3.10 Early Roofing and Roof Materials in South Australia

( )
EARLY ROOFING AND

ROOF MATERIALS IN
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
mm
an
City of Adelaide
The financial assistance made by the following
to this publication is gratefully acknowledged
Col @krbond
Colorbond Steel
··tw The smart roofing choice
69 Wingfield Rood
Wingfield 5013
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Fielders
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Finish on top with Fielders Steel Roofing
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Mile End South 5031
Ph (08) 8292 36 11
Published by
o•
June 1999
© Heritage South Australia
Department for Environment,
City of Adelaide
Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs

City of Adelaide
ISSN 1035-51 3 8
Prepared by Heritage South Austra lia

Text and photographs Mark Butcher Architects
Design by Lofty Designs
Printed on recycled paper

--- ---------------------------------------
EARLY ROOFING AND ROOF MATERIALS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CONTENTS Page
1. INTRODUCTION
Overview 1
Conservation Princ iples 2
Common Roof Types 3
Roof Elements 7
G lossary of Common Roofing Terms 8
2. ROOF MATERIALS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Timber Shingles 9
Thatch 9
Slate 10
Metal Tiles 13
Galvanised Iron 13
Zincalu me Steel & Colorbond Steel 17
Terracotta Tiles 17
Concrete Tiles 18
Fibre Cement 18
Flat Roofs 19
3. TRADITIONAL ROOF DETAILING

Cappings a nd Flashings 20
Gutters and Downpipes 24
Roof Vents 25
Decoration 26
Roof Fixings 26
4. MAINTENANCE OF ROOFS
Timber Shingles 27
Slate 27
Galvanised Iron & Steel 28
Terracotta Tiles 32
Common Roofs 34
Sepa ration of Incompatible Materia ls 34
Downpipes and Stormwater Disposa l 34
s. MODERN REQUIREMENTS
A ircond itioning, Rooflights, Vents 35
Service Pipes 35
6. ROOFWORK TODAY
Availabil ity of Tradespeople 36
Availability of Materials 36
Mistakes to Avoid 37
Take advantage of the Opportun ity 38
Possible Funding Support 38
Genera l Gu idelines for Conserving Roofs 38
7. CASE STUDY
Overview 39
8. FURTHER READING 41
FOREWOR D
We are delighted to introduce Early Roofing and Roof Materials in South Australia, another in the
series of Heritage Conservation Publications produced jointly by the City of Adelaide and Heritage
South Australia.
As the roof is one of the most important parts of a building, being the main protective element that
keeps out the weather, its proper function is vital to the long term conservation of a building. lt is
a lso a major component in the external appearance of a building and, like many building features ,
is subject to changes in fashion and taste .
The conservation of our built heritage relies very much on the interest, commitment and goodwill of
heritage building owners; as well as the skills and knowledge of the architects, builders and
tradespeople who are involved in their maintenance.
This publication not only provides a fascinating history of early roof types and construction methods
in South Australia, but also very useful and practical advice on how to maintain the historic
appearance of a roof, and how to undertake repairs sympathetic to its age and character.
We trust you will find this publication as informative and interesting as we do.
Dr Jane Lomax Smith Hon Dorothy Kotz MP .

Lord Mayor Minister for Environment and Heritage
City of Adelaide
1. INTRODUCTION Th e i r prese nt day successor, the conc rete
roofing tile, remains o ne of the country' s most
Overview popular roofing materi als.
The roof is one of the most important parts of a Arch i tectura lly, roofs are impo rtant visua l
building , being the main protective element elements because they are usually major
which keeps out the weather. The roof provides componen ts in the externa l appearance of a
physical shelter a nd a psychological sense of building. The complex roof forms of Federation
personal security and well-being . bu ildings and th e elegant or even dominating
'flat roof' forms of many 1950-1 960 ' Post War
The design of buildings and their roofs reflects International ' buildings were key vis ual
the culture of the time and place. In terms of our elements of those buildings. Conversely many
built environment this has meant adapti ng a 'Modern' bu ildings from the 1930's -1 940's
general ly European trad ition to the resources period often had hidden roofs, i.e . flat or low
and climate at hand. When South Austra li a pi tched roofs, screened from view by parapet
was first established, this meant coping in a walls.
relatively primitive manner. While the wealthy
few could afford to import roofing materials What is evident is that the roof and its design
such as slates or zinc panels (or even are often key architectural elements which help
prefabri ca ted buildings) from Britain , most determine the form and visual character of most
early settlers had to make do with timber buildings.
shingle roofs or anything else to keep the water
out. For many th is often meant bark or thatch. Today older buildings are more highly sought
after and many owners seek to ma intain and
As the colony grew, timber shingles gave way re store them in a way which reta i ns or re-
to corrugated galvanised iron and a wider use instates their historical integrity. Looking after
of roofing slate. Terracotta Marseilles tiles then the roofs of such build ings is usually the starting
became popular in the early Twen ti eth Century. point of this process. Only when this is attended
Asbestos roofing was introduced circa 1909 to can the rest of the building be considered
and long-length metal roofing and the with some certainty.
ubiquitous concrete tile after WW2.
Thi s Technical Note aims to provide a basic
Evolution in roofing technology has resulted in und erstanding of older roofs and how to
some cu riou s roofing solutions over the years. maintain and repair them . lt deals with roof
For most people however roofing has always cladding and associated external features and
been a matter of finding a practical and cost broadly covers the period from the start of the
effective solu tion. Today th ere is a w ide range colony in 1836 through to the Second World
of roofing materials ava ila ble. Sheet roofing War. As the extent of dilapidati on and causes
materials predominate because of t heir of decay va ry greatly, th is note ca n only
economy and utility. Concrete til es, th e represent an introduction to conserving roofs. lt
successor to the Marseilles tile , also remain does not attempt to address all aspec ts of
very popular. roofing dilap i dation or deal with any
considerations of internal roof structure. Expert
Fashion has also played an important part in advice should always be obtained for this .
the history of roofing, both in terms of roof While emphasis is given to heritage-listed
design and roofing materials. The widespread buildings, the principles set out in this booklet
use of Marseil les tiles at the turn of the century constitute good general maintenance and
and in later years is a good example. These repa ir practice for most older buildings.
tiles, originally imported from France and then
made locally, became very popular in Australia .
Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Conservation Principles Repair Original Fabric Where Possible
When considering the maintenance and repai r The original roof fabric on older buildings
of o l de r roofs , i t is usefu l to keep basic shou ld be retained and repa ired wherever
conservatio n pr inciples in mind so that any possible. This wi ll retain the roof's patina of
work which is carried out can be done in a way age a nd maintain its historic character.
wh ich maintains th e historic character o f the
o rigina l bui ldi ng a nd i s co nsi stent wi th th e For example, this is particularly important w ith
technology of its time. Such principles incl ude: vera ndah roofs where the orig inal sing le length
corrugated sheeti ng may be dented or out of
Understand the Original Design alignment but is o the r-wise in reasonable
condition. Depending upon the severity of the
The starting point for any work on an older roof denting, the cladding may be just left as it is,
is to understan·d the original design, ie what taken off and re-rolled or replaced with new or
sort of roof type is it; which elements make this secondhand cor rugated steel. Another
up; how it has changed, if at all; what parts seemingly attractive possibility wou ld be to re-
cou l d be removed, what needs to be done roof the entire verandah with new custom-orb.
now. Once this is obtained it becomes easier While there may be occasions where this is the
to understand the cause of any problems and to best option, owners should be aware that the
identify wha t work is needed to rectify them or Australian Bui l ding Code may require
restore the roof. additional roof structure if the entire verandah
is to be re-clad, w hereas this possibility wil l not
If it is difficult to understand the original design a rise if only a few existing sheets need to be
of a roof because of later changes, look at repaired or replaced with new. This is requ ired
neighbouring or nearby bui ldings of a similar for two reasons, ie present day corrugated steel
age and design . These often retain the original is different to the old corrugated iron, and
design and will help understand the roof current building standards are higher than last
concerned. century . Additional structural suppor t may
require a whole new rafter and batten system
Identify the Original Fabric where none existed before.
lt is a lways very useful to understand which A certai n amount of wear and tear is quite
parts of the roof fabric form part of the original acceptable and can sig ni fi cantly add to a
roof and which parts are later repairs or building's historic character.
additions. Knowing this will assist in deciding
how any repair or restoration work should be Re-roof with the Same Materials
done.
If a roof needs to be entirely re-clad , then use
Maintain the Original Roof Design the same material and details as the original. If
this is not possible, consider using a compatible
Where possible the original roof design should material which maintains the historic character
be maintained and restored. This ensures that of the house. In many cases natural galvanised
the integrity of the orig inal building design is corrugated steel will be appropriate for roofs
maintained and that its historic character is not and verandahs. Corrugated iron and
compromised. Inadequate original roof corrugated steel has been used wide ly for
practices should be identified and if necessary roofing in South Australia since the 1850's. lt
put right in a way which maintains the building's 'dulls off' with age and develops an attractive
historic character. rough texture which collectively g ive the roof an
attra ctive patina and feeling of age.

2
Image courtesy of State Library of South Australia Ref: B12373
This early photograph dates from 1890 1839 and

shows the first "Bush Inn " in the High Street at
Willunga in 1839. lt has a thatch roof, slate
front wall and stone-timber side walls. This
eclectic mix of materials is typical of many very
early buildings in South Australia and indicative
of the primitive nature of many of the very first
buildings erected, few of which survive today.
Its thatch roof reflects the choice of building
materials available locally.
Common Roof Types
While roofs come in all shapes and forms, most

common roofs are deri ved from one or a
combination of a small number of roof types
w hich have existed for centuries or longer. The
gable roof, hipped roof and lean-to roof (or
skillion) are three of the most enduring. These
roof types and other common roof types are
illustrated on the nex t two pages. Less
commonly used roof types such as Mansard or
butterfly roofs are not shown.

