SSQ’s outstanding Riverstone Montana was the product chosen to re-roof Mottram St Andrew Primary Academy, a historic primary school in Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Founded in 1908, the building’s aging existing roof needed to be completely replaced – and contractor Everlast Waterproofing Ltd was called in to install a high-performing alternative.

The decision to use SSQ Riverstone Montana slate was driven by the need to match the existing old slates that had a greenish colouring – Riverstone Montana slate weathers to a greenish hue, making it an ideal choice for a seamless blend with the original slates.

The use of 500mm x 250mm slate tiles provided a balanced and consistent aesthetic across all roofs, ensuring a harmonious appearance.

The installation process involved the removal of all existing natural slates, both man-made and natural, along with the old battens and underlay.

Superglass Multi-Roll 200mm insulation was installed above the flat ceilings. The new SSQ Riverstone Montana slates were then fixed to 50mm x 25mm graded battens, placed on Proctor Roofshield Breather Membrane.

Copper nails were used for all the slate fixing, ensuring durability and resistance to corrosion. Code 5 lead valley gutters were installed at the internal junctions, while the roofs and most of the hips were finished with mechanically fixed Anthracite Iconic Slate angle cap ridges.

The fascia boards and gutters were replaced after the completion of the slating works to avoid any damage to the aluminium PPC finish on the gutters.

The project faced several challenges due to its location and the need to minimise disruption to the school environment.

Access to the site was difficult, necessitating the use of smaller vehicles for material deliveries due to narrow country roads. To mitigate disruption to school occupants, the scaffold was erected and the site set up during the February half-term holiday.

The majority of the roofing work, including the stripping of slates, battens, and underlay, was carried out during the Easter holiday period.

Certain areas could be worked on when the school was occupied, but most of the remaining work was completed on weekends.

The school community were delighted with the roofing works, praising how it sympathetically refurbished the building, while blending seamlessly with the surrounding area!

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