Roofing Materials From Asphalt To Wood

If you're like most home owners, you don't spend too much time thinking about your roof until you realize it's falling apart

. If it's time for a new ceiling, you'll have a few decisions to make. Here are the main things you need to consider when picking out the best materials.

Durability

How strong your roofing materials need to be is highly dependent on the climate where you live. If your location is rife with strong winds, storms, and natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes, or hurricanes, you're going to need something that will stay in place without cracking under the pressure. Choosing a very weak roofing material can lead to leaks, cracks, and other problems that can greatly damage your home over time. If you live in harsh climates or are threatened by environmental disaster, potentially good choices for building material include metal, slate, and plastic polymer. Others such as wood may be suitable if treated with a fire retardant to add extra protection.

Slope and Frame

How steep you plan your ceiling and how strong the existing roofing frame is will be a great determiner of the potential materials you can choose from. A very strong, heavy roof made of slate will require not only specialists to install, but probably additional frame support so it won't collapse. This can greatly add on to the price. Slate is only suitable for very steep sloped roofs as well, which may not be what you're on the market for. Other materials are more versatile, like metal which can work on virtually any covering plan.

Appearance

Although important, the aesthetics of your new roof should be low on the consideration scale. Most people will find themselves faced with certain architectural restrictions that limit their choices. Some roofing can be blended into your home's appearance more easily than others such as concrete and clay can be painted and shaped to resemble tiles, slate, or wood shake. Some covering will also age better than others. Wood, for example, will change colors over the years, often to gray, which may not compliment your home.

Price

In addition to all of these factors, your roofing budget will naturally be an important consideration. In general, the sturdier and longer lasting the material, the greater the cost. Other extras can also raise the price such as fire retardant treatments, paint, and shingle size. The least expensive are generally asphalt, metal and wood, and it is no coincidence that these also have a very short lifespan and will need replacing and repair more often than the more expensive options. Covering that can outlast you, and possibly even your children, is slate with clay, concrete, and plastic rounding out the middle of the lifespan term.

Before you make your final decision, you'll also want to check your local building codes to ensure you are following their rules. Don't rely on your roofer either. They may not be up to date with the latest changes.

by: Andrew Stratton

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