There are many types of roofing materials to choose from, including asphalt composite shingles, metal shingles, wood shakes, and clay tiles. And instead of simply choosing the option you had before, consider a more durable or modern roofing material. Choosing the right type of roof requires you to weigh up appearance, longevity, roofing material prices, and structural issues. The above styles — gable roofs, hip roofs, jerkinhead roofs, mansard roofs, gambrel roofs and saltbox roofs — are all pitched roofs.
One of the oldest known types of roofing material, bitumen (which in the roofing industry today refers to both asphalt and coal tar pitch), formed the bulk of all flat roofs installed in the 20th century. Today, one of the most common types of composite roofing is a simulated roofing slate, which is made from resins and from rubber compounds obtained from reclaimed tires. Shingles can be characterised as units of roofing material that are flat and relatively small, designed to be installed in an overlapping pattern, most often in horizontal courses. Rolled roofing material is the mainstay of low-slope residential roofs, as well as outbuildings such as shops, sheds and other utility structures.
Natural slate is not only uniquely eye-catching, it can also last 50 to 100 years or more, making a slate roof an excellent long-term investment. Depending on the quality of the shingles and the conditions, the lifespan of the roof can range from 12 to 30 years. Wood shingles, asphalt shingles or slate are commonly used for gambrel roofs, but many types of metal roofing are also good choices and can reduce the need for repair. While hip-style roofs tend to be more expensive than gable roofs due to their more intricate design, they are still fairly common due to their versatility and durability.
You usually see that this type of roof is designed in such a way that the cut sides or hips do not interfere with the view from the top floor skylights. In addition, you should also be aware of the different roof names for the different types, as a roofing company in your area or an architect will likely use these terms. This type of roof has become popular because Gambrel roofs are not only visually attractive and efficient, but also relatively easy to construct. Although these terms are used interchangeably, most roof shingles in use today are technically known as asphalt glass shingles.
The most common flat roofing materials used today for residential and commercial buildings include single-membrane systems such as EPDM or rubber roofs, thermo-polyolefin roofs (TPO) and PVC roofs. While the name comes from the Latin “gamba” or the French “gamberal”, which means “ankle or leg” of a horse, this name for this type of horse species comes from the United States, with the European name for the style being “curb” or “curb roof. Skillion roofs are also known as shed roofs or lean-to-roofs and are single-angle sloped roofs that can be attached to a higher wall or provide an alternative to a flat roof for a stand-alone structure.