Category Archives: historic roofing

What Makes Slate Roofing Ideal for Rhode Island Homes?

June 27, 2025historic roofingRIslate15

When it comes to choosing the right roofing material for your home, especially in a place like Rhode Island, the decision is more than just aesthetic; it’s about long-term durability, protection, and value. One material stands out as a superior option for New England homes: natural slate. Here’s why we believe slate roofing is one of the best choices for homeowners in the Ocean State.

1. Built for Rhode Island’s Weather

New England weather can be unpredictable, whether it’s coastal storms or Nor’easters to humid summers, or cold winters. That’s why the roofing on your home needs to be water-resistant, wind-resistant, and incredibly durable. That’s why slate roofing is perfect for Rhode Island’s unpredictable seasons.

2. Timeless Aesthetics That Match New England Architecture

Rhode Island is known for its historic homes, colonial-style architecture, and coastal charm, and slate roofing not only protects these homes but also enhances their character. Each slate tile offers natural elegance, with unique textures and rich color variations that create a high-end, timeless appearance. Beyond aesthetics, a properly installed slate roof significantly boosts curb appeal and adds lasting value, helping homes stand out in any Rhode Island neighborhood.

3. Incredible Longevity

Slate Roofing is incredibly worth it due to its longevity. Slate roofs can last 75 to 150 years or even longer with proper maintenance. For Rhode Island homeowners, that means investing once and enjoying peace of mind for generations.

4. Great for Historic and Coastal Homes

Rhode Island is rich in historic districts and coastal communities, where building materials follow strict preservation and environmental standards. In many of these areas, preservation societies and local regulations either prefer or require the use of slate for restoration projects, as it maintains the architectural integrity of historic homes. Slate is highly resistant to salt, moisture, and the harsh coastal climate, making it an ideal roofing choice for homes in seaside towns along the shoreline.

5. Adds Value to Your Home

A slate roof is a sign of quality craftsmanship and lasting value. Buyers recognize it as a premium feature, one that can justify a higher resale price. Some insurance companies offer lower premiums for fire-resistant and weather-durable roofs.

Contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing

If you’re considering slate roofing in Rhode Island, whether for a new home, a replacement, or a historic restoration, Rhode Island Slate Roofing can help! With decades of experience working on slate roofs, we can help you achieve your home roof goals. Contact us today through our contact form, or give us a call at 401-255-2003.

What You Should Know About Historic Roof Restoration

December 1, 2022historic roofingrestoration, rhode island, roofingRIslate15

A historic roof is more than just an old roof. A historic roof carries plenty of meaning and plays an essential part to the structure of a building. Historic roofs are commonly found on landmark buildings, churches, and mansions. Like all types of roofs, historic roofs will require restoration at some point. Continue reading to learn more about historic roof restoration projects!

Indicators A Historic Roof Needs Restoration

A historic roof cannot be restored if no damage is detected. If a historic roof has never been restored before, there is a decent chance it has some damage. Before restoration is scheduled have the roof inspected.

Common signs a historic roof needs restoration are:

Rotten spots on the roof
Excessive Moss
The ceiling is discolored

What Are The Benefits of Historic Roof Restoration?

When any structural element is “restored”, benefits can be countless. Here are five common benefits of historic roof restoration:

Additional damages can be prevented or mitigated
More High-Quality products exist now than decades ago
Restoration will extend the longevity of the roof
Restoration will enhance the aesthetics of the roof
Restoration can uncover roofing issues not previously spotted

Restoring A Historic Roof is Worth It

Historic roof restoration preserves an old roof with historical significance. With a historic roof part of a building with a notable presence, keeping the structure in its original form is invaluable.

How Long Does Historic Restoration Take?

Historic roof restoration can be a challenging process, but if you hire the right professionals, the project can be successful. Historic roof restoration requires a meticulous evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, professional roofers set out the logistics and get started. Every historic roofing restoration project will vary from another but historic roof restorations usually take a few weeks to complete

Professional Roofing Services in Smithfield, RI

Rhode Island Slate Roofing offers a variety of professional roofing services throughout the state of Rhode Island. When you need a roof installation, repair, or restoration, you can count on our professional team to get the job done! With our experience, expertise and resources, we can get the project done right the first time! Contact us today to get started!

Historic Slate Work at RISD

January 4, 2021historic roofing, slate roofingRIslate15

Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing recently worked on some of the historic slate roofs at the Rhode Island School of Design! Our team was happy to work with the school and complete the roof restorations on the school’s beautiful buildings!

Our team was thrilled to be involved on this project. We replaced a number of old roofs around the campus, making repairs where we could. The beautiful slate roofs at RISD have withstood rain, snow, even hurricanes, but eventually even slate needs to be repaired!

We visited these beautiful buildings, and examined the roofs for damage, making repairs where possible, and replacing the entire roof in situations where it was warranted.

From minor repairs to full roof replacements, our team was happy to do anything it took to restore these slate roofs! We’re happy we were able to be a part of this project, and we look forward to working with RISD again in the future!

If you need to repair or replace the slate roof on your home, business, or historic building this winter, our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist with your needs! Reach out to our team today to learn more about our roofing services.

More About Historic Roof Repair

January 26, 2018historic roofingRIslate15

In Rhode Island and New England we are blessed to live in an area filled with history. Part of that history is historic homes. And part of historic homes, are historic roofs. Rhode Island Slate Roofing is one of the few roofing contractors in the state that has the knowledge and know-how to safely repair historic roofs.

About Historic Roofs

Historic Roofs can be made out of a few different materials. Materials such as shingles, slate, metal, or even clay tile. In New England, the most common place to see historic roofs are on old churches, barns, and farmhouses. Historic roofs give any building a distinguished look. The most common form of historic roofing is slate, especially in this geographic region, because of the abundance of slate in the North East.

Historic Slate Roof Repair

If you own or are in charge of an building that has a historic slate roof, its important to make sure you are dealing with a roofing contractor who is experienced in this particular area of roof repair. When making the decision to repair or replace a historic roof, the experience of the contractor will be a great asset to any homeowner. For example, if your roof has major flashing issues, it will require the remove of large amounts of slate. Depending on other factors it may make sense to do a complete replacement. Your roofing contractor can help you with this decision making process.

If you have a troublesome historic roof in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing today with any questions.