Every building has a roof. Whether on your home or on the buildings around your home, such as a garage, a garden house or conservatory, or even a storage shed, the roof is an important part of any structure. It protects a building’s interior from the elements but also adds an aesthetic appeal to the building’s top. Investing in the right roof for your home or its surrounding buildings means understanding the options you have to choose from. One of the more important decisions you will make when investing in a roofing project is finding the best roofing sheets.
Let’s take a closer look at roofing sheets to help you decide the best roofing sheets for your home roofing project. We will cover:
- The benefits of house roofing sheets
- Roof sheeting types
- Roof profile types
- Sheet roofing materials
By learning everything you can about roofing sheets, you can determine what the best roofing sheets are for your budget, your climate, and your aesthetic style. Let’s find the perfect roof top sheet for your home.
What Is a Roofing Sheet?
A roofing sheet ensures the durability of your roofing structure and protects it from the elements, various pollutants, and adverse weather conditions. A roofing sheet adds to the lifespan and aesthetics of your roof. Different roofing sheet types do have different construction and installation requirements and come in a wide range of different materials. Overall, to find the best roofing sheets for your home project, you want to make sure they meet your project’s function along with its style and design.
Benefits of Using Roofing Sheets
The wide variety of roofing sheets available means you are bound to find the best roofing sheets to suit the different home projects you may be considering. Roofing sheets can be good for garages, sheds and outbuildings, garden structures, pool houses, patios, conservatories, porches, pergolas, and even your main home structure.
The versatility and durability of roofing sheets make them ideal for many different home projects. Roofing sheets can also add insulation and climate control options within the home. In addition, they are often cost-effective solutions to needed home structures, but can also contribute to the aesthetic design of your home and its surrounding buildings.
Types of Roof Sheet Profile
Roofing sheets have different profiles based on required pitch, appearance, and building purpose. The three most popular roof sheet profiles are tile effect, box profile, and corrugated.
Tile Effect Roof Sheets
Just like the name suggests, tile effect roof sheets are manufactured to look like a regular tiled roof, but are actually roof sheets, usually made out of metal. This profile type gives a more traditional tiled roof look and can be a great option for garden buildings, playhouses, summer houses, home offices, and even the main home structure. The minimum pitch required for a roof tile profile roofing sheet is higher than 12 degrees.
Box Profile Roof Sheets
One of the most popular and best-selling roofing sheets has a box profile. It is a durable and less expensive option that offers a modern alternative to the traditional corrugated roofing sheet. The installation requires a pitch of at least 4 degrees, which is lower than traditional corrugated sheets as well. Box profile roof sheets can be used for both roofs and walls and are often most used for garages and sheds.
Corrugated Roof Sheets
The most traditional roofing sheet profile used for utility buildings is the corrugated roof sheet. It is a versatile profile that can be made with a variety of different materials. The minimum pitch required for installation is 10 degrees. The strength and impact resistance gained through the rippled structure of this roofing sheet profile offers a cost-effective, low-maintenance, and durable product for home projects.
Types of Roof Sheet Material
On top of the roof sheet profile, you want to look at the different roof sheet materials available for your home roofing project. Improvements to roofing materials are being made all the time. More traditional materials are often being replaced by materials that incorporate more advanced technologies. There are all types of materials being used for roofing sheets. When looking for the best roofing sheets for your project, you want to look at the different types of materials available that serve your project’s purpose.
When looking at different roof sheet materials you want to consider:
- Cost and budget
- Durability and lifespan
- Type of project
- Local climate and weather
Bitumen Roof Sheets
This material is good in areas with a wide range of adverse weather conditions. It is a very strong, durable material that is also crack resistant, giving it a high level of longevity. It is lightweight, waterproof, and available in different colors. Roof sheets made from bitumen are cost-effective options for garages and outbuildings. They are easy to cut and fit for a quick and simple installation.
Metal Roof Sheets
Metal roofing sheets come in a variety of different materials, such as tin, zinc, aluminum, and copper. They do not rot and are known for their longevity, with a life expectancy upwards of 40 years. Metal roofing sheets are lightweight and cost-effective and offer an eco-friendly, recyclable option that is resistant to temperature changes. They are both weather- and element-resistant, adding to their durability.
Metal sheets are also versatile and come in a variety of styles and colors with different applied finishes that can alter their appearance. They can cause a noise problem during certain weather conditions, but some applied finishes can help reduce this issue.
Metal roofs are often used for cold storage buildings, garages, sheds, and garden outbuildings, but their use on more modern homes has become more popular. Metal roofing sheets do well in severe weather. They are also pest-resistant and offer a low-maintenance option with energy-efficient capabilities. Metal roofing sheets are easy to install and can be customized to fit any project.
Plastic Roofing Sheets
This type of material offers protection from UV radiation and extreme weather. It is easy to install, flexible, and resistant to corrosion. This lightweight material is less expensive than metal and offers insulation from high temps. It is an ideal material for carports.
PVC Roof Sheets
Light is able to penetrate through PVC roofing sheets, making these sheets a lightweight and low-cost option for carports, porches, awnings, and pergolas, as well as a modern home choice. PVC roofing sheets are affordable, easily maintained, and simple to self-install. They are also durable and resilient, being fire-, chemical-, and weather-resistant.