3
Common Roof Types
Hipped Roof Gabled Roof
Dutch Gabled Roof Louvred Hipped Roof

{also called a gambre/1 roof)
Flat Roof Lean-to Roof

(with broad overhangs) (attached to a gable roof)

4
Common Roof Types
Double Hipped Roof

{ also called an "M" roof) "Well" Hipped Roof
(ie with internal box gutte
Barrel Vaulted Roof

Simple Ski/lion Roof
Multiple Hipped Roof Asymmetrical Ski/lion Roof

{with clerestory window)

5
Examples of Local Roof Types
Gable roofed cottage in Willunga
Hipped roof shop in Alberton
Gambrel roofed house in Pennington

6
Roof Elements
Valley gutter
Ridge capping
Roo f cladding
Fin ial Hip capping
Downpipe
Barge board gutter

Fascia board
Verandah
This shows the main parts of a roof

7
Glossary of common roofing terms
Acroteri a : Decorative element o n the ends of gutters . Usually cut to a prof ile f rom sheet
galvanised steel.
A pro n Flashing: Horizontal flashing installed at the top of a roof slope w here it meets a parapet
w all or chimney.
Barge Board: Projecting board closing off the edge o r end of a gable roof, ie
overhanging the end of a gable. Sometimes decorated .
Barge Capping: Material used to close off and weatherproof the end of a gable. A long piece of
timber or meta l is usually used, fixed to a barge board .
Box Gutter: Internal gutter usually located between two sections of sloping roof.
Capping : The material used to close off and w eatherproof the junction w here two elements
of a roof meet, eg a ridge, barge o r hip capping .
Dow npipe: A pipe used to carry w ater fro m a gutter down to a storm water drain.
Eaves: Underside of a roof overha ng ing a w all, usually enclosed .
Fall : Pitch or slope of the roof o r g utter.
Fascia Board: Horizonta l timber board at bottom of rafters supporting the gutter.
Used to close off gaps between rafters w hen di rectly a butting a w a ll.
Finial: A vertical decorative element used at the tops of pi nnacles and gables . Usually
made from timber but stone and metal also used .
Flash ing : Sheet material used to w aterproof a junction between two inter-secting surfaces,
eg a roof abutting a w a ll or vent pipe o r chim ney.
G able: A trian gula r end or element of a w a ll, following the li ne or shape of the roof from
the eaves to the ridge .
G utter: A channel used to collect stormw ater and di rect it to downpipes.
G utter Boards: Boards located under internal g utters eg valley gutters or box g utters to give
support and ensure proper long term falls.
Gutter Brackets: Metal brackets used to locate and support g utters.
Hip: A sloping ridge formed w here two inclined roof surfaces meet.
Pop or d ropper: A short length of tapered dow npipe fixed to a gutter at the point where w ater is
d ischarged from the gutter into a downpipe.
Overhang: Th e distance a roof projects out beyond a wa ll.
Parapet: A low wall located o n th_e perimeter of a build ing, projecting above the line of
the eaves . Usually a n extensio n of an o utside wall.
Pitch: Slope or fa ll of a roof. Usually expressed as an angle or ratio.
Rainwater Head: A box shaped receptacle used to collect stormwater from gutters and direct it into
downpipes.
Roof C ladding: Materia l used to clad the roof.
Ridge: The highest part of a roof, usual ly at the apex of a truss or where the main rafters
meet.
Ridge Capping: The material used to close off and weatherproof the top junction of where two
inclined planes of a roof meet.
Scotia: A concave timber moulding used under gutters to locate, establish correct falls
and give some support to gutters.
Soaker: A flashi ng used to create a small gutter on the upper side of elements which
penetrate the roo( eg the high side of chimneys .
Stop End: The closed end of a gutter.
Spreader: A horizontal section of downpipe, usually w ith holes in it, attached to the bottom
of a vertical downpipe and used to d istribute and sp read out storm water from
above onto a lower roof.
Valley G utter: Gutter at intersection of two internally sloping roof planes
Eaves gutter: Gutters attached to the fascia or barge .
Vents: Openings in roofs to a llow the passage of air, eg a small gable dormer on older
buildings or vertical pipes on more recent buildings.
Verge: Extreme edge of a roof, eg w here tiles protrude over a wall below.

8
2. ROOF MATERIALS IN SOUTH Roofs constru cted from shing les were usually
AUSTRALIA simple hipped o r gable roofs w ithout gutters.
The shingles were laid in alternating layers in
much the same way as slates and terracotta
Introduction ti les were laid, building up a two or three ply
thi ckness. No finish was app l ied, so the
W hen South Australia was first settled by sh in gles weathered to a silver-grey colou r.
Euro peans the early pioneers had to build their Ridges we re formed in several ways, ie by
ho uses and other bui ldings as best they could . inter-weaving shingles, by using timber boards
Th e cho ice of roofing materials was limited. to make up a 'capping', and by using im ported
Th e wealthy used roofing sla te, z inc tiles and or local galvanised iron ridge capping. Lead
lead shipped out from England. The less wealthy cappings were also used occasionally on very
used thatch, timber shing les or even bark, i.e. early roofs, dressed over a traditional timber
whatever was at hand was used. Many first ridge roll.
arrivals simply used tents.
Using sh ing le s lasted into the 1890's,
particularly in rural areas. However in the city
Timber Shingles their use ceas ed in 1858 when the C ity of
Adelaide banned the use of such flammable
The most w idely used roofing material in the roofing materials.
early years of the colony was the timber shingle.
This was the common name g iven to both
machine-sawn timber shi ngles and hand-split Thatch
timber shingles. Th ese were c ut from local
timber and can still be seen o n many older Thatch was also w idely used in the early years
cottages, particularly under corrugated iron of th e colony, with straw, re eds and native
applied over shingles as a later 'improvement' . grasses being commonly used. Necessity,
economy, its natural insulating qual~ties and the
Shi ngles were made in vari ous sizes. Two rea dy availability o f thatching materials in
com mon sizes used in South Australia w e re some localities made it popular in rural areas
460mm long by 200mm w ide and 750mm by of South A ustrali a. Tha tching methods and
170mm. Shingles were usually cut from local practices usually reflected those from the settl ers
Eucalyptus. Stringybark and Casuarin a were homelands, often Briti sh regional areas or parts
w id ely used in the eastern States. Shi ngles of Europe.
could last up to twenty o r thirty years, depending
upon exposure, roof pitch and local weather Tha tch was inferior to shingles and decreased
conditions . in popularity once more econom i cal roofing
became ava il abl e. lt was also hig hl y
flam mable and attracted rodents. Like timber
shi ng l es, its use in metropolitan Adelaide
ceased in 1858 when the Adelaide City Council
banned such materials for use in buildings.
Thatch continued to be used in country area s

however on secondary buildings and structures
such as barns and shelters, mainly for reasons
of economy and habit, well into the Twen tieth
Century. Thatch can occasionally still be seen
today on older farm buildings in South Australia.
Cottage with timber shingle roof

9
Slate Ridges and hips were typically capped with a
strip of lead formed over a timber roll (on top of
Slate was di scovered in South Australia at the ridge / hip beam) and uppermost sl ates .
Wi ll unga in 1840. Th is resu lted in a good Galvanised iron ridge cappings were also used
supply of roofing slate for Adelaide and where economy was required . Terra cotta
surrou nding areas very early in the life of the ridge cappi ng was occasional ly used with
colony. Slate quickly became a popular roofing decorative finia ls. Chim neys and parapets
material in those areas near suitable qua rries. were flashed w ith stepped lead flashings fixed
As it was a common roofing material in Britain into brick jo ints. Lead was considered superior
and Europe , there was a ready supply of and the preferred capping.
tradespeople among arriving settlers to lay
slate roofing. While more expensive than The slate quarries at Willunga on the Fleurieu
timber shingles, slate came to be used widely Peninsula were the main source of roofing slate
throughout South Australia. in South Austra lia. An attractive mid-grey
colour, Willunga slate was used on many
Roofing slate suited the aesthetic ethos of the Adelaide buildings, including Bonython Hall
Victorian period which was pre-occupied with and St. Peter's Cathedral. Slate was a lso
detail and decoration. lt could be used in a imported from Britain , coming mainly from
variety of patterns and incorporate contrasting quarries in Wales and England , including
patterns or bands of different coloured tiles . Bugail and Penrhyn.
Slate roofing became very popular and was
w idely used up to the turn of the century and Imitation roofing slate was introduced in the
beyond, on all types of buildings. late 1920's. These have been available ever
since in a range of sizes and in varying forms,
Roofing slate came in a range of sizes, colours manufactured first from Asbestos and then fibre-
and qua lity. All the usual traditi onal English cement. James Hardie sti ll make a fibre-cement
sizes were available, e.g. Countess, Duchess, ' heritage shingle' today, coloured slate grey
Viscountess, Ladies etc. A common slate size in and 630 x 235 x 6mm in size. Severa l artificial
South Australia was 550x 300mm. Slates slate products are available, such as Eternit's
were fixed with galvanised, z inc or copper 'Stonit' and ' Eterna' . Real slate is rarely used
slating clouts via either centre nailing (one hole) today because of its high cost.
or head nailing (two holes) .
Cottage with slate roof

10
Slate cont.
\
\.
•
\
~'.
Detail of a slate roof gable end
Note verge detail and loose slates
Detail of patterning of roofing slate

Note use of three different slates

11
IPenrh vn
Slate Roofing-
Sloping edge Top course
Cut Penrh\·n ,l,tle-. .L' nL'Ccs.-..m·
and tnterleaw Wtth kad
"-l.lkt:r> to form a cln»e.
·
Tu m undcrl3\ 100 mm up
ahuunem Ftn"h >laung" ith a
head-n.uk>tl 'hort cour.c 10
IL
\\CJihem~o~ht abuuncm Fix mamtaln gauge Ensuro: 1ha1
-.<l.lkotr\ h\ 1Uffill11!l d<!\\ 11 OI'Cf fl.!Shin~s arc ftxed immedtately
tht: head of each 'l:tle. En~ure aft.er slaun~ is complete
th.u le;rd na.•hlng.• :tre ll~'ally
drt:'-'L'd down <"er 'll:lker>
tmme<.h.uclv :tfter 'laun~"
~omplcte
"~ilk· t k·.aJ n.t. . htnj.t

"'-~c.:J lntohnl k\\4 trk
. ,•
Detail of a slate roof parapet wall flashing

Taken from Penrhyn Slate Roofing Notes

12
Metal Tiles Galvanised Iron
Zinc roofing products were available in South Rolled galvanised iron was first imported into
Australia from the very first days of the colony. South Austral ia from Brita in in about 1850.
They were imported from Britai n and came in This was sheet or corrugated iron coa ted wi th
two fo rms, rol led sheet and patented metal zinc. lt quickly became popular because of its
tiles. The former appears to have been little economy, i ts rela tive ly large si ze (ie fewer
used in South A ustra lia, while the latter was joints), its versatility, simple use and ease of
used here but was quickly supplanted by transport. Roofs clad in corrugated iron were
corrugated galvanised iron in the 1850's. quick to build, worked well and did not readily
catch fire. lt was also ideal fo r laying over
The meta l tiles were a large 'pan' with a rolled earlier shingle roofs*.
long edge, typically laid on boards with vertical
timber rolls on both sides and fixed with metal
clouts. The finished roof had quite a strong
visual texture, as can be seen in the cottage
below. Such tiles were often used to upgrade
earlier shingle roofs. One widely available
brand was the Morewood and Rogers Patent
Tile which came in two sizes, 900 x 450 and
900 x 600mm w ide. Local copies fabricated
from ga l vanised i ron and zinc sheet also
appear to have been made.
The Baptist church in Flinders Street in the City Early cottage with corrugated iron roof
of Adelaide was originally roofed in metal tiles.
This roof was restored in the mid-1980's when The early galvanised iron came in standard
Wunderlich briefly re-introduced zinc tiles. lengths (typically 2'6"x6'0"), was relatively
These were high quality replicas of the original thick and had slightly larger corrugations than
tiles. present day profiles. This gave it great
durab ili ty, although it was susceptible to
rusti ng at laps. These characteristics made it a
slig htly different product to today's nearest
equivalent.
Its ability to span relatively large d istances

made it popu la r w i th farmers and industry,
where it was widely used to build large barrel-
va ulted roofs for anc illary buildings such as
stables and sheds. This was achieved by riveting
sheets together to form a large almost self
Cottage in Penola with metal tile roof
supporting curved roof. M in ima l structural
support was needed , making such roofs
popular in remote areas where timber was
scarce.
* it is not unusual today to find timber shingles under

an old corrugated iron roof. Many a shingle roof
has been preserved in this manner.

