Preservation in Ocean Grove

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Historic Preservation Commission*

*But were afraid to ask

Dear Miss Victoriana,
What are the most appropriate choices in replacing the roof on my home? - Hy Liddy

Hy - Most homes in the late Victorian era were roofed with wood shingles or slate. While most of the wood shingle roofs are long gone, many slate roofs, with a life expectancy of 75 – 125 years with proper installation and maintenance, are still existing.

In a perfect world, where money is no object, the choice of slate would be the most appropriate material to roof a Victorian home. Because slate was (and is) available in a variety of colors and shapes, Victorian craftsmen could be very creative in laying the slate in imaginative decorative patterns. A lucky homeowner who still has a slate roof should investigate thoroughly the possibility of repairing their treasure with knowledgeable specialists.

However, we live in a real world where the high cost of a slate roof is often prohibitive (even though it should last as much as 5 times as long as a standard asphalt shingle roof). Therefore a roof made of substitute materials that respect the texture, pattern and color of the original roof is an acceptable alternative. Formed copper, synthetic slates, fire retardant wood shingles, and asphalt shingles are all appropriate for pitched roofs. There are many styles of these materials which add interesting dimension and texture to a roof. Rolled or built-up roofing is only appropriate for flat roofs.

Roofs play an important role in a Victorian home’s overall design. Other than Italianate and Second Empire structures, which have flat or mansard roofs, Victorian roofs are steeply pitched. Quite a few roofs also mimic the sweep of a tent’s roof with a graceful curve. Turrets, gables, soffits, eyelids, dormers, and color banding or decoration break up a roof’s wide expanse. When repairing a roof, a homeowner is strongly encouraged to restore or replicate the various elements. Not only are they decorative, they usually have strong structural justification. For example, a pent roof over a first floor porch protects the porch from the weather and adds significantly to the porch’s longevity. Decorative chimneys, finals, weather vanes, and roof cresting also add character to a roof and should be retained.

Skylights, dish antennas, and solar panels are all ingenious and appealing modern devices which have to be treated sensitively in our Victorian community, It is not acceptable to place them so that the are visible to the public. Every effort should be made to locate them on rear portions of a roof shielded from the street.

If a home still has original wooden box gutters or copper gutters, it would be best to try to preserve them. If new gutters are needed, half round gutters with round leaders painted to match the house color are the appropriate selection.

Obviously, the color of a roof should compliment the colors of the house. Since slate was usually black, grey, dark green, blue-grey, or dark red, these are still the appropriate colors to choose from along with deep brown. White, bright green, and bright red are not acceptable.

Re-roofing a home is a big project. A homeowner who does their homework by investigating the appropriate materials and methods to restore or replace the various elements of his roof will be rewarded for many years with a sound, attractive roof which will add significant appeal to their home.

Best regards, Ms. Victorian Anna Housen

– Posted 12/30/04