Any consumer product: food, clothes, cars, household appliances – according to its quality and price, can be classified into one or another category – from cheap to elite. Buyers with a high income naturally choose goods in the elite segment, because here they are guaranteed high quality, reliability, safety, environmental friendliness and good design. This general “elite rule” also applies to real estate and construction, in particular, to the market of roofing materials.
Modern natural tiles have a wide range of shades, and you can create such ornaments and patterns that will add a unique individuality to the look of the house.
Luxury and means of shelter
The roof is a part of the house, which traditionally has high requirements both in terms of reliability and durability, as well as in terms of aesthetic indicators. Moreover, in none of these cases can the requirements be considered excessive. The roof should be high-quality and beautiful, because it largely determines the quality and beauty of the entire cottage.
Elite roofing materials include natural tiles, Slate and non-ferrous metals (in addition, there are still exotic “green” roofs, but now we are not talking about them, but about more traditional solutions). What unites all these, so different, materials in the general category of quality? First of all, it is of natural origin and, accordingly, has exceptional ecological qualities: cleanliness and freshness of the air inside the house plus no harm to the environment. Secondly, reliability and durability: you are called the elite – you literally serve for centuries. Thirdly, a beautiful and “status” appearance: an elite roof, which never goes out of fashion, is a business card of the house and one of the main components of its image. And finally, fourthly, the price: naturally, it also distinguishes elite materials from others. Roof with an area of 200 square meters. m can be covered with medium-class material (for example, bitumen tiles),
Copper age
Copper is one of the ancient roofing materials, which has not lost its relevance even now. The glorious history of the use of copper on roofs, which goes back to antiquity, shows excellent operational characteristics. Strong and reliable, suitable for any climate, the copper roof is also distinguished by its longevity. It has lived for about 150 years without any major repairs, but if you take into account the care and necessary repairs, then much longer. During the entire service life, the copper roof remains beautiful, although it is not the same: the new roof, shining with fire in the sun, changes over time, falling into a characteristic greenish patina, which gives it a unique nostalgic look. By the way, patina, that is, a layer of copper oxides on the metal surface, not only shapes the appearance of the roof, but also protects it from external influences.
Today, copper on the market of roofing materials exists in two main forms: in the form of sheets for corrugated roofing and metal tiles. The folding method has been successfully used for fastening copper roofing sheets for a long time. Sheets are attached to the base with the help of movable staples, which excludes through holes and makes the roof one hundred percent protection of the house from rain and snow. Due to its flexibility, the copper sheet is excellent for working with complex roofs. The cost of a copper folded sheet is from 2 thousand rubles per square meter. m.
A newer form of using copper on roofs is a copper metal tile, which combines the advantages of a traditional copper roof with an appearance reminiscent of natural tiles. Like a folded copper roof, such a metal tile does not allow through holes. By analogy with steel metal tiles, copper is profiled sheets of metal. Special perforation on the edges of the sheets facilitates the installation of copper metal tiles, and also increases the service life of the roof, since the attachment points were not exposed to atmospheric influences. This not yet very familiar on the domestic market, but very promising material costs about 3 thousand rubles per square meter. m.
Tiles: like in the old days and better
Another well-deserved representative of the roofing business, which does not require long presentations, is a natural ceramic tile. Like copper, tiles are extremely durable: 100-150 years is the minimum, and in Europe you can see old houses with original tiled roofs that are three or even four hundred years old.
Modern tiles, while retaining all the best qualities tested over the centuries, have also received new advantages. As it was a century ago, the tiled roof today is impeccable from the point of view of ecology and a favorable atmosphere in the house: such a roof “breathes”, and a beautiful microclimate is maintained in the house. The property of ceramics to heat up and cool down slowly prevents the unwanted formation of condensate under the roof.
But what was not available to medieval European builders is today’s assortment of tile colors and shapes. In addition to the classic terracotta color, you can choose blue, gray, cherry, etc. The color coating – engobe, a composition of light clay and coloring mineral additives, is applied to the tiles, and firing fixes the top layer, which in terms of stability and durability is not inferior to the tiles themselves . Tiles come in different sizes and shapes – flat, wavy, grooved. When choosing, not only taste preferences are important, but above all the shape and degree of roof slope: each type is suitable for a certain minimum angle. Modern tiles can be used to lay out the roof of the most complex shapes, emphasizing the originality of the architectural solution and not losing in the least in terms of quality and reliability. And about the price:
Glory to the shale
Slate can be called not just an elite material, but an elite within an elite. They once covered the roofs of aristocratic castles. And today, this natural roofing material, made from sedimentary rocks, gives the building a classical noble spirit, which goes well with the kansas city siding. The slate roof transforms the house into a real family estate, in keeping with the realistic traditions of the past. This material itself encourages traditionalism rather than experimentation: slate actually comes in only one, naturally restrained dark gray color. Green and dark red shades, which are less common, are used mainly for ornaments. And variations with architectural forms are quite acceptable: the material is separate flake elements that can be mounted on any complex roofs.
Slate is strong, resistant to moisture and temperature changes. Being a natural material, slate does not contain any harmful impurities. As for the service life of a slate roof, with the strictest calculation, it is given from two centuries to the life of the house itself. It is not surprising that this eternal roof has a decent price – from 2 to 5 thousand rubles per square meter. m.
A new player is aluminum
Just about half a century ago, a high-tech newcomer – aluminum – entered the ranks of elite roofing materials that have been used for centuries. Invented in the middle of the 20th century, the aluminum folding roof quickly earned respect due to its excellent performance and variety of appearance options.
In addition to strength and reliability, the aluminum roof is distinguished by the possibility of choosing color options. If copper roofs are beautiful in their natural color, aluminum ones are usually coated with a colored polymer coating, which adds a modern, individual look.
The environmental qualities of aluminum also meet today’s requirements: during operation, it does not emit substances harmful to the environment and human health. It is also worth saying that aluminum differs from other roofing metals in that it weighs the least – with less strength. How much will the buyer have to pay for an aluminum roofing sheet? Compared to other materials in the elite segment, not much – about 1.5 thousand rubles per square meter. m.
So, there is something to choose from among the elite materials.
In any case, the roof is not the part of the building that should be saved. After all, it is not just a stylish accessory, but a guarantee of the beauty and durability of the entire house.
