Whether you are building a home or upgrading an old roof, you must understand the different roofing materials at your disposal. Roofs come in all types and variations, with some materials suiting certain homes or roofs more than others. Picking the wrong roofing material can lead to extra costs down the line – not to mention a bucketload of stress!
How do you find the right roof material for your home? It starts with knowledge of the most common materials available. 99% of homes will be built with one of these roofs:
- Asphalt Shingles
- Metal
- Slate
- Concrete Tiles
- Ceramic Tiles
- Clay Tiles
- Rolled Asphalt
Each option has pros and cons and might suit some homes more than others. You can find all the different roof material variations below, along with detailed explanations of what they are and why you may (or may not) want to use them.
Asphalt Shingles
Loads of homes are built with asphalt shingles as this material and roofing style has plenty of benefits. Shingles are laid in overlapping pieces on a roof, allowing for better water channeling to your gutters. Asphalt is typically the favored material for shingles because it is:
- Affordable
- Extremely durable
- Easy to install
- Easy to repair
A professional roofer will recommend asphalt shingles for pretty much any roof. It is particularly great for traditional suburban homes or houses with high-pitched roofs. This is also an extremely beneficial material for home renovation projects. The affordability and ease of installation make it a smart choice for a quick roof replacement.
The only downside is that asphalt shingles can get battered and worn down by high winds, and they are not the most durable option out there. They will last for decades, but you can find more durable roofing materials if this is your biggest concern.
Metal
You will find metal roofing made out of steel, copper, or aluminum. They are very striking and contain the following beneficial properties:
- Last for 50 years+
- Extremely energy efficient
- Resistant to fire
Metal roofing also comes in a shingle variety – or you can opt for metal sheets. Some experts believe that a metal roof increases the value of your home, but this depends on how it looks. You might consider this option if you want to create an eco-friendly home with excellent energy efficiency. That is the big draw of a metal roof; it works wonderfully at retaining heat or reflecting solar energy to maintain the perfect ambient temperature in your home.
Obviously, there are some downsides to consider. Metal roofs cost more to install and are fairly prone to rusting. This means you should not pick this if you live near the sea, where you get a salt breeze coming in. Also, some people do not like the sound of rain hitting a metal roof as it is pretty noisy. If you get a lot of rainfall, perhaps this will not be the roof for you.
Slate
Those of you looking for the longest-lasting roof should consider slate. It is estimated to last for over 100 years, meaning one installation should be all you have to deal with. Alongside the durability benefits, slate is a fine choice as it has these key features:
- A timeless aesthetic appeal
- Incredibly low maintenance
- Fire resistant
- Adds value to your home
Despite all of these benefits, slate roofing is not that common. Why? Because it is expensive to install and extremely heavy. A lot of older homes cannot handle the additional weight of slate, so you either need to reinforce the structural integrity or pick a different option. Still, if your home can handle a slate roof, then it is a no-brainer. Especially if your main goal is to make an improved and more attractive home. No materials compete with slate in terms of looks and longevity.
As noted, the big drawbacks are the expensive installation costs and the additional weight this brings to your home. That can deter a lot of people – and you also may wish to avoid slate if you get a lot of hailstorms. Large chunks of hail are known to damage slate tiles/shingles quite badly, leading to costly repairs.
Concrete Tiles
Homes in hotter climates are warming to the idea of a concrete tile roof. Being composed of concrete allows these roofs to pick up incredible attributes, such as:
- A 50-100 years+ lifespan
- Available in many styles and colors
- Wonderful wind resistance
- Made from eco-friendly materials
It feels like an outstanding roofing material for most people – and concrete is highly cost-effective, so you are not paying through your nose for the installation. It is a fine choice for a home improvement project if you want to add more durability and protection to your home. The style choices are fantastic as well. Concrete tiles come in loads of shades and hues, but they are also used to replicate other roofing materials. You can have a concrete tile roof that looks like wood or clay yet retains all the features of concrete!
This sounds like a material that will rise right to the top of your list, but do not forget about the potential downsides. Like slate, concrete is heavy, and roof reinforcement may be necessary, which will add to the overall installation costs. The biggest concern is what happens to concrete in cold temperatures. If you live in a very cold climate, this will not be the option for you, as concrete roofs are prone to cracking. However, if it never gets that cold where you live, then this could be the ideal roofing material.
Ceramic Tiles
Some articles will collect ceramic and clay tiles as one thing, but we have split them up. They share similarities, though you will see a few key differences. For one, ceramic tiles are made out of clay and other materials. They are also coated in a glaze, which contributes to these amazing properties:
- Good water resistance
- Available in a staggering color variety
- Fairly durable
- Very aesthetically pleasing
To be honest, people will usually only pick ceramic tiles for aesthetic reasons. They create a wonderful European look to your home and will make it feel like it has been plucked from the streets of Spain or Italy.
Unfortunately, while they are durable enough to last for 50 years, ceramic tiles are prone to cracking and chipping under bad weather conditions. That’s why they’re largely used in the Mediterranean, where the climate tends to shift between hot and mild throughout the year, without a lot of rain or storms.
Clay Tiles
There is a distinct beauty to clay tiles that makes them a popular roofing material. Compared to ceramic tiles, clay tiles are 100% made out of natural clay. They are molded and baked at extremely high temperatures to create the perfect tiles for a roof. This also deliveries some distinct features:
- A lovely reddish-brown look
- Incredible durability
- Great weather resistance
- Highly energy efficient
- Very low maintenance
Again, if you want to replicate the European-style home design, then clay tiles are a perfect option. They are also a wonderful choice for anyone looking to improve energy efficiency or if you want a very durable roof. Clay tiles are expected to last for over 100 years when kept in the right condition, and they require minimal maintenance.
This all sounds excellent; what are the downsides? Well, the only problems with clay tiles are the initial investment costs and the installation. They are very expensive, and it is pretty hard to find the exact type of clay tile to replace any that might become damaged. Clay tiles also do not work very well on certain roof slopes – they are best reserved for shallow slopes instead of high-pitched ones.
Rolled Asphalt
Often referred to as rolled roofing or MSR, this is one of the cheapest roofing materials out there. It comes as rolls of asphalt and is literally rolled onto the top of your roof. The advantages of this roofing material are as follows:
- Very affordable
- Easy and cheap to install
- Readily available
- Easy to fix
- Extremely lightweight
Your initial reaction is positive, but do not get overly excited. Rolled asphalt is almost never recommended for the main part of your home. It is not very durable and will need to be replaced in 5-10 years. It also looks a lot worse than all other roofing types.
So, why would you even consider it? Rolled asphalt makes this list as it is a fantastic option for smaller dwellings. If you have a garden shed or a garage/carport, this is an affordable and easy way to put a roof on it. It might not be the ideal choice for your proper roof but do not discount it for other home improvement projects.
Which Roofing Material Is The Best For You?
It all comes down to a few factors:
- What is your budget?
- What is your local climate like?
- What are your key goals with this roof?
Your answers will determine which roofing material is the best for your home. As an example, if money is no object and you live in a mixed climate that gets hot during the summer and cold/wet during the winter – and you want a durable and aesthetically pleasing roof – then slate is the best choice.
But, if you have a tight budget, asphalt shingles might be more to your tastes. It will vary from person to person and household to household, but all of these roofing materials have benefits and uses in their own right.
