this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.com 70 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month 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 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 12 points 1 month 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 1 month ago (1 children)

I...what is this fresh language you speak

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 1 month ago

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

[–] AFKBRBChocolate@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month 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 1 month ago

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

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

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

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

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

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

"Eavestrough" is some hardcore Midwest levels of dialect

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

Michigander, so close enough.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Slate shingle roofs used to be the norm.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 month ago

Not in this part of the world though.

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

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

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month 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 1 month ago

Ok that makes way more sense.

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

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

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 1 month 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 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)
[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

We should project this onto the whitehouse.

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

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

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

[–] vinceman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 1 month ago

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

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

happy cat noises

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Phar out. I wonder what they use for waterproofing?

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

They must have used some type of resin/ epoxy.

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

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

[–] sundray@lemmus.org 3 points 1 month ago

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

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago