Slate Roof Bible
£16.73
Poor technical detail - Bought this book before I started to slate the roof on my house (new build). This book had one page of any use and looked like a scanned image from another book. If you want instruction on how to construct a slate roof from scratch this book is completely useless. Has nice photos of slate roofs from around the world and history of slate roofs but thats about it
Should be required reading for anyone with an old home. - Joseph Jenkins writes about the history, installation and repair of slate roofs with a hands on approach. The sources for tools and slate listed in the reference section alone is worth the price of the book. Where asphalt and fiberglass shingles will possibly last 20-25 yrs., the ability of a slate roof to last 75-100 plus is a worthy investment, and can only add to the value of any home. This book should be required reading for home remodelers, contractors, builders, and historic preservationist.
A must-have for slate roof home owners - I work for a roofing company that specializes in slate. I can tell you from experience that this book is indeed full of very good tips on preserving what is, imho, the very best roof covering a person can possibly have on his or her home. Mr. Jenkins is absolutely correct in his assertations that bemoan the artificial roofing we tend to use in this country. The history and the tips expressed are an invaluable resource to those of us who appreciate the natural beauty and durability of a slate roof. My commendations on a fine effort.
Extraordinary document on the fine art of poetic roofing. - This book by Joe Jenkins is one of a kind. It s a comprehensive, kalidoscopic, multi-faceted tome that everyone interested in architecture, construction, or design must read. One is duly impressed by the encyclopedic knowledge and obvious love and care Mr. Jenkins has brought to his subject. The photos are outstanding and lead you to the conclusion that slate roofs are truely a work of art. This book not only explains the history of slate (as if that weren t enough), but it also devotes the last half to giving practical instructions on how to preserve slate roofs. It argues convincingly that the loss of slate roofs in favor of inferior materials reflects a lowering of aesthetic (and economic) values. After reading this book, you ll want one yourself, and if you already have one, you ll know how to preserve it. The writing is folksy, down home, and humorous, as if Jenkins were pontificating to you from the top of a cathedral as he s replacing a tile. As an example of Jenkins elevated taste, he opens the book with a phenomenal poem that encapsulates in musical language the poetry of slate. Leaving no slate unturned, the poem artfully recreates the spiritual and aesthetic resonances that slate suggests. The poem is worth the price of the book itself, as is the creative cover by Tom Griffith. All in all, no house with a roof should be without it.
More than Roof repair - saving America s treasures! - Who knew one could get so excited about slate roofing. After reading this book, I am so motivated to tackle the roof on my house. Everywhere I walk now my head is pointed upwards to look at the slate on roofs. My father always told me that slate lasts 100 years - but never did I imagine it could last up to 400! The most interesting thing about this book is the geology of slate. Mr Jenkins clearly shows his experience but also his passion for this type of roof - which is more than a roof- it s a piece of architectural history. The book appropriately enough starts with a poem - because slate can truly inspire poetry. My only criticism is that in his passion for slate, Mr. Jenkins occasionally slights terne roofing. Being in a barn, garage or gazebo under a terne / tin roof during the rain is just as poetic as slate. I remember looking for books on terne roofing, a skill which thankfully my father passed on to me, and found in some complete guide to roofing (sic) that metal is no longer an acceptable roofing material because of the noise it makes during rain . My God - they just don t get it. Tthe poetry of rain on a tin (or slate) roof. Pity the people who have never heard that soothing, lulling sound.