Roofing Types

by Kim Kinrade

Looking at a house during a rainstorm will show you that the roof is definitely the most important part of the structure. The roof not only has to deal with the moisture but also the force of the water as it pounds the roofing material with forces resembling that of a fire hose.

Roofing materials differ depending which part of the country the home is built. For example, a cedar-shake roof in the Pacific northwest would bot be the first choice of a homeowner in Tuscon, Arizona or in Portland, Maine. The environment definitely has a say in what kind of roof is installed on a home because each weather zone dictates a different set of parameters.

Clay Roofing

The original roofs in Europe and Asia were clay tile as clay was easily found and the formed tiles could be naturally baked in the sun. These overlapping, curved shingles not only repelled water but provided a heat barrier between the interior of the home and the sun. Later some reinforcing material was added for strength like straw and horsehair. For the most part clay is almost indestructible in everyday use and many of the oldest homes in the world still have the original clay-tiles roofs.

Today, clay tiles for roofing come in all different colors and styles from all over the world. Being a porous product clay is not recommended for areas where there is a freeze/thaw cycle as the water gets into the pores and expands causing cracks and eventual breakage. It is also extremely heavy so that the structure of the home has to be able to take the extra weight. This is no problem with new homes but the homeowner should be careful when replacing the existing materials with a heavier one. As the trusses may not take it.

Cement Tile Roofing

Homeowners who want the look of clay tile but not the weight or cost can choose a cement tile. Interlocking concrete tiles are made by using a lightweight mortar which is molded under pressure. These tiles contain the color and texture of whatever clay or other tile that they are mimicking, even a cedar shake. The new manufacturing processes also increase the weather-tight abilities. They are light which makes installation easier and cost less than tile.

Older versions of concrete roofing tiles usually had to be replaced within 30 years because the coating was not strong enough to face the weathering and wore off leaving very porous sections which eroded quickly because of frost. Although they last longer today concrete does not have the lasting quality of clay tile.

Aluminum Roofing

Aluminum rooffs were very popular in heavy snow areas in the 1950's and '60's. It was usually put on in seamed sheets without any coating whatsoever. New advances in powder coating have made aluminum a beautiful choice for roofing. It is available in seamless sheeting and in a interlocking shake system. It is light, totally fireproof, environmentally friendly and will last a lifetime. In addition it will reflect the heat making your home cooler. However, expect to pay up to 4 times as much for aluminum as for a regular asphalt roof.

Steel Roofing

Once a product that faded and corroded easily steel has stepped back into the spotlight as one of the best roofing products on the market. New colored, powder coating and fluoropolymer resins have taken this negative factor away as well as the fading from ultra-violet rays. Like aluminum it is fireproof, lightweight and recyclable and can be installed right over the asphalt shingling that is already there. However, like aluminum it is more expensive that asphalt.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles have the biggest share of roofing in residential construction today, coming in at around the 80 % mark. The plain, three-tabbed asphalt shingles are made in a wide variety of styles and colors and can be bought with scalloped edges and other designs. All asphalt shingles start out with a basic form of either compressed paper or fiberglass matt. This base is pressed with asphalt glue and then ceramic granules are pressed into this surface. This layer provides protection, color and reflecting qualities that define the shingle. Fiberglass-based shingles hold up better in the heat but can get brittle in extreme cold and even break off in heavy winds. They are also more fire resistant that the paper-cellulose types.

Laminate, or architectural, shingles are basically 2 layers of shingles fused together which give them more strength and a cedar shingle look. These are more attractive and last longer than the single layer asphalt shingles.

Cedar Shingles

This old way doing things is still very effective. The shakes weather to a fine silver and last up to 50 years. However they are expensive to put on and it takes sometimes weeks before the job is finished.