[MassHistPres] Architectural Shingles

[Elizabeth Ware]

This morning I had a discussion with a prominent Boston architect relative to "fake slate".  Apparently the "fake slate" that was used over the past 10-20 years was good but contained asbestos.  Given the asbestos content, that product was removed from the market and replaced with a new formula of "fake slate."  The new "fake slate" crumbles after less than a year of installation, has resulted in countless lawsuits and is a vastly inferior product.

This architect's recommendation was to go with the appropriate slate product (similar to what is produced by Sheldon Slate Products in Monson, Maine) or to go with an architectural asphalt shingle until funds could be gathered to put true slate back up on the roof.

Having recently spoken with property owners with slate roofs, true slate roofs are VERY EXPENSIVE to repair but well worth the expense.

Betsy Ware
Director of Community Development
Town of Dracut, MA.

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis De Witt
Sent: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 10:03 AM
To: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Architectural Shingles

Here is my take on it - I know that there are others who disagree.  Traditionally the majority of visible roofs in New England were wood shingles which have some visual depth and texture.  To not put too fine a point on it, non "architectural" shingles are flat visually lifeless tarpaper.  It's hard to imagine a more tacky material.

Although it would be easy to dismiss  the idea of architectural shingles as being slightly redolent McMansionization, they can provide a sense of texture that is closer to that of traditional wood shingles, as compared to the traditional flat asphalt shingle.  No form of asphalt is a traditional material for a pre-20th century roof.  But used judiciously, at least the architectural shingle more closely approximates the texture of the original wood shingle.

Slate is a different matter.  Arguably some flat asphalt shingles might more closely mimic slates.  But, except for mansard roofs, examples of faux-slate asphalt shingles coming up for review, once the original slates are gone, do not immediately come to mind in my experience.

Brookline currently has a very sad case involving an important, recently internally and externally restored and largely intact (but up to date) Peabody & Sterns Shingle Style gambrel "cottage" - which looks like it should be on an island in Maine.  New owners have proceeded to do a total gut rehab!  Under the heading of don't spend less when you can spend more, the relatively new "weathered wood" colored, somewhat textured architectural shingled roof has been replaced by black slate.  (I suppose it is hard for a commission that is constantly on guard against the loss of slate to deny a new slate roof.)  The very expensive but much flatter slate roof is an unfortunate, less appropriate replacement for the architectural asphalt.

BTW, as a a general rule, Brookline has not been much concerned about the use of architectural asphalt.  Perhaps another implicit consideration is that all asphalt roofs will eventually be replaced and thus are a little like paint colors, which Brookline also does not review.

Dennis De Witt
Brookline


On Nov 30, 2015, at 4:54 PM, Kathryn Harper <kharper345 at hotmail.com<mailto:kharper345 at hotmail.com>> wrote:




________________________________
From: kharper345 at hotmail.com<mailto:kharper345 at hotmail.com>
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu<mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Subject: Architectural Shingles
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2015 20:31:17 +0000

I would like to know where historical commissions stand on architectural shingles. Salem will consider on a case by case basis but is reluctant to approve other than GAF Slateline or Certainteed Hatteras. As a member of the commission I am concerned about the growing number of applications for architecturals. I would like people to get better coverage for their roofs and have a broader spectrum to choose from. Since asphalt is not an historic material I feel architecturals should be allowed.  I am currently in the minority.


Kathryn Harper
Vice Chairman Salem Historical Commission
Sent from my MetroPCS Android device
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