum inside but i've never been in. my mother is still there at 77 by herself on 12 acres. the Ruhl's moved south to Pleasant Valley to a farm where they can blast skeet without the noise getting underwear in a bunch.
speaking of noise, my 2 motocross bikes drove the previous owner of that house bonkers.
anyway, grew up in Lanark. do you remember that thriving metropolis of 36 people ? we were 8 houses south of the Catholic monastery or maybe you remember Madle's Hardware ? which believe it or not, is still there and has expanded.
well, i don't recognize any of your friends, but the memory is fading just like dad's.
carpenter in transition
Lanark! yeah, it was a bugs butt on the map..LOL.
I do remember the hardware, been there a few times. I sure hope that area never loses the small country charm. I mean, it just seemed so laid back, up in there.
I think it was Robert here that said he too was near the Saucon Vally Golf Club or whatever it is.
You ever check out 'ThornHurst" on 309 at 378 in Center Valley? Big adze red brick house right on 309..that was my HS art teachers house, he and his brother owned that an had HS kids come over on weekends and help tear out lath and plaster and stuff..I learned a lot from helping restore that old place. His name is Lynne Kraft..brother Gordon. Talk about a museum, they went all out on it and such a lousy location..tsk,tsk.
I guess no matter what my trip back next month will be too short to get to see everything on my list..and the traffic has zintupled since I was growing up there..probably have a red light in Hosensack by now..LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
did Hudson Valley move to Southern California ?
are you on vacay ?
carpenter in transition
did Hudson Valley move to Southern California ?
I'll be back in NY State in a couple of months.
Thanks for the photos. The scaffolding on the steeple is a thing of beauty.
Edited 4/14/2008 3:24 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
home in allentown
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carpenter in transition
Edited 4/14/2008 1:19 am ET by timkline
Ok, I'm gonna ask an ignorant roofing question. In your photo & (barely seen) in the church photo, there are these little "things" sticking up at the end of the roof only on the gutter sides. The things are about a foot maybe 2 from the end of the roof. I've seen them on newer metal roofs around here (mostly commercial buildings, banks & restaurants) & I haven't figured out what they are for. They don't seem to be for access or to hold a ladder. Can anyone tell me what they do?I said, "In these shoes? I don't think you'd survive."
snow catchers ?
they hold the snow on the roof to help prevent it from sliding off and injuring people or tearing off the gutters.
carpenter in transition
Thanks for the info. Trying to figure out what they were has been driving me crazy for awhile.I said, "In these shoes? I don't think you'd survive."
here is a bunch:
West Allentown
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Yes, that is a window in the middle of the chimney
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Cool dormer detailing
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Easton College Hill
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how did this barrel tile pic get in here (one of my favorites)
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Easton College Hill
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Easton, This is actually new work
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i've got tons of these photos.
carpenter in transition
Edited 4/14/2008 1:57 am ET by timkline
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Edited 4/14/2008 2:07 am ET by timkline
Those are some special homes, I'm also a big fan of chimney's and chimney pots.
I enjoy unusual chimneys too. Even though I have zero experience laying brick it's a pleasure to see how artful it can look.
Attached photo as an example.
Edit: I left the photo large so the brick detail can be seen.
Edited 4/14/2008 10:59 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Could not see a chimney, but the windows gate and fence were all special. GOOD taste and big money can do wonderful things. Unfortuneatly today I see many instances of more money than brains.
Glad you like the details. No chimney but the brickwork is unusual.
Here's a neat chimney, borrowed off another web site.
http://www.thermalfoams.com/photo_gallery/dryvit_photo/fireplace_lg.jpg
Not really my taste, but wonderful engineering and execution, pretty cool.
Heres a couple shots taken today while surveying the house across the St.
Abe Lincolns VP lived here.
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Wow, nice detail. There's an old mansard house, very much like that one, with similar intricate slate work in a town near where I live. It's quite an eye catcher, driving down Main St.
BTW, did Hannibal Hamlin distinguish himself in any way worth remembering?
Wajter,
Nice slate, histroy and house. I caddied for Abe Lincoln's grandson back in the 60's at Burning Tree Club, inside the Beltway in Bethesda MD. Burning Tree is the Augusta (GA) of Maryland. Here are a couple of non-slate roofs but good roofs that should last as long as slate.
This house is caddy corner across the street from us.
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The owner claims it is slate, but from what I can see from the ground the ridge is terra cotta. I think the whole roof is terra cotta as well.
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We live on Cedar Ave and it is one block long. It is the former lane for the house at the end of the street, "The Cedars". Built in 1836 as the winter home for the Banks family of Maine. It is still in the family. They still summer in Maine. The city waterworks maintains the fountain that is one of many in Columbus, GA.
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The lead roof was removed and retinned about 3 years ago. It took about 6 months and tens of thousands of dollars. The walls are 18" limestone.The owners have a painter and gardener as part of their staff. This house was featured on HGTV several years ago but I cannot recall what show.
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Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Chuck,
Wonderful examples of vernacular architechture !!
Those roofs are very attractive and long lasting too.
Thanks for posting them.
