Choosing A Roofing Material
Choosing a roofing material can be a daunting task. If you are reroofing and had either wood shakes or composite shingles – upgrading to cement or a tile roof may create long term structure issues with your framing as your home was originally designed for the lighter loading represented by these lighter materials. If you are making a decision on roofing materials for a new addition and plan to reroof the entire house, the structural engineer on your project may add additional support under your existing structure to make sure the added loads transfer all the way to the soil. This opens up your options to include a heavier material.
The most economical and practical choice in today’s building market is still asphalt shingles. Many are guaranteed for 40-50 years, they don’t rot, rust or warp, and they are available in a variety of interesting colors and textures. The “Cadillac” of shingle materials is Elk – these materials look classy and you will never have a “cheap” looking roof when using them.
Tile roofing material can be very attractive and very durable – however, breakage is a concern as this material is very brittle. For a new construction, realize that inclusion of this or cement materials will add to your overall framing costs, as the members have to be designed to support the additional loading. Tile and cement can help keep your home insulated also, however, using a plywood sheathing with a radiant barrier under asphalt shingles can achieve the same effect.
Wood shakes are rarely used these days due to rot, termites, and algae growth as inherent problems. You can achieve the same effect with one of many companies who offer synthetic wood shakes, such as GAF.
Gaining in favor is metal roofing for residential use. Metal can be very practical, sturdy and is a good insulator for energy conservation. More information can be found by visiting the Metal Roofing Association website. Surprisingly, these roofs are quite attractive and are requested by homeowners of high end homes – but they are also 2-3x more than what you would expect to pay for a composite shingle roof.
