🔨 Making a Hand Cut Stone Roof, the Art of Slating #1 🏠

Slate makes a durable, fire resistant, repairable and beautiful traditional roof. You can also cut slates to pattern, or use length, width, thickness and color, to get creative. This is a fairly complex design inspired by the scales on a "blue belly" lizard.
Affiliate links. These tool brands are not necessarily recommended, just examples. Do your own research and price shopping...
The Slate Roof Bible : amzn.to/3oFStHa
European carpentry hammers with slate punch claw:
Picard latthammer: amzn.to/3mCl0eR
KWB lattenhammer: amzn.to/35MAfv3
Slate Rippers: amzn.to/3mHcDyR
Roof Jacks: amzn.to/34FE4Ti
Ladder Ridge Hook (used on end of extension latter to hook over the ridge of a roof. Sometimes necessary, certainly handy: amzn.to/3oFTBdS
Some free reading on slate from archive.org! archive.org/se...
Cool old video on slate production: • Slate Quarry Beware - ...
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Buy less, but buy it through my links! Shopping through my affiliate links generates revenue for me, at no extra cost to you, click links here, or go to my Amazon Store page: skillcult.com/a... But seriously, buy less, do more.
Standard gear I recommend. I either use or have used all of it.
Council Tool Boys Axe: amzn.to/3z0muqI
Bahco Farmer's File: amzn.to/3Hbdhij
King two sided sharpening stone: amzn.to/32EX1XC
Silky f180 saw: amzn.to/3yZzM71
ARS 10 foot long reach pruner: amzn.to/3esETmM
Victorinox grafting/floral knife: amzn.to/3Jki1E9
Wiebe 12” fleshing tool: amzn.to/3sB0qSl
Atlas Elbow Gloves: amzn.to/3FwB5g6
BOOKS:
The Axe Book, by Dudley Cook: amzn.to/32kx7sN
Bushcraft, by Mors Kochanski: amzn.to/32q2rpT
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[@projectmalus]

The lizard skin effect is great. That German stuff is extreme!

[@SkillCult]

lt's my dream to go to an american roofing slate quarry and pay them a flat fee by the ton for pieces that can be made into those small scale slates. I'm assuming there is a lot of wastage since few roofing slates here are under 6 wide, by pretty long. Cut the slates there by hand and have them shipped back on a pallet. I met a german slater on facebook that lives in the states, so I could probably get a few tips. Looks like a learning curve!

[@projectmalus]

​@@SkillCult The slate is sharp like sheet metal. My brother had a stack at the family home, some of which he used for garden edging. I made him remove it...if a little kid fell on it it wouldn't have been pretty. I wish I had some slate now for a firewood shed and a garden shelter, both small structures with roofs visible from the house. Cheers.

[@SkillCult]

@@projectmalus check craigslist, but beware many lots of left over slate have a lot of rejects.

[@master_Blaster91]

We do alot of Yorkshire greys over here and some of them can be monsters. 40 inch by 40 and even bigger 2 inch thick or more

[@mihacurk]

Oh man, this sounds awesome! I can’t wait!

[@yeetmachine1737]

I always wondered how it's made. I used to live in the Italian Alps, and virtually all building pre 1940s were roofed with slate. Such a beautiful material

[@Cadwaladr]

I knew a little bit about slate roofing before I went to the Isle of Man a couple years ago. Over there, there's a whole castle with outer walls made of slate, and on the hill just to the southwest of the town of Peel, there's a tower that my great great great great grandfather, Thomas Corrin, built in 1805, made of solid slate. That was quite something to get to see. I never thought of slate as a structural building material, but it definitely works.

[@SkillCult]

Wow, cool family history. I imagine it would make a great building block material for masonry, given the flat nature of it. I have plans to build some miniature stuff with scraps, using it that way, and of course as a roof too.

[@SkillCult]

Do you have pics posted of that tower anywhere online?

[@Cadwaladr]

@@SkillCult Yeah, if you scroll back a little way on my instagram (cadwaladr_) or google "Corrin's tower". Also the castle I mentioned was Peel Castle, and the outer slate walls were built in the 15th century, I think, though it contains structures dating from the 11th century.

[@daveyjoweaver5183]

A slate roof is cool! My former old brick farm house had a slate roof and I had old slates and a cutter ad hammer but lacked the anvil. I'll send a pic when I find those tools Steven. Your roof looks great! If you remember my GG Grandfather Jiseph Shanks, a nephew of his was a slater. In fact at one time he owned the Peachbottom slate quarry along the Susquehanna River, about 10 miles west of me. He was slating into his 80s in all kinds of weather in the 1920s. His name was Park Shank and also had a ferry across the Susquehanna River until the toll on the new bridge at that time stopped charging tools. There's story from the 1920s where Parker, as he was called, fell off a slate roof he was working on, fell 26 feet on the corner of the porch in Oxford, Pa. About 10 miles south of me. He was in his 80s and they thought surely he would die. They carted him off to the doctors. But in to months time he was back on to roof. The Peaxh Bottom slate quarry was known for some of the best slate in the world and can be seen o many old houses even 200+. But after the dams were biilt on the Susquehanna it was cover over, along with petroglyphs, life can be traced back 15,000 years along the river and some petroglyphs are still visible. Anyway Steven, a great video and Kind Thanks! Joy of Spirit Brother! DaveyJO

[@SkillCult]

Wow, cool stories as usual from your family! I wish we had some quality slate quarries out here, but either they aren't here, or were never developed for roofing slate.

