Slate against its nearest neighbours
| Slate | Grey Friars | Windsor Grey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ Steel's description | Grounded charcoal | Classic charcoal grey | Deep grey, short of black |
| TSR (heat reflected) | 25% | 26% | 20% |
| LRV (how light it looks) | 9% | 10% | 7% |
| Finishes | Classic | Classic and Low Gloss | Low Gloss only |
How Slate sits on a New Zealand house
On paper, Slate is a shade darker than Grey Friars and lighter than Windsor Grey. The gaps are small, and NZ Steel gives its figures a tolerance of plus or minus 5%, so line the samples up outdoors and choose with your eyes. It's a steady choice for a bungalow or villa going into longrun, and just as comfortable beside cedar on a newer build.
Swapping tiles for Slate longrun
NZ Steel's FAQ says experts strongly recommended lightweight metal roofing over heavy tiles after the Christchurch earthquakes. A change of roofing system can need a building consent even where a like-for-like re-roof wouldn't (Wairoa District Council, for one, says so). See building consent for a re-roof.
What's yours to do, and what's the roofer's
You can
- Look at a Slate sample sheet outdoors at different times of day
- Judge it from the footpath with the sample against the house, not from a ladder
- Check the district plan if you're rural or in a heritage or character area
Leave to a roofer
- Confirm NZ Steel's environmental category for your address and the warranty it gives
- Choose MAXAM or ALTIMATE to suit the site
- Use soft zinc or aluminium ribbon flashings, since NZ Steel says lead ribbon can degrade COLORSTEEL
- Mark sheets with anything but a black lead pencil, which leaves a permanent corrosion mark
Where we'd land
If you can't split the charcoals, line up Slate, Grey Friars and Windsor Grey samples against your cladding for a few days. For a house that mixes old and new, we'd pick Slate. COLORSTEEL is a New Zealand Steel trademark and we have no affiliation with the company. Tell us your suburb when you're ready, and we'll pass the job to one checked roofer.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.