What are composite roof shingles?

Written by No Doubt Marketing

Composite roof shingles are roof shingles that are made of a composite or combination of materials. Generally, composite roofs are very cost efficient and are available in a wide range of colors and styles that match well with contemporary architectural home styles.

Types of Composite Roof Shingles

The most common type of composite roof shingle is asphalt roof shingles. This type of composite roof tile is made in two different types – organic and fiberglass. Organic asphalt shingles have a mat made of wood and cellulose fibers. The mat is saturated with asphalt and then coated a second time with a harder layer of asphalt. Organic asphalt shingles are very durable and heavy.

Fiberglass asphalt shingles are made with a fiberglass mat that is coated with asphalt. These composite roof tiles are not as heavy as organic asphalt shingles. Recently, the introduction of laminated shingles has added to the variety of fiberglass composition shingles available. Laminate composition roofs can look like much more expensive roofing materials, such as slate, shake or metal.

Benefits of Composite Roof Shingles

There are several benefits to choosing composite roof tile on your roofing project. One primary benefit is the fire safety associated with composite roofs, as opposed to traditional shake roofs. Because of fire concerns, many communities have outlawed untreated shake roofs.

Another advantage to using composite roof shingles is their cost compared to other roofing materials. Since composite roof tiles can look very similar to more expensive roof materials such as slate or ceramic tile, composite roofs become extremely attractive to both homeowners and developers when building or replacement costs are of concern.

Finally, the variety and flexibility of styles and colors in combination with costs make composite roof shingles extremely appealing. For the cost of an asphalt shingle, a homeowner or developer can have a composite roof tile installed that looks like barrel roof tile or a slate tile.

Disadvantages of Composite Roofs

One of the disadvantages of the newer composite roof shingles is that while they are available in a wide range of colors and styles, they also have a tendency to fade and there are no successful ways of changing or refreshing the color. For some roof styles, a faded color is desired, but faded roof tiles may not fit within the desire architectural style.

Another disadvantage of composite roofs is that they may not last beyond 20 or 30 years. While contemporary composite roofs often have a lifetime warranty, traditionally they have not lasted beyond approximately 30 years.

Finally, for homeowners who live in regions that have extremely hot summers, composition roof shingles are not always advantageous because they have a tendency to sag and curl under extreme heat conditions.

Summary

Composite roofs offer a homeowner or developer a number of substantial advantages when costs and flexibility of roofing styles and colors are considerations. The disadvantages of composite roof shingles include being inappropriate for extreme heat conditions and a history of having a product life of approximately 20 to 30 years.

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