Deciding on a new roof can be difficult; there are so many options today! But when it comes to shingles, some materials are better than others for your particular needs.
Popular residential roofing materials include asphalt shingles, metal roofs, wood shingles, shakes, and tile roofs. Slate roofing is sometimes used as well; however, instead of the natural stone slate people often go for synthetic shingles.
Because of the natural look of slate shingles, homeowners are often confused between getting the widely used asphalt shingles and fake slate shingles. Let’s have a look at both these shingle types, so you can make the best choice.
Asphalt shingles
These shingles come in two forms: organic and fiberglass. Organic asphalt shingles are made with waste paper mixed with asphalt, coated with adhesives salt and granules embedded on the top. This make the organic shingles waterproof.
Fiberglass asphalt shingles have a base of glass fiber reinforcing mat. This is then coated with mineral fillers containing asphalt. Hence these shingles are water proof as well.
Advantages of asphalt shingles
- Asphalt shingles are inexpensive compared to other roofing materials. This makes the installation a highly affordable job. For a modest upfront cost, these shingles provide 12-15 years of protection for your house. These may last much longer, if the roof is maintained properly.
- Asphalt shingles come in a variety of styles and colors. So, you can easily find one to match your house’s exterior as well as your personal style. Three main types of these shingles include 3-tab shingles which cost the least; laminated shingles; and premier type. From blues and greens to yellow and red, you can find shingles in almost all colors.
- Asphalt shingles don’t require any specialized training or experience. In fact, these shingles are the easiest to install. This saves a lot on labor costs as well. These shingles are also lightweight compared to most other roofing materials.
Fake slate shingles
These are synthetic shingles which give a natural look of stone slate. There are a few benefits of fake slate shingles as well. Just like asphalt, there is an entire palette of colors to choose from. Secondly, these are durable against fire and water, making them long-lasting. Fake slate is also lightweight so they don’t add structural burden.
However, this is more of a high-end roofing material as it can cost a lot more than the asphalt roofing.
If you’ve already decided which roofing material you want to install, call our roofers today to get the job done. We are a reputable residential roofing company, providing a number of roofing options.
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