
Oakdale, Minnesota
Honest Slate Roofing in Oakdale, MN
Drive the streets between Tanners Lake and Tilsen Park hunting for original slate and you will not find much, because the split levels and ramblers of Oakdale went up in the 1970s and 1980s, decades after slate stopped being a builder's default. That makes slate here a deliberate choice rather than a restoration, and the short intersecting gables on these houses need a framing and flashing plan long before a single tile gets ordered.
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Why Slate in Oakdale Is a New-Build Decision
Most houses here were platted as the Oakdale and Northdale townships filled in, and annexation kept going into the 1990s, so a single street can front plats recorded twenty years apart. What that means for slate is simple: the original historic stock other suburbs restore barely exists in this city. Nearly every slate job we quote in Oakdale is a new installation on a 1970s or 1980s roof, which moves the first question away from repair versus replace and toward whether the structure underneath can carry the weight. Real slate is heavy, the short intersecting gables on these ramblers concentrate load at the valleys, and boxed soffits with little attic room above the eave leave almost no space for the ventilation a cold roof wants. So we start with a certified roof assessment that measures rafter size and spacing, checks the eave detail, and tells you honestly whether real slate, a synthetic slate, or a standing seam accent belongs on your house.

Slate Roofing in Oakdale
What Real Slate Is Worth on an Oakdale Roof
The Last Covering This House Needs
Slate does not age on the thirty year clock asphalt runs on. Installed correctly over an Oakdale rambler, it is the last covering that house is likely to need, so the reroof cycle stops repeating.
Wind Exposure Handled at the Eave
Sitting inland near 1,056 feet with no river valley or wooded bluff to slow the wind, these roofs take gusts straight on. Individually hung slate with proper headlap and hooks does not lift like a shingle tab.
Valleys Built for Intersecting Gables
The short crossing gables on Oakdale split levels dump water into tight valleys. Open copper valleys under slate move that volume without the granule scour that quietly thins asphalt in the same spot.
Cracked Tiles Instead of Hidden Bruising
Metro hail bruises an asphalt mat and shortens its life invisibly. Slate either cracks a tile you can swap individually or it does not, so a storm claim turns into targeted repair instead of a full tearoff.
A Facade Upgrade on a Plain Elevation
Seventies ramblers read flat from the curb. A textured slate field with graduated coursing gives the roof real depth, and since the roof is the largest visible surface, the whole elevation reads finished.
An End to the Annual Patch List
Instead of chasing lifted tabs after every spring storm, upkeep on an Oakdale slate roof becomes periodic flashing checks and the occasional single tile swap, work measured in hours rather than weekends.
How Slate Work Goes on These Roofs
We Check the Framing Before Quoting
Weight decides everything on these houses. We get into the tight space above the eave, measure rafters and spans, and say whether real slate needs reinforcement or whether a synthetic profile is the smarter fit for your roof.
Eave Ventilation Solved, Not Ignored
Boxed soffits on these houses leave almost no room above the eave, and stone over a warm deck invites ice. We work out the intake path before any tile is ordered, even when that means opening the soffit up.
One Crew, Cut and Hung On Site
Slate gets cut, holed and hung by hand. We keep the same crew on your Oakdale roof start to finish instead of rotating subs, because consistent coursing and headlap are what make the finished field look right from the curb.
Flashings Detailed in Metal, Not Sealant
Chimneys, sidewall steps and the boxed soffit returns on these gables get hand formed or soldered metal. Sealant is a two year fix under a covering meant to last generations, so we do not build the job around it.
Reachable All the Way Through Install
A slate install runs longer than a shingle job, and our phones stay answered around the clock while it does, so a question about a delivery on a narrow Oakdale side street or a weather delay gets handled the same day.

What people near Oakdale say
From sales to construction crew to upper management, they helped make an insurance battle a breeze. This is the best contractor interaction I have ever had.
Jim NormanRoof replacement Orange Exteriors did an excellent job with my new roofing install. Very professional, on time and hard working crew. Completed the job in one day.
Dick JohnsonRoof installation We live in Eden Prairie. Orange did an excellent job on our siding replacement and provided great customer service all the way through.
Thomas DeSutterSiding replacement, Eden Prairie, MN
Slate Questions From Oakdale Owners
What people in Oakdale ask us about this work. If yours is not covered, call and ask.
Are there any original slate roofs left in Oakdale?
Very few, and that is a housing stock story rather than a mystery. Oakdale filled in as the townships platted lots through the 1970s and 1980s, well past the era when slate was a standard builder material. Almost every slate roof you see here was installed because a homeowner chose it, not inherited from the original build.
Does historic review limit slate or color choices in Oakdale?
Generally no. Oakdale does not carry the historic district overlays that govern visible materials in older river towns like Stillwater, so material and color are yours to pick. You still pull a permit and meet code for load and underlayment, and if your neighborhood association has its own roof color rules, check those first.
If my Oakdale slate is cracked, is repair or replacement better?
On stock this young, repair usually wins. A field installed in the last few decades has most of its service life ahead, so cracked or slipped tiles get swapped one at a time and flashings get rebuilt in metal. Full replacement earns its place when fasteners are failing across the whole roof or the deck below has been wet for years.
Talk Slate Before You Order Tile
Call (612) 600-8529 and we will walk your Oakdale roof, get into the attic above the eave, and put a free no-obligation estimate in writing covering structure, flashings and material options before anything is ordered.
Get Your Free Exterior Estimate
Tell us what is going on with your roof, siding, windows, or gutters. We will take a look and give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you can wait.
- Phone(612) 600-8529
- Emailadmin@orange-exteriors.com
- Office6600 City West Pkwy Suite 375, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
- HoursOpen 24 hours, Sunday to Saturday
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