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Reclaimed Roof Slates | A Guide to Roofing Slates
Mar
Reclaimed roof slates
Reclaimed Roof Slates Explained
Reclaimed roof slates are known by a wide range of traditional names, and that can make buying second-hand slate more complicated than it first appears. This guide is designed to help you understand the terminology, the sizes, and the slating methods they relate to.
Whether you are matching a traditional roof, planning a repair, or sourcing slate for a conservation-led project, knowing the correct names will help you buy with more confidence.
Why slate names matter when buying reclaimed stock
Reclaimed roof slates can be described in several different ways. Some names refer to traditional imperial sizes, while others reflect long-established trade language used by reclamation yards, roofers and slate merchants. If you do not know the naming system, it is easy to order the wrong slate, misunderstand coverage, or miss a close match for an existing roof.
Most of the traditional names below relate to slates used in tally slating, where courses are laid in regular sizes rather than in diminishing courses. Because these names are based on imperial dimensions, they do not directly correspond with modern metric sizing.
Important point: when searching for reclaimed roof slates, always check both the traditional name and the actual size. The name alone is not enough.
Names of reclaimed roof slates
| Traditional name | Typical size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Princesses | 24″ x 14″ | Large slates that are now increasingly rare. |
| Duchesses | 24″ x 12″ | Another larger slate size that is becoming harder to source. |
| Small Duchesses | 22″ x 12″ | A very useful reclaimed size with strong coverage at around 13 slates per m². |
| Marchioness | 22″ x 11″ | Less commonly encountered but still a recognised traditional size. |
| Wide Countess | 20″ x 12″ | A popular and versatile second-hand slate. |
| Countess | 20″ x 10″ | Often used as a general trade reference, sometimes confusingly applied across similar sizes. |
| Wide Viscountesses | 18″ x 10″ | An extremely popular reclaimed slate size. |
| Viscountesses | 18″ x 9″ and 16″ x 12″ | Common across reclamation yards, though the naming can vary in practice. |
| Wide Ladies | 16″ x 10″ | Perhaps the most widely recognised and commonly used reclaimed slate size. |
| Broad Ladies | 16″ x 9″ | A popular choice for traditional roofing repairs. |
| Headers | 14″ x 10″ | A very useful repair size, commonly stocked. |
| Small Ladies | 14″ x 8″ | Frequently associated with Victorian terraced housing. |
| Narrow Ladies | 14″ x 7″ | Less common than the wider 14″ variants. |
The small stuff
As slate sizes reduce, availability often becomes more difficult. Smaller traditional slates were widely used on older roofs, but they can now be much harder to source in sound reclaimed condition.
- Small Headers – 13″ x 10″, a less common smaller-size slate.
- Doubles – 13″ x 7″, often difficult to find in quantity.
- Wide Doubles – 12″ x 8″, a small slate rarely seen now.
- Small Doubles – 12″ x 6″, increasingly scarce.
Buying tip: if your roof uses one of the smaller sizes, it is worth securing extra stock when you find a good match. Availability can be inconsistent.
Traditional tally slating depends on correct size selection, consistent coursing and a proper understanding of historic slate formats.
Random widths and diminishing courses
Not all reclaimed roof slates are used in regular coursed work. Some are intended for diminishing courses and more traditional random-width slating methods. In these systems, the slates vary in length and width and are laid to suit a more natural, flowing roof pattern.
Examples include:
- Bangor Queens – large Welsh slates sold by the tonne, randomly sized in both length and width.
- Burlington Best Mixed – mixed slates from the Burlington Quarry.
- Burlington Strong – a heavier mixed slate requiring skill to lay well.
- Westmorland Green Best – randomly sized green slates often used on high-end properties.
- Burlington Sized – a premium roofing slate available new and reclaimed.
- Westmorland Green Sized – more regular in dimension while retaining the distinctive green appearance.
Available from The Reclaimed Company
All of the above styles sit naturally within the reclaimed roofing market, and strong stocks of sound, selected second-hand slates can make the difference between a convincing repair and an obvious mismatch. The Reclaimed Company offers a broad range of reclaimed roofing materials for national delivery, helping buyers source everything from common repair sizes to more specialist traditional slate formats.
Need reclaimed slates installed properly?
Buying the right slate is only part of the job. Traditional slate roofing also depends on correct fixing, gauge, headlap and detailing in line with recognised standards.
Uses for reclaimed roof slates
There are many sound reasons to use reclaimed roof slates, and the choice is not purely aesthetic. In many cases, conservation, planning expectations or practical matching requirements drive the decision.
Certain property types, particularly within conservation areas or on traditional terraces, require repairs and alterations to be visually sympathetic. In that context, reclaimed slate is often part of the answer and can sometimes be required by local planning or conservation officers.
There is also a clear environmental case. Why introduce a full load of newly manufactured material where perfectly sound, reusable slate already exists and can be brought back into use? Reclaimed slate can help reduce manufacturing impact, transport impact and waste, while still delivering a first-class roof covering when used properly.
Conservation and planning
Reclaimed slate often helps satisfy repair and restoration requirements on traditional buildings.
Aesthetics
Weathered slate simply blends better into older roofscapes than brand-new material.
Environmental value
Reuse reduces waste and supports a more circular approach to building materials.
Want to sell second-hand roof slates?
The Reclaimed Company is built around the principle that everything deserves a second chance. The classifieds platform helps people bring reclaimed and salvaged products back into circulation, including roof slates, ridge tiles and a wide variety of architectural materials.
Many items can be re-purposed, reimagined, recycled, upcycled or reinvigorated. Roof slates are a clear example of that philosophy in practice: a material with real service life still left in it, ready for a new roof, a repair or a sympathetic extension.
For roofing contractors, homeowners, salvage yards and anyone sitting on surplus traditional material, the platform offers a practical route to market.
Whether you are looking for a Wide Lady or a Bangor Queen, properly identified reclaimed stock makes the search far easier.
