How to Repair Broken Roof Slates
How to repair broken roof slates comes down to one swap: lift the slates around the damaged one, pull the old nails, and hang a matching slate. BST Roofers does this on Brooklyn brownstones and row houses, and on a steep or fragile roof it is usually a roofer's job. Want a crew to look at yours?
Spot the damage from the ground
Look before anyone climbs. Binoculars from the street show cracked slates, slipped slates and gaps where one has gone missing.
Slates that sit lower than their neighbors point to nail sickness, where corroded nails let them slide. Spotting that early keeps a small repair small.
- Cracked
- Slipped
- Missing
- Nail sickness
The repair, step by step
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Lift
Raise the slates above the broken one.
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Cut the nails
Remove the old nails with a slate ripper.
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Hook it in
Slide a matching slate into place with a slate hook.
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Secure it
Fix it with a copper or stainless steel nail and a bib or slate hanger.
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Check
Check the overlap and confirm the slate sits flat.
Why this is risky to do yourself
- Slate is fragile.One boot in the wrong place cracks two more.
- A wet or steep pitchis a real fall risk.
- A wrong nail or poor overlaplets the leak return. See how a slate roof goes on properly.
Fixes that look fine and fail
- Sealant smeared over a crack hides the problem for a season.
- Steel nails rust out.
- A mismatched slate sits proud and lets water under.
When to call a roofer
- More than a few slates are gone.
- A leak already shows inside.
- Flashing or underlayment underneath is damaged.
- A brownstone or pre-war row house roof has no safe way up.
We handle slate repair, slate roof inspection and emergency tarping when water is coming in. If too many slates are gone, we cover replacing the roof, and what a slate roof visit costs is explained separately.
How to repair broken roof slates FAQ
Short answers to what Brooklyn homeowners ask us most.
01Can I fix one slate myself?
Yes, in theory, but the fall risk and the chance of cracking neighboring slates make it a poor bet on most roofs.
02How long does a slate roof last?
Natural slate can last a very long time. The nails and flashing usually give out first.
03What nails are used?
Copper or stainless steel. They resist corrosion where plain steel does not.
04What does a repair cost?
It depends on access and how many slates need work. See what a slate roof visit costs.
Get your free estimate
Is a cracked slate on your Brooklyn roof worrying you? Call (929) 295-4523 or book your free estimate.