If you’re a homeowner that’s planning to redo your roof this spring, you have several important things to decide. These include the timing, budget, and contractor for your project. But it’s also critical to decide what materials you’ll use to reroof your house. Your impression of roofing materials as generic black asphalt shingles is out of date. There are many attractive designer shingles and other options on the market. Particularly if you’re going for a specific look and feel with your overall exterior design, paying attention to trends in roofing materials is key. Here’s a closer look at four of the hottest trends in roofing that we’re seeing for spring.
Concrete Tiles
If durability is your main concern, concrete tiles are a great choice. Your roof may not be the first place you think of using concrete during a renovation. But manufacturers are developing an ingenious range of roofing materials from a concrete base, including shingles, faux tiles, panels, and simulated wood shakes. Manufacturers use a variety of substances from metal to enamel to coat these products and customize their look. Concrete roofing quality may vary depending upon the brand, but they are known for having several durability advantages. These include a long lifespan, low maintenance, and resistance to fire, rot, and animal damage.
Slate
One popular look for upscale homes, as well as those with a look and feel that emulate the natural environment, is slate. Since slate is a natural product harvested from quarries, it is shingle shaped slivers of rock that retain a very earthy look. Slate is one of the more expensive roofing material choices, but offers a great deal of flexibility in how the tiles are arranged. Slate shingles are also available in a range of gradation patterns and tones, from traditional grays to those with more of a bluish or rose undertone. Slate roofs have a long lifespan, and offer excellent resistance to fire and other traditional elements that cause roof damage. Slate is often the perfect choice on a high-end log cabin or a house with natural stone front facing.
Clay Roofing
If you’ve ever admired the bright roofing materials on Southwestern style homes, you’ve seen clay tiles. This style of roof goes back thousands of years, and offers an incredible range of colors and styles to customize your look. Clay is known to have a long lifespan, and offer significant resistance to the elements. One challenge with clay tiles is their fragility. Any future maintenance will need to be completed by experienced roofers, to avoid breaking the tiles from walking on them. A clay roof is an excellent choice to complete Western or Spanish style home design, or an overall clean look and feel along the roofline.
Metal Roofing
Steel and other forms of metal roofs are a rising trend. For those concerned about environmental impacts, steel roofs are highly recyclable. They offer a range of flexibility in looks, from standing seam historical styles to Victorian. Metal roofs can also be made to resemble more traditional styles of roofing. Ownership costs of metal roofs are low, being resistant to corrosion, fire, and other forms of damage. Steel shingles are a great choice in different climates, reflecting heat and enabling snow to easily slide off the roof.
If you’re ready to redo your roof and want to consider an attractive alternative to standard roofing, contact a qualified and reputable local roofing company today. They’ll be able to evaluate your property, discuss your design and structural goals, and make expert recommendations for a roof renovation you’ll love.