One of the things that differentiated early humans from their ape cousins was that they didn’t like to get rained on. Gorillas will sit in a storm and get wet, but humans made their first roofs out of the leaves of tropical plants, even as they weren’t particularly watertight. As time went on, leaves were replaced by other organic materials such as thatch. Thatch is made of tightly packed straw or reeds and can be reliably waterproof if installed properly. Indeed, thatch is still one of the most popular roof materials all over the world. There are also sod roofs, which are built with birch logs covered with sod. The birch protects the home against snow and rain, and sod keeps the interior or the house cozy.

Interestingly, thatch and sod roofs were largely abandoned by European settlers in America due to the severe wind and rainstorms and brutal winters in the New World. The early settlers preferred split wooden boards followed by wood shingles and shakes, which bore up well under harsh weather.

Roofs Made of Minerals

Other roofing materials come from the earth itself. These include the aforementioned sod and mud, which were used in places where trees were scarce. Slate roofs are so durable that they can last for a century or longer. Roof tiles made out of sunbaked clay are also very durable. The one problem with slate and clay roofs is that they’re quite heavy and need specialists to install and repair them. Concrete is also becoming more popular as a roofing material, though it was used in the early 20th century after being mixed with asbestos. Now, concrete can be made relatively lightweight and in an array of colors to complement any house.

Metal Roofs

Humans have been using metal as a roof material for millennia. The first metal roofs were usually made of copper or lead and found only on the homes of the wealthy. It wasn’t until the early part of the 19th century that metal became a widespread roofing material. This is because sheet iron became easy to forge and inexpensive, though it was frequently coated with other types of metal to prevent rust. Metal roofs are often associated with commercial buildings and barns, but modern metal is attractive enough for homes.

Besides sheet iron, copper and lead, metals used for roofing include terne, which is an alloy of tin and steel, corrugated aluminum and galvanized steel. Metal roofs are also quite long-lived, but they need flashing and fastenings of the same metal to avoid corrosion.

Petroleum-Based Roofs

You may be surprised to learn that asphalt is a petroleum-based product. But even before luxury asphalt shingles were available for roofs, people used tar. Specifically, paper, cloth or felt impregnated with tar was and is used as roofing material. Asphalt is by far the most popular modern roofing material, covering about 80% of U.S. homes. It’s inexpensive, can be installed by a layperson and can last about 25 years if well maintained.

If you live in Modesto, CA or a surrounding area and need roof replacement services, make your first call to A+ Roofing.