[@bayareasparky9180]

Just fabulous stuff Steven. I'm really glad you've picked up this project again. To the finish line!

[@CaptMaxADV]

P.S. There are 2 other people I wish I could meet and have a conversation with before I die. And with you there’s now 3! Stay rad my man. I’m still hangin in here since your first axemanship vids! 🙌🏻

[@SkillCult]

That's very flattering. I"m sure I'm really that interesting, just ask me ;)

[@CaptMaxADV]

@@SkillCult You and me BOTH! lol

[@donjuanmckenzie4897]

You're seriously reminding me of my high school foot ball coach

[@SkillCult]

Take a knee :)

[@KimballCody]

Excellent video. I enjoyed the format.

[@MarijaB96]

a very interesting and serious channel in his profession

[@Shaun.Stephens]

Good stuff! When you fist showed your pattern I said "cool, scutes". The most valuable things a man can have can't ever be stolen - skills.

[@heidimoore4981]

Lots of patience there cutting all those tiles. Such a beautiful roof. I’ve always wanted to put in a slate roof, I’ve done a slate fire hearth which was a lot of fun. Very much looking forward to the rest of this series. Thanks Steven for sharing this skill with us. ❤️

[@fngrusty42]

Beautiful roof.

[@coen555]

I'd forgotten about this roof. I saw it once on your blog. Very exciting to see you work on it again.

[@TheOneWhoHasNoSkin]

dude makes hes roof in to an art piece. nice

[@christurley391]

Cool project maybe last roof you'll ever need.

[@tonythepwny]

Now I wish I had a roof to slate.

[@SkillCult]

On your bark tannery where you graft seedling apples and keep your axes?

[@stantheman5163]

Nice project video. Your lizard skin pattern is inspired. I love slate roofs and soapstone counters. Stone roof will do well in wild fire country too.

[@OakKnobFarm]

Great tutorial. I've done some cedar shakes, and this is pretty similar. I really like your choice of shape / color.

[@somatder]

very cool stuff, Steven! Coincidentially, I have recently become fascinated with slate roofs, I am very intriged by the properties of this material, it's so durable yet very easy to manipulate with only simple handtools. I just think it's incredible that you can punch a hole in a material without it breaking, I just don't understand, you would think it is brittle like a rock ;) Slate roofs are actually common on railway station buildings here in Denmark, dunno why, maybe because they look cool and because governmental buildings tended to be quite refined back in the 19th and early 20th century

[@SkillCult]

I'm not sure why it seems so resilient to handling, splitting and punching. maybe flexibility. Sure is neat stuff though.

[@master_Blaster91]

I work with roof slates.

[@briancorboy1042]

Slate roofs are great, but you have to account for the added weight. Years ago I helped frame a roof for slate. We had doubled up 2x12 rafters on 12" centers, sitting on 2x6 walls framed on 12" centers. The roof will last forever, as long as the structure is built to hold it up!

[@SkillCult]

Joseph Jenkins covers that in the slate roof bible. He says it doesn't have to be as over built as many think. this is a small building, though the shear could be better on the walls. The rafters are short spans and true 2 x 8 old growth doug fir.

[@briancorboy1042]

I can see how the span would make a big difference. The roof was in New Hampshire and they also have to account for a significant snow load. I like the pattern you went with. It's awesome to be artistic with work.

[@LookXmumXnohead]

Very neat, it's so interesting how you can cut and poke holes so simply, but the slate doesn't seem to shatter or break. I'd love to work with this one day. I love how visceral you film and create your videos. I am very perceptive and can almost feel the textures and physical properties of the materials you work with. Also, huge Cramps fan here. *Grin

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, it is amazing. Must have something to do with the plate like grain structure. Some are only about 1/8 inch thick!

[@zeros_knives_and_bushcraft.]

Way cool! Looking forward to this series.

[@T3hJones]

Beautiful roof and that old growth redwood is amazing :o.

[@Jerry-uc1pn]

This man living in minecraft IRL using the new slate blocks

[@dainbramage0]

That death metal CD collection was unexpected, awesome video!

[@SkillCult]

Definitely in a brutal death metal phase. there's all kinds of stuff in there though.

[@heidimoore4981]

So excited for this......

[@cemprotecta]

How cool. Thanks a lot, man!

[@garettanderson6772]

I had that Cramps album back in the 80's!

