Roofing Materials
A roof is more than something to keep out the rain and snow. It is an integral part of the design of your home. If you are re-roofing, it is important to keep in mind the architectural integrity of the entire home, especially if it is an older home. If you are starting from scratch, the same is true.
The choices of materials range from asphalt shingles to wood shingles, to slate, to metal and ceramic (clay). Some of these choices are limited by the cost, in which case engineered roofing materials are helpful. Slate, for example, might be cost prohibitive and could be replaced with an engineered material, which would match the home in terms of age and architecture. Wood shingles, which are prohibited by the fire code in some areas, can also be replicated with an engineered product.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles account for 90% of residential roofs. As far as roofing materials go, it is an inexpensive option, with a variety of colors and styles to choose from. They require no maintenance, and are easy to install. Usually they last from 20 to 30 years.
Wood Shingles and Shakes
Wood shingles are fairly smooth and are cut to a uniform thickness. Shakes, on the other hand, are split instead of sawn, and are thicker and rougher. Wood shingles and shakes weather to a beautiful gray or silver and are considered quite elegant. However, housing codes may prohibit their use because of fire danger. They are more difficult to install as the shingles must breathe–the surface underneath used to be strips of wood nailed directly to the rafters, called skip sheathing, but now there are plastic matrix and pressure treated lattice products to serve as the layer beneath. Wood shingles also need maintaining: washing to remove mildew and then oiling for preservation. There are engineered products which resemble wood shingles and overcome fire code and maintenance issues. A wood shingle roof should last 30 to 50 years.
Slate
Slate is very costly and was used in expensive homes. It lasts for generations (which makes the cost difficult to justify–how long am I going to be living there?), is beautiful, and because of its weight requires special framing in the home underneath it. It allows rain and snow to slide off easily. This is an excellent example of an engineered product being a great substitute at about one-third the weight and cost of original slate. The engineered product can last as long as 50 years.
Metal
Metal roofs include a wide range of materials–from a galvanized, corregated product to a powder-coated steel system to copper. The corregated, galvanized metal roofs have long been used on barns, sheds and other utilitarian buildings. The powder-coated steel systems have been used on residential structures and copper has sometimes graced public buildings. Metal roofs are virtually maintenance free. If they are installed correctly, they can last up to 50 years.
Ceramic
Ceramic roofing material is most commonly installed on Meditarranean style homes (think California and Florida). There are several styles, but the most common is the barrel tile. There are also thick shingle and slate shapes. Tile roofs are quite heavy and require sturdier framing underneath. They are also very labor intensive to install. If installed correctly, a tile roof can last from 60 to 80 years.