Covering Your Roof: 4 Affordable Types of Roofing Materials

You can’t really call a house a home without a solid roof. Whether human or animal, we all seek shelter under something when the weather turns, which is why having a sfsstecure roof on your home is crucial to a healthy, happy (and dry) home.

Unfortunately, roofs are not the cheapest part of a home. How crucial they are to a house’s structural integrity means that they must be done correctly by skilled tradesmen who understand the importance and cost to replace roofs. If installed correctly, your roof could last upwards of 20 years.

Four Affordable Types of Roofing Materials

There are a few different types of materials you can choose to cover your roof and they all range in price and accessibility. Today, we’ll go over four affordable types of roofing materials and why they may work for you.

Read Also:

• The Variety of Roofing Techniques That Can Help In Creating a Unique Style
• Learn to Find a Reliable Metal Roofing Contractor in 6 Simple Steps
• What Are the Best Types of Roofs for All Climate Types?

1. Asphalt

Asphalt shingle is a pretty standard roof covering. It is by far the most affordable and will cost you around $1.00 per square foot. This means that a standard, single-storey bungalow can get a roof fully redone for about $2000.

Asphalt shingles come in hundreds of colors and are also made in organic and non-organic materials, with non-organic most often being made of fiberglass.

While pretty durable, asphalt shingles are susceptible to ice and high winds, which is why they come with a strict guideline for installation.

2. Wood

Wood shingles can give your home some serious old-world charm. Usually made of red cedar, wood shingles can offer your home more insulation and can last between 30 to 50 years.

Cedar shingles come in either of two gradings: 1 or 2. Number 1 graded shingles are the best quality, while number 2 graded shingles are used for underlayment when you apply two layers.

Wood is more expensive than asphalt and can cost as much as $70 per square foot. However, they are also fire-resistant, bug-resistant and are quite resistant to the elements as well.

3. Metal

The classic beauty of a metal roof always reminds us of farmhouses sitting in the sun with their gorgeous, saturated colors of roofing (often matching the barn). If that charm isn’t enough, the longevity, durability, and cost of metal roofing could be what sways you.

Most people consider metal roofing to be obscenely expensive (and it used to be), but now is around $1.80 per square foot. The exaggerated price in the past was most likely due to the types of metal being used.

Back then, your metal roof was most likely zinc, lead, or copper (which ages beautifully, we might add). Today, metal roofs are made of galvanized steel and are especially popular in hurricane-prone areas. You can also have them colored almost any way you want!

4. Clay

Clay tile roofing can be one of the most expensive roofing materials out there, but it also has quite the price range. In fact, clay roofing can range from around $100 to a whopping $400 per square foot.

Clay roofs are quite unique in North America, but when down make quite the style statement. They are fire, mold, and insect resistant and will usually outlast the actual house they’re attached to!