13
A villa in Norwood roofed with corrugated steel. Note bull-nosed roof on verandah and decorated
hipped bay window roof.
Church hall roofed with original 6'0" long sheets of corrugated iron. Note the pattern or texture the
small sheets make.

14
Galvanised Iron Cont.
A limited rang e of ancillary products made

from sheet galvanised iron was introduced at
the same time, including flashings, gutters and
down-pipes. Ridge and hip cappings were also
avai lable. Galvanised iron ridge and hip
flashings were fabricated w ith a centre roll and
w ere fixed down with galvanised clouts. Lead
was also initi ally used for cap pings and
co nt inued to be used for hips on c urved
verandahs. Half round gutters and Ogee gutters Concave (or 'eyelash ') verandah profile
were w idely used as eaves gutters a nd came in
seve ra l sizes. These were used with ro un d
galvanised downpipes and folded rainwater
heads .
Half round gutter; Ogee gutter
Convex verandah profile

Corruga ted iron could also be curved easily .
This led to the evolution of the curved verandah
roof, expressed in a number of profiles such as
the convex, the concave, the bullnose and the
Ogee. lt could also be used at er re latively low
pitch which made it idea l for lean-to roofs. A
not uncommon sight in the early years of the
colony were build ings with shingle roofs for the
main roof and corrugated iron verandahs and
lean-to additions.
Bullnose verandah profile
Straight verandah profile Ogee verandah profile

15
Galvanised Iron Cont. Properly looked after, ga lvanised iron or steel
w ill las t for ma ny decades. Its main p roblem
A n early fashion w ith curved verandahs was to has been rusting. Until the 1960's, corrugated
stripe the verandah roof, ie al ternative sheets steel came in rela tively sho rt standard leng th s.
wou ld be pa inted in d ifferent colours. This is Th is requ ired extensive horizontal overlapping
thought to have evolved from the use of striped of sheets which often lead to rusti ng. Today's
canvas awnings on shop fro nts which preceded long lengths, ie a single leng th cut to suit th e
galvanised iron verandahs. roof in questi on, do not have this problem.
Old galvanised steel, either corrugated or flat

sheet, is often still quite usable today, even if it
is quite badly rusted. Provided it is not holed
and the profiles match, rust can be cleaned off
and the iron sealed . Such iron or steel can last
for decades, particularly if it is also painted . In
Maiden, Austra lia 's first heritage town near
Bendigo, corrugated and sheet iron from last
century and early th i s century is routi nely
recycled even though it may be heavily rusted.
Recycled cor rugated stee l retains a most
attractive patina of age.
Attractive verandah in Willunga
A new corrugated metal roof claddi ng ca lled
Galvanised corrugated iron established itsel f as ' Zi ncalume' was introduced by Lysaghts in
a popular b ui ldi ng material i n the early 1975. This was a n aluminium alloy coating on
V i cto ri an period in Sou th Austra li a. Ma ny steel. A colour ed or painted ve rsi on o f this
Adelaide villas still have thei r original roofing called 'Colorbond' was introduced at about the
iron from the 1880's-90's. same time. An improved version called 'Z inc<;:~
lume' was later introduced in 1993. These new
Sheet galvanised iron was also widely used. materials transformed the roofing market.
Decora tive e lements such as acroteri a were
often cut ou t and fixed to the corners of gutters Corrugated galvanised steel roof cladding is
on the main roof on houses, particularly in the made of a different material today. The nearest
1870's-90's. Rainwater heads were fabricated equivalent to the o ld 'co rrugated iron' is the
in a wide range of sizes and styles. Cast iron natura l ga l vanised corrugated steel fr om
decorative secti ons were sometimes used on Fielders, BHP Build ing Product and others. This
the ridges of important buildings. varies in thickness, eg Fielders 'Double-Smelted
Galvan i sed' corruga ted steel is sim ila r to the
Galva nised iron with smaller corrugations was original heavy gauge iron. BHP make 'Custom-
also produced. This was used and is still used O rb' and 'Custom Blue-Orb'. Blue-orb is softer
extensively for external wall cladding, internal than Custom-Orb and is su itable for curving. lt
wal l lini ng, ceili ngs, joi nery and vera nda h i s wi dely used today for bull-nosed verandahs,
soffits a nd other in novative uses. tanks and downpipes.
Stee l re p laced iro n ea rl y this centu ry and Corrugated steel is still very popular. lt is seen
'ga lvanised iron ' became ' galvanised steel' in as being very 'Austra lian' and is currently very
t he same phys i cal form. Qual i ty c hanged fashionable, being modern and contemporary
however as thinner steel and thinner galvanised yet possessing strong historical lin ks to early
coatings were used. 'corrugated iron'.

16
Zincalume Steel and Colorbond Steel If Zincalume steel cladding is used on a heritage
building it should pre ferably be pa inted to
Zi ncalume steel is a zinc-aluminium alloy match it in visually with the older character of
coated steel material; Colorbond steel is a the building concerned. Zincalume is best used
coloured version of this, i.e. it is finished with on new buildings.
a silicon modified polyester coating. Natural
galvanised steel, on the other hand, is just that. Terracotta Tiles
Each of these come in a range of zinc coatings
and thicknesses. The profile of present day The Ma r se i lles pattern terracotta tile was
custom-orb is slightly smaller than the original introduced to South Australia in the 1890' s and
and cannot be lapped in conjunction with older quickly became very popular. These unglazed
corrugated iron or steel roofs because of this tiles originally came from France where they
difference. While proprietary brand names, were supplied by tileries near Marseilles. Tiles
both Zinca lume and Colorbond steel have were used extensively on Federation and
become somewhat generic terms in today' s Queen Anne style houses early this century and
building industry. then later on Californian bungalows. The
French tiles were relatively thin and brittle
While Zincalume steel is a good modern however and were eventually replaced by
building material , i t is not generally more robust locally-produced tiles. The original
recommended in its natural state for visible importer, Wunderlich Ltd. , began to make their
restoration work on heritage-listed buildings. own Marseilles-type tiles in 1922 at
Corrugated 'Zincalume' steel is superficially Edwardstown and quickly became a ma jor
similar to corrugated galvanised steel but i s Australian supplier.
made from a different material and has different
physical and aesthetic properties. it has a very
smooth shiny finish which changes very little
with age, ie it does not 'dull off' or develop a
rough texture or patina of age as natural
galvanised iron does. This gives it a different
colour and texture to aged corrugated
galvanised steel. As a result it does not match
the physical appearance or texture of old
galvanised steel, ie a roughened and matt mid-
grey colour that looks noticeably 'old'.
Tiled roof ot Norwood Oval.
Zincalume steel is not recommended for
repairing ex isting corrugated galvanised steel
roofs. Zincalume is incompatible with copper
or lead. Zincalume cannot be soldered. Run-off
from Zincalume into galvanised steel or lead
gutters can result in inert catchment. Acid rain
draining into galvanised gutters can cause
corrosion. Given these difficulties , it is
considered unsuitable for use on heritage
buildings.
Tiled roof on Tudor Bungalow

17
Terracotta Tiles Cont. Fibre Cement
Marseilles tiles were complemented by a range Compressed fibrous cemen t products including
of ridge and hip tiles . Decorative finial and roofing 'slates ' were introduced into Australia
ridge ti les were also ava ilable and can be seen early this century. These were first imported
on Federa tion houses in Too ra k Gardens or from France in 1903 and consisted of
Glenunga. corrugated and flat sheet products, moulded
cappings and accessories. lt quickly became
popular and was used extensively in the 1920' s
for roofing , cladding, lining and other uses.
Entire hou ses were bu ilt from wha t became
known as asbestos-cement.
Local production commenced in Sydney in

1917 when W underlich Ltd. introd uced i ts
Durabestos range of products. This included
' roofing slates ' and corrugated sheets of
Decorative ridge tiles in North Adelaide 'asbestos-cement'. The latter came in two profile
sizes, a standard size and a larger size. The
The Marseilles-type tile remained very popular smaller size was similar to corrugated iron ,
up to the 197 0 ' s and is still available today. w hile the larger was bolder and more distinctive.
Concrete roofing tiles were introduced in the James Hardie also began making asbestos
1950's and effectively supplanted the terracotta products. Their ' New Contour' corrugated
Marseilles type tile in the popular market. roofing was another larger profile size.
Flat plain unglazed terracotta roofi ng tiles were Compressed fibrous-cement roofing tiles were
also available at the turn of the century. These also introduced at this time. These came in a
tiles were relatively expensive and tended to be range of sizes and colours and both copied
used on costly homes such as Carrick Hill at shi ngles and slates and a lso introduced new
Springfield or for small areas of feature roofing sizes (eg 400x400mm) . This size gave a most
or cladding*, eg on sun-screen roofs or small attractive pa tina or texture to a roof when laid
bay windows, often located at ground level diagonally. These tiles became popular during
where they would be readily seen. This can be the Federation period and can be seen on
seen on Roche House, 46 Palmer Place, North some Federation villas in the eastern suburbs
Adela i de. Such ti l es were typically and the Woodville / Cheltenham area. They
254x 152x 1 Omm th ick. Their use was not were imported from Europe eg Eternit tiles from
widespread . Bel gium and also made locally eg Hardies
Fibrolite tiles.
Concrete Tiles
These were first introduced in South Australia in
the 1950's and became very popular in the
1970's and more recent decades. They were
originally bought in as a cheaper and stronger
rep lacement for the terracotta Marseilles-type
tile. The range of concrete t ile types and
p rofi les has expanded significantly since the
1970's. They have now become one of the Diagonal roofing tiles
most popu l ar roofing materials in the mass * Flat terracotta tiles were a/so used for feature
housing market. wall cladding on Federation style houses, as
seen in Toorak Gardens etc.

