Slate in Roanoke
Roanoke sits at U.S. 377 and State Highway 114, about two miles south of Grapevine Lake. Its first settlement was on Travis Wright's land grant in 1847, when twenty families from Missouri led by Louis and Charles Medlin settled near the confluence of Denton and Henrietta creeks. Census estimates show it growing from 9,671 residents in 2020 to about 10,931 in 2025, and the Texas House of Representatives named it "The Unique Dining Capital of Texas" for the restaurants around Oak Street.
With that much growth, most Roanoke homes are newer, and "slate" here usually means one of three things: natural slate on a smaller number of custom homes, synthetic slate on homes built for the look without the weight, and slate-look shingles where an HOA or budget pointed that way. Some storefronts around Oak Street carry slate or slate-look mansards over a flat roof behind a parapet. We work on all of them, and the first job is telling you which one you actually have, because a lot of slate repair goes wrong when the crew guesses.
Repairs that don't show
- Matched slates: we match color, thickness, size and weathering, and hang replacements with copper or stainless slate hooks or nail-and-bib methods. See slate roof repair.
- Synthetic slate repairs: broken or loose pieces replaced with the same product line where it's still made, and flashing renewed around them.
- Valleys and chimneys: worn valley metal and chimney flashings rebuilt, usually in copper, with step and counter-flashing cut into the masonry.
- Old tar and caulk repairs removed and replaced with real flashing.
- Hard-to-find slate: when an original slate is no longer quarried, we look for salvaged stock or borrow from a hidden slope. See slate quarries and brands.
- Copper gutters, bays and accents that belong with a slate roof, with copper kept away from steel and aluminum.
Natural slate, synthetic slate or slate-look?
| Natural slate | Synthetic slate | Slate-look shingle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Quarried stone | Polymer or composite slate such as DaVinci or Enviroslate | A designer asphalt shingle shaped and colored like slate |
| Weight | Heavy; framing must be checked first | Much lighter; most homes need no structural changes | Like any heavy-weight shingle |
| Lifespan | Good slate can outlast several sets of flashing | Depends on the product and its warranty | Depends on the product and its warranty |
| Hail | Thick slate holds up well, but very large hail can crack it | Many products publish a UL 2218 impact rating; check the exact line | Choose a Class 3 or Class 4 rated line |
| Repairs | Individual slates can be replaced for decades | Pieces can be replaced, but colors change over time | Matched while the line is still made |
More: synthetic vs. real slate, synthetic slate and slate-look shingles. The photos on this page show one of our slate-look jobs near Bridgeport.
How we inspect a roof you can't walk like a shingle roof
Slate breaks under the wrong footstep, so a careless inspection can cause the damage it's looking for. We plan a walk path, step only where the pieces are supported, use roof ladders and pads where needed, and fly a drone over the areas that aren't safe to walk. Every inspection comes with a free digital photo report, so you see what we see. The report separates old breaks, fresh breaks and installation problems, because they lead to very different answers.
HOAs and the City of Roanoke
The City of Roanoke requires a roofing permit for a roof replacement, and contractors must be registered with the city. The city's roofing permit form says photo documentation (ground-level photos of the roof, vent terminations and attic vent clearances) may be accepted for the final inspection. We file the permit and handle the inspection. Going from shingle to natural slate means a framing check and often new decking, and going from natural slate to something lighter changes how the roof looks from the street, so we bring the HOA the product sheet, color samples and a photo of a finished roof before the permit goes in.
Hail and slate around Roanoke
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists more than 50 reports of hail 1.75 inches (golf-ball size) or larger within about 10 miles of Roanoke from 2016 through the September 2026 update. The largest was 4.25-inch hail near Bartonville on June 11, 2023, the same storm that brought 4-inch hail near Grapevine Reservoir. On April 28, 2021, 3.25-inch hail fell in Keller, and on May 27, 2024, 2-inch hail was reported at the Roanoke-area airport, about a mile from town. The Storm Prediction Center's 2026 reports include 1-inch hail 3 miles northwest of Keller and 1.5-inch hail 2 miles southeast of Haslet on August 26, 2026 and 1-inch hail just east-northeast of Keller on September 21, 2026.
Thick natural slate holds up well, but hail that size can crack it, and so can age and careless foot traffic. Our photo report separates fresh breaks from old ones, which is what an adjuster needs to see. Texas insurers must offer a premium credit for UL 2218 impact-rated roofs, but each company sets its own amount, and Class 4 earns the largest. We can't promise a discount; ask your insurer for their figure in writing. After a qualifying install we fill out TDI Form PC068 for you. If you file an insurance claim, we document the damage and meet your adjuster on the roof. Texas law requires you to pay your deductible, and a contractor may not waive, absorb or rebate it. We never will. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file; check your policy.
Who repairs slate roofs in Roanoke?
Snow Roofing & Exteriors does. Here are the facts you can check before you call anyone:
- 75 years as a family roofing business, and 30 years in the business for owner Blake Snow, who is still on the roofs.
- Over $80 million in completed roofing projects, from small repairs to multi-million-dollar jobs.
- 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome.
- Our own roll formers for standing seam and R-panel, in 24 or 26 gauge, with metal lead times that are typically 1 to 2 weeks.
- Our own crew, about 15 road miles (roughly 23 minutes) from Roanoke at our Rhome office.
- Snow Roofing & Exteriors is BBB A+ rated.
Photos
We don't have photos of a natural slate job on file to show here. The photos below are real Snow Roofing & Exteriors jobs: a slate-look designer shingle re-roof near Bridgeport in Wise County, and a Clay County metal transition. They are not in Roanoke, and we never show a street or address.
We're certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. We give a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job, in writing. More on Roanoke: our Roanoke roofing page, tile roofing in Roanoke, Enviroshake in Roanoke, and nearby slate roofing in Trophy Club and slate roofing in Southlake.
Product names, ratings and features are as published by the manufacturer and can change. We confirm the current rating and warranty of the exact product before we order it.
Residential warranty: a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job, with manufacturer warranties up to lifetime. Manufacturer coverage depends on the product and brand, and on the project qualifying for that manufacturer's program. We put the exact warranty for your roof in writing.
Certified, with 30 years installing every major roofing brand, a family roofing business going back 75 years, and over $80 million in completed roofing projects. 5.0 stars on Google at all three of our offices.
Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228. Small repairs are welcome too.
