RANDOM WIDTH SLATE ROOF- Random width is the combination of two or more widths of slate roofing tiles randomly installed to provide a "broken" or random pattern of key way spacing the side space between the slate in one horizontal course. Random width is most common on residential installations and tends to the more natural look.
Installing a Random Width Slate Roof:
For a Random Pattern Slate Roof use the narrowest widths for the hip and ridge and the widest widths for the cuts in the valleys. For a 16” random, use only 16x8 for hip and ridge, not 10” or 12”.
In the body of the slate roof, you should not see the keyway spaces lining up (or referred to as bonded) on a random width slate roof.
To start, add up the piece counts on each pallet for each size. From the total count, deduct 100 pieces of 16x8 for every 25 linear feet of hip and ridge. Then divide the number of slate tiles for each size by the total number of pieces for all sizes added together to get the percentage of each size. You must do it by the number of pieces, not the number of total squares of each size.
For example on a 16” Random with 52% of 8”, 27% of 10” and 21% of 12”, you would pull (20) pieces of slate at a time to go on the roof. For each (20) pieces total, pull (10) of the 8”, (5) of the 10” and (5) of the 12”. Then lay them in a total random pattern. For instance lay (1) 12", (2) 10", (2) 8", (1) 12", (3) 8", (1) 10", (2) 12", (3) 8", (1) 10", (1) 12", (2) 8", (1) 10". Once they get the first course right, then they just put the slate tiles down randomly to keep the keyway spaces 3” apart from the row below and keep them from lining up on every other row.
Lay out 3 rows of 20 on the ground to get the idea before you start.
It is much easier to lay out the slate this way, once you get started correctly. Trying to line keyway spaces on every other row is tedious and time consuming.
CONSTANT WIDTH SLATE ROOF- Constant width installations are where a single width of slate tile is installed on the roof. In this case the key way spaces in alternate horizontal courses line up to create a more uniform pattern on the roof and provide a more formal style. Constant width is often seen on commercial projects, churches, courthouses, educational/ institutional buildings and large very formal residential projects. |
