Tile, Slate & Other Roof Materials
Slate Roofs
There is perhaps no ‘greener’ a roofing material on the market than natural slate when you factor in the methods of production, environmental impact and overall expected lifespan. No doubt, slate is spendy stuff and it usually lasts a long, long time. Slate is perhaps best known as being gray in color, although it naturally occurs in a number of hues, including gray, green, blue, black, purple, red, and mottled. For a quick comparison among your different roof replacement material options, check out our material cheat sheet.
Tile Roofs
Tile roofing can be an attractive option that suits the architectural detail of many homes in Minnesota, even though it is not used that often. The longevity of tile, as well as the classic look, are good reasons to choose this route for your roofing material. Tile roofing is very durable, though it does have a few caveats. You should never walk on a tile roof, so as to prevent damage. A typical thunderstorm should not damage your tile roof, but severe weather with large hail and significant wind might damage some tiles. When it is time to clean the roof with pressure washing, only a qualified professional should handle the job.
Other Materials
Synthetic slate is also known as composite slate, simulated slate and fake slate. Smart people in lab coats figured out ways to engineer relatively authentic looking fake slate tiles in the 1990’s using a variety of compounds including vinyl, rubber, urethane and plastic. Since then these products have steadily taken market share away from natural slate because it is cheaper and easier to install. Some materials look pretty good too.
