Educational Resources
Books and Publications
Slate Roofs
New York : National Slate Association, 1926, 84 pages.
A 2009 edition of the 1926 timeless classic! Slate Roofs is a piece of history yet contains practical solutions still very relevant for today’s roofer. You’ll find explanations and illustrations showing time proven slate roofing techniques, specifications, historical perspective and more. It has been carefully reprinted and a limited number are available for purchase. This is a rare opportunity, so order yours today! $25.00.
Slate Roof Design and Construction
Bennett, Frank, and Pinion, Alfred, Roof Slating and Tiling. Dorset, England: Donhead Publishing, 2000, 384 pages.
This 2000 edition by Donhead is a reprint of the 1948 second edition of Bennett and Pinion’s classic work first published in 1935 by Caxton Publishing Company Ltd. Packed with 34 plates and over 200 figures, this publication is an excellent source of information on all aspects of slate and tile roofing in Great Britain . Bennett and Pinion’s work contains a wealth of information on such basic operations as sorting and holing slates and more complex tasks such as installing curved roofs and swept valleys. Use the book to broaden your understanding of slate roofing, but do not expect to directly apply many of the techniques discussed to the installation of slate roofs in the United States . ISBN 1-873394-46-2. Available from Donhead Publishing Ltd., Lower Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 9LY, England, tel. +44 (0) 1747 828422, www.donhead.com. Cost £45.00.
The Slate Roof Bible, Second Edition
Jenkins, Joseph, Grove City, Pennsylvania: Joseph Jenkins, Inc. Publications, 2003, 316 pages.Writers Notes #1 Reference Book Award Winner; Foreword Magazine Architectural Book of the Year Finalist
The first edition of this book was the winner of the 2001 National Roofing Contractors Association Gold Circle Award for excellence in the roofing industry. The new, second edition is greatly expanded, updated, and revised, in full color, with seven new chapters including International Slate, International Slating Styles, Roof Inscriptions and Designs, Recycling Slate Roofs, Chimneys, Valleys, and a general chapter that includes tile roofs, asbestos roofs and soldered seam copper roofs. Many new step-by-step “how-to” line drawings have been added to this edition, too, including how to fabricate a lead sewer vent pipe flashing, how to flash a variety of chimneys, how to replace valleys on both slate and tile roofs, and a whole lot more! ISBN 09644258-15. Available from Joseph Jenkins, Inc., 143 Forest Lane, Grove City, PA 16127, toll free 1-866-641-7141, slateroofcentral.com/store, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or Chelsea Green Publishing toll free at 1-800-639-4099. Cost $40.00 plus shipping and handling.
“The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs”
Preservation Briefs 29. Levine, Jeffrey S., Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1992, 16 pages.
Part of a series of Briefs on various preservation related topics. Includes information of the history of slate use in the United States, historic styles, quarrying and manufacture, mechanisms of deterioration, as well as repair, maintenance, and replacement. Illustrated. ISSN: 0885-7016. Available online at www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm or as part of a set (Briefs 24-34) from the Government Printing Office, toll free 1-866-512-1800, GPO Stock No. 024-005-01147-1, cost $15.00.
The Slate Book
Stearns, Brian; Stearns, Alan; and Meyer, John, . n.p., Stowe, VT, 1998, 208 pages.
Information on how to design, specify, install, and repair a slate roof, including such issues as Ice and Water Shield, estimating, ventilation, and installing slate shingles on conical roofs and eyebrow dormers. 205 figures, photographs, tables, and charts. ISBN 0-9661363-0-6. Available from Vermont Slate and Copper Services, Inc., P.O. Box 430, Stowe, VT 05672-0430 . Cost $10.00.
The NRCA Steep-Slope Roofing Manual, Fifth Edition
Rosemont, Illinois: National Roofing Contractors Association, 2001, 286 pages.
General information on new slate roof installation, including a good section on underlayments. Detail drawings illustrate basic flashing techniques. Available from the National Roofing Contractors Association, 10255 Higgins Road, Suit 600, Rosemont, Illinois, 60018-5607, 1-847-299-9070, www.nrca.net, item no. 0408, cost $75 for members, $105 for non-members; free shipping for online orders totaling $100 or more.
“Slate in the United States”
Bulletin 586, Dale, T. Nelson, et al. Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. : Government Printing Office, 1914, 205 pages.
Good general source of information on the geology and quarrying of slate. Out of print, but in the collection of many university libraries.
Architectural Sheet Metal Manual, Sixth Edition
Chantilly, Virginia: Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor’s National Association (SMACNA), 2003, 496 pages.
An industry standard. Excellent technical manual on the design and installation of custom-fabricated architectural sheet metal roofs and flashings, including roof drainage system design for scuppers, gutters and downspouts. Features new historical restoration section on skylights, cornices and spires; new moisture and maintenance guide; new mechanical fasteners and soldering chapter, and enhanced metals selection data. Offers new construction techniques and alternative methods of design and installation reflecting climatic conditions and rainfall rates. Also includes wind uplift pressure test reports confirming superior performance of custom-fabricated metal roofing. Applies to commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Available from Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor’s National Association, 4201 Lafayette Center Drive, Chantilly, Virginia 20151-1209, 1-703-803-2980 or SMACNA’s Online Publication Store. Cost $315 for the CD-ROM, $262 for the hardcopy, and $163 for the electronic version in PDF format. Discounts available to the trade.
Copper & Common Sense, Sheet Copper Design Principles and Construction Techniques, Eighth Edition
Revere Copper Products, Inc., Rome, NY, 1982 À revised 2000, 103 pages. $65.00
An industry standard and an important reference. Excellent information on the mechanical properties of copper, installation procedures, detail drawings, and specifications for durable sheet metal work. Available from Revere Copper Products, Inc., One Revere Park, Rome, New York 13440-5561, 1-800-448-1776.
