If you have an insightful taste, you would probably not prefer the normal shingle roof for any of the house designs in Kenya under your consideration. Even though they are functional and attractive, they aren’t eye-catching like the tile roof. In this article, we want to look at nine different roof tiles and assess both their pros and cons.
What are roof tiles?
The main purpose of roof tiles is to drain rain water. They are different from traditional asphalt single roofs in terms of the composition of materials and looks. Slate tile roofs were being used as early as 1600s.On the other hand, claywas used as early as 10000 BC.Slate and clay tiles were mainly used since the materials were locally available but the situation changed in the 19thcentury after the emergence of concrete and metal tiles.
Why tile roofs are preferred over shingle roofs
Even though shingle roofs drain away water from your home, roof tiles provide an unmatched variety of options that simply can’t compare with asphalt shingles. A good number of House Designs in Kenya decide that you decide on the roofing tile carefully to match the aesthetic characteristic of the design.
9 Types of Roofing Tiles for your House Designs in Kenya
Roof tiles are a great way to customize a home, but they vary in budget, durability, weight and appearance. We look at the nine most popular roof tiles below so that you can get a clear understanding of what sets each material apart. The majority of these roofing tiles will fit well with House Designs in Kenya.
- Slate Roof Tiles
Slate is a natural stone with a unique and beautiful appearance that you can consider for your house designs in Kenya. It exhibits some dramatic colour variations that only time and nature can provide. Slate is fire resistant, durable and long-lasting. It may be one of the classiest roofing materials to ever exist. house designs in Kenya. Although, some of the drawbacks of slate roof tiles are:
- It is extremely heavy and requires the structure to be reinforced in order to support the extra weight.
- It is very expensive to install and difficult to handle which makes repairs a potential problem.
2. Meta Roof Tiles
The most commonly used materials in metal roofs are copper, aluminum, zinc and steel. Among the three, steel and aluminum are the most popular. Metal tiles are available in different patterns and shaped to imitate products such as barrel tiles (Spanish roofs), slate tiles, wood shake tiles and even regular shingle patterns. These types of roof tiles have become very popular due to their lightweight and ease of installation.
When choosing house designs in Kenya, you need to know some of the disadvantages of metal roof types include:
- Noise especially when it rains.
- Metal dents which make repairs difficult
- Does not provide much insulation as metal is a good conductor.
3. Concrete Roof Tiles
Concrete roof tiles date back to the 19th century in Bavaria. The basic components were cheap and easily available. In the early days, manpower was used extensively to produce the tiles but modern technology has made concrete roof tiles to be one of the cheapest roof tiles on the market. The tiles are made to look like wood shakes, clay tiles and slate tiles making them very attractive.
The problem with these roof tiles is that they are cumbersome and require a roof structure that has been well reinforced to handle the added weight that comes with these stone roofs. Also, they need roofing crews familiar with the tools and procedures required to properly install the concrete roof tiles and have many maintenance requirements like clay tiles.
4. Composite Roof Tiles
Like Brava’s complete line of synthetic roof tiles, composite roof slate tiles are made from a mixture of natural and manmade materials and are more advantageous than natural stone, wood, clay, metal or concrete tiles. They offer custom colour mixes for most patterns. They are lighter, come with good warranties and can be installed easily.
5. Solar Roof Tiles
Solar roof tiles replace your standard roofing material with electric-producing roof tiles that tie into a battery assembly inside your home and generate solar energy. If the number of tiles installed is sufficient, solar can save you electricity bills. There are a few different styles though most people are more interested in their performance than their appeal to the eyes. Solar roof tiles come at a premium cost and require skilled professionals to install, maintain and repair. For the forward-thinking customer, solar tiles encourage green infrastructure hence sustainability. house designs in Kenya
6. Clay Roof Tiles
For clay roof tiles, the base material has always been readily available no wonder for the long history. In the early days, tiles were shaped by hands but in the modern world, mechanization makes the finished product appear beautiful. They come in a variety of colours and are sealed to resist water absorption. Clay tiles are extremely heavy, prone to breakage if mishandled and require skilled personnel for installation. Like concrete and slate, they also need adequate reinforcement to offer extra support to the weight of clay. house designs in Kenya.
7. Synthetic Spanish Barrel Roof Tiles
Synthetic Spanish Barrel roof tiles from Brava provide you with the timeless beauty of Spanish Villa without extra cost of reinforcing your entire roof. Synthetic tiles are recyclable, fire resistant and available in almost limitless color combinations with no maintenance as in the case with clay tiles.
8. Synthetic Slate Roof Tiles
Also known as composite slate roof tiles, they look like the real thing without the weight and hassle of replacing broken tiles and regular maintenance of checking your gutters to make sure there is no water backing up on the slate that can freeze and break tiles in the winter. They are manufactured with a class 4 impact rating and can be designed with limitless color options. They are lightweight and made from environmentally-friendly composite material. house designs in Kenya
9. Synthetic Cedar Roof Tiles
Brava cedar shake roof tile is the best overall alternative to real cedar shakes. It will not warp, crack, split, or rot and is resistant to fungus because they do not retain water, unlike real cedar shakes. These shingles give you the appearance of a cedar split shake roof without problems and are lightweight and easy to install. It comes with a Class A or Class C fire rating and Class 4 impact rating, unlike the untreated wood shingle. With a variety of different colours, your cedar shake tiles will be eye-appealing for years ahead.house designs in Kenya
Conclusion
Looking for beautiful types of house design in Kenya and cost, Marble Engineering and Construction Ltd is a construction company in Kenya with a well-known and reputable team. We provide construction, property letting, property valuation, management, sale, and house plans. Why should you choose us as your construction company, we are affordable, quality, detailed and modern contact us via email at info@marbleengineering.co.ke or SMS, call, or WhatsApp (+254789217685/+25424481087). You can also visit us in our offices in Kisumu or Nairobi. You can get your house designs in Kenya from us.