18
Fibre Cement Cont. Flat roofs in ho using appeared more w idely in
the late 1950's following World War 2 when
Th e name 'asbestos-cement' evolved because steel roof dec king became availabl e. This
of th e blue asbestos used in it's manufacture. 'decking' or cladding evolved out of the
This additive has not been used now for several manufacture of corrugated galvanised iron and
decades however. reflected advances in technology made duri ng
and immediately after World War Two. Known
James Hardie introduced an updated version of initial ly as 'Galvanised Steel Sheet' roofing, it
th eir imitation roofing 'slates' in the 1960's- could be used at pitches of one to two degrees
70's with bevelled corne rs. While used to the horizontal , w hich allowed roofs to appear
occasionally to replace real roofing slates, they 'Flat' .
were never popular.
The use of compressed Fibre cement for domestic

and commercial roofing peaked in the 1960's.
Increasing consciousness about the health
effects of asbestos began to effect sales in the
early 1970's. Althoug h asbestos was removed
from the manufacturing process, the use of
compressed fibre-cemen t roofi ng for domestic
purposes declined sharply. Today compressed
fibre-cement is little used fo r roofing and i s
pri ma rily used for cladding or wall lining. The
only roof cladding available now is 'Super
Six', used mainly for industrial roofing.
Flat Roofs
In Victorian times the term 'Flat roof' in Britain

refer red to a roof pitch of les-S than seve n
degrees, usually clad wi th a sheet metal such
as zinc, copper or lead*. In South Austral ia
such roofing was rare but was sometimes used A 1960's advertisement for Lysaght's
on Government or in stitutiona l buildings.
However it was little used on re side nti al The term 'Flat roof' in the 1960's-1970's was
buildings. associated w ith l ow-pi tched roofs (ie 1-4
degrees pitch) and referred to bui ldings using
In terms of popular usage, flat roofs and flat metal decki ng or roof cladd ing . lt became
roofing systems were first seen in Australia in available in a number of different profiles, w ith
the 1920's when impregnated bituminous felt ' Kiip-Lock' being a popular style in the 1960 's.
was used on the roofs of office blocks. Thi s lt was typica lly used for flat roofs on buildings
consisted of laying multiple coa ts of bitumen w ith parapet walls o r significant eaves
over a ba se of felt placed on a sub-base of overhangs. Aluminium sheeting a lso became
concrete . Proprietary products such as Malthoid available in the 1960's.
and Jutex were used in a similar manner. Such
roofing however was rare ly used do mestically Today flat roof cladd ing comes in a wi de range
in South Austra lia . of profiles to cater for a broad range of uses
and situations.
* For lead sheetwork refer Bibliography for
publications of Lead Sheet Association & Lead
Development Association.

19
3. TRADITIONAL ROOF DETAILING
Cappings and Flashings

Capp ings are stri ps of material used to sea l
roof junctions w here d ifferent roof components
meet, ie ridge cappings, hip cappings, parapet
cappings and barge cappings (also cal led
verge cappings). Flashings are strips of material
used to seal roof penetrations, such os a vent,
or where roof cladding abuts a vertical face ,
suc h os a wall o r a chimney. Most roofing
systems hove dedicated 'coppi ngs ' or Lead hip capping on a verandah
'floshings' to seal such junctions .
Zinc floshings were also available from the start
The first material to be widely used for this in of the colony for use with zinc sheet and tiles.
South Australia was rolled lead. This Like lead it was used to seal roofing junctions.
represented the techno logy of the day and was However it was superseded by galvanised iron
imported from Britain. Lead was available from in the early 1850's and d id not achieve the
the start of the colony and used extensively on widespread usage of lead. The Baptist Church
early slate roofs and metal roofs. lt come in in Flinders Street was origina lly roofed and
rolled strips in standard sizes and was used on flashed with zinc.
ridges, hips, valleys, barges and junctions w ith
wa ll s and chimneys. lt was readily cut and The advent of galvanised iron introduced a
shaped and used os both coppings and cheaper form of roofing to Australia. The first
flashings. Cappings were usually fixed with galvanised iron copping to be available was a
clouts to the ridge beam or hip rafter and then copy of the traditional lead capping, complete
tamped into the profile of the iron or slates. with central roll. This was used for ridges and
Lead floshings to vents were fixed with clouts hips and was usually cut or 'scribed ' into the
while floshings to vertical wall faces were flutes of the corrugated iron. Both lead and
normally fixed into raked out horizontal brick galvanised iron coppings were initially used on
joints and lapped and sealed. Some early slate corrugated iron roofs. However go lvo n i sed
roofs did not use lead cappings and instead iron predominated, except on verandah hi ps
interwove slates to form a special ridge and hip where the malleability of lead was better suited
course to seal the junction . to being formed into curved verandah profiles.
Galvanised sheet was also used widely for
Verges to gable walls on slate roofs usually other minor waterproofing needs.
used a timber barge-board with timber copping.
However when timber was not available or on
lesser buildings, verges were often formed by
extending slates 50-70mm over the edge.
Similarly, mortar fillets or parging were
occasionally used to 'sea l' slate roofs and
corrugated iron roofs to adjacent masonry
parapet walls. This was very much on economy
detail and prone to cracking and leaking.
Lead was heavy however and expanded in the

hot Australian summer. lt needed good support
and careful fixing if it was not to move, slip or Galvanised iron ridge capping
split.

20
Cappings and Flashings Cont. Th e first manufactured galvani sed steel barge
capp i ng to be w id ely used was the rolled
Th e first barge cappings for corrugated iron barge capping in which a 50-70mm rolled end
roofs were made from timber. These consisted section was combined wi th a fl at section to fit
of a weathered 'cricket bat' piece of timber, neatly over a barge board and thus provide a
typically 140 x 45mm, fixed to the top of the conside rable degree of weather protection.
barge board and supported on the outside by a Th i s came into w i de spread use in the early
timber scotia. The corrugated roofing slipped in Twentieth Century and quickly superseded
under this on the roof side and was thu s timber barge capp in gs. lt became the new
effectively 'flashed '. These were used for many industry standard and is still ava ilable.
years, well into the Twentieth Century. The
problem w ith timber however was that it had a
limited life and generally deteriorated within a
few decades, depending upon the timber used
and the degree of exposure.
Like slate, early corrugated iron was usually

sealed to vertica l wa ll surfaces with l ead
flashings. This was used in short lengths and
fixed into raked-out horizontal brick courses. lt
would lap over the next section of flashing and
have a stepped appearance.
Also like slate, mortar was used at times to seal

corrugated iron roof cladd ing to vertical wall Timber barge capping detail
surfaces. This was done by either parging or
rendering the rear of the parapet wall and
continuing this down onto the roofing or by
using a band of render which followed the line
of the roof. These mortar seals were prone to Timber barge capping. Note weathered
cracking and wa ter entry however and were profile. Also note scribing of galvanised
not considered as good as lead. iron capping into flutes.

21
Rolled barge capping on lean-to
Rolled barge capping detail Folded barge capping
An enterprising answer to sealing barge

junctions with corrugated iron on more primitive
buildings in rural areas was to simply bend the
corrugated iron down over the edge of the
roof, thus forming an effective flashing of the
w all/roof junction .
After the Sec ond World War, the rolled

galvanised steel capping evolved into the
folded galvanised steel capping . This and its
subsequent Colourbond and Zincalume steel
derivatives have since become the mainstays of
today' s metal roof industry.

22
Cappings and Flashings Cont.
Terracotta tile roofs were originally capped by

the use of a standard ridge or hip tile. Verges
were usually fi nished with a simple overhang,
i.e. the edge of the tile would overhang the wall
or barge board by 20-50mm. Feature gables
often used timber barge cappings. Lead
flashings and cappings were sometimes used
on more comp lex roofs for wal l junctions ,
parapet walls and hips to smaller elements like
sunshades or bay windows. In time lead was
replaced by galvanised steel flash ing . This in
turn was replaced by Colorbond steel flashing.
Terracotta tile roofs today are still capped by

the use of a standard ridge or hip tile. Verges
are now finished in several ways, wi th a special
verge or barge tile being the most common.
Concrete tiles used the same or very sim ilar

flashing detai ls. Concrete tiles today have a
very wide range of custom concrete barge and
ridge tiles and ga lvanised or Colorbond
fleshings .
Asbestos and fibre cement roof products also

introduced moulded fleshings and cappings.
Only a limited range of barge and ridge
cappings is available today.
Contemporary decorative tiles

Taken from Bristile Clay Tiles brochure

23
Gutters and Downpipes
Many early buildings did not have metal gutters

as they were expensive and difficult to obtain in
the early years of the colon y. Given the
difficulties of establishing the colony , only
important government or private buildings
could afford gutters. W hen used they fo llowed
traditional British buildi ng practice and were
either box gutters or eaves gutters, fabricated
from materials imported from Britain . Box
gutters and valley gutters were usually made Half Round gutter
from lead while eaves gutters were cast iron .
Those settlers w ho cou ld not afford metal gutters
usually used nothi ng , although hollowed-out
tree trunks were occasionally used .
The increased use of galvanised iron in the

1850's included eaves gutters folded from
sheet galvanised iron. These copied the o lder
cast iron gutters from Britain and provided the
colonists with an economic range of guttering
and down-pipes. They proved popular and
became the first to be widely manufactured and Ogee gutter
used in South Australia. They came in traditional
profiles, i.e. Half-Round, Ogee and Ovolo, in
standard lengths of six feet. Lengths of gutters
and downpipes were joined together by riveting
and soldering. Rain water head s were also
manufactured from flat galvanised iron. Tnese
components enabled economic gutter systems
to be readily assembled.
Timber scotias were used to align gutters and

help support them. Scotias came in severa l
sizes, depending upon the need.
Quadrant or D gutter
These first gutters were used with both round
and square galvanised downpipes, rolled or Gutters on government and institutional
folded from galvanised sheet. While square buildings in the Victorian period were usually a
downpipes were used on more important combination of traditional lead lined box or
buildings and in forma l si tuation s, the bu lk of valley gutters and Half-Round or Ogee eaves
every-day use was accommodated with round gutters on the less important sides . Such
downpipes. These came in a range of standard buildings often had parapet walls at the front
si zes, i.e. 2 inch , 21/2 inch and 3 inch and sides and used square downpipes and
diameter. The standard length was six feet. rainwater heads on those si des , ie on th e
Down-pipes were fixed to walls with metal formal part of the building. The rear usually
straps cut from galvanised sheet and could be had a more informal character and used eaves
quite decorative . gutters and round down pipes.