PVC roofing sheets are also an eco-friendly material that is 100% recyclable and can be installed over an existing roof with no need for costly tear-offs requiring the disposal of old materials.
GRP Roof Sheets
This roofing sheet material is a fiberglass roofing product made from glass-reinforced plastic. It has the appearance of glass with added versatility, coming in translucent, opaque, or colored options that alter its appearance. It is a highly durable choice that offers an aesthetic lift to any number of home roofing projects. It is easy to maintain, but its lifespan is not as long as other products. It does have excellent drainage and is a great option for projects where providing UV protection is warranted.
Polycarbonate Roofing Sheets
This roofing sheet material is a transparent thermoplastic that offers durability and protection in areas that experience extreme weather conditions. It is resistant to temperature changes and is often used instead of glass for skylights in conservatories, greenhouses, garden buildings, pool houses, and patios. It is a strong yet lightweight product that offers UV protection but won’t discolor from the elements or adverse weather. It is a lightweight, inexpensive, yet attractive option, and, due to its malleability, it is easily cut and shaped to any size, making it versatile and easy to work with for a variety of home roofing projects.
How to Choose the Best Roofing Sheets for Your Home Project
As you can see, there are many different types of roofing sheets. So what do you need to consider to choose the best roofing sheets for your home project?
Quality of Materials
No one wants to put inferior quality materials on top of their home, but higher-quality materials are generally more expensive. Quality versus price is a consideration as well. The trick is to balance the durability of high-quality materials with the expense over time. More expensive materials usually last longer and can give you a better return on your investment. If you plan to be in your home for a longer period of time, an upfront investment in higher quality materials may be worth it.
Type of Roofing
The intended purpose of your roofing sheets is another big consideration. Maintaining the structural integrity of your roof is essential. The weight, shape and functional requirements of your roofing sheet, along with your roof slope, can narrow down your sheet selection. Some roofing sheets are just better than others for the type of roof you have. Consulting a professional roofer can help you make the best decision for your particular roof.
Weight
Another important factor to consider when choosing a roofing sheet is weight. This also falls in line with maintaining the structural integrity of your home. A lighter roof deck requires a more lightweight roofing sheet. A higher durability product with increased insulation tends to be heavier. Prior to choosing your house roofing sheet, make sure to consult with a professional roofer to determine the weight capacity of your roof structure. They can help you keep your roof sound and functioning, as it should be.
Cost of Installation
Another cost consideration is found in the installation of your roofing sheet. The complexity of both your roof type and the type of roofing material will determine the cost of your installation. Again, consulting a professional roofer can help you get the best value for your budget.
Climate and Local Weather Conditions
It is clear that some roofing materials fare better in certain climates than others. Climate extremes, such as very hot or cold areas or very wet or dry conditions, can affect your roof performance. Extreme local weather conditions are another consideration. If your area is prone to high winds, hail, or more violent storms, you will want to check on what roofing sheets are best under those conditions.
Environmental Factors
If constructing your home with eco-friendly materials is important, there are some roof sheet types that are better for the environment than others. You can weigh the environmental costs of any given material or manufacturing process. There are several roofing sheets that can be recycled as well. This gives them a higher eco-friendly score based on not only how the roofing sheets are made, but what happens to them once they are no longer of use on top of your home. Looking into these environmental factors can help you choose the best roofing sheets for your home.
Another environmental factor to consider is energy efficiency. Some roofing sheets act as an added layer of insulation, while others can help reflect or absorb the sun’s rays. Some roofing sheets can keep your home cooler in the summer months and warmer in the winter ones. This can add up to lower energy bills and may lower the long-term costs of your roof.
Style and Design
When it comes to choosing roofing materials, the decision is not only about the strength and durability of your roofing sheets. House roofs also play an important part in the style and aesthetics of your home, surrounding buildings included. Different materials support different design choices—some may be better at blending with existing designs, while others may be better with new construction. Homes come in all styles, from traditional to modern; the colors, textures, and shapes available for your house roof sheet need to suit the style of your home. When choosing a house sheet, try to match the style of your roof and find a roofing sheet that fits with your roof design. In the end, available color and texture options help you balance the aesthetics of your roofing sheet with their function.
Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining your roof, different roofing sheets have different requirements. You want to consider what materials require more routine maintenance and what ones are prone to damage and may require higher repair costs. The upkeep expense to keep your roof functioning well is vital to consider when deciding on which roofing sheet is best for your home project.
Durability
The lifespan of roofing sheets can range anywhere from 15 to 50 years, depending on the materials used, quality of the installation, and how well they are maintained. How often you need to replace your roof plays into what kind of investment you want to make.
Overall Cost
There are obviously many factors that go into the cost of your roofing project—everything from materials and installation to maintenance, repairs, and longevity. When determining the overall cost of your roofing sheets, it is important to weigh upfront costs versus replacement costs. You can look at long-term costs that can accumulate over time against the upfront costs that may even out over time. In the end, it is often what costs you have now balanced with what costs you may have later.
The Best Roofing Sheets for Your Home Project
When choosing the best roofing sheets for your home project, making an informed decision is not always easy, but it is important. With such a wide variety of roofing sheets available in a growing number of different materials, a little digging can go a long way in helping you find the perfect fit for your home in terms of both function and style. Contacting a professional roofer to help you make an informed decision is advisable too.
