Shingles

When it comes to roofing, there are many options available. Among these options includes asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles happen to be one of the most popular roofing options. They offer several benefits which include easy installation, affordability, versatility, and stylish good looks. Furthermore, asphalt shingles don’t require any specialized accessories for the roof edges, wall terminations, and chimney or vent flashings.

Asphalt shingles traditionally come in 3-tab profiles. However, you will now see newer homes that have steeper roof pitches coming in laminate shingle profiles. A wide range of “architectural” shingles are available, whose profiles suggest the random shadows and patterns of slate, wood shingles, or ceramic tile. Furthermore, you should know that there are also two kinds of asphalt shingles on the market which include fiberglass shingles and organic-mat shingles. Both types are made with asphalt.

Quality and durability are important factors to consider with roofing materials. Asphalt singles come with a wind warranty. Quality shingles range from a 60 mph wind warranty to a 110 mph wind warranty. There are also several other options in between. Keep in mind, however, that warranties are a marketing device and are not a reliable predictor of lifespan.

To ensure quality, be sure to demand shingles that meet industry manufacturing standards. New shingle products are designed to resist damage from impact and high winds. Several manufacturers offer asphalt shingles designed to resist the effects of severe weather such as wind and impact from flying debris or hail. Make sure that you do your homework before selecting just any asphalt shingle for your roof.

It’s easy to find a shingle that will suit your home because there is such a wide range of colors and patterns available to choose from. If you find yourself having a hard time selecting one that will best suit your home, consider asking a roofing specialist to help you out. They can usually direct you to homes that have examples of different shingles. Seeing the shingles on real homes gives you a much better idea of what to expect.

Roof Tiling Materials

Tiles are man made materials, which are made from hard wearing materials such as clay, ceramic materials and sometimes they can even be made out of glass! This said, by far the most common material used to make roofing tiles is clay. Invariably roofing tiles made out of clay have to be treated with a weather resistant glazing coat.

People have been using tiles to build their roofs for hundreds of years and over this time people have designed many different shapes and sizes of tiles. Flat tiles for example are just about the most basic type of roof tile. They are more often than not flat and rectangular in shape which makes them ideal for layering on a roof. Flat roofing tiles are very, very common in roofing applications and the methods used for creating these types of roofs have not changed a great deal since the 1970’s!

Other types of tiles are roman tiles and single lap tiles. Roman tiles have a curve at one edge and another at the other edge; this allows them to interlock for additional strength when they are laid on a roof. Single lap tiles are shaped like the letters and when they are laid they give a very distinct pattern.

Slate Roofing Materials

Slate roofs are done with roofing tiles made from slate which is an ancient sedimentary rock made up mainly from of clay and other volcanic materials, and compounded in the earth by pressure and heat.

Slate is a very common roofing material because it is very strong and also waterproof. It is very popular because it can be easily shaped into the rectangles that we see on the roofs of today. During the manufacture of roofing slates, big pieces of slate rock are broken into small sheets quite easily. Again this makes slate an ideal material for roofing.

Slate roofs can last a very long time because slate is a very hardwearing material the disadvantage of slate as a roofing material is that it is very expensive to buy and replace. In some areas roofs have to be kept maintained with specific types of slate in order to satisfy planning laws and keep the architectural character of buildings uniform in certain areas. Finding specific types of slate in such cases can be very difficult and there are few roofing contractors which undertake this kind of work.

Felt Roofing Materials

Roofing contractors use strong, polyurethane type materials to form felt roofs. A felt roof is applied to a base board which is painted with a preservative coating to make it last longer. Once the base has been prepared the roofing felt is fixed in place using suitable galvanised nails. Felt roofing applications are usually for flat roofs such as those normally seen on garages and garden sheds. The obvious advantage of using felt as a roofing material on flat roofs is that it is very inexpensive and therefore commonly used as a budget roofing solution on outbuildings.