Reclaimed Welsh Slate

Has anyone used reclaimed slate? I see tonnes of it for sale of varying qualities but have never managed to find a single person who has ever used it. I have researched it and come up with all the same advice - be careful where you buy it, make sure it's all off a single roof, etc etc

But I have never heard anyone's own experience of using it! Would I be mad to think about it for a new build house? Budget can't stretch to £5+ for new Welsh slate and just don't get excited about the grey/black tones of Spanish slate :(
 
I’ve spoken to plenty but very few real world stories about anyone using reclaimed slate.

Canadian heather is no longer available, been told Brazilian isn’t great quality
 

Bullring

Member
Location
Cornwall
Has anyone used reclaimed slate? I see tonnes of it for sale of varying qualities but have never managed to find a single person who has ever used it. I have researched it and come up with all the same advice - be careful where you buy it, make sure it's all off a single roof, etc etc

But I have never heard anyone's own experience of using it! Would I be mad to think about it for a new build house? Budget can't stretch to £5+ for new Welsh slate and just don't get excited about the grey/black tones of Spanish slate :(


Not welsh slate but I built a big extension out of reclaimed delabole slate for the roof and also reclaimed delabole for slate hanging which is what is found down in the south west, yes it’s not cheap but it’s far better and I wanted something to blend in with the main farmhouse. It can be interesting getting them to sit flat and some needed grinding to make them sit flat but it all adds character to the property, it also takes longer to fit the roof as every slate is different so factor in that it will cost more in labour. I looked at new brazilian but it just looked terrible against the old roof. I winced at the price when I done it but it’s all forgotten now and I’m glad I did go for reclaimed.
 

lloyd

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Used lots of reclaimed Welsh slates .A lot of slates for sale now are double holed so already been
on a roof twice.
You will usually get alot of wastage with secondhand
from a reclamation yard.
I would factor in 15 to 20% not being very good so you
have to add that on to the price.
Quality Canadian slates are the closest to Welsh but
are significantly dearer than Spanish.
Brazilian slate can be brittle.
You pays your money and takes your choice.
 

S J H

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Has anyone used reclaimed slate? I see tonnes of it for sale of varying qualities but have never managed to find a single person who has ever used it. I have researched it and come up with all the same advice - be careful where you buy it, make sure it's all off a single roof, etc etc

But I have never heard anyone's own experience of using it! Would I be mad to think about it for a new build house? Budget can't stretch to £5+ for new Welsh slate and just don't get excited about the grey/black tones of Spanish slate :(
Thought about it but bottled it and went for new welsh, it makes the house in my opinion.

Canadian was very close in price and Welsh slate would deal direct.
 

Ormond

Member
Burlington blue would be my first choice if it money no object but I've just done an extension to match into the rest of the house which is a barn conversion in Reclaimed welsh. I paid £1 a slate which I thought was reasonable.... Reclaimed sandstone roof caps as well
IMG_20191119_1400266.jpg
 
Has anyone used reclaimed slate? I see tonnes of it for sale of varying qualities but have never managed to find a single person who has ever used it. I have researched it and come up with all the same advice - be careful where you buy it, make sure it's all off a single roof, etc etc

But I have never heard anyone's own experience of using it! Would I be mad to think about it for a new build house? Budget can't stretch to £5+ for new Welsh slate and just don't get excited about the grey/black tones of Spanish slate :(
We ended up selling our old slates and using as ee couldn't find enough reclaimed slate to cover the extension. These 16x8 Spanish cost 70p each
20161207_152948.jpg
20161202_154819.jpg
 
Burlington blue would be my first choice if it money no object but I've just done an extension to match into the rest of the house which is a barn conversion in Reclaimed welsh. I paid £1 a slate which I thought was reasonable.... Reclaimed sandstone roof caps as well
IMG_20191119_1400266.jpg

That looks superb. What size are they? And did the roofers like using them? Been told to allow 15-20% waste
 

Ormond

Member
I'm really pleased with the job as it's the look I wanted. If you can see at the Base of the roof the first row is set on reclaimed sandstone roof flags. That gives a nice edge that you see especially on a single story ...also you don't need to double up on a row of slates. Common practice on barns in Cumbria years ago. No complaints from the Roofer, makes a difference to get a good one....if you buy from a decent supplier all the slates have been sorted a s I think they allow for less breakages I'm the crates... maybe 5%. They were 20 x 10's
 
I'm really pleased with the job as it's the look I wanted. If you can see at the Base of the roof the first row is set on reclaimed sandstone roof flags. That gives a nice edge that you see especially on a single story ...also you don't need to double up on a row of slates. Common practice on barns in Cumbria years ago. No complaints from the Roofer, makes a difference to get a good one....if you buy from a decent supplier all the slates have been sorted a s I think they allow for less breakages I'm the crates... maybe 5%. They were 20 x 10's

Didn’t notice that little detail til you pointed it out, very clever. Your roofers did a great job, there’s not a slate out of place. I would be delighted with that although I am after something a wee bit more heather in colour to go against the white render of my house
 

Ormond

Member
The Welsh Heather Blue slate is very rare in the industry. This heather slate is sourced near Bethesda in North Wales, ..just looked that color slate up as I have seen it mixed in on a barn roof....maybe slates bought in to complete a re roof or something. I bought three crates off a guy I know that had taken some small barn down and he said just pay me for what you use... so there were a few broken slates and half's etc.... I was 3 slates shorts....around 800 slates. We've a barn on the farm that has the burlington decreasing course size so they get smaller as they go up...the ultimate in my opinion looks class.
 

Ormond

Member
The Welsh Heather Blue slate is very rare in the industry. This heather slate is sourced near Bethesda in North Wales, ..just looked that color slate up as I have seen it mixed in on a barn roof....maybe slates bought in to complete a re roof or something. I bought three crates off a guy I know that had taken some small barn down and he said just pay me for what you use... so there were a few broken slates and half's etc.... I was 3 slates short...used around 800 slates. We've a barn on the farm that has the burlington decreasing course size so they get smaller as they go up...the ultimate in my opinion burlington westmorland green....reclaimed about £55/£60 per m2. Check out buckingham palace roof;) . I can't remember which the Roofer said was rubbish new slate....maybe Chinese or something. He would work with a lot of reclaimed welsh
 

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