How to Choose the Best Shed Roof Materials
Shed roofing is a crucial part of any home improvement project, but choosing the materials that go on top of your structure can be confusing. This article will help you figure out what type of roofing material is best for your needs.
What are the Different Types of Shed Roofing Materials
Shed roofing materials are typically made from a variety of materials such as metal, plastic, wood, and aluminum. It is often cheaper to buy a pre-assembled shed with some of these materials.
The different types of shed roofing materials include:
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Metal Roofing:
This is the most common type of shed roofing material and it is usually easy to find in hardware stores. Metal sheds might need professional installation.
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Plastic Roofing:
A plastic coating can make your garden shed look like an architectural model. Plastic sheds are also good for cold winters because they won’t crack as metal roofs might do. However, these roofs can still be difficult to install if you don’t know what you’re doing.
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Wooden Roofs:
Wooden roofs are becoming increasingly popular because they require less maintenance
You can read more about the best roofing nails here
What Are The Benefits of Using Metal Roofs on Your Garden Shed?
Metal roof garden sheds are gaining popularity because of their many benefits. They are popular because they are durable, offer protection from the elements, and don’t require an expensive construction process.
Metal roof garden sheds can be used for a variety of purposes. They can be used as storage space in gardens, animal shelters, workshops, or even as garages. But there is another use case for metal roof garden sheds – they help in the processing of plants and vegetables that can be found in your garden shed.
Metal roofs on garden shed help in the processing of vegetables and plants that you harvest in your gardens or yards. This helps in increasing food production by making it easy to process fresh produce you harvest in your yard or at shops near your home. Metal roofs also help protect plants from moisture.
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The Best Qualities to Look for in Metal Roofs
Metal roofs are a great alternative to shingles. They offer a sleek, modern aesthetic and promise to withstand the test of time. However, they come at a higher cost than most other roofing options, which is why you need to be sure that you’re getting the best quality for your money.
Metal roofs are durable, easy to clean and maintain. They also last around 30 years. However, it is important to know what metal roof is best for your home.
When purchasing a metal roof, you should look for the following qualities:
- Safety of the product
- Durable material that lasts long
- The long warranty period of 10 years or more
What Are The Benefits of Using Plastic Roofing on Your Garden Shed?
Plastic roofing is a low-cost and easy-to-install roofing solution that can be found at many home improvement or hardware stores. Plastic roofing has many benefits such as ease of installation, durability, and lower energy consumption.
Plastic Roofing Benefits:
Easy to Install: Plastic roofs are easy to install when compared to metal ones. They come in pre-cut sheets with holes for screws. They can also be installed in larger areas when compared to other materials such as metal and slate.
Lightweight: Plastic roofs weigh significantly less than metal roofs and take up less space on the floor which makes them great for sheds or garages where there isn’t much room to work with.
Durable: Plastic is durable enough that it doesn’t wear down as other materials do.
What Are The Benefits of Using Wooden Roofs on Your Garden Shed?
Wooden roofs on sheds are a perfect choice for your garden sheds for many reasons. They protect prying eyes, natural weathering, and a rustic feel to your garden shed.
Wooden roofs on sheds have several benefits that make them the right choice for you and your garden. These benefits include:
- Protection from prying eyes
- Natural weathering
- Rustic feel
What Are The Factors That You Should Consider Before Choosing Your Garden Shed?
Choosing the right garden shed is not an easy decision. There are many factors that you should consider before buying your garden shed. So, before you go out and buy your backyard dream home, make sure to do some research.
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Consider the following factors when choosing your garden shed:
1) Size of Land: How much land do you have to work with? If you have more land, a bigger size will be a better option for you. But if not, a smaller size might be great for you too.
2) Location: Where is the garden going to be? Is it going to be in a hot or cold area? If so, what temperature range will it experience?
3) Your Taste: What type of design do you want? Do you want something sleek and modern conclusion
4) Types of sheds: A storage shed is likely to be one of the most frequently used sheds. This type can be found in many industries, especially in construction because they are workhorses that get put to use almost every day.
Read More: How to Properly Install a Green Roof
Common Types of Shingles
When the time comes to build your shed roof you’ll be looking at several choices for the shed roof materials you use. There are three common types of shingles that you could consider for your roof as follows:
1. Asphalt Roof Shingles
Asphalt shingles are probably the most popular choice for roofing because they are easy to install and the cost is reasonable. The two basic types include the three-tab shingle and the architectural-style shingle which is also known as laminated shingles.
Architectural-style shingles, while costing slightly more than the three-tab variety, are far superior in appearance. They are available in several muted colors that often look like traditional roofing materials. For example, the tan shingles resemble weathered cedar shakes while the gray-black shingles resemble slate.
2. Cedar Roofing
There is nothing that can compare to a cedar roof for its natural beauty and distinctive texture. Even though this type of roof is more costly than an asphalt roof it may be worth the extra money if you want your shed to be a visual enhancement to your landscape.
There are two basic types of cedar roofing: shingles and shakes. Shingles are thinner, smoother, and more uniform whereas the shakes are thicker, rougher, and random cut. The cedar shingle roof has a smart elegant appearance with clean lines and a low profile. The cedar shake roof, on the other hand, is more rustic and robust looking providing character and deep shadow lines.
A cedar roof is usually installed over spaced sheathing rather than plywood. The spaced sheathing is merely a series of 1×4 slats nailed across the rafters a few inches apart. This allows air to circulate the shingles to keep them dry.
Some building departments have banned the use of wood roofs for fire safety reasons. The original code was written to protect house roofs, however, it will likely apply to all structures. If you are considering using a wood roof make sure to check with your building inspector first.
3. Shed Roof Materials: Faux Slate
Real slate roofs are very durable and attractive but they are rarely used for sheds because they are difficult to install and they are expensive. There is a modern alternative called Dura Slate ® Roofing System shingles. These shingles are a great imitation of the real thing but without the disadvantages of a real slate. They are made from a polymer compound that is similar to hard rubber.
This 12 in. by 18 in. shingles won’t rot, dent, or split. They are strong enough to withstand rough handling and are extremely water-resistant. They also come with a 50-year warranty. Although they are resilient they can easily be cut with a utility knife.
Faux slate shingles are installed similarly to asphalt shingles by attaching them to the plywood using standard roofing nails. Although these shingles are usually two to three times more expensive than asphalt shingles the installation time and degree of difficulty are about the same.
It is easier to work with these shingles after they have been warmed by the sun for a few minutes. When the polymer is cold it is more difficult to score with a utility knife.
Summary
These are three options you may want to consider for your shed roof. Your decision on which you use will depend on the overall style that you want for your shed and the cost factor.
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