Roofs for Residential Roofing
Aesthetics, weight load, budget, and installation are four of the main factors to consider when installing a new roof on your home. It may seem that choosing a roof is a straightforward process, but there are many different roofing materials that are suitable depending on your style, budget, climate, and even the structure of your home.
The main types of roofing materials for residential roofs are asphalt, wood, metal, tile, and slate. By far, most homes today feature roofs with asphalt shingles. These roofs are affordable, durable, and since shingles are available in a wide range of colours, these roofs are stylish too. Additionally, asphalt roofs are easy to install and maintain which certainly speaks to their popularity.
Wood shingles are also common residential roofing materials. These traditional roofs are beautiful and you can find wood shingles made from cedar, pine, and redwood. However, depending on your region, they may not be permitted by building codes, and these roofs tend to be considerably more expensive than asphalt roofs.
Metal roofs are often constructed from aluminum, steel, or copper and sometimes a combination of metal and asphalt. These roofs are expensive but among the most durable.
When you think of Spanish Colonial construction, you can probably picture tile roofs. These tiles look like cylinders spit in half and provide a very distinct style. Tile roofs are equally durable and heavy, so they are not ideal for all residential structures. Your roofer will be able to tell you more about the weight load of your roof. One other point to consider, tile roofs tend to be very expensive.
Finally, slate roofs are probably the most durable. In fact, old slate roofing materials can be recycled and reused on your roof – even after many decades. As you can imagine, the durability of these roofs also contributes to their expense.
Now that you know about some of the different roofing materials, your choice will generally come down to three factors:
- Can your home support the weight of the materials?
- Are the materials in your budget?
- Do the materials match your home’s aesthetic?
Working with a qualified roofer that has experience working with a variety of roofing materials is the best way to pick the right residential roof. Ultimately, asphalt roofs are suitable in many climates and given their cost they make a great choice for somebody on a tight budget. Still, even though asphalt roofs are less expensive, don’t be fooled. These roofs are still very attractive and they feature good durability too. Nevertheless, if budget is no concern, consider other roofing materials. If you look around at the homes in your neighbourhood, you’ll probably find the vast majority feature asphalt materials. A tile, wood, metal, or slate roof would certainly stand out amongst the crowd.
