Natural slate roof on Burlington heritage house

Residential roofing

Slate Roof Installation in Burlington, ON

A slate roof in Burlington can outlast the house beneath it, which is why slate still crowns some of the city's heritage homes and appears on new high-end builds where owners think in generations. Fixall Roofing is a Burlington roofing contractor that installs natural and synthetic slate and repairs existing slate roofs across the city and the surrounding area.

Slate is slow, careful work that punishes shortcuts. One wrong nail or one roofer walking across the field can crack pieces that would otherwise last a century, so we plan every slate job around the frame, flashings and fasteners first.

For owners who love the look but not the weight or price, synthetic slate roofing offers a lighter route that we install as well.

Get a Quote Call 289-816-1772

15+ years experience
700+ jobs completed
Fully insured + WSIB
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1-year labour warranty
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Natural and Synthetic Slate Roofing in Burlington

Natural slate installs use quarried stone from sources such as Vermont, Pennsylvania, Spain and Brazil, each with its own colour and hardness. We help you choose a slate whose colour suits the house and whose grade suits the price.

Synthetic slate installs use moulded composite tiles such as DaVinci Roofscapes slate, Brava composite slate and EcoStar Majestic Slate. They copy the look of stone at a fraction of the weight.

Repair and restoration covers broken or slipped slates, worn-out flashings, failed nails and old tar patches. Much of this work keeps a historic roof going for decades more.

Replacing cracked slate tile on Burlington roof

Natural vs Synthetic Slate

Both products give a slate look from the street. The differences show up in weight, price, durability and how the roof is maintained.

Factor	Natural slate	Synthetic slate
Weight per 100 square feet	About 800 to 1,500 pounds	About 250 to 450 pounds
Lifespan	About 75 to 150+ years for hard slate	Warranties commonly near 50 years
Cost	Highest of any common roof	High, but well below natural
Look	Natural cleft and quarry colour variation	Moulded from real slate, more uniform
Walkability	Not walkable, pieces crack	Walkable with care
Repairability	Single slates replaced with hooks	Pieces replaceable while the line is made

Quality varies by quarry, so ask for slate graded S1 under ASTM C406, the standard for roofing slate with the longest expected service life. Imported slate can be excellent or poor depending on the source, and a cheap price often signals a soft stone that flakes early.

Can Your Roof Carry Natural Slate?

Architectural asphalt shingles weigh roughly 250 to 400 pounds per 100 square feet, while natural slate can weigh three to five times that. Most houses built in recent decades were framed for asphalt, not stone, before you add a Burlington snow load on top.

Before quoting natural slate on a house that did not have it originally, we recommend a structural engineer review the rafters or trusses, the sheathing and the load path down to the foundation. Where the frame falls short, structural reinforcement such as sistered rafters, added purlins or thicker sheathing can bring it up to the load.

Increasing the dead load on a roof is a structural change, so expect a building permit from the City of Burlington, usually supported by the engineer's drawings or letter. Synthetic slate rarely needs this step because its weight is close to that of heavy architectural shingles.

Slate Details That Matter

The stone is rarely what fails on a slate roof. These details decide whether the rest of the system keeps up with it.

Copper Nails and Copper Flashing

Each slate hangs on two nails, and on many old roofs it is the steel nails that rusted through, not the slate, that send pieces sliding off. We use copper slating nails, or stainless steel where specified, so the fasteners last as long as the stone.

Valleys, chimney flashing and step flashing are made from heavy sheet copper with soldered seams where needed. When an old roof has sound slate but tired metal, copper flashing repair can add decades without replacing the stone.

Headlap and Exposure

Headlap is how far each slate overlaps the slate two courses below it, and it is what keeps water out. The usual standard is 3 inches on a typical steep roof, increased to 4 inches on lower slopes and reduced to 2 inches on very steep ones.

Exposure follows from that: the slate length minus the headlap, divided by two. An 18 inch slate with a 3 inch headlap gives a 7 1/2 inch exposure, and getting this wrong on a low-pitch section is a classic cause of leaks.

Slate Hooks for Repairs

To replace a broken slate, we cut its hidden nails with a slate ripper and slide it out without lifting the neighbours. A copper or stainless slate hook is nailed into the gap, and the new slate slides up and rests on the hook.

Crews work from hook ladders and roof brackets rather than standing on the slates. That approach lets us repair one area without creating new cracks on the way there.

Slate on Heritage Homes

Burlington's Burlington Avenue and Ontario Street Heritage Conservation District came into force in April 2026 under the Ontario Heritage Act. Properties inside it, and individually designated properties elsewhere in the city, may need a heritage permit before the roofing material, colour or details change.

Swapping original slate for asphalt is usually discouraged on heritage houses, while repairing slate or replacing it with matching stone is normally welcome. Heritage staff are the ones who decide, so check before any work is priced; our guide to Burlington roofing permits covers who to contact.

Some heritage owners also weigh slate against cedar shakes, the other traditional roof found on older Ontario houses. Both can suit the period, but they differ greatly in weight, cost and upkeep.

Saving an Old Slate Roof

If most slates are still hard and ring when tapped, repair usually beats replacement. Rusted nails, worn flashings and a scattering of broken pieces are all fixable, and salvaged slate from reclaimed stock can match older colours.

Replacement makes sense when a large share of the slates are soft, flaking or delaminating, because the stone itself has reached the end of its life. We check a sample of slates across each slope before recommending either path.

Roofing tar and roofing cement do lasting harm. They trap water against the stone, hide the real failure and glue slates together so they cannot be removed for proper hook repairs later.

Tar patched slate roof awaiting repair in Burlington

Slate Roof Cost

In the Burlington, Hamilton and Halton market, natural slate installs generally fall in roughly the $30 to $55 per square foot range, which often puts a typical detached home around $70,000 to $150,000 or more. Synthetic slate usually lands in roughly the $14 to $25 per square foot range.

Price depends on the factors below, and a written quote follows an on-site assessment.

Slate source, grade and thickness
Engineering and any structural reinforcement
Copper flashings, valleys and snow guards
Roof pitch, height, dormers and chimneys
Tear-off of the existing roof and deck repairs

Slate Roof FAQs

How long does a slate roof last?

Hard slates from the best quarries commonly last 75 to 150 years or more, while softer slates may give 50 to 100 years. The nails and flashings usually fail long before the stone does, often within 40 to 70 years when they are steel or thin metal. Replacing those parts in time is what lets the slate reach its full life.

Can you walk on a slate roof?

No, slate cracks under foot pressure, especially at its unsupported edges. Experienced crews work from hook ladders hung over the ridge and from roof brackets that spread their weight. If a contractor plans to walk across your slate, look for someone else.

Is synthetic slate worth it?

It is a strong choice when the frame cannot carry natural stone, when the budget is tighter, or when the roof needs regular foot traffic for chimneys or solar. It weighs far less, costs less and does not crack underfoot. The trade-offs are a shorter expected life and a more uniform look up close.

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Plan Your Slate Roof

Whether you need a few slates replaced or a full new roof, we start with an inspection of the stone, the flashings and the framing. You receive a written scope that names the slate or synthetic product, the fasteners and the flashing metal, plus any engineering or heritage steps needed first.

Call any time, or send your details below to set up a visit.

Get a Quote Call 289-816-1772

Phones answered 24/7, including emergencies.

1We call you back to confirm the details.
2We inspect the roof and attic and take photos.
3You get a written scope and price. No pressure.