24
Gutters and Downpipes Cont. Such ven ts were typically sma ll gable roofed
structures made from ga lva ni sed sheet. Such
Larg er more affluent houses also re flected vents were incorporated into the overall design
British building practice and similarly used box of the building and beca me attractive and
gutters, eaves gutters and both square important visual elements in their own right.
dow npipes and round downpipes. Most private
residences however usually only utili sed eaves
gutters and round galvanised downpipes.
On better quality buildings downpipes typically

d ischarged into red brick su rface d rain s or
rendered brick sumps a nd the n into
underground pipes. However in most domestic
situations the downpipes usually discharged
on to the ground directly alongside the external
walls.
In the late 1930 ' s a simplified version of the

Ogee gutter was i ntroduced , called th e
Quadrant. Thi s became very popular and Roof vents in corrugated steel roofing. Note
spawned a number of derivatives such as the pattern created by roof cladding.
longtail quadrant and bull nosed quadrant. The
basi c quadrant gutter , also known as a D
gutter, is still widely used today.
After the Second World Wa r the choice of

gutters increased significantly with new profiles
and materials being introduced. Larger volume
and sq uarer prof il e gutters suc h as the
Sq uareli ne were in troduced, -along wi th
aluminium a nd PVC gu tter and downpipe
systems. Square shaped gutters such as
Lysaght's Novaline are typi cal o f today 's
popular guttering.
Roof Vents
Gablette vents in slate roof
Ventilation of interiors became important in the
Victorian era as healthy living and healthy
buildings became w idespread priorities. Thi s
led to the incorpo rati on of measu res whic h
incl uded sophisticated ventilati on systems in
roof spaces of public bu ildings and institutions.
Some Government buildings used gas-powered
forced ve ntil a ti o n sys tem s, however most
b uildings used air convection system s. Th ese
usua lly consisted of galvanised iron ducts or
large lighting boxes wh ich connected ceiling
ventilators in the rooms below to external roof
vents .

25
Decoration Roof Fixings
Th e decoratio n o f roofs has varied over the Shingles

years in line with public ta ste and the availability Timber sh ingles were usually fixed down w ith
of material s. Slate roofs were decorated by square cut roofing nails as used last cen tury .
varying the pattern, shape and colour of sla te. The se are availab le aga in from spec iali st
Corruga ted iro n/ steel roofs were decorated woodwork centres.
w ith cast iron ridges, fin ials and o rnate barge
or fascia boards. Gutters were decorated with Slate Roofs
acroteric. Slates were nailed down to battens with metal
slating clouts, placed through holes drilled o r
The most common form o f decoration was punched through the slate. Clou ts were usually
painting. W hile many roofs were left in their galvanised iron, alth~ug h copper clouts were
natura l state, galvanised iro n roofs on Victo rian occasional ly used on better qua lity projects.
buildings were ofte n pain ted , reflecting the There were two methods of nai ling , head
Victo ria n obsession w ith decoration. W hile the nailing and centre na il ing.
roof claddin g was usually painted only one
colo ur, it formed a key part of ofte n complex Corrugated Iron and Steel
overa ll co l our sc hemes which picked out Corrugated iron and fl at galvanised sheet and
different roof elements such as goblets, barge their later steel eq uivalents were usua lly fixed
boards, finials, ridges, eaves etc. down w ith ' roofing nails' (ie spring head nails)
w hich incorpora ted a flat galvanised circular
Where cost was a concern, the ma in roof was 'skirt' to cover the hole made by the nail.
usually left unpainted, ie as natural galvanised
iron . Decora tion by painting was then only Terracotta Tiles
taken up to th e gutter. The use of colour was Terracotta ti les were traditionally fixed down
thus concentrated at a level where it was most by locating the tile on battens via lugs on th e
see n. Thi s was the case particularly in ru ral underside a nd then securing the tile with copper
areas. w ire.
While the main roof on Victorian buildings was

usually mo nochro me, ve ra ndah s we re o ften
brightly striped with a lternative sheets painted
in different colours.
Photo of striped verandah roof
Q;
-"'
u
~~i~~. .~~iji~i1 8
~~22~~~~~-.. .m ~

26
4. MAINTENANCE OF ROOFS Sla te ro ofs c a n o nly be mai nta i ned so fa r
before consideration w il l need to be given to
A ll roofs should be inspected annua lly. At the replacing all the slates. Thi s w ill need careful
very least roofs should be checked for integrity assessment as there are two ma jor prob lems
of cladd ing, leaks a nd correct operation of involved . The fi rst is that a new slate roof w ill
gutters. cost four to eight times the cost of re-roofing in
corrugated iron, depending upon the quality of
the sla tes used. Th e second is that there are
Timber Shingles very few trained slaters in South Austra li a.
People thinking of re-slating a roof are advised
Today there are few if any functioning shingle to contact the State Heri tage Branch.
roofs left in South Australia. The future for those
rema i ning depends no t so much on On major heritage buildings this cost may not
main tenance as restora t ion . When this is be a significant problem, but on many privately
contemplated , the best approach is to aim to owned domestic heritage buildings the cost of
maintain or re-instate the original roof design, these materials and th e specia list labour
using only those remaining original shingles in required may be prohibi tive. In these situations,
good condition and supplementing them as it is acceptable to replace an unservi ceable
necessary w i th ma tching sh i ngles , either slate roof w i th a new natura l galva n ised
sa lvaged from similar buildings in the area or corrugated iron roof. Th is is usually compatible
made up to match the original. G iven the rarity with the age of the building and may be more
of such work, specialist advice from relevant practicable and achievable for owners. Note
conservation agencies such as Heritage South that natural galvanised iron should be used .
Australia sho uld be sought.
Cappings and flashi ngs on sla te roo f s are
Early timber sh ing le roofs are often found usually lead. Like the sla tes, these will requ ire
under old corrugated iron roofs. Such shingles maintenance and w ill need to be replaced fro m
should be reta ined w herever possible, being time to time, dependi ng upon their cond ition.
an important hi storical record (and valuable This is usua lly done by roof slaters a; part of the
insulation). overall work.
The clouts fixing down the individual slates can

Slate someti mes deteriorate before the slate does. A
common repair to a slate roof is to remove and
Roofing sla tes typically have a life of forty to then re-nail all the existing slates, replacing
seventy years, depending upon the quality of defective slates with new at the same time. Th is
the sla te. They deteriorate in a number of amounts to a re-roofi ng of the building.
ways, including delamina ting on the underside
and weatheri ng aro und their fixing holes. Today the re is a wide range o f li terature
What may appear to be a sla te roof in good avai labl e on recommended slati ng practice,
condition externally may in fact be significantly coming mainly from Britain and North America.
deterio rated when inspected on the underside. Major suppliers such as Pen r hyn provide
detailed guidel ines a nd 'good practice' notes
Slate roofs sho ul d be i nspected at regul ar on how to slate roofs. Brit i sh Standards
intervals by professional roof slaters for leaks, BS5534, BS680 and related standards set the
loose or sl ipped slates. Match i ng or very p rese nt benchm ark f or pro fessiona l slating
sim ila r slates should be used for any repair practice in the English spea king world .
work, a lthough this may not a lways be possible.

27
Galvanised Iron and Steel While natural Zincalume steel is a perfectly
good material in i ts own righ t, it does not
Galvanised iron and steel roofing is generally weather in the same way as natural galvanised
very durab le but l ike a ll materia l s needs stee l, making i t less suited to matching the
maintenance. Its most common problem is rust weathe red textured su r faces of histor ic
w hich w ill develop where water is trapped. buildings. If painted over howeve r, it is quite
Th is typical ly occurs at the laps, i.e . where one acceptable.
sheet overlaps th e next. Thi s can be a sig nificant
problem on roofs clad with short length sheets, Second hand corruga ted steel can a l so be
such as th e original six foot long sheets. lt can used to repair or re-roof older roofs. If used fo r
also occur in gutters w here water may 'pond' repairs, check to make sure that the flutes are
and eventually rust through. A corruga ted steel the same size.
roof may look in good condition from outside
yet can often be found to have significant
rusting when viewed internally. Minor rusting
can be repaired by cleaning off rust,
neutralising and priming the steel, and then
repainting.
O lder corrugated iron or steel is quite thick and

strong and will last a long time, even if rusted.
Small a reas o f r ust ca n be dealt w it h as
described above . A few areas of rust do not
mean a roof has to be re-clad but rather that it
needs maintenance. The original iron or steel
should be kept on as long as practical as the
patina and sheet layout contribute significantly
to the historic character of a building.
Roofing
Rusted overlaps can be alleviated to a degree
Slipped roof repairs. Note slip sheet.
by slipping , ie slipping in a new section of
corrugated steel at the bottom of each sheet.
While th i s w ill not stop rusting, it will extend
useful roof life. The question of whether to use the same size
roofing sheets as the original or modern long
When old corrugated steel roof cladding needs lengths cut to fit w ill depend on the importance
to be replaced, new natural galvanised steel of the building and the owner's wishes. While
custom-orb should be used. lt is important to the smaller sheet size gives an attractive pattern
confirm with the roofer that natural galvan ised to a roof, a longer length will give better water
steel roofing is to be used and not Zincalume proofing and a longer life. In most situations
steel, as the industry standard today is long lengths wil l be quite acceptable. Roof
Zincalume. Natural ga lvanised is still available, sheets which match the original size need only
at a similar cost to Zinca lume. lt is rolled on be considered on buildings of special heritage
demand and will need to be ordered in. Natura l sig nifica nce.
galvanised steel is better for heritage bu ildings
because it 'dulls off' with age and more li kely to
be compatible w ith an exi sting o lder storm-
water system in terms of e lectro ly ti c
deterioration.