[@SkillCult]

My favorite Cramps album. I was never a huge fan, but gotta love that one. And great cover!

[@jesseoglidden]

Cool!

[@CaptMaxADV]

Dude! AWESOME!!!

[@mikepettengill2706]

I want to do that!

[@nonyobussiness3440]

You’re what I aspire to be

[@SkillCult]

Better aspire to just the best parts ;)

[@nonyobussiness3440]

Sick chopper

[@SkillCult]

yeah, those things are cool.

[@toadstkr]

Cramps!

[@glennwilck5459]

I've done wood shingles and they are the same layout but how much and where do you get slates??

[@SkillCult]

I got my slates off craigslist as left over lots after large jobs in the city. Otherwise I'd never be able to afford them. You have to get them cheap though, as many are likely to be rejects that have invisible or hidden cracks or have other issues. You can also find used slates in areas were it's used a lot.

[@glennwilck5459]

@@SkillCult thanks for the reply your roof is awesome so is your channel!

[@bertbert2725]

nice EV mic. i have that one in my collection too :)

[@SkillCult]

Sounds pretty bad, but people swear they are great harp mics. Id' like to put a better capsule in it someday. Super classy, neat mics!

[@bertbert2725]

@@SkillCult i've used it in a theatre set hanging from it's cable as a special effect mic. it almost sounded like it had reverb by itself

[@TrenchForgeArmory]

Is anyone else coming back to this video and getting a "premiere ended" message and thus can't watch the video? I really want to know, but it seems I can't :(

[@SkillCult]

Seems odd. Try a different browser? Or maybe it's a cache issue. dunno.

[@sethpatchell8404]

Fantastic video! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the series! Have you ever tried using slate for flintknapping? I've been getting into knapping and it looks like it could possibly be used for it although it might be to brittle and not have predictable flake scar patterns.

[@SkillCult]

the very thing that makes it split easily, a predictable strong grain, would make it unsuitable for flintknapping. Knappable stones are pretty much free of directional grain and that uniformity is what allows us to flake them in any direction.

[@sethpatchell8404]

@@SkillCult That makes a lot of sense, would love to see a video on it some day!

[@SkillCult]

@@sethpatchell8404 If I do knapping, it will probably be practical field stuff, core reduction and flake tools.

[@feelsman7837]

I'm sure you're gonna wipe the slate clean with this one

[@oprov46]

Good stuff ! At 13:36 , left page, top picture - I can't read it but looks like old Bulgarian village or somewhere on the Balkans. Do you have video of how your house is made? Thanks!

[@SkillCult]

I don't. This building is a pretty standard stud frame with straw coated in a clay slip Packed in between the studs.

[@oprov46]

@@SkillCult - I am always interested in natural materials for building and insulation ability etc...

[@cecilrhodes1057]

I have a question about the benefits of slate vs wooden shingles vs thatch, obviously slate is fire resistant but it's also hard to come by if you were to just walk out into the wilderness and build a house I doubt you could use slate.

[@SkillCult]

I wouldn't think so in most cases, but I don't live in slate country. If you could get thin enough sheets, large enough, it shouldn't be too hard. It would help to have some tools, but they can be laid with pegs, or I think sometimes without even being afixed. Given a few simple steel tools though it seems very feasible and you also need tools to do wood shingles. Even good thatch is pretty temporary, but it's simple enough.

[@quintond.7888]

Thanks for the video man. I always thought slate roofing was cool, but it seemed unattainable or maybe just impractical in my area. I've noticed the structure before in some of your videos, is it some type of cobb over timber? Also, given how much you do with lime I have to ask; is that actual homemade whitewash?

[@SkillCult]

I've done a little limewash, which is just a very thin solution of lime in water, but it is mostly used on stone and other masonry. This building is straw clay mix packed between studs. Just a light clay slip coating the straw.

[@quintond.7888]

@@SkillCult you fooled me with the white interior :) it's a rad little structure.

[@SkillCult]

@@quintond.7888 I just slapped up plywood in here until I can do something else, like plaster maybe. Just zero VOC paint to brighten it up.

[@veshtitsacraftsandtunes4693]

But you still have frost to worry about... Celtic Frost.

[@SkillCult]

:D

[@SkillCult]

i just finally got a phono preamp again, that reminds me to play that right now!

[@liammcelvarr4859]

*Commence phone on hold music*

[@SkillCult]

insturmental Elevator music version of the Sex Pistols God Save the Queen

[@liammcelvarr4859]

@@SkillCult phone on hold beeps in the rythem of Dracula by rob zombie

[@liammcelvarr4859]

@@SkillCult nah sorry raining blood from slayer lol

[@SkillCult]

@@liammcelvarr4859 SLAAAATERRRR!!!

[@liammcelvarr4859]

@@SkillCult well ik what music im listening too today now lol

[@guifrakss]

.

[@elkhound25]

awesome ! cant wait to see more of this project !