4 Best Materials for Home Roofing
Are you building a new house or upgrading your roofing system into something more durable? This guide reveals four of the best materials that you can use for home roofing.
A roof system is made up of different types of materials that come together to provide weather protection. Aside from keeping the water out, roofing systems protect houses from snow, sun, and other elements. If you’re not sure which type of material to use, here’s a quick guide to help you decide for roofing lafayette la:
- Metal
Find sheet steel for sale if you want a roof that can last for around fifty years. Metal roofs can be made of different types of materials such as copper, iron, aluminum, terne plate, lead, zinc, and stainless steel. This material is usually used for flat roofs, but they can also be used for roofs with a 3:12 and a greater pitch. Sheet metal will need to be welded into flat roofs or attached with nails for pitched roofs.
Although metal roofing can be a bit more expensive than other materials, they are proven to be among the most durable. Metal roofs are also flame-resistant, wind-resistant, and energy-efficient, which puts them at a bigger advantage than other roofing material.
- Slate
Slate roofing tiles, also known as shingles, are thin rectangular slabs made from natural rock. Shingle size can vary from 12 to 16 inches in dimension and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in thickness. Choosing shingles for your roofing can also give you a wide variety of options in terms of texture and color.
Shingles are easy to install on any type of roof, are fire-resistant, and more affordable than other roofing material. If you want a fast and easy installation that will require minimal labor cost and time, you would probably want to go with this option.
- Asphalt
Asphalt and coal-tar pitch materials are usually applied to sloping roofs and flat roofs, respectively. They are both used for built-up roofing, which consists of alternating layers of asphalt-saturated felts and hot asphalt cement. After applying a 3-ply or 5-ply layer, the roof is finished with slag or stone chips under a flood coat to protect the roof from the elements.
Asphalt can also be applied via asphalt roll roofing with 36 inch wide rolls that are used for steep roofs. Apart from being easy to install and repair, asphalt roofing is low maintenance, highly durable, and has excellent uplift and fire resistance.
- Wood shingles
Wooden shingles are manufactured from decay-resistant lumber from red cedar, redwood, and cypress, among others. This type of shingles is fastened to roofs and walls over solid or spaced sheathing using galvanized nails. They are often installed on roofs with a 4:12 pitch or higher and typically installed in a way that allows for ventilation underneath.
To prevent wooden shingles from catching fire, they are treated with fire-retardant chemicals. If they are not pre-treated, however, you can do the spraying on your own after they are laid down on the roof.
Updating your roof is an opportunity to improve the exterior of your home and add value to your property at the same time. If you think you’re ready for the upgrade, these materials should give you the best results.
