Roofing Materials Types for Roof Replacement

Introduction

The roof is a part of your house that you might not think of that much. If you don't think about your roof that much, you are part of the majority of people. The roof tends to just stay there, slowly wearing down over the course of time and weather and it is only when real problems start to develop with it that people start looking at roof replacement. In order to stay ahead of the game and protect your roof so that it can protect you, it is necessary to get out of that mindset and start taking a look at some of the other options that are available to you when you are doing roof maintenance or roof replacement. One of those options has to do with roofing material selection for the project.

Shingles and Tiles

There are two primary types of objects that roof materials come in and they are shingles and tiles. Shingles are the classic roofing unit within North America and most of Europe and for that reason you will notice that most of the roofs of the different houses actually do utilize shingles. Shingles are basically tiles with a little more "oomph" to them and for that reason they can also be more expensive on average. Tiles are still great choices for roofing projects though and this is a fact that is especially true if you get a trained professional to install your tiles for you.

Types of Material - Asphalt

Asphalt is a material that you know very well, even if you've never heard the name before. Asphalt is what makes up our roads and for that reason everyone in the world has some sort of familiarity with the substance. That same material is used for roofing because it is a solid and sturdy material that can help you to create a roof that will be able to stand the test of time as far as weathering and erosion are concerned. Even asphalt breaks down over time though, which is why you still have to think about roof maintenance if you have it. Asphalt is perhaps the most durable material for roof construction though, so if you want to set and forget your roof replacement, this is probably the way to go.

Types of Material - Wood (Cedar Roof)

Wood is not as common in roofing today as it used to be and this is largely because it has lost a lot of market share to asphalt as the latter has gained ascendency in the battle between shingle materials. Wood shingles are nowhere near as durable as their asphalt counterparts, but they are cheaper and a lot easier to install properly. This means that houses that are in moderate climates with minimal weathering on their roof would be able to utilize wood for a long term roofing material, but places that get lots of snow and rain would just be asking to replace their roof again a lot sooner if they went with a wood roof over an asphalt one. The price differential is remarkable however, so it is not a done deal by any circumstance.

Types of Material - Slate and Ceramic Tile

Slate and ceramic are also used as roofing materials, although this has more to do with vanity than it does anything else. The basic functional choice is between asphalt and wood shingles, although people that would like to get decorative with their roofing project might decide to go for slate and/or ceramic tiles instead. It is a perfectly valid choice and as people are starting to pay more attention to their roofing concerns, these types of materials are becoming more commonly seen on roofs across the country.