28
Galvanised Iron and Steel Cont. Ogee gutters have also been used since the
start of the colony and were widely used up to
Colorbond the late 1930' s. Two sizes were available, the
Another choice for roof re-cladd ing is Colorbond larger being used for general roofing and the
pre-painted steel custom-orb. This can be used sma ller for verandahs and bay windows . Ogee
to replace an old painted galvanised steel roof gutters a re still ava il able today, although
and wi ll be appropriate in many si tuations. modern versions have a wider 'pan ' and a less
W he re historical authenticity is required sharply defined profile. When selecting Ogee
however, natural galvanised steel custom-orb gutters toda y, be aware that th e historical
should be used and either left natural or painted . authenticity of the profile varies from brand to
Colorbond has a polyester baked coating which brand. Ogee gutters were fabri cated last
gives it a different patina to weathered oil paint. century by folding galva nised sheet metal and
lt comes in a limited range of standard colours had sha rp arrissed corners. Today they are
of which only Heritage Red, Homestead, Slate extruded and have curved corners. They cannot
Grey, Wheat and Armour Grey are suitable for be used in conjunction with older gutters .
heritage buildings. Like paint, Colorbond colours
may fade over time and may also change colour lt i s not uncommon in Adelaide to see the
sligh tly. Painted custom-orb wi ll wea ther render at the base of a stu ccoed gable wall
naturally and present a more historic patina moulded into an Ogee shape at the sides to
than Colorbond. The choice involved depends reflect the shape of either the adjacent gutter or
on the owner' s wishes and the building involved. the gutter behind .
Gutters D gutters came in during the 1930's and are

Galvanised steel gutters are prone to pending still used. They are a simplification of the Ogee
and rusting. Pending is caused when the fall of profile. D gutters and later types of eaves
older gutters, which were often laid to very low gutters are not appropriate for use on Victorian
falls, change due to settlement of walls and stop or earlier buildings.
the gutter draining properly. When this happens
the gutter must be refixed to drain correctly. Box gutters
Older box gutters are a frequent cause of
Water that sits in a gutter with no fall wi ll cause leakage problems , blocking up easily with
rusting. Like roofing, small spots of rust can be refuse and leaves. These problems are due
plugged with a proprietary filler and repaired. largely to the way older box gutters were made,
However metal gutters wi ll only have a life of ie they were small, made in short lengths and
20-30 years and will eventually need replacing. often laid to a very low fall. Modern box gutters
When this occurs the new gutter should be do not have these problems because they come
selected to match the original gutter. As the in long lengths, are bigger in cross section , are
gutter being replaced may not be the original, better flashed and laid to greater falls.
care should be taken to consider the situation
and find out what the origina l gutter profile When replacing an o lder box gutter, the new
was. Old photographs and on-site evidence size shou ld be properly calculated. A larger
can be useful. If the original gutter profile size should always be used even if roof battens
cannot be identified, then a profile should be have to be moved. Particular attention should
selected which is appropriate to the age of the be given to supporting the gutter board so that
building. pending is not caused in the future. Over-flow
pops should be installed to provide secondary
Half round gutters have been used on buildings over-flows. The new box gutter should be rolled
since the start of the colony and are sti ll as one length and its sides turned up under the
available in a modern form. roo fing so that th e sarking ca n be d ressed
down into it.

29
Galvanised Iron and Steel Cont.
Downpipes
Dow npipes wi ll also rust out and need to be
replaced. When this occurs take care to replace
them with new pipes selected to match the
original. These were usually round galvan ised
steel downpipes. Care should be taken to find
out if the downpipe being replaced is the
o riginal or not. Avoid using rectangular
downpipes in domestic situations or PVC
downpipes , as these do not match older
downpipes or give an authentic historic
appearance. Make sure that the holding down
straps match the design of the original straps.
Cappings and Flashings

Roof cappings and fleshings also need to be
replaced from time to time and like roofing and
gutters should always match the original.
Fleshings should not be cut into masonry but
rather fixed into the existing brick joints. Always
ensure that ridge and hip cappings are cut or
scribed to fit into the flutes of the roof cladding. Historic gable design compromised by
Be aware that there are two ridge/ hip capping replacing original timber capping with new
profiles available now, 'three-break' capping folded metal capping
and ' ro lled ' capp ing. The latter is the more
historically authentic. Verandah Roofs
The maintenance of a vera ndah roof is different
Roof Vents and Other Decoration to that for the main roof. W hile superficia lly
Original roof vents and decoration such as similar, its materials, structure fixings etc are
acroteric should always be retained, repaired usually different. Verandah roof cladding is
and replaced . These are important elements in thicker , there is usually no intermediate
the presentation of older buildings. The biggest supporting structure and the roof cladding is
threat to these i tems comes when a roof is riveted together to fo rm a con tinuous structural
reclad. membrane. Verandah roofs are also often
used for access to the main roof and its gutters.
Roof Fixing
Corrugated steel roofs were historically fixed The verandah roof cladding may r ust and
down wi th roofing nails. Where an authentic require attention or even rep lacement. If
restoration of a galvanised steel roof is required, practical the original cladding should be kept
roofing nails shou ld be used, ie hot dipped for as long as possible. Thi s will maintain the
galvanised nails suppli ed with a neoprene orig inal design and the roof' s patina of age.
washe r . If an authentic restoration is not Any rust spots shou ld be removed and the
required, standard hex screw fixings can be cladding sealed , primed and repainted , if
used . The current Australian Standard for fixing previously painted. If not, pa int the affected
metal roofing specifi es either nail or screw area with zinc. If a sheet is too rusted to repair,
fixings. rep lace it w ith new, preferably using salvaged
iron or steel cut and rolled to match the origina l.

30
Galvanised Iron and Steel Cont. under a protruding brick string-course usually
provided at hig h level. The overhang of the
Reconstructing a Verandah Roof string-course acted as a ' flashing ' . Metal
If an entire verandah is to be restored or flashings were not used. As a result there was a
reconstructed, archiva l research and on-site small gap between the cladding and the wall.
evide nce will be vita l to the success of such This gap is more noticeable on the return curved
work. The original profile of the verandah roof section of a hipped verandah roof where the
can sometimes be seen as a pa inted outline on roof curves or ang les d own to th e gutter,
the wall. Old photographs may show the allowing day light to be seen usua lly through
origi nal verandah and its design. Such evidence the gap. This is quite norma l.
will help resolve essential construction details.
Persons planning a verandah reconstruction When re-cladding a verandah roof, do not use
are advised to obtain professiona l help. a standard modern metal flashing to seal the
roof to the main building. These are too large
When the time comes for a verandah roof to be and can significan tly change the appearance
entirely re-clad, use natural galvanised steel of a building. If there i s no trad itional brick
Custom Blue-Orb, either painted or left natural. string course, try to locate a small minimum size
Custom Blue Orb steel is the thickest roofing zinc or lead flashing into a ho ri zontal brick
currently available and being more malleable joint. If this is not possible, pin the vertical part
can be readi ly curved. New roofing sheets of the flashing to the wall face and seal it to the
should be curved to match the original roof wall using a band o f re nd er . Try to avo i d
profile and joined together with tank rivets, li ke cutting into the stonework. The hips of curved
the original roof was. The actua l curving is hipped verandahs shou ld ideal ly be sealed
usually arranged by th e supplier. (see also with a rolled lead cappi ng as they were
pages 11 , 20). traditional ly, not with a modern folded
galvanised steel capping.
Historically verandah roof cladding was butted
up to the wall of the main building and tucked
Verandah roof with rendered flashing

31
Galvanised Iron and Steel Cont. Terracotta Tiles
Structural support Terra cotta roofs are very durable. Being kiln
If a verandah roof is to be entirely re-clad, the fired vitrified products, terracotta tiles can last
Australian Building Code may require for many decades. However tiles do become
additional structural support for the roof, even more brittle w ith age and do not cope well w ith
though the original steel cladding may have movement or point loads. Inadequate structural
had none . Thi s w ill depend upon the spa n of support can lead to movement and cracking of
the verandah roof. lt is required today because tiles. People walking on roofs will often crack
steel roof cladding is not as strong as last tiles. If you must walk on a tiled roof, tread
century. The current Australian Building Code w here one tile overlaps the next, as this is the
also has higher structural requirements than at strongest part.
the time w hen the verandah was first built.
The most common maintenance needs are
This requirement can be achieved in a number repairing cra cked and slipped tiles. Cracked
of ways. Flat steel reinforcing bars can be used tiles shou ld be replaced w ith new to match the
to connect the verandah fasc ia and posts back original, if these can be obtained. If these are
to the wal l, thus stiffening the whole structure. not available, the original tiles can be repaired
This is usually done at each verandah post. by gluing the two parts together with a suitable
Either a flat upright bar or a t-section can be silicone product. Alternatively, original tiles
used , depending upon the need. The se w ill may need to be sourced from less important
need to be curved to match the original curve areas of the original roof. Slipped tiles should
of the roof. Additional timber battens can be be re-positioned and re-fixed.
located between these stiffeners if needed. Any
additional stru cture should be painted o ut to Cracking can also occur in the bedding mortar
match the underside of the vera ndah roof so of ridge and hip tiles. Small cracks ca n be
that only one colour is presented visually, as it repaired by filling the cracks from inside the
was historically . roof w ith silicone. These are easier to locate
from within. Th is also avoids any ext~rnal
Matching the original profile movement over the tiles . Major leaking through
lt is importa nt to precisely match the profile of the ridge or hips may necessitate the removal
the original verandah w hen re-roofing an older and re-bedding of those tiles in new mortar.
vera ndah in order to maintain historical Always use experienced tradespeople w ho
authenticity. Modern verandah profiles rarely specialise in repairing tiled roofs.
match historical profiles because building
methods and structural requirements have Another more serious problem wi th tiled roofs
changed. is sagging of the timber frame work wh ic h
structurally supports th e tiles. This i s a v isual
Modern ' bull-nosed' verandahs erected in the and functional problem caused by a number of
last decade or so have a different shape to factors, including inadequate structural support
older ' bull-nose' vera ndah s. They are more by battens and rafters, purlins not supported
bulbous and prominent at the front than properly off internal wa lls , old age, and
authentic Victorian bullnose verandahs. Th is is inadvertent structural weakening of rafters or
because there is a now a specific way to build battens. One commo n cause is the use of roof
bullnose veranda hs w hi ch utili ses a quarter framing systems originally designed for metal
circle profile structurally at the front in order to roofs being converted to support tile roof s
achieve a greater clear span. The original bull wi th out being given adequate supplementary
nose profile utilised more of an arc at the front, support.
not a full quarter-circle.

32
TerracoHa Tiles Cont. There are two types of terracotta tiles, glazed
and ung lazed. lt is important to note that
Sagging is a questi on of degree, as the weight ung lazed tiles may have been fi nished w ith a
of tiled roofs will often cause some deflection sta in (a 'sli ps tain') to colour their ex terior.
over time. Very minor sagging is usually not a Unglazed ti les are ha rd to c lean as most
problem. More noticable saggi ng becomes cleaning actions remove some of the protective
uns i g htly and crea tes small gaps between su rface skin . If unglazed or slipstained ti les
individual ti les w hich ca n admit win d-blow n mu st be c leaned , it is best to only pa rt ia lly
water. Repairing a sagged roof usually requires clean them, i.e . to clean off easily removed
the tiles to be removed, the rafter and battens to material and accept a certain degree of soiling.
be upgraded and the roof re-tiled. Such work The least harmful method is to spray th e tiles
should only be done after a carefu l structura l with hot water and neutra l pH soap.
assessment has been made and professiona l
advice obtained . The work is best carried ou t G lazed tiles are best cleaned by washing wi th
by tradespeople specialising in tiled roofs. water and using a plastic scourer. A wa ter-
rinsable neutral pH li quid soap ca n a lso be
Terracotta ti le roofs are susceptible to lichen used. When cleaning avoid:
growth . Depending upon personal tastes, this
can be seen as a good or bad thing. Such • Mechanical methods, eg grit blasting,
growths can be cleaned off but this should only abrasive discs, metal bristle brushes;
be attempted by professional c l ea ners • High pressure water or other liquid s;
experienced in cleaning tile roofs. Incorrect • Acid cleaning, i.e. hydrofluoric acid;
cleaning can cause irreparable damage to • Alkaline cleaners e.g. caustic soda.
tiles.
There are strict regulations concerning the type
of cleaner selected and the disposal of cleaning
runoff. Any rainwater tanks should be
disconnected until after the first subsequent rain
has truly rinsed the roof. Some cleaners can
also corrode gutters. There is always the danger
of cracking or breaking tiles.
There are various treatments available to

'freshen up ' tiled roofs which may appear
' tired' or 'tatty' with age. While these may be
suitable for concrete tiles, they should generally
be avoided for clay or terracotta tile roofs.
Clay tiles were intended to be used naturally
and were selected for their attractive natural
terra-cotta appearance, which with age
develops an attractive patina . Painting or
'enhancing ' a clay tiled roof will only detract
from the historic appearance of the original
Terracotta tiled roof house
roof and create an ongoing maintenance
problem. There is also a high risk of tile
Pressed metal ' roofing tiles ' are very different breakage during painting. ' Wet look '
from terracotta tiles and are not recommended treatments are particularly out of keeping with
for heritage buildings. the original character of ol d er buildings.
Painting a tiled terracotta roof to 'freshen it
up'should be avoided .

