A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

Part 1 What’s So Important

About the Type of Roof?

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

When it comes to choosing the type of roof, most homeowners just leave it to the professionals. While this is a safe option especially if you don’t know much about roof types, knowing the ne-cessary factors that dictate what’s the best option available for your home will keep your choices from being restricted to what other people will suggest.

All types of roofs have different strengths and weaknesses that revolve around a few crucial factors. The following is a list of these crucial fac-tors, as well as a brief explanation.

LifespanSome types of roofs are just meant to last longer than others, but there’s usually a tradeoff in terms of cost or maintenance costs. Regardless, you’d want a roof that would last at least a decade.

WeightThat entire roof has to bring its weight down somewhere, and that’d be the roof framing. Some types of roofs are heavier, which may require you to reinforce the existing roof frame.

AppearanceThe roof is the most visible part of the house, so you’d want your roof to match the rest of your home. Some roofs look traditional, while others are more suitable for a house with a more modern design.

What’s So Important About the Type of Roof?

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

MaintenanceSome roofs require less maintenance, while others have to be cleaned or re-paired on a more frequent basis. For example, wood requires extra maintenance because of problems with rot or mold formation, while shingles have to be checked for granule loss.

Slope Do you want something with a steep pitch or do you want something completely flat? A roof’s slope has a significant effect on how well it can shed water or snow, provide attic space, or stand up to strong winds.

SafetyIs your roof a fire hazard or is it prone to getting blown away by strong winds? How about structural strength? Depending on your area, some roof materials may be safer than others.

What’s So Important About the Type of Roof?

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

Part 2Flat and Shingle Roofs

There are plenty of types of roofing available to homeowners, but two stands out among them: The flat roof and the shingle roof. These two types of roofs have many similarities in terms of performance, but they are quite different in terms of appearance

and installation procedures.

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

The Flat RoofThe flat roof, as its name suggests, is a roof that does not have a noticeable slope. This type of roof is a common sight for small com-mercial buildings, but its practical nature has also made it popular among many home-owners.

There are two main types of flat roofs seen in residential homes: the asphalt roll roof and the EPDM roof. The asphalt roll roof consists of a mat of felt, which is covered with asphalt to protect it from rain, sunlight, and other natural factors. On the other hand, the EPDM roof is basically a protective layer of synthetic rubber over the house.

Asphalt Roof EPDM Roof

Flat and Shingle Roofs

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

StrengthsFlat roofs are one of the best types when it comes to wind tolerance. Because it’s flat, there’s nothing for the wind to catch on. Because of its minimalistic appearance, a lot of people who prefer a more con-temporary look for their home favor the flat roof over other types of roofs. While a flat roof doesn’t provide attic space, the top can be used a second floor or a rooftop balcony without requiring a lot of modification. Out of all the different types, many consider flat roofs

to be the best when it comes to ease of in-stallation be-cause there’s no need to install extra roof supports.

WeaknessPerhaps the most noticeable weak-ness of the flat roof is how it handles rain and snow. The roof’s flat surface keeps rainwater or snow from harm-lessly rolling of the edge and into the gutter. Some flat roofs have a very slight slope to help shed off water, although water pools are still likely to form after a strong rain. Asphalt roll roofing also has fairly low lifespan compared to other types of roofing, but it can still easily last for more than a decade with proper maintenance.

Flat and Shingle Roofs

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

The Shingle Roof

The shingle roof is a successful attempt to combine the clas-sic look of traditional roofing types with af-fordability and versa-tility. Shingle roofs are composed of many in-dividual panels, usually made of asphalt or metal that is stacked together to form a single covered surface.

StrengthsThe shingle roof’s biggest advantage over other types of roof is its ability to mimic more expensive types of roofing at a fraction of the price. Although they are designed to resemble brick or slate roofs, asphalt shingles are much lighter than the original materials, so they put less strain on the roof frame. Because of this, a well-maintained shingle roof can last anywhere from 20-35 years.

WeaknessShingle roofs require careful installation because any misaligned shingle can make the roof vulner-able to wind and roofing damage. Furthermore, lightweight shingles can easily be torn clean off the roof by strong gusts of wind if not secured

properly. Shingles also tend to lose granules pro-tecting their outermost layer over time, making them more vulnerable to damage as they reach the end of their lifespan.

Flat and Shingle Roofs

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

Part 3Wood, Slate, and Other

Types of Specialty RoofingThe following types of specialty roofing may not be as popular as they were before, but they’re still right up there with flat and

shingle roofs in terms of performance.

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

Wood

Wood is one of the earliest roofing materials used by man. Thousands of years later, homes with wooden roofs are still a familiar sight. Wood roofs are either composed of shakes and shin-gles, which look similar at first glance. Wooden shakes are basically split wood roughly cut into similar sizes, while shingles can be composed of multiple lay-ers of wood. Wood roofs typ-ically last 25-30 years, but are vulnerable to termite dam-age unlike other types of roof.

Brick Tile

Brick tiled roofs are one of the most impressive looking roofs in the neighborhood because of their contoured profile and rustic colors. Brick roofs are also stacked next to each other like shingles, but individual pieces are thicker and heavier. Brick roofs can easily outlast most other types of roofing (around 70-80 years), but the weight and

cost of instal-lation makes shingle and flat roofs a more attrac-tive option for homeowners with limited budget.

Wood, Slate, and Other Types of Specialty Roofing

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

ConcreteConcrete roofs share many similarities with brick tile, but it is much more versatile. Concrete roofs can consist of either mul-tiple concrete tiles or a single continuous slab (which makes it

another possible material for making flat roofs). How-ever, installing a concrete roof should be done care-fully, since it’s more likely to develop cracks over time compared to brick.

SlateWidely considered as one of the most expensive type of roofing, slate roofs make up for their high installation cost with an impressive lifespan, excellent durability, and elegant looks. Slate roofs, which are basically split shale fragments, can last for up to a hundred years or maybe even more. Installing a slate roof can be quite a challenge because they are heav-ier than even brick roofing. This is why slate roofs with steep slopes must be installed with reinforced roof frames to handle all the weight. Fortunately, slate roofs require almost no maintenance at all, since slate doesn’t fade, rust, rot, or even crack.

Because each type of roofhas its own unique strengths and weaknesses, there’s no such thing as the absolute best roof. Ultimately, your choice will depend on your current budget, the current state of your home, local climate, and your per-sonal preferences.

Wood, Slate, and Other Types of Specialty Roofing

A Beginner’s Guide to Common Types of Roofs

Kroll Construction29017 Ford Rd, Garden City MI 48135

(888) 338-6340www.krollwindow.com