If you are installing a new home roof you have many choices of roofing materials available
. There are the traditional roofing materials of asphalt shingles, tar and gravel or more likely rolled roofing or modified Bitumen, red clay tile and shake shingles.
There have been ceramic roof tiles on homes for years. There are also newer applications that are being used on residential roofs such as metal roofs. These used to be mostly seen on commercial buildings but they are now seen on residential roofs also.
Concrete tiles are another newer roof application that is available for a new home roof. Concrete tiles roofs have been used in Europe for a number of years. You will generally see concrete roof tiles on roofs in warmer climates but with some installation precautions they may also be installed on roofs in colder climates. But golf ball sized hail can damage concrete tile roofs. And extreme heat and cold can affect concrete tiles also.
Concrete tiles come in a number of shapes and styles. They are also available in many colors as concrete can have a color additive added to it. These tiles can look like stone, traditional red clay, slate, or even wood shake. But even thought it is called light weight concrete tile is heavier than asphalt shingles so the underlying structure must be strong enough to support this type of roof.
This type of roofing tile actually interlocks when installed. It forms an almost weather tight application. And it is usually guaranteed for over fifty years.
No matter what roof application you chose to put on your new home roof the roof still has some basic structure components that have to be installed before the new roof is put over the home.
A roof generally has the roof skeleton which is the framework of the beams of the roof. It has rafters which are part of the truss. It has a decking which covers the rafters and which the roofing materials are attached to. It will have a drip edge which lets water run off.
It will have fascia which is trim to cover the rafters ends with. And it will have soffits which are the underside of the eaves.
To utilize a heavy roofing material for a new home roof, you have to insure that all of these roof parts are structurally sound and sturdy to support that additional roof weight.