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MCS BBA CertifiedMCS_012 3.0 Certified

SolVe MountSolar Mounting for stone roofs

The only MCS Certified solar mounting for Stone roofs. Sealed by expansion not compression, IPX8 rated.

EASYFASTSTRONGLOW PROFILECompatible with stone roofs.
Traditional Yorkshire stone roof compatible with SolVe Mount solar installationSolVe Mount rails installed on Cotswold stone roof in CheltenhamDiamond core drilling into Cotswold stone roof for SolVe Mount installation

Installation Difficulty

Take Your Time
Stone roofs require more preparation time than slate — budget for it before quoting. The difficulty depends primarily on whether you have access to the rafters from below.

With rafter access

Standard
Use neodymium magnets and the Rafter Finder app to locate rafter lines without removing stones. Once located, the process is identical to slate: core (≈2 minutes per hole through thick stone — do not rush), pre-drill, fix. Twist the seal to sit 35mm above the stone surface, then tighten the nut until the seal expands. M10 250mm bolts are required (K2 recommended).

No access — vaulted ceiling

Take Your Time
Stone removal is required to locate the rafters. Remove the top and bottom stone at each rafter position to find the rafter line. Vertical rails and landscape panel orientation are strongly recommended — vertical rails let you always avoid a join without noggins. If you miss a rafter, seal the hole with a SolVe Fix and move along the rafter line. Budget significantly more preparation time.

Cheltenham, UK. Cotswold Stone — 28 Mounts, 12 × 475W AIKO Panels

Two rows of solar rails mounted on Cotswold stone roof using SolVe Mounts in Cheltenham

Video: Tightening the nut causes the seal to expand outward against the core hole walls — creating the IPX8 rated watertight seal. This is expansion, not compression onto the roof covering.

A large solar installer had designed this roof remotely using their in-house software and Google Earth imagery. What they expected to be slate turned out to be Cotswold stone on arrival. They were about to abandon the installation — writing off marketing spend to acquire the customer, scaffolding hire, labour costs, hotel stays, gross profit from the entire job, and risking an unhappy homeowner.

Instead, they used SolVe Mounts. The installation comprised 12 × 475W AIKO panels across 2 rows of 6, secured by 28 SolVe Mounts. Cotswold stone had traditionally been considered impossible for MCS-certified solar — there was simply no other way to install on a stone roof using certified products.

Day one was spent on-site training the installation team and preparing the product. By day two, all 28 mounts were installed before high winds made it unsafe to continue mounting panels. The installation process is identical to every other discontinuous roof covering: core the 28mm hole with a diamond core bit, pre-drill using the drill guide provided, fix the mount, twist the seal to set the desired height for the stone, and tighten the nut to cause the expansion.

Note: Stone roofs require longer 250mm bolts due to the thicker roof covering.

Cotswold stone — previously impossible for solar. SolVed.

Last Updated: May 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Compatible with Yorkshire stone, Cotswold stone, and similar materials
  • Adjustments required: Twist the seal to raise the height + longer 250mm M10 A4-80 bolts for thicker stone
  • Mounting zone: 0-20mm from the overlapping stone
  • Proven: 28 mounts installed on Cotswold stone in Cheltenham — 12 × 475W AIKO panels
  • Same process: Core, drill, fix, twist, tighten — identical to every discontinuous roof covering

Material Pedigree

The Seal Trusted Where Failure Isn't an Option

When failure means a downed aircraft or a breached reactor, engineers choose VMQ silicone. SolVe Mount uses the same seal material family — proven across six decades in environments that make a British roof look trivial.

Space

International Space Station

Docking port seals and habitat pressure boundaries — where a single failure breaches a pressurised environment in orbit.

Aviation

Boeing · Airbus · Rolls Royce

Pressure cabin door seals, jet engine assemblies, and aircraft fuel systems — maintaining integrity through thousands of flight cycles from −60 °C to over 200 °C.

Nuclear

Power Generation

Containment gaskets in nuclear stations where chemical resistance and zero compression-creep are non-negotiable.

Defence

BAE Systems

Submarine pressure seals, naval vessel systems, and defence electronics requiring long-term environmental resistance.

No sealant, flashing, grinding or removing stone required. Just tighten a nut.

Installing on Stone Roofs

Stone roofs, including Yorkshire stone, Cotswold stone, and reclaimed stone slates, represent some of Britain's most beautiful and enduring architectural heritage. Many stone roofs are 200+ years old and are often found on listed buildings. The SolVe Mount uses a 28mm diamond core to create a precise opening in the stone or 'working area' to access the rafter. Our expansion seal expands when the nut is tightened, pressing outwards on the walls of the core hole and expanding beyond, creating a permanent watertight barrier. Forces are channeled directly to the rafter, ensuring the stone itself carries no load.
Why stone requires special consideration: Stone tiles are significantly thicker (often 20-45mm) than slate or concrete tiles. This thickness requires raising the seal height by twisting the adjustable seal and requires longer 250mm M10 A4-80 hanger bolts so the bolt reaches the required height above the roof covering.
Join limitations: Similar to heavy slate, avoid installing directly on joins between stone tiles. The double thickness at these points exceeds the seal's optimal range. A solution is due with the universal mount release on April 14th 2026.
How to install:
CORE - 28mm diamond core to create your 'working area' to access the rafter.
DRILL - Pre-drill using the drill guide provided.
FIX - Screw in the fully assembled SolVe Mount. Twist the seal to raise the height for stone roofs.
TIGHTEN - Tighten the nut to cause the seal to expand — creating the IPX8 rated watertight barrier.
DONE - Your MCS certified stone roof mount is complete.
The SolVe Mount ensures no load is transferred to the stone roof and creates a watertight seal that will outlive the roof covering.

Making solar installation simple, fast and repeatable. No stone expertise required.

Unshrinkable Technology

Maintains a permanent 34-36mm expansion above and below the roof covering, ensuring no retreat or seal degradation over time.

172-Year Longevity

ASTM D395B testing confirms ~30% compression set after 172 years, preserving elasticity and waterproof "springiness."

Load Isolation

Forces are channeled directly to the rafter. The seal expands radially, exerting pressure only on the core hole walls, not the stone.

Triple-Seal Protection

Primary seal matches roof covering depth, augmented by upper and lower seals for 100% watertight confidence.

2D SolVe Mount Installation Animation

Close Up Installation Video Below

RafterBattenBattenSlates28mm DiamondHole CutterGrind a 28mm holein the roof coveringSolVe Drill Guide7mm Wood Drill Bit70mmCompression causes expansion✓ Watertight IPX8 Seal CompleteMCS & BBA Certified | Full Depth ProtectionUnshrinkable SealThe seal position above and belowthe roof covering cannot retreat.The primary expansion seal will notlose its 'springiness'.No Load Transfer to Tiles/SlatesRail sits on the flange nut which transfersload into the bolt. The bolt cannot flexinto the roof covering

Related Roof Types

Heavy SlateSlate & CompositeCambrian SlateRosemary TilesClay Plain TilesConcrete Plain TilesConcrete InterlockingMetrotile

Related Articles

Does the SolVe Mount Require Drilling Through Slate?
Official DistributorHDM Solar

UK distribution partner with branches across the country.

Official DistributorPhase Renewables

UK distribution partner with branches across the country.

Buy direct with a minimum order quantity.

Free On-Site Training

Free On-Site Training

"From Rafter to Rail"

We'll attend your first installation and walk you through every step — locating rafters, assembling and fixing the mount.

Become the most efficient solar installer in the industry

or call 01202 028630