Thursday, May 22, 2014

Polish Roofing and Carpentry Festival

 

Our own Gary Howes, Chairman of the Board for the Slate Roofing Contractors Association, was invited to Poland to meet with other contractors who have a passion for roofing and carpentry.

To check out all of the pictures from this event visit:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Durable-Restoration-Company/466161863427438#!/pages/The-Durable-Restoration-Company/466161863427438?hc_location=timeline

 

 

Monday, May 19, 2014

National Slate Association's Board and Membership Meeting

 
 

Durable Slate's John Chan, President of the National Slate Association, was one of the many members who attended the board and membership meeting in Charleston, SC on May 2-4.

 

 
 
 
To learn more about the NSA visit http://slateassociation.org/



Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Common Goal of Education brings Preservation to the Forefront


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Charleston, South Carolina
 
April 15, 2014

 

Common Goal of Education brings Preservation to the Forefront

 

The Durable Slate Company, Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation and the Historic Charleston Foundation are teaming up on May 1st, 2014 to educate Graduate students, preservation professionals and historic property owners alike on slate roofing in Charleston.

This event will feature John Chan, owner of The Durable Slate Company, speaking about slate roof basics and different types of slate. There will also be an on-site visual inspection workshop by touring the beautiful slate roofs of Charleston. Carter Hudgins, Director for Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, says, “John Chan comes to Charleston with highest recommendations as one of the nation's leading experts in the restoration of historic slate roofs.  Anyone who owns or maintains a slate roof will want to hear his advice on slate roofing before we enter another hurricane season."

Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, Historic Charleston Foundation and The Durable Slate Company share a common belief in the importance of education and a common goal of preserving historic structures throughout Charleston and elsewhere. To take part in this educational seminar join them on May 1st, 2014 at College of Charleston, 292 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29401.

 

About Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation:
The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation is a collaborative effort between Clemson University and the College of Charleston. The program, which is based full time in Charleston, South Carolina, offers the Master of Science in Historic Preservation and the Certificate in Historic Preservation.

 

About The Durable Slate Company:
 
http://www.durableslate.com/
 
The Durable Slate Company provides slate, copper, and clay tile roofing services throughout the Eastern United States. For larger projects, our craftsmen will travel to anywhere in the world. For projects extending beyond the roof, our sister company, The Durable Restoration Company is an award winning restoration contractor employing craftsmen specializing in more than a dozen traditional trades covering the interior as well as the exterior envelope.

 

About Historic Charleston Foundation:

Established in 1947, Historic Charleston Foundation is dedicated to preserving and protecting the architectural, historical and cultural character of Charleston and its Lowcountry environs, and to educating the public about Charleston’s history and the benefits that are derived from preservation.

 

 

To learn more about this seminar please contact:

 

Carter L. Hudgins, Director
Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program
in Historic Preservation
Department of Planning, Development and Preservation
292 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC  29401
843.937.9567
540.604.0180 (cell)
chudgin@clemson.edu

 

###

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

An Overview of Different Types of Roofing Materials: An Interview with John Chan of The Durable Slate Company

Owner of The Durable Slate Company, John Chan, had the privilage of writing a very informative article on the differences of slate, tile and metal roofs for Florida State Homes.
Check it out below!


An Overview of Different Types of Roofing Materials: An Interview with John Chan of The Durable Slate Company


To check out more about Florida State Homes visit: http://www.floridastatehomes.com


Tuesday, December 31, 2013

When are you really paying more?

 
 
 
     “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
 
-          Red Adair
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Why is slate able to be recycled?

Take a look at this excerpt from Gordon Bock's article, "From Prosaic to Precious" in Period Homes magazine.



Slate Roofing Another recycled building material at home on period houses — and in the same league as tile — is slate. Whether new or used, the life expectancy of roofing slate is determined by the source from which it was quarried. According to Jack Jenkins at the Durable Slate Co., based in Rockville, MD, "Most of the slate we see is from the slate belts in Vermont and New York State, which last about 125 years." He explains that slates from Buckingham, VA, have a life of around 175 years, and Pennsylvania HardVein and Peach Bottom slates (which are no longer quarried) stand up for 100 and 200 years respectively.
"When we reclaim slate from a building, we research the slate type, as well as when it was quarried and installed," he says, "so we have a good idea of the kind of life that can be expected from a new installation." As an example, he says they usually do not even reclaim Pennsylvania blue-black SoftVein slate because its life of 60 years or more is comparatively short. "In fact, some of the high-end slates are hard to find because, having such extraordinary lifespans and durability, they do not come onto the recycled market."
According to Jenkins, the majority of the recycled slate market is for additions to existing slate roofs and major repairs, especially when a match in appearance and longevity is desired. "Slate is a rock, a very long-lived rock," he says and, echoing tile, "what typically fails on a roof is not the rock but the underlayment." However, he says that they also regularly sell recycled slate for entire new roofs." What drives the choice of recycled slate over and above aesthetics? The opportunity to keep the roofing out of a landfill is a factor for some clients but the bigger appeal is usually the bottom line. Installation labor is the lion's share of the cost of any slate roof, old or new, but Jenkins notes that using recycled slate can contribute a significant savings on materials — as much as 30% over new slate.
For all of the above reasons, Jenkins says, "There is a pretty strong market for recycled slate," with his company keeping an inventory of some 800,000 to a million pieces in stock. Also, he says they are tapped into a national network that makes it possible to source pretty much any slate desired, from graduated slate to green, purple and mottled slates and the always hard-to-find red.
In another bit of roofing déjá-vu, Jenkins adds that the recycling process is actually an advantage. "Because recycled slate is being handled quite a bit during the course of recovery, sorting and shipping, you are getting a pretty solid material by the time it arrives at a new installation site." As with any building material, when ordering new slate you have to factor in some overage for waste. "It's the same for recycled slate," he adds, "but maybe only by a couple of percentage points more."
When it comes to installations, Jenkins says that in the hands of an experienced roofer, there are no significant differences between installing recycled slate versus new slate. "However, we have been encouraging people to consider the hook system rather than using nails." As he explains, hooks have been used for generations in Ireland and Wales. "Typically, under-nailing or over-nailing is one of the major sources of problems in slate roofs," he says, either causing breakage of under-slates or punch-through on over-slates, "and the hook system eliminates that possibility."


For more information about this article please visit:
 http://www.period-homes.com/3-salvaged-NOVEMBER2013.html


Friday, December 6, 2013

Knowledge is Power!

 
 
Many slate roof owners have a lot of questions and concerns regarding their roofs. With this comes many misconceptions, but it's not your fault! Informing yourself is the best way to know what is true and is the only way to ensure your roof lasts as long as possible.
 
 
Check out the article below by William Kibbel III for some great info!
 
 
 
 
For more on this and other information regarding your home please visit: