Different Roof Materials



Roofs are designed to protect a house, building, home, or any establishment from the different elements of weather. A roof’s performance is based on how well it protects an establishment from rain, sun, strong winds, snow, etc. The roof’s structure and materials dictate its efficiency and durability. Different environments may require different roof styles and roof materials. The list of roof materials that you may consider when deciding which roof is best for you is presented below.

Cedar Shakes

Cedar shakes roof offers a traditional look with a modern time performance. It goes well with historic or ancestral home designs. Usually, cedar shakes roofing materials can last up to 30 years; provided proper installation and high quality cedar shakes are used to construct the roof. Some communities mandate that only pressure-treated fire retardant shakes can be used as roofing. Cedar shakes treatment is an additional cost for this kind of roof material.

Asphalt Composition Shingles

Asphalt composition shingles is the most popular roof material in U.S. communities. It is a composition of asphalt-filled organic/fiberglass base with one side covered with minerals to prevent weathering.

The durability and strength of a fiberglass-based shingles made it a preferable material than organic-based shingles. Asphalt composition shingles offers a wide selection of colors for your roof. Composition shingles can last from 20 to 30 years depending on the quality of the composition. Problems usually start when inadequate flashing or ventilation was not addressed during the roof’s installation.

Dimensional Shingles

Dimensional shingles uses similar materials with that of composition shingles. It is easy to come up with a more customized appearance using dimensional shingles materials because it is thicker than composition shingles. Another difference between these two shingles is their lifespan.

Dimensional shingles can last up to 40 years, which is 10 years longer than the maximum expected lifespan of composition shingles. Like composition shingles, dimensional shingles are also damaged by defective flashing/ventilation.

Dimensional shingles, cedar shakes, and composition shingles are all popularly used in sliding styles of roofing.

Clay Tiles

Clay tiles come in a variety of patterns and are very flexible that they can endure destructive elements such as wind, hail, and fire. The only problem with tile materials is that they are too heavy. This roof material has installation standards for its structure and decking. Installation may sometimes require tile metal brackets, railing, and pre-drilling of tiles.

Manufacturers offer the longest roof material warranty on clay tiles. Warranties on this roof material start at a minimum of 50 years. Clay tiles are expected to last more than 50 years.

Concrete Tiles

Concrete tiles have all the advantages of clay tiles and even exceed its style options. Concrete tiles are commonly used in housing communities with coding requirements.

Metal Roofing

Metal roofs are lightweight materials that they can be used with different roof styles. Metal roofs are commonly made-up of copper, steel, or dent-proof aluminum. It can surpass destructive elements of weather and effectively secure your home from shed snow, high winds, heavy rain, hails, and fire. Metal roof materials make excellent roofs in moss prone and stormy places.

Properly installed metal roofing can last as long as the house itself. Manufacturers offer 50-year warranty on this roof material. Metal roof materials have the largest variety of textures and styles of roof to choose from.

Slate

Slates are cut from stone and are usually gray in color. Slates can cost ten times higher than asphalt shingles. It is the most expensive and most durable type of roof material. It is fireproof, mold repellent, and can last up to 100 years. Slate materials are very heavy and brittle. Because of this, they require high quality structure and professionals for installation.

Some people prefer to use synthetic slates, which are less fragile and can also provide as much security. Synthetic slates are from combination of two materials such as glass fiber tar and slate dust or a mixture of fiber and cement.

Built-up Roofs

Built-up roofs are made up of layers of saturated felt. Every layer laid is wiped, heated, and covered with a rock or mineral coating.

Built-up roof’s quality and lifespan is dependent on the number of its layers. Standard requires 3 to 5 layers of roofing. This type of roof material is cheap; however, is not advisable for high rains and snow places.

Roll Roofing

Roll roofing materials are low cost asphalt products in roll form. They are more popularly known as 90-Pound felt, because a 90-pound roll can cover a 100-square feet. It has a lifespan of not more than 10 years. Like built-up roofs, this type of roof cannot hold heavy rains and snow.

EDPM Rubber Roofing

EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a durable and UV-proof one layer roof material. This type of roof material can surpass hail and high wind. EPDM does not need any mineral coating; therefore, it is a much lighter material than gravel roofs. It also offers a large selection of roof structures to choose from.

PVC Membrane Roofing

PVC membrane roofing system is made up of polyvinyl chloride put together using hot air. This type of roof is made to endure large amount of water. It also has the ability to cast back almost 90% of sun’s heat, which makes it very useful in hot areas.