Roof Cladding Options To Consider For Your Home

You might be replacing your current roof or constructing a new home, in which case you'll need to decide on what substance to use for the construction. Here are several possibilities to consider. 

Steel 

Corrugated steel sheets—in hues such as slate blue, burnt red and heritage green—form beautiful roofs for diverse home styles—enhancing the look of both traditional and contemporary buildings. Against red brick walls or weatherboard walls, metal enhances conventional hip or gable roofing. But steel can also form sloping, skillion roofs, or geometric structures with planes at unusual angles. Because metal roof cladding consists of large sheets rather than numerous small units, like tiles, they have a clean, uncluttered look that highlights their hue and smoothness. 

Metal is relatively lightweight, which means it will be unlikely to stress your home's walls and structure. Thus, if you're replacing an existing roof, it's a versatile option that will work with many buildings. Additionally, steel doesn't absorb the sun's heat and release it during the night as concrete and terracotta do. This renders metal roofs practical for hot climates that rely on cooling night breezes. You can upscale their efficiency with a reflective coating that bounces solar radiation away. Another possibility is to install insulation underneath the cladding so that your home can more efficiently regulate its indoor temperature. 

Concrete And Terracotta Tiles 

Other materials to consider for your roofing are concrete and terracotta tiles. While concrete consists of cement, water and sand or gravel, terracotta is made of baked clay. Both tiles are produced in a range of dusky hues: for example, concrete in greys, blues, sands and reds, and terracotta in diverse burnt earthy shades. Some tile profiles are slimline and angular to enhance modern homes, while other forms weave up and down to create softer, more traditional tiles. 

Both concrete and terracotta have a high thermal mass, which means they absorb the sun's heat to release it later at night. These qualities produce efficient houses, particularly in regions with hot days and cold nights, as the roofing will help to even out the indoor temperature over a twenty-four-hour cycle. If you'd prefer to minimise their heat-absorption, you can, similarly to metal roofs, cover the tiles in a reflective coat to deflect the sun. The relative heaviness of both concrete and terracotta means that they're unlikely to dislodge during high winds. Plus, if some do move or break, you only need to replace those rather than a larger area. 

For more information, reach out to a company like Gold Coast Metal Roofing.

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