33
Common Roofs The run off from a ro of, ie the stormwa ter,
should be taken well away from a building, out
If a roof forms part of a row of terrace houses to the street, sump or other approved disposal
or a larger building , it is important tha t any point. lt should not be al lowed to discha rg e
repairs that may be needed fit in w ith th e alongside a b u i lding as th i s localises so i l
original design of the overall roof. If the building movement (i.e. soil heave) adjacent to and
concerned is sub-div ided into several under the footings as the soil becomes moist
ownerships, cons ideration should be given to and then dr ies out again. This in turn may
arranging the collaboration of a ll owners. A exacerbate movement in the building and thus
dilapidation survey carried out by a accentuate the cracking of the walls.
professional experienced in heritage work wi ll
be usefu l in these circumstances. This will Downpipes should preferably discharge into an
provide the necessary framework for individual underground stor mwater system made of
owners to maintain their sections of roof and modern PVC pipes . These leak far less than old
ensure that a ll wo rk is car ried ou t in a co- terracotta pipes. Such a system usually drains
ordina ted manner, thu s maintaining visual to the street water-table vi a a 'd ry' drainage
consistency. system, ie the overall system conveys al l runoff
wa ter to the street. Th is is dependent upon the
Separation of Incompatible Materials levels of the buildi ng and site all owin g the
water to read ily drain out to the street.
Direct conta ct between inco mpatible metals
should be avoided to ensure against corrosion. Th is ca nnot a lways be achieved however
Lead and iron in particular shou ld not come because o f inc ompati ble levels . In some
into contact with aluminium, alum inium alloys situations stormwater can be drained out to the
(eg Zincalume steel) o r aluminium-zinc-coated street v i a a 'wet' system, so-cal led because
steel. Water should not be a llowed to ru n off some water is always reta ined in the drainage
lead onto any of the above aluminium materials. system. This a llows stormw ater to be disposed
Green hardwood and chemically treated timber o f when fa lls a re not ideal, ie when the
shou l d also be separate d from aluminium discharge poin t is lower than the street
materials. watertable . Such a system has to be
permanently sealed a nd w ill requ ire careful
Stormwater Drainage construction to a llow for soil movem ent and
wear and tear. Where a wet system is not
The stormwater disposal system should be practical an electric pump may be required to
carefully considered when re-guttering a roof. push water out to the street.
This shou ld include resolving th e way gutters
fall , the location and number of down-pipes The actual connec ti on o f vertical metal
required, and how water wi ll be disposed of downpipe to horizonta l underground PVC
once brought down to ground level. Attention stormwater pipe is us ually made via a short
should be given to meeting today's standards section of uprig ht PVC pipe, ie the meta l pipe
rather than the or iginal. A commo n fits into a slightly w ider PVC pipe. A sump or
improvement today is to increase the size, inspection point may a lso be incorpora ted at
number and location of downpipes and the this junction . The upright PVC pipe can be quite
meth od of d isposa l so that wa ter can be intrusive visually if left in its natura l state and
disposed of more quickly and more efficiently. should idea lly be cut down to a bout 50-1 OOmm
AS 2180 Meta l Rainwater Goods - Selection above the lowest ground level and painted the
and In stallation , is a good guide for sizing same colour as the downpipe or another
gutters/downpipes and for understanding unobtrusive colour.
contact between dissimilar metals.

34
5. MODERN REQUIREMENTS Every effort should be made to maintain the
original a p pearance of the bui ld ing. When
Airconditioning, Roof Lights, Vents change is implemented, it should complement
the orig inal character of the building and not
Modern living standa rds p lace g rea ter compromise the o r igina l design. Changes
demands on roofs than when they were first should occur wi thin the architectu ral cha racter
bui lt. Solar pa nel s, ai r-conditi oning, roof- of the bui ldi ng and in the spirit of the t ime it
ligh ts, se rvice gri lles, ex haust fans, satellite was built.
receivers, television an tennae a nd plumbi ng
vents a ll impact on the visual appearance and W here no cho i ce exists but to make such
function of today ' s roofs. The key to dea ling change in a very exposed position, the visual
with these is to imp lement them so they are impact of that change can often be lessened by
unobtrusive and not readily seen. painting the changes out to match their
background so that the degree of contrast is
Consideration should always be given to lessened. Painting an item a dark matt colour to
locating new elements in positions which do make them a negative element within the overall
not form part of an important view of the environment w ill work in other situations.
building. For example, roof mounted air-
conditioning units should be located at the rear Service Pipes
of buildings or, if it is an old villa with double
hipped roof and central box g utter, i n the Where se rvice p i pes o r conduits must be
middle of the roof. They should not be mounted exposed on a roof, always try to:
on the front of the house where they wi ll be • minimise the number of service runs;
readily seen or above the roof where they may • minimise their length;
be seen in silhouette. Split air-conditioning • locate them unobtrusively;
systems should locate the condenser at ground • paint them to match the background.
level in a screened or un obtru sive position.
Such installations should always have regard
for the original design of the building and how
it is viewed publicly. • Visually intrusive air-conditioning unit

35
6. ROOFWORK TODAY Terracotta Tiles
Li ke galva ni sed iron, there are still good
Availability of Tradespeople experienced tra despeople available but they
The first problem to be addressed in considering have to be sought out. They too are typically
the repair of an o lder roof i s finding o lder tradesmen tra in ed in the 1950-60' s.
tradespeople who are skilled and experienced Some roofing firms specialise in restorin g o ld
in carry ing out the necessary work. Thi s wi ll tiled roofs and have experienced tradespeople
obviously depend upon th e type of roof in in house, w hile other fi rms will know who to go
question. to and wil l arrange the job for you . A good
strategy is to approach severa l firms and
Thatching choose the one w hi ch can best demonstrate
Thatching ha s ceased to be practised even experience and competence in worki ng w ith
though there are still a considerable number of terracotta tiles.
thatched buildings, mainly agric ult ural
structures , survi ving in rural areas in South Bituminous Felt
Australia . There are still experi enced tradespeople
available who can lay and repa ir bitu mino us
Timber Shingles impregnated felt roofs and balcony flooring.
Roofing w ith timber shingles is rarely carried Such work is probably best arranged through a
out today in South Australia, although from tim e roofing company or builder who has the
to time a building is stil l roofed in this w ay. appr op riate trade co nta ct s. Some roofi ng
These buildin gs tend to be one-off projects, companies specialise in repa iring or restoring
usually of a civic o r public nature. In these o l der roofs a nd w ill be able to provide th e
cases the shi ngles are usually purpose made appropriate tradespeople.
and fixed by tradespeople o r others w ho are
well intended but rarel y experienced in thi s Availability of Materials
craft. A nother problem can be obtainin g su itabl e
supplies of roofing materials.
Slates
There are still a few trained a nd experienced Roofing Slate
roof slaters in South Australia, typica lly British Th e supply of roofing slate in South Australia is
immigrants who have come out after the Second usua lly arranged through roof slaters. Wh ile
World War. There are also a number of local th ere are agents in New South Wales f or
tradespeople w ho have picked up the trade by Penrhyn slate*, local roof slaters usually have
wo rkin g w ith one o f these trained slaters. their own contacts here and abroad for
Persons considering repairing o r re-roofing a purchasing new or second hand roofing slate.
slate roofed building should consult Heritage Thi s is often only brought in on a job by job
South Australia for up-to-date advice on the basi s. Wh il e th e best roofing slate usua lly
availability of roof slaters. comes from Wales, sla te is ava ilable from a
wide range of sources. Local secon d hand
Corrugated Steel roofing slates can be used, but particu lar care
W hile wo rk in g with galvanised stee l is a should be given to its selection and purchase to
diminishing practice, there are still experienced ensure sound sla te s are acq uired. Thi s is best
trade speop le in South Australia who can left to professional sla ters. Th e programming,
competentl y repair and re-roof in galvanised purchase and delivery of slates sho uld also be
steel. These tend to be older tradesmen who al lowed for as it may take months for the slate
were trained in the 1950's and 1960's . Fi nding to actually arrive on site.
these people is a matter of asking around and
speaking to local plumbing businesses and *The Slate People, 5 Foundry Road, Seven Hills
older roofi ng contractors. NSW 2 747 02 9624 7377

