When you’re attending to the revamping or the construction of your roof, you want to make sure that you’re paying for materials that will stand the test of time. No matter how beautiful the design of your roof is, it would be completely impractical to invest time, money, and effort into a roof that will collapse due to the fragility of the materials. You want roofing that will stand up to any challenge or source of damage that could come your way, whether it be a hurricane, a blizzard, a tornado, a falling tree, or a torrential downpour.
To help you make sure that your roofing will work for you while saving you time and money in the long run when it comes to repairs and replacements, we’ve assembled this list of the most durable roofing materials. If you’re looking to reconstruct your roof or you’re in the process of becoming a new homeowner and you’re looking into the new construction of your roof, you’ve come to the right place; look no further than this list for roofing materials that are as economical and attractive as they are practical.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt ShinglesHands down, according to a vast array of roofing professionals and industry experts, asphalt shingles are the way to go when it comes to budget. As durable as they are affordable, shingles never cost more than $5 per square foot.
However, shingles have a standard lifespan of 20 years, and this time frame is largely dependent on the weather conditions in a certain area.
If you live in a town that does not suffer from serious weather conditions, including downpours, snowstorms, hurricanes, and other conditions that could cause damage, shingles could be a relatively safe option for you that will save you money both in the moment and in the long run. Though you might be tempted to save money on shingles, you should keep yourself aware that cheaper shingles will not hold up well to the elements or to time; shingles should have a good “hail rating,” a measure that indicates resistance to high impact weather and general lifespan.
Metal
Sheet metal is probably the more long-lasting of the available materials for a roof, lasting up to 50 years.
This means that homeowners will have to perform very little maintenance throughout the lifespan of the roof while trusting that the roof will stand up to most weather conditions. Additionally, metal is an environmentally conscious material to choose, since metal sheets can be easily recycled after general use, and even after 50 years of use. Metal is also highly conductive of heat, so a sheet metal roof will insulate and conduct heat very effectively.
Slate
Slate is one of the most expensive materials with which to design a roof.
However, it is also one of the most durable, lasting up to 75-150 years.
Fireproof and resistant to weather conditions of essentially any kind, slate will keep your home safe and insulated for generations to come. Slate is widely considered one of the most visually appealing roofing materials, with a look that transcends time and era to create a look that will never grow old.
Homeowners can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $15 per square foot of slate, and in order to employ the services of a roofing expert for installation, homeowners will usually need to dish out a little extra, as the construction process for a slate roof is a more difficult and intricate process than that of other materials.
Slate is an extremely heavy material, weighing up to four times as much as an asphalt shingled roof; one square of slate can rack up to 1,000 pounds, compared to a square of asphalt shingles at 250 pounds. However, this makes slate very resistant to fire, mold, frost, and breakage due to its prohibitively low water absorption rate.
Solar Glass
About as expensive as slate, solar glass is definitely one of the pricier materials from which to choose on the market. But you get what you pay for, as solar glass will stand up to time, as it will last as long as your house. Solar glass has the highest hail rating of any roofing material and, most appealing of all, solar glass creates energy all on its own, making it the most environmentally conscious option on the list.
If you are an eco-minded person interested in spending a little more to get a whole lot in return, solar glass might just be the best roofing material for your home.
Tesla is the only company around right now that offers solar glass roofing material, and the estimated total cost for a solar installation on your roof would be about $25,000; this is a prohibitively high cost for many homeowners, meaning that you’ll have to know well in advance of your purchase how strongly you feel about working with this material.
In Conclusion
To sum it all up, you’re going to want to deal with only the materials that will serve you and your roof the best. With all of these options for economical and durable materials, there’s no reason to settle for less.
You can work with any possible budget and any design concept by choosing from these roofing materials. However, as you can see, you get what you pay for, meaning that the more you pay for your roofing material, the more you will receive back when it comes to visual design, durability, and resistance to inclement weather, fire, mold, and more.
Now that you’re armed with all of the information you need on durable roofing materials from which to select, why not get a head start on the process and consult a professional roofer to kick start your roofing construction project? We hope that you use this list as a launching point from which to initiate your new roofing process, and we encourage you to pick from this list of strong, weather-resistant materials as you go about working with an industry expert.
At BEST PRO BUILDERS we offer a full range of professional construction services and solutions to fit virtually any need or budget. From full design/build services to installing that backyard patio and outdoor kitchen you’ve been dreaming of, you can trust our team to deliver.
No matter if you need construction, remodeling or some other home services, count on us to make your house a beautiful and real safe home!
