Is there really such a big difference between roofing tiles and roofing shingles? Most people trying to answer this question might get tied up in semantics or confuse the idea of material type with the design of the roofing elements. The truth, however, is that the main difference is actually in the design and not necessarily in the material.
While roofing shingles are typically asphalt or ceramic elements that overlap each other and are set in rows to form a complete structure protecting your roof’s interior underlayment and decking, tiles have a distinct geometric pattern, being set up like bricks, where each tile supports the upper two from below.
In sloped roofing, tiles are clearly superior because of their construction. They support each other with the help of gravity, as it pushes down on the lower tiles and keeps the structure intact more efficiently than in the case of basic shingles. Also, it helps that most tile roofs are made from concrete and natural slate, which are considered to be two of the most durable and resilient types of roofing you can buy.
Deciding on whether you should get a shingle or tile roof is usually a matter of aesthetic preferences, money, durability and the need to avoid doing too much maintenance all the time. Tile roofing typically wins hands down, unless you want your roof to have the specific appearance of a shingle roof, or if you can only afford a cheap but less durable roofing system, such as an asphalt shingle roof. To decide what roofing system will work best with your home and budget, talk to Priority Roofs of Denver to see what their trusted experts advise.