36
Availability of Materials Cont. Mistakes to Avoid
Corrugated Galvanised Steel Modern roofin g p rac tices are often different
Galvanised steel in corrugated form (ie C ustom- from those of V ictorian times or before World
orb, Custom Blue O rb), flat sheet a nd small- War Two. Thi s sho uld be kept in mind w hen
fluted form is still available from several arranging repai r s to an older roo f.
manufacturers like BHP Bui lding Products. lt is Ina ppropriate materials and details ca n
roug hly th e sa me price as Zincalume and is inadvertently be used if proper attention i s not
rolled on demand. g iven to all aspects of the work. Attention
should a lways be given to using 'good roofing
Owners should be aware that one of the quirks practice' and making good a ny previous
of the roofing industry is that natu ra l Zincalume examples of ' bad roofing practice'. Some of
steel custom-o rb wil l usua ll y be used wh en the traps to avoid are:
natural corruga ted steel is requested, rather
than natura l galvan i sed cus tom-o rb . Thi s is • Inadvertent loss of original roof fabric
because many roofing firms assume that when re-roofing , such as vents, goblets,
customers who ask for galvanised iron are timber cappings, acroteria;
talking in a generic sense and w ill be happy • Use of Zincalume steel customorb roof cladding
with Zincalume. As Zincalume cladding is not rather than galvanised steel customorb;
genera lly recommended for visibl e work on • Use of an inappropriate material, eg PVC
heritage buildings (refer Section 2 ), it is downpipes, rather than rolled galvanised
important to confirm with the roofer or supplier downpipes;
that galvanised steel is required . • Use of the wrong gutter size or profile, ie D
.rather than Ogee;
Some suppliers may also say that galvanised • Use of rectangular downpipes for domestic
steel is no longer made o r is more expensive. work rather than round;
Th is is incorrect and can be checked directly w ith • Discharging high level gutters into lower level
BHP. Being only rolled on demand does mean gutters when this may over load these gutters;
that orders w ill need to be placed in advance. • Not scribing new ridge or hip capping into
Good programming is therefore advised. corrugated metal roofing;
• Using a large modern Aashing to seal the
Second hand galvanised steel is available from top of a verandah roof to a wall;
salvage yards and demolition sites. W hile thi s • Use of a folded barge capping rather than a
needs to be selected w ith care for condition and timber or rolled capping;
matching profiles, it is often quite sati sfactory for • Use of the wrong material which may result in
repa irs and re-roofing heritage buildings. Its use electrolytic corrosion;
depends upon the situation and owner's wishes. • Discharging water off a Zincalume steel roof
into galvanised steel gutters;
Terracoffa Tiles • Forgetting to replace or reinstate timber scotias
lt is a lways difficult if not impossible to get under eaves gutters;
supp lies of roof tiles to match older tiles. • Cutting Aashings into masonry walls rather
Demolitio n sites and local salvage yards are the than fixing into existing joints;
best places to find second hand tiles. If matching • Use of three-break galvanised ridge capping
tiles cannot be found , the only other practical rather than rol~op capping;
options are to use the closest possible match • Use of short length gutters;
from whatever is ava ilable and accept a degree • Abuttal of dissimilar metal materials;
of visual mismatch; or to remove tiles from a less • Not painting or minimising the section of PVC pipe
important section of the orig inal roof and use which joins the bottom of downpipes to the
these for repairs, a nd then use near-matching stormwater system.
tiles on less important areas.

37
Take Advantag e of the Opportuni ty General Guidelines for Conserving
Older Roofs
When undertaki ng roof repairs take th e
opportunity to rem ove any unused or non- The following guidelines should be kept in mind
original vents, cables and conduits. This will when carrying out repair work or conservation
clean up the appearance of the roof, make it work on older roofs:
more weather-pro of and usually improve the
building ' s value. • Always retain and preserve the original roof
design;
Also gi ve considerati on to reinstating any
original elements which have been removed in • Always retai n as much of the orig inal roof
the past, ie timber fin ials, timber cappings (often fabric as possible;
overlaid with flat galvanised sheet steel folded
to match the timber profile), acroteric, roof • Always retain and preserve all o riginal roof
vents, roof goblets, profiled fascia boards. This features including chimneys, vents, goblets,
will improve the appearance of the building. decoration, turrets etc;
The conservatio n of chimneys and parapet • Ameliorate previous mistakes and un-
walls should also be considered when roof informed work w herever possible;
repairs are contemplated. lt may be necessary
or appropriate to repair these first, minimising • Avoid the use of inappropria te materials
potential for damage of the roof in the futu re. (see Traps to Avoid on previous page);
lt may also be useful to consider future service • Locate non-original roof elements such as
needs such as a i r-conditi on ing conde nser roof-lights, air-conditio ning condensers,
locations, television antennae or sa tellite dish new ve nts, conduits, solar collectors, TV
locations, solar hot water panel locations etc, antennae, satellite dishes etc. in unobtrusive
for an anticipatory and integrated longer term positions not visible from the street or publ.ic
result. places;
Possible Funding Support • Avoi d introducing any new roof feature s

Funding assistance is available for so me w hich might effect the integrity of the original
properties in South Australia. Buildings listed in roof design or damage any of the original
the State Heritage Register are eligible for architectural features of the roof;
financia l assistance from the State Heritage
Fund . Buildings listed as local heritage places, • Maintain the roof regu larly. Keep all gutters
and places listed in the State Heritage Register unblocked and attend to any leaks or repairs
a re el igible for finan ci a l assistance from th e as soon as practical;
Commonwe a lth Government's Tax Incentive for
Heritage Conservation Programme. Interested • Ensure a ll stormwater discharge is taken
owners should contact Heritage South Australia well clear of the building and that downpipes
Register, Dept. for Environment, Heritage and do not discharge alongside the building.
Aborig inal Affairs, GPO Box 1047 Adelaide
SA 5000 telephon e 08 8204 9262, for • Use colours appropriate to the age of the
information on both . building, ie use Colorbond o r paint the roof,
gutters and downpipes in historic colours in
Designated Local Heritage Places in the City Of order to maintain the historical integrity of
Adela ide can apply for financial assistance the building.
from the C ity of Adelaide Heritage Incentive
Scheme.

38
7. CASE STUDY • Missing timber finials;
Overview • Sections of rotten timber in the barge boards;

In 1996 the roof at Roche House, a State
heritage listed place at 46 Palmer Place North • Timber cappings covered over wi th painted
Adelaide was surveyed and a priority work galva nised tin;
sched ule prepared. This beca me the basis for
carrying out maintenance repa irs later in the • Downpipes discharging alongside the
yea r, assisted by the Adelaid e City Council building ;
Heritage Incentive Scheme.
• Original Ogee gutters replaced with 1950
Site Inspection D gutters;
The roof and its various elements were carefu lly
inspected from a scaffold and all dilapidations • Flat terracotta bay w indow roofing tiles had
noted. The roof was a 1905 terracotta ti led been painted over;
roof of Marseilles tiles imported from France. lt
was in good cond ition for its age, although a • The timber trim , ie fascias, barge boa rd s,
number of minor repair s were evident, eaves, soffits needed pa inti ng;
including:
• Modern PVC vents in stal led th roug h the
• Verge tiles nailed to barge boards. The tiles roof.
had cracked as a resul t;
Locating Materials
• Slipped tiles; A source of matching roofing tiles w as located
at a sa lvage ya rd (in this case the Adelaide
• Valley gutters badly rusted; Red Brick Co.)
Original Ogee gutter replaced by D gutter
Early roofing and roo f materials in South Australia

39
Priority Maintenance Work Future Work
A schedule of priority work was resolved based Work deemed as desirable but not essential at
on carrying out essential repairs and restoring the present was programmed for the future, ie
the original roof design wherever possible. This replacing the D gutters with Ogee gutters w hen
included : the former had worn out.
• Replacing sections of rotten timber; Opportunity Work

Other work carried out at the same time because
• Fixing all loose and cracked tiles; access was availab l e and the opportuni ty
presented itself included repainting sections of
• Replacing rusted box gutters; the chimneys and repairing the stucco infill
panels in the feature gables.
• Installing an underground stormwater
disposal system ; Summary
By understand ing the overall roof and its
• Painting the building in an appropriate various needs, a comprehensive and balanced
period colour scheme, resolved from on-site maintenance programme was able to be
inspection and paint scrapes . resolved and implemented which addressed
both basic repairs and the restoration of much
• Reinstating the missing timber finials; of the missing hi storical c hara cter of the
building.
• Cleaning off paint from the flat tiles;
• Painting out the PVC vents to match the

building;
Note cracked tile, slipped tile and lichen

40
8. FURTHER READING
H. Tanner P. Cox P. Bridges J. Broadbent, 1975, Restoring Old Australian Houses and Buildings:
An Architectural Guide, MacMillan .
Clive Lucas, 1984, Australian Council of National Trusts, Conservation and Restoration of Buildings:
Roofs.
Lead Sheet Association, 1990, Lead Flashings: A Brief Guide, Chichester Press.
Lead Development Association, 1990, Leadwork Technical Notes: 1-9.
Lead Development Association, 1990, The Lead Sheet Manual.
Candace Bollard, Working with Slate Roofs, Heritage Canada Foundation.
BS 5534, 1978, Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling .
Edinburgh NewTown Conservation Committee, 1981 , Care and Conservation of Georgian

Houses, A Maintenance Manual , Architectural Press.
George Mitchell, 1947, Building Construction, Batsford.
Watson Sharp 1965, Australian Methods of Building Construction, Angus and Robertson
J.P. Alien , 1900, Practicable Building Construction, Crosby Lockwood and Son.
Ion Evans, 1983, The Australian Home, Flannel Flower Press.
Graeme Butler, 1992, The Califor~ian Bungalow in Australia, Lothian Publishing.
Peter Cuffley, 1993, Australian Houses of the Forties and Fifties, Five Mile Press.
Anne Grimmer and Paul Williams, The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs, U.S.
Dept. of the Interior, Preservation Brief 30.
Http://www. housenet.com/ historichomeworks/ pbriefs/ pb30. htm
Sharon Park, The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs, U.S. Dept. of the
Interior, Preservation Brief 19,
Http:/ /www.housenet.com/Articles/His-Pre/j 10000190.htm
Jeffrey Levine, The Repair, Replacement and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs, U.S. Dept. of the
Interior, Preservation Brief 29, Http://www. housenet.com/ historichomesworks/ pbriefs.pb29 .htm
Care & Maintenance of Wood Shingles and Shake Roofs,

Http:// www .lumber.com/ cedar/ shakeshingle/ careof shingles.html
Australian Standard AS 1562, Design and Installation of Metal Roofing.
J.N.Persse D.M. Rose, 1981 , House Styles in Adelaide- A Pictorial History.
Early roofing and roof materials in South A ustralia

41

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EARLY ROOFING AND

Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs

Prepared by Heritage South Austra lia

Printed on recycled paper

EARLY ROOFING AND ROOF MATERIALS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

2. ROOF MATERIALS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

3. TRADITIONAL ROOF DETAILING

Dr Jane Lomax Smith Hon Dorothy Kotz MP .

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

This early photograph dates from 1890 1839 and

Common Roof Types

While roofs come in all shapes and forms, most

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Hipped Roof Gabled Roof

Dutch Gabled Roof Louvred Hipped Roof

Flat Roof Lean-to Roof

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Double Hipped Roof

Barrel Vaulted Roof

Multiple Hipped Roof Asymmetrical Ski/lion Roof

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Gable roofed cottage in Willunga

Hipped roof shop in Alberton

Gambrel roofed house in Pennington

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Fin ial Hip capping

Barge board gutter

This shows the main parts of a roof

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Thatch continued to be used in country area s

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Cottage with slate roof

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Detail of patterning of roofing slate

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

"~ilk· t k·.aJ n.t. . htnj.t

Detail of a slate roof parapet wall flashing

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Its ability to span relatively large d istances

* it is not unusual today to find timber shingles under

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

A limited rang e of ancillary products made

Half round gutter; Ogee gutter

Convex verandah profile

Bullnose verandah profile

Straight verandah profile Ogee verandah profile

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Old galvanised steel, either corrugated or flat

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Tiled roof on Tudor Bungalow

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

Local production commenced in Sydney in

Early roofing and roof materials in South Australia

The use of compressed Fibre cement for domestic