Unfading Black Roofing Slate Tiles Add Beauty to Historic Cabbagetown Homes

Alpha Avenue in central Toronto is in a neighborhood known as Cabbagetown. The neighborhood is unique in that it is part of the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in North America, according to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association (CPA). The area, named for the Irish immigrants who lived there in the late 1840s said to be so poor that they grew cabbage in their front yards, is today a community of restored Victorian era row houses, gourmet shops, upscale boutiques, pubs and restaurants.

Exterior maintenance and upkeep on these homes is carefully monitored to preserve their historic heritage, so when it was time to replace the slate roofing on seven row homes on Alpha Avenue, it was important to not only find the right contractor for the job but also the right slate to match the original look and feel of the roofing.

For that, they turned to AE & Son Contracting Ltd., of Orangeville, Ontario, which has been doing historic restoration and slate roofing work for over 30 years, and to North Country Slate (NCS) in Ontario, Canada, for its highly popular North Country Unfading Black Slate Tiles.

After 136 years of exposure to the elements and severe weather in Toronto, the original slate roofs on the row houses were badly deteriorating and well past their effective service life. In addition, many of the existing slate tiles had slipped or fallen out because the steel nails used back in the 1800s to install the tiles had simply rusted away. Today, non-corroding copper or stainless steel nails are used to correctly install natural slate shingles, which can outlast even the lifespan of the slate itself.

The project, which had to be reviewed and follow restoration guidelines established by the CPA and the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Advisory Committee (Cabbagetown HCD Advisory Committee), received a Toronto Heritage Grant that assists owners with repairs that retain defining heritage attributes, required 1,000 square feet of 16-inch tall, 8-inch wide and ¼-inch thick Unfading Black Slate from NCS, which perfectly matched the original slate on the slightly concave mansard roof design of the historic row homes. The four-week project included extensive detail work around dormered windows as well as copper flashing. Fortunately, 90 percent or more of the wood substrate and underlayment was still in good condition and could be reused. AE & Son installed new slate tiles with copper nails, which will not rust and deteriorate like the original steel nails when exposed to the elements, and the natural slate will stand up well to the harsh weather conditions common to Toronto.

The Unfading Black Slate tiles are available exclusively from North Country Slate in North America and produced by a single quarry in Québec, Canada. These premium slates are rated as an S-1 roofing slate that exceeds ASTM’s requirements for weather resistance, water absorptionand breaking load, and provides a rich black color with a slight luster, the perfect option for the historic Alpha Avenue homes. Most importantly, it added beauty, aesthetic appeal and a guaranteed service life of 75 years.

North Country Slate was the perfect partner for this project and will be your perfect partner too. Their slate is 100% natural, environmentally friendly, non-combustible, fireproof, and unaffected by freeze/thaw cycles, common in Toronto.

Get a quote for your next project using the highest quality roofing slate available anywhere by contacting North Country Slate toll-free at 1-800-975-2835.

The Cabbagetown Preservation Association was incorporated in 1989 with the goal of helping to preserve the architectural integrity and historic character of Cabbagetown. The CPA’s mandate is focused on all aspects of heritage conservation and is currently running several educational programs aimed at interpreting and understanding Cabbagetown’s heritage.

In the early 2000s, the CPA helped to establish Heritage Conservation Districts (HCDs) which gave the City of Toronto power and responsibility over heritage conservation.

The Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee was established to work with the City to identify and support heritage conservation issues in Cabbagetown, and its advisory committee, the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Advisory Committee, provides local support and assistance to the City of Toronto for preserving Cabbagetown’s architectural heritage, and to advise and assist Cabbagetown residents about heritage guidelines and procedures for renovations and changes to the exteriors of their properties.