Composite Roofing vs. Metal Roofs: Which One Is Better?
Composite slate tiles and asphalt shingles can protect your homes against heavy rainwater, snow, and hurricanes for decades. But, due to their organic materials, they can degrade faster than most materials. Metal roofing materials with outstanding rust resistance and durable have become their popular alternatives. Most recently, composite roofing materials overtook metal roofs because of their reliable durability and dependability. Because of their price similarity with metal roofs, it's challenging to decide between both materials.
This post aims to help you make an informed choice between the two.
Composite roofing materials have been in use for more than two centuries in Europe and the United States. They were infamous because manufacturers used Portland cement and asbestos on the very first synthetic roofing materials. Soon, PVC and fiberglass took over the materials' ingredients, making them sturdier and safer than their predecessor.
Metal roofing materials were already in use during the same era. Tin became the first metal shingles, and continued technological improvements had upgraded the material's durability and dependability. Today, metal roofing comes in three forms: corrugated, standing seam, and tiles.
High-quality composite roofing materials, such as DaVinci Roofscapes slate and shakes are the best choices among many ones available because of their durability, dependability. For a detailed comparison between the two materials, Brave Roof Tile has a great post. Read an excerpt of it below.
How Do Metal Roof Tile Designs Compare To Composite Roof Tiles?
Since tin was easy to form, some of the early metal shingles were manufactured with many different designs which helped fuel their popularity in the beginning. Metal roof tiles are still easy to produce, and due to the advances in metal fabrication, there are many design options available.
How Do Metal Roof Tile Designs Compare To Composite Roof Tiles?
However, stamped metal cannot replicate the most popular natural roofing products as well as molded composite tiles.
Cedar shakes, slate, and clay barrel tiles are the most sought-after choice for homes of distinction and though metal roof tiles are made to mimic nature’s most alluring roofing material, they cannot simulate their weight and feel. Metal is thin and there is nothing that can be done to change it.
Composite roof tiles, made from recycled plastics, are molded to mimic their natural counterparts in every way. The surface texture and the depth of the tile combine to make the synthetic tile almost indistinguishable from the natural.
Advantages Of Composite Roofing Tiles Over Metal
Durability And Maintenance
Metal roof tiles can last 50 years or more, retain their original shape, do not fade, and can withstand foot traffic if maintenance is required. Metal will bend and dent more easily than a solid composite roof tile. Composite tiles are made with colors that permeate the tile and will not fade and weather poorly as will metal shingles with only surface paint. Synthetic roof tiles can be walked on for maintenance, without fear of damage.
Availability
The predominant material used in metal roofing is steel and it is widely available. However, the more attractive metal roofs are made from copper, zinc and aluminum. These are much more expensive materials and they are not as easily sourced as the standard steel panels, and not available in as many colors.
Composite roofing tiles are available throughout the U.S. and Canada, and since the base material is the same for most of the designs, there are no issues obtaining the raw product to produce the tiles. Many synthetic tiles are available in an almost unlimited number of colors and blends.
You can always count on us at Roper Roofing & Solar to provide top-notch metal roof and DaVinci Roofscapes installations. Call us today to get started with your roofing projects.
