Green Roof Slate

Green roof slate has long been used in conservation areas across the UK, but it’s far more prevalent in Devon & Cornwall due to the locally quarried Delabole slate.

As magnificent and alluring as the Delabole slate is, the cost implications are significant, and are comparable to Welsh slate prices. There are currently 2 alternatives to the Delabole slate that present themselves similarly and yet differently. The Brazilian Grey/Green is a prominent shade of milky green with a mottle effect that runs through the majority of the slate. This gives the illusion of a heavily textured material and a very natural look. The green hue and attractive price is what captivates the majority of buyers. However, Brazilian slate is brittle compared to it’s Cornish and Spanish competitors, primarily due to the fact that it’s a sedimentary rock, rather than true metamorphic rock. Due to the brittle nature of the material, we recommend hook fixing, rather than nail fixing.

The Spanish alternative is the Prestige GM First. Although specified as a grey/blue, the quarry is split into 2 different lines for production. The first is the Prestige GM Light – This is the Spanish green roof slate. The resemblance to delabole is uncanny, and structurally similar. The Oscuro line is the second seem of rock – this is darker slate with a blue, rather than green hue. The Prestige GM is a phyllite metamorphic slate.

The Prestige GM and Brazilian Grey/Green are excellent alternatives to the Cornish Delabole slate, and are currently the only 2 green roof slates that aren’t quarried in the UK.