Archive for the ‘Roofing’ Category
Home Owners Have Lots Of Choices When It Comes To Roofing Styles
Even in these difficult economic times, many different styles of residential homes are being built and finished daily. Often, these houses stand as visible symbols of status and hard-working homeowners. There is usually a lot of discussion with regard to the materials for these homes, as the owners of the houses that are being built attempt to decide which of the various kinds of roofing materials to utilize. There is an extremely large choice of materials available in the market — a well-known fact with professional roofers. It is important for homeowners to keep abreast of this knowledge regarding roofing supplies and materials. The day will eventually come when your roof needs to be replaced, and it is good to be in the know.
Various Kinds of Roofing Material
Roofing Materials of Various Types:
When speaking of residential roofing materials, it is extremely important to note that, with the majority of residential construction materials available today, the ever increasing move is toward engineered roofing materials. If you have been shopping for residential roofing materials recently, you have surely seen a number of reasons for this. Wood’s high price is one of them. Another reason is that in many parts of the country, the building codes require that fireproof construction materials be used. Finally, the majority of builders prefer a material that not only adds style to the home, but that will give a better return on the investment by being long-wearing.
Asphalt Shingles:
Most people are familiar with asphalt shingles that are used on residential roofs. Actually, this is among the most prevalent of all roofing materials sold in America now. Composition shingles are another name for them. No matter what they may be called, they are made of either fiberglass core or an organic fiber mat that is integrated with asphalt and then coated for color and texture. They are affixed to the home’s roof with adhesive on the back, or by roofing nails or staples. You will discover that excellent guarantees stand behind the shingle products made nowadays. They are guaranteed for at least 2 or 3 decades, so they are a great value for homeowners.
Wooden Shingles and Shakes
Wooden shingles and shakes can be very nice looking roofing materials as well. As time goes on, this residential roofing material weathers, becoming a soft silver in color and helping the house blend into the scenery. Manufacturers utilize an array of different kinds of wood to fabricate their wood shingle products. Types of wood that are utilized include western red, Alaskan yellow and eastern white varieties of cedar.
How are wooden shingles and shakes different from each other? In a side-by-side comparison, the primary difference that you will note between shingles and shakes is that while shingles are relatively smooth and are cut to a uniform thickness, they vary in width. However, wood shakes are of a thicker and more irregular material. These are split from logs rather than sawed.
Metal Roofs:
Other varieties of roofing material include metal roofs. You’re sure to have seen the standing seam steel roofs that have made a comeback recently. In the past, this sort of roof was used in just about every structure ever made. This roofing material is very strong and basically maintenance free, flame retardant, and heat reflective, so Metal is a wonderful choice for homes in areas where it snows a lot, and also for farming areas. One good thing is that there are lots of choices. Everything from low-end galvanized to high-end copper is available. There is a variety of powder coated metal roof systems currently for sale on the market, including several very affordable versions of the galvanized steel design. Others are customized to suit your home or barn in the factory. No special fabricating equipment is needed with these systems. Any competent contractor can install one.
Whatever the style you pick, a correctly installed metal roof should usually last 50 years or more.
Concrete, Tile, or Slate:
Tile and slate comprise the other different kinds of roofing material. They can last a long time and have been in use for a great many years. Since both are rather heavy, they require a reinforced support system to deal with their weight. Installation is not easy, plus they are often a bit costly.
Our previous discussion covered just a few of the various kinds of roofing materials that can be found throughout the world. On our website, articles regarding Rubber and Copper roofing are available.information that is vital for all homeowners.
Read more about the different kinds of residential roofing materials, installation tips, cleaning and buying at the author’s blog.
