Welsh Roofing Slate from Sydney Roof Slate Specialists, Bellstone & Slate P/L
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“Welsh slate has been the superior roofing for Australian buildings since it was first brought here in 1829. All our most important historic monuments have slate roofs” - Clive Lucas AO, Senior Partner, Clive Lucas Stapleton Architects, Sydney.
Bellstone - Welsh Slate Distributors Since 1991
Bellstone was appointed as Australian distributors of Welsh Slate in 1991 and has been ever since. We can assist with delivery to all states of Australia and are happy to help with project quotes on both supply and fixing to the best of our ability.
Welsh Slate (Penrhyn "Heather Blue") - "The Rolls Royce of Roofing Slates"
"Welsh slate is the Rolls Royce of roofing with an unmatched guarantee. Bellstone has been supplying us with Welsh slate since 1991 - the company is incredibly friendly and very reliable" - Thomas Nielsen, HG Nielsen & Co. Slate Roofing Specialists
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Welsh Slate - 100 Year Guarantee
Welsh Slate are so confident in the performance of Penrhyn slate they offer a written, project specific, 100 year guarantee on their product - subject to information being supplied and certain conditions being fulfilled e.g. the slate being fixed in a way that is consistent with British Standards.
The Welsh slate on the Edmund Blacket designed building at Sydney University (right) is around 140 years old and still performing well.
Welsh Slate QA & Testing - Guarantees Exceptional Quality & No Risk
Welsh//Slate manufactures under a Quality Assurance Scheme which complies with BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and in accordance with the above schemeroofing products comply with BS EN 12326-1:2004. These standards are explained in User Guide - Roofing Slate section.
Ventilating Heritage Roofs
Having difficulty ventilating old roofs? A range of slate line ventilators may help. They are unobtrusive, lie flat on the roof and have a free air capacity of 10000mm2. They have been specially designed for 600x300, 500x250 and 400x300mm format slates. Contact our office for details.
Penrhyn Slate Quarry, Wales - The World's Largest Roof Slate Quarry
There were many slate quarries in Wales but most have ceased operations. The Penrhyn quarry famous for its Heather Blue slates is still operating after 200 years and is now, the largest roofing slate quarry in the world. It has a projected lifespan of at least another 100 years. The quarry is located near the village of Besthesda in Gywnedd county.
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The image on the left is of the benches in the modern quarry. Centre - the old quarry with a trout filled dam and a revegetation project underway. Right - the Penrhyn office made almost entirely with slate from the quarry.
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Prices - Best Value
Prices for roofing slate tend to increase as the slates get bigger in size as it becomes more difficult to achieve a perfectly flat slate. The best value size is 400x300x5.5mm; the price of this slate is approximately $77 (incl GST) per covered metre depending on the roof pitch and exposure.
Welsh Slate In Sydney's Early Colonial Days
Historical references indicate that Welsh slate was first used in Australia by Captain Piper in the Rocks area of Sydney as early as 1829. It was used on a number of buildings in the 1830s including Elizabeth House and Camden Park. Images of fine heritage buildings featuring Welsh slate roofs may be seen in the Case Studies - Heritage Roof section.
Since then it was used widely on civic buildings and has shown remarkable resilience under Australian heat loads and more recently polluted air. There are many examples of Welsh slate maintaining excellent structural integrity after 150 years. Battens and nails often fail years before the slate.
Architects and “slaters” (slate fixers) have enormous respect and admiration for Penrhyn slate – its durability is legendary. It is also a stately, striking and imposing product that adds style, beauty and a sense of grandeur to a building and combines beautifully with another natural product - sandstone.
Welsh Slate - Specifications
500x250x5.5mm
500x250x8mm
500x300x5.5mm
400x300x5.5mm
Other sizes available by order.
Please note that the 500x250mm & 500x300mm slates are pre-holed at 200mm from the top but are also available without holes if required.
For technical information on Penrhyn slates visit the Welsh slate website at www.welshslate.com
For further information on Welsh slate go to roofing slate specifications.
Quotes
If you have a project in mind and would like us to arrange a quote for both supply and fixing your slate roof, contact us on 02 9725 2201. There is absolutely no charge for this service and you are most assuredly free of any obligation to proceed.





