What is Tile Roofing? -2

Let's continue with yesterday's explanation. First, let's talk about each type and its characteristics.

Metal Tiles

Zinc coated steel	Also called "galvanized steel sheet". Inexpensive but susceptible to rust
Galvalume steel plate​	Lightweight and rust resistant. Often used for re-roofing.​
Gin potassium steel plate	Galvalume steel plate coated with stone grains. Low rainfall noise.
Stainless steel	Used along the coast for its rust resistance. High Value
Copper	Seen in old Japanese architecture

Slate Tiles

Slate	It is inexpensive and requires frequent maintenance instead of many suppliers. Also known as "decorative slate. "Colonial" and "Colored bestos" are proprietary product names, and the materials and functions are the same.
Colonial	Same as above
Colored bestos	Same as above
Thick slate (cement tile)	Thick square tile made of cement. Those directly attached to the base are classified as slate.

Clay Tiles

Clay roof tile (Japanese roof tile)	Pottery tiles, often lasting around 60 years, expensive and heavy
Concrete roof tile ​(cement roof tile)	Unlike clay tiles, these tiles have a service life of around 30 years. Be careful not to confuse these tiles with the slate-type cement tiles.
Monier tile	A concrete roof tile with an uneven cross section. It is also called "dry western roof tile".

"How to decide on roofing tiles" a big change between "renovation" and "new construction".

case of remodeling​	new construction or rebuilding​
Selecting roof tiles that won't reduce the earthquake resistance.	can prioritize design and other functions.
Since the weight of the house cannot be changed, the priority is not to reduce the earthquake resistance. Select roofing tiles within the usable weight range.	The roof should be designed to withstand the weight of the roof, so you can "choose freely". You can choose not only earthquake resistance, but also other functions and designs that are important to you.

If you're remodeling, choose "within weight limits".
The lighter the roof, the better the building's earthquake resistance, so one correct answer is that "lighter roof tiles are better". In the case of remodeling where the structure of the building itself cannot be changed, making the roof heavier than before construction will lead to weakening against earthquakes. It is safe to choose roofing materials that are the same or lighter than before, so that a building that has been aged for a long time and has deteriorated over time will not be further weakened by reforming. After that, please decide the roofing material by paying attention to functions such as service life and heat insulation. 

For new construction/rebuilding, select the roof by design rather than weight
On the other hand, the weight of roof tiles is less of an issue for “new” or “rebuild”. This is because the structural design of the building should be designed according to the weight of the roof tile you want to use. If you look at the news of recent disasters, you often think that "the roof should be light because of its earthquake resistance". But you don't need to choose roof that is lighter than you need, as long as the structure of your building can support it. When building a new building or rebuilding it, we think it's good to prioritize functions other than earthquake resistance and design, and choose freely. There is no roof tile that has all the functions, so please consider what you need and choose the roof tile you like. 

We will compare the four axes of “durability”, “cost”, “design” and “anti-earthquake/typhoon”, and introduce the optimum roof tiles and their reasons.

Select "Clay roof tiles" if "durability" is important
"I want to make a house where people can live with peace of mind for at least 30 years."
"The initial cost can be high, so I want to keep future costs as low as possible."
Clay (pottery) roof tiles are most recommended for such people. Ceramic tiles are pottery, so they rarely deteriorate with age. In addition, it has a wide variety of colors and shapes, and it has little color fading. However, please note that changing the roof from other roofing materials is not recommended due to its earthquake resistance.

Select "Slate roof tiles" if "cost" is important
Slate roof tiles are recommended for those who want to prioritize cost above all. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's unreliable. In addition to being inexpensive, partial repairs and replacements are also possible, and there are many contractors who carry out construction. It is safe even in an emergency.

Select "Galvalume steel plate" if "design" is important
If you want an urban house that designability and emphasizes design, a metal roof made of "galvalume steel sheet" is recommended. You may find that the Galvalume steel roof looks like a tin roof from a long time ago and looks cheap. However, because it gives a simple and sharp impression, it looks well with an urban modern house.
In particular, it goes well with box-type houses, which have become very fashionable these days, and houses with a simple exterior with a one-sided roof. It is a roofing material often used by atelier architects.
On the other hand, if you prefer a traditional and solid image, "clay roof tiles/cement roof tiles" will be your choice.
Select "Galvalume steel plate" or "Slate" if "earthquake/typhoon" is important
If both earthquake resistance and wind resistance can be achieved at the same time, we recommend using a metal or slate roof made of "galvalume steel sheet". In the case of remodeling, using heavy Japanese tiles may make the building vulnerable to earthquakes, so it is better to avoid it. In addition, Japanese tiles and sheet-shaped asphalt single tiles, in which each tile is divided into smaller pieces, pose a risk of slippage, even if they are not blown away.

The above are the criteria for selecting roofing materials and the advantages and disadvantages of each roofing material. If you are considering renovating, please feel free to contact us.