Safe to walk on this roof?

[Gilwern]

Hi,

This roof needs a new slate. Question: Will walking on this cause damage?

Many thanks,
Gil

 

[Scally-Ho]

Probaly not. How heavy are you? Average bloke with soft soled shoes should be okay to walk up that slated roof. Place each foot over the battens and carefully transfer your weight and all should be well.

 

[Gilwern]

Thanks for the response.

I am average build, around 11 stone.

When you Google this issue, lots of people seem to advise against walking on older slate roofs.

 

[Scally-Ho]

11 stone should be fine whereas a 15+stone chap might damage the slates. Roofers have been carefully walking up slated roofs since slate has been used as a roofing material so they can't all be wrong. Years back I've walked up many and never damaged a single slate inc my own Victorin villa. Of course, if a slate was about to fail, then it would crack, but that can't be anticipated.

 

[HERTS P&D]

You will crack more tiles just trying to replace one of them.

Andy

 

[Gilwern]

Two quite differing perspectives — both valid I am sure, depending on nuances and context.

I am considering getting a roof ladder. Seems a bit like overkill, but probably the absolute safest option.

 

[aveatry]

A little trick I use is to use a big piece of thick foam it helps stop pressure points - it grips the roof ( espicually concrete tiles) and it grips you and is comfy so you can sit up there for hours ding what every you need to do. With two pieces you can move your way up from one to the other.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Convert an existing standard ladder into a roofer's ladder.

 

[Gilwern]

Convert an existing standard ladder into a roofer's ladder.

Thanks for this. A good option for me to consider.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks for this. A good option for me to consider.

I did something similar, as a way to reroof my summerhouse - roofing felt originally, replaced with steel sheet box section. It was too steep to work without some sort of ladder, but not very high...

I chose my lightest ladder, lashed a couple of timber to two of the rungs, to act as spacers between ladder and roof. Then a rope down from the top rung, to a lashing point at the far side of the roof. The lashing point, was an horizontal rope, fixed to an eyebolt, at either side.

I then struggled with tools, bolts and drills skidding away off the roof. I found I had an old rubber dustbin lid, so I made some V brackets, to fit under it, to make it level sat on the roof, attached a rope to it, thrown over the apex, added a bag of sand as a counterweight. That allowed me to move the tools, and the bin lid, around easily as I worked.

 

[catlad]

I think you will find that you can reach that issue without needing to get off the ladder.