Choosing a new roof requires more thought than simply choosing a tile and colour. There are a range of considerations including:
Pitch:
The pitch of your roof will dictate what products you can use. It is important to remember that different products can only be laid at certain pitches. Details of the pitch performance of our products can be found in the technical information section of each specific profile page, or in the current literature.
Materials:
Clay – Is a traditional product bringing warmth and character to a building and is available in a wide range of colours and styles from the modern and precise through to heritage handcrafted. Clay roof tiles offer exceptional long-term aesthetics and performance.
Concrete – For many years concrete has been the most common roofing material in South Africa. Concrete provides an affordable alternative to natural materials and is available in a wide range of profiles, shapes, colours and finishes to suit a multitude of roof types.
Slate – Marley Roofing’s fibre cement slates are a man-made alternative to natural slate without any of the associated drawbacks. The precision quality of fibre cement combines ease of installation with performance and affordability.
Colour/Texture/Profile:
Marley Roofing’s range of concrete and clay tiles, and fibre cement slates come in a variety of colours, textures and profiles all able to achieve a unique aesthetic.
Weight:
It is important to ensure that the roof structure can support your chosen roof covering with consideration given to other loadings such as snow and wind. If the existing structure has weight restrictions, then an alternative might be to use fibre cement slates that offer a low weight, securely fixed solution.
Roof Design:
Complex roof designs may also be a factor in what product you are able to choose as your roof covering. A roof incorporating a lot of features and potential tile cuts may be more suitable to small clay or concrete plain tiles.
Rafter/Truss Lengths:
The length of the rafter/truss has a direct effect on the speed at which water drains from the roof. The longer the rafter, the longer the water takes to drain. In instances of long rafter lengths, it may better to use profiled tiles that provide channels and increased speed of drainage. If unsure, please contact the Marley Roofing’s technical department on 010 600 0284.
Planning:
South Africa is an amalgamation of many regional styles in terms of roofing products. It is important that whatever product you wish to choose is in keeping with the local vernacular and meets with local planning requirements if applicable to the property.
Other considerations relate to, fixing, ventilation, dry fix and the use of mortar.
This might seem a lot to think about, but Marley Roofing has a wealth of expertise available to help you every step of the way.
Call our technical team on 010 600 0284 who can assist you with installation and fixing specifications and guidelines.