Category: Architecture Publisher: Joseph Jenkins Inc.
ISBN-10: 0964425823
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 374
Copyright: May, 2016
ISBN-13: 9780964425828
Joseph Jenkins climbed on his first slate roof in 1968, authored the first edition of The Slate Roof Bible in 1997, and published the second edition in 2003. Both editions received national awards. The third edition of the book reflects more than a decade of additional experience being passed on to the reader by the man who is arguably the foremost expert on slate roofs in the United States today.
The Slate Roof Bible, 3rd Edition, now in hardcover, records decades of work within the slate roofing industry worldwide. The first edition received the National Roofing Contractor’s Association Gold Circle Award, and the 3rd edition received 10 national and international book awards.
This book belongs on the shelf of every architect, roofer, slate roof owner, architectural consultant, history buff, and anyone in the roofing industry.
Excerpt
Allow me to make a humble suggestion. If you want to know how to build a roof that will last a century or even two, find a roof that’s already that old and copy it.
There aren’t too many types of roofs that can last that long. Ceramic tile, some metal roofs, and most stone roofs can all fit into the “century roof” category. Stone roofs are the subject of this book and, in particular, slate stone, although there are different types of stone roofs, as we will see later. “Slate roofs” can be very simple — composed of thin sheets of stone usually nailed to wooden boards which are themselves attached to roof rafters. If you use good slate, good nails, and then correctly fasten the slate shingles to a good roof deck, voilà! —you have a century roof!
Slate roofs have an abundance of advantages over other roof types. They’re fireproof and watertight. They’re made of natural materials. They have a track record that goes back at least five thousand years and spans the entire earth. They’re beautiful, simple roofs made of rock on wood (and sometimes concrete) decks — ingenious, effective, and fabulously successful.
There are hundreds of thousands of older homes with original slate on their roofs, many a century old or older. For this reason, part of this book focuses on the history of the quarries and the people who created the roofs 100 years or more ago. If you have a slate roof circa late 1800s, then in this book you can find out how the roof was produced, where the quarries were located, and what life was like for the people who heaved the stone out of the ground.
Slate roofing in the United States has an odd history. The bottom fell out of the slate industry during World War II when the war took the men from the quarries. Slate production was deemed non-essential for wartime efforts, and artificial roofing crept into the market, pushing slate aside. What happened next was unfortunate. The “old-timers” who had installed the millions of beautiful natural slate roofs in the United States eventually got old and died off. An entire generation or two of young men went off to college to become doctors or lawyers, ignoring the trades of their elders. Decades went by and only a tiny fraction of new slate roofs were installed in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s compared to the peak period between 1880 and 1940.
In the latter part of the 20th century and into the early 2000s, natural slate roofing began an earnest resurgence. The National Slate Association, dead since 1926, formed anew in 2002. The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America, a national trade association, formed in 2003. As of this writing in 2016, slate quarries in the northeastern USA were organizing their own association.
The public has developed a renewed interest in natural quarried slate roofing. People are realizing that nothing beats slate. Its beauty and charm are inimitable. It is “the sheltering stone,” fireproof, natural, and virtually inexhaustible. Although the old quarries leave big holes in the ground, these fill with water to become beautiful lakes. There is nothing toxic about the production of roofing slate — no poisonous chemicals leaching into the environment, no asbestos, no petrochemicals wafting into the air or leaking into the streams.
Professional Reviews
Amazon Reader
This is a wonderful book, and not just for those doing slate roof work. Full of great pictures and stories the book can be quite entertaining as well as extremely useful for anyone doing or considering do slate work. I am a total amateur but find the information very helpful and easy to follow as well as inspiring to "get to work". I also use the author's company for purchasing any related supplies or tools, and am always very satisfied.
Midwest Book Review, October 2016
"Jenkins effectively draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to provide a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual regarding the craft of slate roof installation. Expanded sections include slate siding, eyebrow dormers, turrets, soldering, flashings, international slate, American slate history, slating styles, installation and repair tips, and trade secrets.
Dozens of new color photographs have been added, as well as step-by-step illustrations and line drawings. Exceptionally well written, illustrated, organized and presented, 'The Slate Roof Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the World's Finest Roof' is especially recommended to the attention of architects, roofers, slate roof owners, architectural consultants, architectural history buffs, and anyone involved with the roofing industry.
Professional, community, and academic libraries should consider this new third edition of "The Slate Roof Bible" to be an essential, core addition to their Architecture collections in general, and slate roofing supplemental studies reading lists in particular."
Amazon Reader
If you are going to have anything to do with slate roofs, this book is indispensible. Book covers everything you might need to know, whether you're the roofer, contractor, or building owner. This book can save you from many very costly mistakes
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Reviews for "The Slate Roof Bible, 3rd edition"
Reviewed by Laura H.
9/27/2019
Is a slate roof for you? Reading this book will help you make this once-in-a-lifetime decision for your build.
After reading this book you will have a better understanding of the professionals who spend their lives invested in the slate roof and its place in our history--past, present, and future.
The author's knowledge of this topic shines through on every page. His obvious love of the history and use of slate roofs is unmistakable. You can feel his frustration, anger, and sadness when dealing with one property. Jenkins offered to remove the slate roof at no cost only to discover the owner had removed and thrown all the slates in the garbage. What a colossal waste.
An easy-to-read publication that is informative as well as enjoyable--is unique, but this is one of them. Every aspect of slate roofs is covered in this publication including but not limited to: the history, usage, tools needed, longevity, design, and the personal appeal making this a remarkable book.
The phenomenal pictures of the various types of slate roofs add to the unusual experience of reading this book.
This is a book that every construction company should have as part of their reference library. Also it would make the perfect gift for the builder in your life.
All the accolades this book has received are more than deserved. The author did a magnificent job compiling the information that went into this publication and one can but imagine the years it took to do so.
