When you think of roofing materials, you most likely picture standard materials, such as lumber, shingles, and tin. However, over the years, new advancements, as well as a resurgence of classic antique styles, have combined to offer some really creative and unique roofing options that push the bounds of architecture and home design to new heights. So, whether you want to design your own unique house or just find these things as interesting as we do, you’ll enjoy learning about some of these interesting roofs and why people use them.
Unique materials
Many of these interesting roofs are made of materials you might not realize can be used in architecture, let alone for roofing. These roofs offer more than just novelty, however, as their style is accompanied by substantial benefit and utility.
Recycled composite
While some roofing materials might impact the environment in unfortunate ways, it’s possible to create roofs out of recycled material. They’re a bit more expensive due to the additional process that goes into making them, but they’re a long-lasting, modern alternative to traditional roofing materials.
Living roofs
Another environmentally-friendly roofing material, called a “living roof,” is also known as a “green roof. This material is just what it sounds like – a roof that’s alive with grass and plants and animal life all sitting above your head.
This sort of roof is difficult to maintain because more work needs to be done to ensure the plants keep growing and that the animals aren’t becoming pests. If you enjoy nature, though, and want to offer a small habitat for birds, bees, and small rodents, then a living roof might just be worth the investment.
Thatch roofs
A distinctly “old world” roofing style, these roofs have some perceived drawbacks, such as being easily flammable and unresistant to mold. However, these are just stereotypes. Well-made thatch roofs are surprisingly durable, and they’re still used in a lot of tropical climates.
Roofing styles
Of course, a unique roof doesn’t simply come from an uncommon material. The very design and shape of a roof can also make it unique. Like the materials, these designs have specific benefits, and they also have unique origins to explain where they came from in the first place. They may be a bit more expensive than traditional roofing styles, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth the investment.
Hexagonal
We all know that roofs look like triangles or lay flat, but hexagon roofs are also a thing. These roof styles take inspiration from how bees make their hexagonal honeycombs, which are precise and functional designs. While these hexagons are commonly enough seen in backyards in the form of a hexagonal gazebo, they’re beginning to be used for actual house roofs due to their strong and symmetrical design.
Dome
Similar to the hexagonal roof, roofs can also come in the form of a round dome. In addition to being neat to look at, these roofs also have a ton of benefits, such as being potentially water-tight and able to withstand the elements due to the physics of the design. Much like an egg, the shape of the roof protects the interior from harm, though a dome roof is unlikely to be smashed in the same way as an egg. They also give the home more storage space while being insulating and temperature-regulating.
Saltbox
The saltbox style is a pretty antique one from colonial New England and involves one side of the house sloping down at a sharper angle with a deeper dip than the other side, resembling a “salt box” out of which to shovel road salt.
Interestingly, this style was made by combining two other styles due to a lack of material and funds. The gabled roof and the lean-to –- or skillion – roof. By attaching a lean-to roof onto the pre-existing gabled roof, the settlers had more space in their homes.
With a style unique to the setting, these can be made out of just about any common roofing material, making them both classic and convenient.
Contact Able Roof
Professional roofing professionals If you have any more questions about these unique roofs or perhaps want someone who can help you make your own roof unique, look no further than Able Roofing. We can’t offer all the materials and designs listed here, but what we can offer is high-quality repair and construction work, as well as services in masonry, gutters, and more. If you’d like to learn more about what we do, contact us today. Otherwise, continue visiting our blog to learn more about roofing and home improvement.
