SSQ’s Riverstone Slate Re-used In Rebuild

By re-using 12-year-old SSQ Riverstone slates from the original build, a bungalow in Falmouth, Cornwall has undergone a complete rebuild whilst preserving the original look of the roof.

The new owners of the property decided they wanted to replace the loft space with an additional floor, accommodating three bedrooms. Upon discovering how old the walls of the building were however they decided to rebuild the structure from the ground up, preserving 12-year-old Riverstone slates from the existing roof in order to complete the new build.

Paul Marks of Marnick Roofing said: “The bungalow was built around the 1960’s and the walls had deteriorated, so the new owners decided to rebuild rather than just add to the structure.

“They really liked the look of SSQ’s Riverstone slate that was already on the roof and after finding it had been on there for 12 years already and still looked great, we decided to re-use the slates since they clearly offered a reliable, long lasting roofing option that would retain the look and feel of the property once rebuilt. The new build also has a steeper roof pitch than before so it was good to see the slate was able to adapt to the new demands too.”

Offering a 100 year guarantee on its Riverstone slate, SSQ is confident that its slate will really stand the test of time, preserving the natural appearance associated with slate. With only a handful of sources known worldwide, SSQ’s Riverstone slate is one of very few top quality phylitte slates available. Its unique satin-like lustre makes it a frequent choice for prestigious projects over the world.

Commenting on the Falmouth project, Haroun El-Helw, Head of Marketing said: “It’s great to see the Riverstone slates originally installed on the property 12 years ago being re-used – with the original guarantee still valid, that gives the slates a minimum remaining service life of 88 years. It’s fair to say that many alternative roofing materials may not have stood the test of time quite so well!”

Woodside Green Christian Centre, Surrey, Riverstone, Ultra grade

Location: Woodside Green Christian Centre, Croydon, Surrey
Architect: Martin Hewitt / Turner and Hoskins Architects, Edenbridge
Slate Used: SSQ Riverstone®, Ultra grade, Grey roofing slate

The Woodside Green Christian Centre is a charitable trust renowned for its work with children in the west-Croydon area, its new £1.7million home providing an outstanding example of how imagination can use the versatility of natural roofing slate.

The church lies at the heart of the centre and is surrounded by meeting rooms, apartments, offices and operational areas. Above them, the various roofs provide a slatescape that showcases what can be done with roofing slate – providing you have the imagination and skill! A shallow-pitch (22.5º), multi-valley roof tops the apartment block and an octagonal roof with a similar pitch sits above the main entrance foyer.

But the conical roof on the church is simply breathtaking. With a diameter of 19m, a pitch of 25º and an arc of 270°, it’s covered with hook-fixed roofing slates laid in a diminishing-course pattern. The remaining segment of the circle thrusts out of the cone, soaring upward to form the church’s tower, the glazing in its ‘cut’ faces allowing light to flood into the church below. Behind this, the tower’s roof takes the shape of an inverted kite with a central ridge forming a spine that runs from the tip of the tower down to the rear of the church. Fabulous!