Alternative to natural slate

randombar

Hi Lads,

Working on a car port at the moment

https://capture.dropbox.com/DmTNGIekBv3dp00L

Thinking I should slate the front, house has natural slate.

Any cheap nice looking alternatives?

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

There are riven fibre cements which attempt to but don't look like natural slate.

Just use natural slate, or something completely different which is at least an honest cheaper material.

Lumen

I would use natural slate. The cost difference for a small area isn't significant. You can save by going thinner.

randombar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119462235#Comment_119462235

As in a thinner natural slate?

Lumen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119476093#Comment_119476093

Actually, I may have remembered that exactly the wrong way round. There are price differences in different thicknesses but another source says that the higher quality are thinner (as they're stronger and lighter).

Anyway, worth investigating.

IMO natural slate is exceptionally good looking and durable and so not worth cutting corners on for a relatively small area.

randombar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119476316#Comment_119476316

Any recommendations on where to source?

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119476408#Comment_119476408

I was going to suggest Killoran slate company but their website suggests they are closed and to contact http://www.bluebangor.ie/

I once sourced some s/h blue bangors from them to match and repair a building I owned whose roof had been there since 1893.