SB Roofing Blog

Choosing the right roofing materials for repair or installation of a new roof is a pretty hard thing to do especially for those who do not have any experience. Roofing is one of the most important facets in the structure and integrity of your home, so it is necessary to do the proper research for the best roofing materials for your home and your needs.

Deciding on the best roofing material to use depends on your personal preference but it also depends on the area where your house is located.

Asphalt Shingles - The most cost effective among all types of roofing - that's why they are widely used. Asphalt shingles provides a variety of colors that add style to your roof. Asphalt shingles usually have 30-, 40-, 50-year or limited lifetime warranties. They are widely being used by homeowners.

Architectural Shingles- Synthetic Architectural Shingle roofs are designed to look exactly like the natural roofs, such as slate or cedar, but synthetic materials are lighter weight and usually less expensive to repair. Synthetic slate and cedar are highly fire resistant.  They are also backed by a 50-year manufacturer's warranty.

Standing Seam Metal Roof – Similar to  asphalt shingles in functionality and durability, they are inexpensive, long-lasting and easy to install. A properly installed metal roof should last at least 50 years. They are great in warmer climates where they reflect the heat from the sun.

Wood Shingles - the ideal choice of many homeowners. The color of wood shingles turns lighter over time, but this look is often what the homeowner is looking for. With proper care and maintenance, wood shingles could last for about thirty to fifty years.

Architectural shingles are a new generation of high-quality roofing shingles with a distinctive, textured appearance.  They are also known as laminated or dimensional shingles; architectural roofing shingles are among the highest quality roofing products made. Architectural shingles were designed to produce an asphalt shingle product that had the higher end quality look of slate or cedar wood shake shingles, without the negatives of breakage, insect damage or weight. Architectural shingles come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and warranties.  

Architectural shingles have a unique visual appearance. Instead of a running row pattern as with 3-tab shingles, architectural shingles have a cedar shake texture appearance that give a more dramatic look to a home. Architectural shingles are also excellent for hiding roof imperfections due to their textured look. Because of this alone, many home builders prefer to use them today. However, many builders believe that architectural shingles are easier to install then 3-tab shingles.

Architectural shingles are manufactured using a mat base that is heavier than the standard 3-tab asphalt shingle. The mat base is made from either organic materials or fiberglass material coated with asphalt. Colored granules are then added to the top surface. Multiple layers are overlapped and laminated together to produce the textured appearance found in architectural shingles.

Due to the heavier mat base, architectural shingles are heavier than standard 3-tab shingles, thus making them less susceptible to curling and wind damage. Some higher end architectural shingles are rated for winds up to 120mph. They also have heavy coats of granules are also highly fire resistant.

Architectural shingles are excellent for more complicated and higher end roof lines, such as hip roofs, or roofs that include turrets and gables.

Synthetic Shingles are designed to look exactly like the natural roofs, such as slate or cedar, but at a fraction of the cost. Synthetic roofing is realistic looking and highly durable. These state-of-the-art shingles provide you with a stronger, pliable, and worry free roof for your home. After the shingles are installed, the sun bonds them together providing you with a solid membrane. This gives you additional protection for your roof.

Interest and use of synthetic roof shakes is growing. There are many advantages, from style and function, a long lifespan, and low maintenance. As homeowners grow more acquainted with the materials and the benefits, they will see the advantages a synthetic roof shake brings.

Synthetic slate has a very good textural effect and appearance and they solve many problems wood shakes have such as pests, and mold and mildew. Even better, they are guaranteed for 50 years. Synthetic roof shakes are made of many different materials and are an environmentally friendly alternative. They are all polymer-based, and some use recycled material. Different manufacturers use different materials for the synthetic roof shake but synthetic roof shake captures the texture and colors of natural materials, while delivering a highly durable shingle, which is weather resistant with a long lifespan.