this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.com 70 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (5 children)

I've ripped off my fair share of pitch and gravel roofs, that's definitely not the kind of stone you'd normally use (but it could still be). When you see granules or rocks on a roof, it's usually meant as a heat sink to stop the tar or shingles from cracking and degrading. Otherwise, I've also ripped off slate roofs, and they used lead wide head roofing nails, though at some point they had just tarred over the whole thing, and eventually we put basic ashpalt shingles on it.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 38 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 24 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

As much as I respect the standard 3-tab, I'm more engaged by the high-albedo options.

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I...what is this fresh language you speak

[–] Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 5 points 2 months ago

It's roofer speak. Standard asphalt shingle is properly called architectural 3-Tab. High-albedo means that the roof material is highly reflective, which has a bunch of benefits in terms of environmental applications.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

This is not a flat roof though, it's sloped.

[–] AFKBRBChocolate@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

That size was a style back in the day. The house my dad built in the late 50s had one. I believe they were often lava rock.

[–] deltapi@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Pitch of that roof would need a membrane under shingles, no?

[–] Mbourgon@lemmy.world 30 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Depending on where you live in the American southwest, that’s the norm. Shingles are weird.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

This is in central Saskatchewan. Presumably those southwest roofs are flat - this isn't.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Low slope, so considered flat for most codes, can’t use shingles. Basically every commercial roof has rocks, but In the last decade they’ve shifted to a vinyl. Lighter, handles more snow load.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They probably could use shingles, there are plenty of surrounding houses with about the same pitch that do.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

From one to next they look really similar.

2:12 is low slope iirc. So 3:12 can use shingles, but not 2:12.

You’re right though, could just be a look choice on a higher slope. Could be a “trial” roof or something who knows.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Weird. I would assume that rocks would be problematic for snow and would just encourage snow to stick and add street to the framing.

The only rock roofs I’ve ever come across are in temperate places that don’t get snow.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

On metal roofs they actually add grips so the snow can’t slide right off.

A sheet of snow isn’t light, you DO NOT want that sliding off and hitting you, but it’ll also fuck your eavestrough up.

[–] hovercat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"Eavestrough" is some hardcore Midwest levels of dialect

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] hovercat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 months ago

Michigander, so close enough.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Slate shingle roofs used to be the norm.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 months ago

Not in this part of the world though.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

But slate is flat and can be overlapped. How would this even work?

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

you see this all over Europe with clay roofs, they put large rocks to weigh down the tiles to prevent winds from lifting them. But, usually just around the edges of the roof.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Ok that makes way more sense.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca -3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Doubt it, thatch and wattle and daub are the norm. Slate needs to be mined, it doesn't just grow near you.

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Yes and in some parts of the world it's really easy and cheap to mine surface slate.

[–] spiffy_spaceman@lemmy.world 19 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I grew up in Phoenix in the early 80s and I saw many of these.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Saw something similar to this in Tempe last year, but I didn't see any lawns like this in the area, I don't think I saw much of any green the 3 weeks or so I was there.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago

Weird. I a few months ago I stumbled upon two mid century apartments in my town that both had rock roofs.

I wonder OP’s roof didn’t used to be painted.

[–] sundray@lemmus.org 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)
[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

We should project this onto the whitehouse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtYrorYu9OE

[–] vinceman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's not instead of shingles, that's a tin roof instead of shingles. This is a design aesthetic.

[–] PyroNeurosis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Souns like I'd go deaf at the thought of rain.

[–] vinceman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 months ago

A tin roof sounds absolutely wonderful in the rain. My cottage has one.

[–] abbadon420@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

happy cat noises

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Phar out. I wonder what they use for waterproofing?

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I wonder how they get them to stay in place. It's not a steep slope, but it's definitely not a flat roof. So far I have resisted the urge to ring the doorbell and ask about the roof.

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They must have used some type of resin/ epoxy.

[–] lulungomeena_burbclave@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You would think the tar would ooze downward on very hot days. (Yes, we get them here.)

[–] lulungomeena_burbclave@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The gravel stabilizes the tar somewhat. But yes. And gravel washes off the roof too. And then the roof leaks the next time you get rain. They're typically initially installed with hot asphalt and then patched with tar until the homeowner gives up and buys shingles. There's a good reason you don't see gravel roofs very much.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago

The roof in the picture isn't just gravel, it's got fist size rocks in it as well. Gravel alone I could understand.

[–] possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

EPDM is the most common material for modern rubber/stone roofs in commercial applications.

[–] sundray@lemmus.org 3 points 2 months ago

Meanwhile, EPMD is an uncommon hip hop duo from Brentwood.

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago