The actual types of roofing materials may be one of the few necessities that we take for granted more than the roof itself. Varying from geographic location to location, different types of roofing materials are meant to maximize the durability, cost-effectiveness & quality for that particular region. When shopping around for a particular type of roof, it will help cut down repair costs, the use of natural resources and the amount of building materials by simply being educated on the more popular types of roofing.
Below I will discuss four of the most-utilized types of roofing materials:
Asphalt Roofing
Found atop an estimated 75% of American homes, asphalt shingles are undisputedly the most popular type of roofing material. Whether you choose fibreglass or composition asphalt shingles, you can depend on a quality, lightweight roofing material that is heavily-resistant to wind, fire & rain. This type of roofing material is also a lot more cost-effective than many of its counterparts. Everywhere, from roofing companies in Portland, Oregon to the east coast, utilize this dynamic material for roofing.
Clay Tile Roofing
Clay Tile is one of the more durable types of roofing materials, being highly-resistant to insects, mold, decay & fire. Dating back ten thousand years, the use of clay tile as a roofing material has grown substantially, to a wide range of different finishes and colors. A good portion of the homes in the Southwest and California are often adorned with red tile roofing. One of the few drawbacks of this type of roofing material, though, is the heavy weight, sometimes requiring specialized estimates to make sure the home’s foundation can support such a heavy load.
Wood Roofing
One of the many benefits of this natural type of roofing material is its beauty, adding a rustic look to many homes. The most common types of wood roofing are wooden shingles or shakes composed of redwood, cedar or southern pine wood, while wooden shakes are simply shingles that are hand-sawn and tampered with. Sold in three different categories – one, two & three, — the number one category offers the highest quality. To ensure safety in many parts of the country, this type of roofing material requires factory treatment to ensure fire-resistance.
Slate Roofing
Slate roofs can still be found in homes well over a century in age. This type of roofing material is widely known for its near-indestructibility, consisting of heavy natural rock. Slate roofing has the ability to last for multiple centuries and is resistant to almost everything. The downfall being, though, that it’s heavier than clay tile and requires even more specialized installation, in addition to the hefty price tag of this roofing material in the first place.
While other types of roofing exist, such as metal and steel roofing, the four described above are the most prevalent within all the types of roofing materials. The cost of installation and the benefits of each type of material for roofing must be properly determined and weighed to choose the most cost-effective, logical approach to your own roofing. Use these guidelines to help you the next time you are shopping the various types of roofing materials.