Slate vs tile: which suits your property
The choice between slate and tile isn't only aesthetic. Weight, minimum pitch and how the roof was originally designed all narrow the options before taste comes into it.
Natural slate
Long life, thin and light, and the correct look on Victorian and Edwardian stock. Higher material cost and it demands skilled fixing — a badly holed or under-nailed slate roof fails early.
Fibre cement slate
A lighter, cheaper, dimensionally consistent alternative that reads as slate from the street. Shorter service life than natural slate but far more predictable to lay.
Clay tile
Plain tiles and pantiles suit older and character properties, hold colour indefinitely because the colour is the material, and weather attractively rather than fading.
Concrete tile
The default on post-war housing. Cost-effective and robust, but heavy, and the surface pigment weathers so older concrete roofs look tired long before they leak.
Structure decides more than you think
Swapping a heavy concrete tile for slate is usually fine structurally. Going the other way — putting concrete tiles onto a roof designed for slate — needs the structure checking first.
FAQs
Often yes, because slate is lighter. The structure, pitch and detailing all need checking, and in conservation areas the covering may be restricted.
Slate generally needs a reasonable pitch, and small slates need more. Low-pitch roofs limit the options and need specific products.
Well-laid natural slate typically outlasts the alternatives, provided the fixings and underlay are up to the same standard.
Related reading
More on comparisons and the jobs that usually come with it.
- How long should a roof last?Comparisons
- Full re-roof vs overlaying an existing coveringComparisons
- uPVC vs timber fascias and soffitsComparisons
- Autumn roof checklist before the wet seasonMaintenance & seasonal
Looking for something specific? See our roofing services, cost guides, common roof problems or the areas we cover.
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