Composite tile - a new high-quality roofing material with a long service life. Like everything, it has pros and cons, but one of the key points is the favorable ratio of quality and price. A variety of colors and shapes allows you to create any roof design.
What is this stuff
Composite tile is a multilayer structure, the basis of which is a frame made of steel sheet up to 1 mm thick, and facing layers are attached to it on both sides.
Corrosion protection, weather resistance and decorative functions are performed by layers of acrylic soil, mineral chips and transparent acrylic layers.
Pros and cons
According to experts, such a roofing material has been serving for more than 50 years without losing its properties. Overlapping technology protects the roof from leaks, has increased sound insulation, high heat resistance and durability. She is not afraid of temperature drops, winds, showers and the scorching sun.
However, the purchase of composite tiles from dubious firms at an extremely low price may result in fading of the material and shedding of the upper layer. An excessively soft, artificially made polymer may collapse under the influence of external factors.
The main advantages
- Eco-friendly, lightweight, flexible and durable material is not susceptible to decay and mechanical damage, resistant to atmospheric phenomena, not afraid of strong winds. It has excellent moisture resistance, does not heat up under the sun, which makes it a good choice for areas with sharply continental climate.
- Roofing material can be used on roofs of any configuration - convenient small panels virtually eliminate industrial waste. It is enough only to calculate how many sheets are needed for a given roof size, and also to choose the installation method and material.
- One truck is enough to cover the average roof size, which is also important for most buyers. Mounting does not require the use of complex structures and tools, so self-assembly is possible.
- The tile is unpretentious in operation, easy to spread and, if properly laid, will last for many years without losing protective properties, without fading and without deformation. Not the last place is occupied by the aesthetic appearance of tiles of different types: imitation of straw, wooden planks, slate.
3 disadvantages of coverage
Excellent quality material still has disadvantages. The average cost of the material and the cost of laying it is not affordable for everyone, although if you do the installation yourself, it will be much more profitable. Among other disadvantages, it is possible to highlight the following points:
- Low vapor permeability due to the steel base of the sheet. This feature does not allow free flow of air under the roof. Therefore, in the design of the roof, it is necessary to make a counter-grill for ventilation of the under-roof space.
- In the vicinity of a large number of trees and high humidity, moss forms in the gaps between the material - this is an insignificant drawback, but it is noted by residents of houses located in close proximity to garden trees.
- During installation, it is not recommended to walk on freshly laid slabs, which is not always convenient with non-standard forms of roofing. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider in what sequence the laying of composite tiles will be performed.
Colors and sizes of roofing slabs
The average plate size is 36-41 cm wide and 110-132 cm long.
The color scheme of materials is almost limitless.
Sheets are represented by warm and cold colors: red, yellow, coral, brown, dark green, noble gray and more than 20 shades.
Coffee, black, burgundy - the most popular choice for private homes. A roof of this color gives the house an aristocratic sophistication and sophistication.
A bolder choice will be slabs of green, blue, terracotta hue. In addition to solo flowers, multi-color sheets of composite tiles are also in demand.
Comparison with other roofing materials
Metal tile
Relatively cheap roofing material, able to withstand heavy loads. Long-life, steady against external damages, does not burn, it is easily mounted. In comparison with the composite, it loses to him in the following ways:
- there is no sound insulation, modern roofing materials will help to increase it, but the installation process automatically becomes more expensive;
- a metal roof is able to accumulate electric charges of lightning;
- heats up under the sun.
Soft tile
Cheaper than a composite material with good sound insulation, easy to fit, protected from ultraviolet radiation.
Difference from composite:
- not so spectacular in appearance;
- requires a complex roofing pie;
- less strong and durable.
Therefore, composite tiles - the perfect hybrid of soft and metal tiles, includes all the advantages of both materials and, in addition to cost, does not contain significant disadvantages.
Mounting technology
Installation of composite tiles is quite simple and consists of three stages: preparation of the base, installation of the battens, installation of the coating.
In addition, it is very important to make a drain to organize the drainage of rainwater in case of rainfall - this will get rid of the problem of icicles on the edge of the roof of a house or building.
When laying, it is necessary to observe an inclination angle of at least 18 °, this will provide good insulation and outflow of rainwater from the roof. The overhang of the roof over the wall should be at least 50 cm. To compensate for the temperature and humidity expansion, it is necessary to ensure freedom in two planes, since the wooden rafters quite noticeably react to weather changes.
Before arranging the battens, it is recommended to make additional waterproofing. To do this, a continuous coating of boards is mounted and a waterproofing material is laid: vapor-permeable film or rolled bituminous materials.
Then the crate and the counter-crate are packed. The purpose of the latter is to provide ventilation and prevent condensation from accumulating under the roof.
Of course, it is desirable to install a thermal insulation material.
After preparatory work, you can proceed directly to the installation of polymeric material. It is carried out in a direction from the bottom up, the elements are mounted with an overlap of 10 cm.
A guide for those who do the installation of the roof with their own hands:
- It is only necessary to buy roofing material from one supplier from the same series - this mitigates the risk of obtaining materials of different shades or thicknesses.
- For cutting or trimming, it is necessary to use scissors for metal or a jigsaw - this will ensure a smooth edge.
- Before starting work, store the material in a well-ventilated place. Composite tiles lying in the open are recommended to be covered with film before work.
- Do not allow contact of the roofing material with copper, since composite tiles have the ability to react with copper materials.
- It is recommended that all installation work be performed at a temperature of at least + 6 °.
- It is necessary to clean the composite with a soap solution without aggressive chemicals, since the use of aggressive household chemicals gradually destroys the wood-polymer structure.