Vognild has worked for Bedrock since 1994, a carpentry and bricklaying company that has been specialising in natural stone for many years. Bedrock’s 15 craftsmen lay everything from fireplaces to decking, but there are two areas in particular where they have noticed slate really taking off:

– We have noticed a particular trend when it comes to dry stone walls and slate roofs. These are of course both traditional crafts that were widespread in the old days, especially in rural areas, but which have been seldom used since.

But now the wind is about to turn. There are several reasons for this, according to Vognild. Perhaps first and foremost, slate is part of an increasing desire to return to old traditions.

– These things go in waves, but it is no coincidence that the popularity of slate has shot up while it has become increasingly common to use more timber. Lafting, which is an age-old method for building log cabins, has also made a big comeback in Norway, says Vognild.

He has noticed that architects are also talking more about slate than they used to in the past. He believes this is entirely understandable:

– Slate is of course a natural product that blends in well in many different environments, and it makes it easier for architects to create the whole that they have an eye for. Slate has nuanced colours, and you can choose the degree to which you want it to be an eye-catcher. It mostly depends on the way it is laid, says Vognild.

Vognild gets engaged when he talks about slate, and he is happy that more people are opening their eyes to the material. Not only has slate been his livelihood since the Olympic Games in Lillehammer, but he thinks it deserves attention.

– Slate has so many qualities apart from the fact that it just looks good. For example, it is maintenance-free, and that counts for something. Oppdal slate is also extremely strong, and you can really see that it is. What’s more, it is also locally sourced, and I think that the environmental perspective matters for some.

As a roofer, Vognild is of course also interested in what materials are like to work with, and he has nothing but praise to give for slate as a building material.

– Slate provides good roofing quality and is one of the most rewarding materials you can work with. It is of course heavy, like all stone, but it’s still very easy to use, he explains.

Vognild and his colleagues at Bedrock get most of their business from owners of log cabins, but he has also helped lay slate roofs on modern functional houses. Feedback from customers is consistently the same:

– People are really happy with how it looks. For those with more traditional log cabins, it is great to have a building material that fits in so well. Those customers with more modern cabins, on the other hand, think it’s fun and cool to incorporate traditional craftsmanship on a new building.

Over and above all of this, there is one thing that Frank Vognild, the slate experts, wants more of than anything else.

– For me, you can’t beat quarried slate tiles. Not only do they look amazing, but they make roofing so much fun. Sure, there may be a bit of waste, but what does that matter if you are able to build a roof that can last for hundreds of years?