Lightweight roofing can be extremely useful in a number of situations, including replacing glass roofs on conservatories, for low pitched roofing and for lightweight structures such as timber housing. Thanks to advances in modern technology, there are now a range of high tech low weight roofing options available alongside more traditional materials. If you are looking for a lightweight roofing material for your building project, these are some of the most popular options that you should consider.

Wood

One of the oldest building materials around, wood still has its merits as a roofing material. Wooden tiles, known as shingles or shakes depending on the exact style, are relatively cheap, light and, if sourced responsibly, environmentally friendly.

The downside with wooden tiles is that they tend to wear out relatively quickly and often need a fair amount of maintenance to keep them in good condition. Under ideal circumstances a wooden roof can last for as long as 30 or 40 years, but in a wet climate like that of the UK their lifespan can be much shorter.

Felt

For flat roofs, felt is one of the most popular options. The most commonly used form comes in rolled sheets which are laid on top of an underlay material. These sheets are made of matted fibres impregnated with bitumen to make them waterproof and durable. Felt roofing is very light and, if installed correctly, provides very effective weatherproofing.

A good felt roof should usually last up to 25 years, but the surface can be relatively easy to tear so regularly checking and maintenance is important. There is something of an art to effectively installing felt roofing and if done incorrectly your roof could quickly become compromised. It is also not the most attractive style of roofing, meaning it is best suited to flat roofs and other applications where it will not regularly be on display.

Metal cladding

Steel, copper and alloys of steel, aluminium and zinc are all popular roofing materials. Cladding involves using long strips of metal which are then joined together with a special machine forming a seam. This is a relatively quick way to cover a roof, but is something of a specialist job, requiring training and machinery many roofers lack.

Because metal is such a strong material, metal roofing can be both lightweight and highly durable. However, metal cladding can be prone to rust and other forms of corrosion, so steps need to be taken to address this. Because heat is a good conductor and metal cladding is usually relatively thin, this type of roof does not usually have good thermal properties and extra insulation is usually needed to compensate. Metal cladding can also be noisy in windy and rainy conditions, so this much also be considered.

Metal roof tiles

Stone-coated metal roof tiles offer the same advantages as metal cladding, while addressing many of the issues faced with cladding. Using a base of steel for strength, coating this with an aluminium-zinc alloy, then a further coat of real stone particles resin-bonded to the tiles surface, leaves you with lightweight roof tiles that offer the best properties of metal cladding without the drawbacks.

The metal base means the tiles can be super strong while still much lighter than traditional materials. However, the addition of the stone coating improves the thermal properties of the tiles and provides sound insulation, meaning your home will be no noisier in wind and rain than one with clay, slate or cement tiles. The combination of the aluminium-zinc and stone coating also makes these kinds of tiles highly corrosion resistant. The tiles can be fitted by any roofer with no additional training as they are installed in the same way as traditional tiles, and in fact are generally easier to install because their low weight makes them so easy to work with.

To find out more about Metrotile’s range of lightweight roofing products, call today on 01249 658 514 or use our contact form for a quick response.