Walter
I watched a travel show on PBS last night, Rick Steves in Wales. He visited an old slate mine where hand splitting was demonstrated.
Among other facts presented about the mine, they said that ten tons of slate was thrown out for every ton of split slate that was sold to the roofing industry.
a couple more in the neighborhood
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carpenter in transition
Edited 4/22/2008 12:40 pm ET by timkline
Edited 4/22/2008 12:41 pm ET by timkline
Ah...reds and grays together. That reminds me of some red and gray slate roofs with formal patterns built in. Do you have any like that nearby?
BTW, that's another interesting design. Thanks.
The cool thing about the slate area of Pa is that as you're driving along the beautiful countryside from town to town, you'll notice that even the little blue collar houses have slate roofs.I did a job on a farmhouse up in Belvedere some years back, not too far from Stroudsburg on The Water Gap and it was quite the drive but well worth it just for the scenery. Anyhow, that's where all these little boomer shack type houses would be...but with friggin' slate roofs!Lehigh Valley, your old tromping grounds, has some real beauties.
I've seen that pattern elsewhere.
That si just awesome. I can't begin to imagine how that is done.
Consistently inconsistent?
Being the anal a hole I am, it boggles my mind.
Thanks for the picture.
Eric[email protected]
Here's two more homes, one of them built a couple years ago. Which one has the phoney slate?
3 arched garage doors #0180 looks suspiciouscarpenter in transition
3 arched garage doors #0180 looks suspicious
Yep. Those "slates" have little stainless steel hooks, two per, coming out from under them at their base. I have no idea how they're installed.
Edited 4/15/2008 4:58 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Those hooks are meant to keep the butt down when the wind is strong.
The material isn't strong enough on it's own to withstand gale force and above winds -- so the installer must add the clips as they go.
Yes, I figured that was their purpose.
BTW, there are also a lot of tile roofs in the area too, Spanish and flat, many more than slate roofs. The reason they are both popular is because SoCal hillside homes are sometimes subject to brush fires.
One of my sister's neighbors is getting ready to replace his roof. He is going to rip all the old off and put plastic/rubber fake slate on. He was guessing that the old roof was 140 yrs old.
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My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate-- Thornton Wilder
They could relay the slate while redoing all the flashings -- buy an extra 8 sq. for breakage and have a 75 year roof with that slate.
I don't think those slates are the original roof.
Where is the home located ??
Where is the home located ??
Central IL. If it was closer to you, I'd have given him your #. Same as when my BIL was doing his built in gutters, I would have liked to have given him Grant's #.
They could relay the slate while redoing all the flashings -- buy an extra 8 sq. for breakage and have a 75 year roof with that slate.
Seems a shame not to put copper flashing on it. Jim said some of the slate is getting brittle or such. We were talking over the roar of a tiller, so I didn't get all that he was saying, but apparently when he started working on the house 18 years ago he had stripped the roof off a porch or two to replace some of the bad spots on the main roof. He said something about tapping a piece with a hammer and listening for a tone or some such to figure out if it was still sound. I wasn't quite following him.
I don't think those slates are the original roof.
Doesn't look period for 1860-70's or it wouldn't hold up that long? Expand on that. As I've mentioned before, I know nothing about slate. It isn't real common hereabouts.jt8
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate-- Thornton Wilder
John,
By sounding the slates you can tell if they are solid and whole -- no cracks that would speed their demise.
They were appropriate for Italianate structures , but those look quite good from what I can see -- so thought it might have been put on later.
Walter
I suggested that he try to save the good slate because someone else might need them, but I'm not sure he is going to. He might just toss 'em in the dumpster.
They were appropriate for Italianate structures , but those look quite good from what I can see -- so thought it might have been put on later.
You may be right, don't think Jim knows for sure. He's had the house for 18 years and it had been vacant a couple decades prior to that (and was in real bad shape). So they're probably older than 50 years, but who knows if they're really 140.
Is that galv flashing? Surely it would have been replaced a couple times in 140 years.
I suspect the color variation in the red slate gives away which ones were pulled from the more sheltered porch (not pictured) and which ones have always been under the full brunt of the sun/weather? jt8
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate-- Thornton Wilder
John
I was always told that red slate is infinately more durable than softer blue or grey slate and thus more durable.. is that true?
This is a house in Hillsboro, NC. It's 26,000 square feet and over $14mil so far, just materials. HO had the masons that put in the front steps tear out the ones that were installed and replace them with ones that were a bit bigger. $25,000 in materials +2weeks labor. geez, what it would be like to have that kind of money...hmmm.
-If you didn't learn something new today, you're not looking hard enough!
Edited 4/15/2008 9:24 pm ET by grainwise
Can you say where that place is? Bet they voted down the Home Tax<G> If dogs run free, then what must be,
Must be, and that is all.
True love can make a blade of grass
Stand up straight and tall.
In harmony with the cosmic sea,
True love needs no company,
It can cure the soul, it can make it whole,
If dogs run free.
The house is in Hillsboro, NC, perched atop 208+ acres of divine scenery.-If you didn't learn something new today, you're not looking hard enough!