Old House Roof Material

For most of us the roof is an afterthought at least until it starts to leak.

Old house roof material.

Tom compared a variety of roofing materials including asphalt shingles cedar shingles metal and clay tiles. Composition photo by nancy andrews. While roof framing preparation and proper installation are always important the material you choose for your roof can bring the exterior of your home to the next level. The biggest manufactured roofing innovation of the mid 19th century was the introduction of shingles and rolls of material composed of asphalt felt and a granular coating which came into wide use in the early 20th century because of their low cost fire resistance and ease of installation.

There are slate roofs hundreds of years old that are still functioning. The percentage could increase if your home has complicated rooflines or a lot of dormers or the roofing itself is difficult to install. Updating your existing roof allows you to add value to your home and communicate your home s look and feel. Thisoldhouse asktoh subscribe to this old h.

A slate roof is perhaps the most beautiful roofing material there is a choice for the homeowner who will accept only the finest. This percentage can increase if high end roofing materials are chosen and includes unseen elements like underlayments flashing and sealants. Composition roofing which is also known as asphalt roofing now ranks as the most common residential roofing material in the united states. Though such traditional and expensive techniques are still doable roofing materials have come a long way as steve explains.

A thatched roof near london. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva compares the qualities of different types of roofing materials. These can all be found at a variety of home centers or from a roofing contractor and are more available in some regions of the country depending on the housing styles.