Top 10 Roof Materials

Seam roofing materials involve the use of shields made of steel, aluminum, zinc alloy and titanium, as well as copper to cover garages, houses and other structures.The final cost, durability, and appearance depend on the thickness and type of metal. It is convenient to fasten such a roof, since there are no mounting holes in it, it is reliable, weighs a little, is durable, and is protected from corrosion as much as possible. It does not have transverse beams, does not retain snow and rain, while being well resistant to temperature extremes.

Like many other materials, it is available in a variety of colors. Of the minuses - it is capable of accumulating a static charge, which increases the risk of lightning strikes (requires the installation of grounding or lightning protection equipment). Seam roofing for a roof is unstable to impacts and other mechanical effects, forms dents when a person walks or a heavy object hits.

Steel sheet roofing materials are best suited for roofs with a simple configuration - the more uneven the surface, the more waste is generated, and the higher the final cost of the roof. They use rolled and sheet types of steel, including those with copper, zinc and other coatings. In this case, installation can be performed both by connecting with a special seam lock, and using special fasteners.

The metal roof on a garage or house is durable, does not require special care, is fire resistant, but has disadvantages - slippery, has a low rate of heat and sound insulation. At low temperatures, ice freezes more strongly on it, but it practically does not hold snow, since it does not have horizontal beams. Many consider metal roofing unaesthetic, but today you can find a wide variety of textures and colors of such material.

Composite tiles combine the strength of metal and the environmental friendliness of natural clay. Material based on it has long been used for roofing houses, garages, sheds and other buildings. But the mineral component is quite heavy and fragile. These disadvantages are neutralized due to the special multi-layer structure of the composite roofing material, which includes thin sheets of steel, an acrylic layer, and the actual mineral coating - matte and rough.

Such roof tiles have the longest service life - more than 100 years. It looks beautiful, easy to install, tolerates low temperatures well, does not burn, and reliably protects from cold and noise. But it is one of the most expensive materials. In addition, during installation, a reinforced truss system is needed, laying is carried out only by hand. At the same time, accurate and careful transportation is extremely important.

Traditional ceramic-based shingles are considered to be the oldest roofing material used by man. It is made on the basis of clay and water - environmentally friendly raw materials, to which high-tech plasticizers are added today. Such roofing is absolutely non-combustible, does not let in heat, is durable (service life is more than 100 years), and creates good sound insulation. But it especially attracts buyers with its expressive appearance, which allows you to create an aesthetic roof of the house.

Despite all the advantages, ceramic tiles are quite fragile and heavy - they can break even during transportation or inept installation; it is absolutely contraindicated to work with such material alone. At the same time, it is necessary to purchase and install a waterproof film on the roof to ensure the tightness of the roof. This leads to an increase in the already high cost of the coating of this material.

Galvanized profiled sheets are widely used for roofing. Most manufacturers give a guarantee of up to 50 years for which material - this period depends on the thickness of the protective layer and the sheet itself. Thanks to polymer coatings, the roof is reliably protected from corrosion and has a lower load than the same metal tile. Ease of installation is noted; special devices are not needed to climb up due to the lightness of the material. Profiled sheets are produced in a large number of colors, allowing you to create individual design solutions.

Decking is not the cheapest option for covering houses, garages, outbuildings. It costs more than ondulin, but less than a soft roof. At the same time, such a material has only two drawbacks - any defects in the protective coating can cause corrosion, and high-quality sound insulation is additionally required.

Ondulin is an organic and most affordable roofing material after slate, since it is made from cellulose fibers by heating and pressing.It is the most environmentally friendly, safe, and surpasses almost all known roofing materials in terms of water resistance. An ondulin sheet of a standard size with a two-meter length and almost a meter width weighs 6.5 kg, which is 4 times less than a slate of the same area - you can install it alone.

Such material can be used to cover houses, garages, including those with complex roof architecture - due to its flexibility, ondulin perfectly repeats the given shape. It costs less than soft or metal tiles, but more expensive than slate. The main disadvantage is increased fragility with a lack of attachment points or a violation of the installation technology. Easily flammable, which must be taken into account when organizing the roof with this material.

As a roofing material, soft bituminous tiles have been used in construction in Russia relatively recently. In operation, it is good because it weighs very little - about 5kg/1 sq. m, divided into small pieces, making it convenient to mount on the roof of a garage or house with an uneven surface. It practically does not crack, does not rot, does not rust, protects against noise and is not subject to temperature changes. Depending on the manufacturer, the service life varies from 30 to 50 years.

Roofing also has disadvantages. Due to the rough surface, it retains dirt and dust, and can grow with lichen and moss. In conditions of high humidity, the use is twice as expensive as a classic metal tile. If the element is damaged, it is difficult to replace it yourself, since all parts are layer-by-layer and firmly glued together.

Roofing material is considered one of the most affordable building materials. It is designed for roofing flat and pitched roofs, is available in rolls of different lengths, soft, elastic, which allows you to create maximum waterproofing. It is easy to work with this material on your own. In addition, it is the cheapest roofing material of all.

Despite the advantages, there are also disadvantages. It is highly flammable, less durable than shingles or slates. At the same time, it looks completely unaesthetic - it has an uneven surface. It is more often used not for houses, but for covering flat, with a slight slope, roofs of garages, outbuildings, as well as for waterproofing foundations and basements. The soundproofing properties of the material are minimal, therefore, most often it serves as one of the components in the construction of a multi-layer roof.

Slate roofing is one of the most popular options in construction and has been used for over a hundred years. Despite the wide variety of roofing materials, it does not lose its relevance, has the lowest cost, is fire resistant, easy to install, not subject to rotting, corrosion, and temperature changes. Suitable for covering houses, garages, industrial buildings and structures, creating canopies over balconies, loggias, porches.

But slate also has disadvantages - it does not look as aesthetically pleasing (not at all like soft tiles or metal tiles), heavy, highly absorbent, fragile, does not fit with a large slope angle (it can slip over time).During installation, you need to work with at least two people, since asbestos-cement sheets are heavy, which also makes it difficult to transport them to the construction site.

The roof of a house made of such a roofing material as a metal tile not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but also shows a number of advantages during operation. It is able to withstand extremely low and high temperatures, is suitable for installation at any time of the year, completely eliminates the risk of deformation due to its strength and stability. With a sufficient thickness of the upper polymer layer, it is completely protected from the negative effects of moisture and ultraviolet radiation.

In addition, you can perform roofing with such material yourself without the involvement of specialists - it takes a minimum of time. The material is also distinguished by architectural expressiveness - it is available in a variety of colors and textures. The metal tile has the worst soundproofing properties, this is especially noticeable during precipitation. To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to lay a heat-insulating layer on the roof, which will also reduce heat loss.