Roof Material History

Sloping roofs come in many different varieties.

Roof material history.

The characteristics of a roof are dependent upon the purpose of the building that it covers the available roofing. These roofs are installed as thin sheet materials 0 030 30 mils to 0 060 inches 60 mils thick and are applied to the roof in a single layer. Now in the 21st century the quality and durability of building materials is becoming increasingly important for the value minded home owner that can appreciate the superiority of clay roofing products. A building s roofing material provides shelter from the natural elements.

Wood and metal are used in the southern part of north america slate in the northeast wood in the midwest and tile in the southwestern part of north america. Europe has a long lasting clay roof tile history that is highly visible if one looks at the roofs of major european cities. Although people generally still use the most available materials for the region. Roofing material is the outermost layer on the roof of a building sometimes self supporting but generally supported by an underlying structure.

But if the roof is readily visible the alternative material should match as closely as possible the scale texture and coloration of the historic roofing material. Being made of synthetic rubber or polymer they are flexible and elastic and can handle temperature changes and some impact types better than built up roofs. The roof structure is also likely to be the oldest and least altered part of a historic building which can yield important information about its age and significance. Today s versatile roof materials are a legacy of the development of roofs throughout history and cultures.

Most of the changes in roofing materials have developed in the last 200 years. A roof is the top covering of a building including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights providing protection against rain snow sunlight extremes of temperature and wind. Take a look back at how roofing has evolved. The roof s necessity has bred its ubiquity and by extension fostered a strong market for roofing materials ranging in performance and physical characteristics.

Asphalt shingles or ceramic tiles are common substitute materials intended to duplicate the appearance of wood shingles slates or tiles. The outer layer of a roof shows great variation dependent upon availability of material and the nature of the supporting structure. The fact that so many historic roofs have survived for centuries is a testimony to the design materials and skills used on traditional roofs even though few would fully.