Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
16/09/2021
For a while now that I hear more and more people asking about the asbestos content of roofing slate. There are two ways to give an answer to this concern, the short one and the long one. First, the short one: Roofing slates do not have asbestos, it is mineralogically, chemically and geologically impossible. In […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
08/06/2021
Bending Strength, also known as Flexural Strength, Breaking Load or Modulus of Rupture, is one of the main properties of roofing slates. This test is found in the four roofing slate standards: European EN 12326, USA ASTM C406, Chinese GB/T 18600 and Indian IS 6250. Together with the water absorption test and sulphur atmosphere exposure, […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
05/05/2021
As some of you may know, I have been teaching courses about roofing slate for the last few years. People that are new to roofing slate usually think that slate is a rather dull material, as to them, all roofing slates look the same. Well, we know that this is not true. Roofing slates have […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
29/03/2021
Why do we use slate to cover roofs? There are many good answers to these questions: slate is waterproof, can be split into thin, regular and flat shingles. Slate is durable and has been used for centuries in many exceptional buildings, and (my favourite) slate is a beautiful natural rock with outstanding aesthetics. However, have […]
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16/03/2021
At CUPA PIZARRAS we’re hitting the road to explore different countries and show you natural slate through the eyes of the roofers. How can you join us? Quite easy: from 22nd March check out our Instagram stories. Throughout that week we will stop at different locations in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom, where local […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
08/03/2021
Today I will discuss something that can either be very funny or very sad, depends on the eye of the beholder. Let me explain some of the facts about fake roofing slates. Nowadays it is possible to find artificial or synthetic “slate” shingles, usually made of asphalt, rubber, plastic…anything but stone. Of course, companies that […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
01/02/2021
The British Isles keep one of the most interesting slate architectural and historical heritage in the world. Since Prehistory, the many cultures that have populated the British Isles have used slates for lots of purposes: walls, hobs, tombs and gravestones, tools, engravings…you name it. The first proper roofing slate shingles were found in the Roman […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
26/11/2020
I have been doing research on roofing slate for many years. During this time, I’ve found some interesting facts about roofing slate, relating many different fields such as peculiar uses, unknown properties, and geological features, among others. For example, did you know that…? Titian (1490-1576), one of the most important painters from the Italian Renascence, […]
