10 of the best roofing materials - Grand Designs magazine

10 of the best roofing materials

Roofing materials round up with ideas for both modern and traditional homes.

By Andrea Manley |

The style of your home will influence the roofing materials you select as will the local planning authority requirements. So, check with them as to the constraints in place. Obviously, your choice must be watertight. But also needs to be durable and look good for decades to come. The pitch, structure and design of the roof will also influence your options for roofing materials, as will features such as dormers.

1 Traditional look

Double camber clay tiles bring texture and accentuate the light and shade an undulating roof. They need a minimum pitch of 35 degrees and are a good option for blending in with a traditional local setting

View of roof with red clay tiles as part of roofing materials guide

Acme double camber plain clay roof tile, Marley Eternit.

2 Handmade appeal

When authenticity is paramount, use a combination of roofing materials such as handmade clay tiles in mellow colours to create a distinctive look. ‘The variation in shape and camber of hand-formed designs has huge aesthetic appeal but laying them can be more complicated and requires skill,’ says Paul John Lythgoe, managing director at Tudor Roof Tiles.

View of rich red clay roof tiles on a traditional pitched roof, showing the versatility of the roofing materials

Handmade clay roof tiles, Tudor Roof Tiles.

3 Natural stone effect

Man-made fibre-cement tiles mimic the look of real slate and are uniform in size, shape and thickness. They are an ideal lightweight and cost-effective covering. The semi-matt acrylic pigment finish brings texture to the roof.

The style of your home will influence the roofing materials you select as will the local planning authority requirements. So, check with them as to the constraints in place. Obviously, your choice must be watertight. But also needs to be durable and look good for decades to come. The pitch, structure and design of the roof will also influence your options for roofing materials, as will features such as dormers.

1 Traditional look

Double camber clay tiles bring texture and accentuate the light and shade an undulating roof. They need a minimum pitch of 35 degrees and are a good option for blending in with a traditional local setting

View of roof with red clay tiles as part of roofing materials guide

Acme double camber plain clay roof tile, Marley Eternit.

2 Handmade appeal

When authenticity is paramount, use a combination of roofing materials such as handmade clay tiles in mellow colours to create a distinctive look. ‘The variation in shape and camber of hand-formed designs has huge aesthetic appeal but laying them can be more complicated and requires skill,’ says Paul John Lythgoe, managing director at Tudor Roof Tiles.

View of rich red clay roof tiles on a traditional pitched roof, showing the versatility of the roofing materials

Handmade clay roof tiles, Tudor Roof Tiles.

3 Natural stone effect

Man-made fibre-cement tiles mimic the look of real slate and are uniform in size, shape and thickness. They are an ideal lightweight and cost-effective covering. The semi-matt acrylic pigment finish brings texture to the roof.

Image: Moorland fibre cement slate, Cembrit.

4 Bespoke mix

These tiles complement the oak cladding used on this project by Spratley & Partners. No two are the same. Each individual tile is sandfaced, shaped, trimmed and has nail holes inserted. ‘There’s always a balance to be struck between cost and the overall aesthetic of a new-build. But as roof tiles represent a small proportion of the total cost choose the best you can afford,’ says Paul John Lythgoe, managing director at Tudor Roof Tiles.

Barn with red handmade roof tiles

Handmade clay roof tiles in Sussex Brown and Sussex Red, Tudor Roof Tiles

5 Classic curves

This interlocking clay pantile is easy to lay. The classic S-shape profile is suitable for traditional builds with roof pitches as low as 12.5 degrees.

Close up of clay Interlocking Pantile roof tiles

Clay single interlocking pantile, Marley Eternit.

6 Sleek finish

Blue clay tiles give a metallic look to this project by Adrian James Architects. The shade variations are produced in the kiln where the iron content converts to the blue hue. Texture is also important. ‘Smoothfaced tiles have clean, sharp lines. They are ideal for modern builds. A sandface tile has a softer look and takes on an aged and weathered appearance,’ says Alex Patrick-Smith, managing director at Dreadnought Tiles.

A traditional machine made clay tile called Staffordshire Blue Broadmere

Staffordshire Blue smoothfaced clay tiles, Dreadnought Tiles.

7 Seamless protection

The span of this low-profile, wing roof is covered with a high-performance, single-ply waterproof membrane. It won’t expand or contract. A flat roof of bituminous material has a lifespan of between 8-12 years. Single-ply PVC membranes last around 40 years.

Overhead shot of a house with winged pitch roof fitted with a single ply membrane

Sarnafil self-adhered single ply membrane in Lead Grey, Roof Assured.

8 Metal effect

A fleece-backed, synthetic waterproof single membrane has an eye-catching lead metal-effect with standing seam effect profiles. The covering has impressive thermal properties and long-term reliability. It protects a home effectively for many years.

Distance overhead view of a mono-pitch roof with black membrane covering

Alwitra Evalon V single-ply membrane in Slate Grey, ICB Waterproofing.

9 Living layer

Boost your home’s eco credentials with a green roof. This bespoke 600sqm design is sedum with a shallow expanse of low growing plants. Curving powder-coated aluminium trims retain the planting.

Overhead drone shot of a big house with a green sedum planted roof

Bespoke sedum roof, Sky Garden

10 Natural patina

A metal barrel shape is a bold statement on this contemporary self-build by Porteous Architecture. On-site installation with standing seam copper panels in a mill finish. It has a mellow patina in a characteristic blue/green finish.

A curved roof covered in copper panels

Copper roof by ADM Roofing on a new build project by Porteous Architects

Maintaining a green roof

Tips on choosing plants and keeping them healthy from Russell Hartwell, business development manager at Sky Garden

Sedum vegetation provides an evergreen covering that helps blend a home into green belt land or picturesque surroundings. The most common green roof is an extensive system. This uses a mix of sedum species laid as a pre-grown blanket onto a shallow substrate. It’s sustainable and requires little maintenance.

Irrigation of a sedum roof is only necessary after installation until the plants are established. Subsequently, you may only need to water in exceptionally dry periods.

Waterproofing is protected by drainage and filtration base layers. This can extend the life of waterproofing by up to three times, as exposure to harmful UV rays and extremes in temperature is less of an issue. Green roofs are also increasingly used to mitigate drainage problems at ground level. With more extreme rainfall, a green roof can re-transpirate approximately 50 per cent of average rainfall back into the atmosphere. It slows the rate of storm-water run-off compared to a bare roof.

Wildlife and biodiversity will benefit from a barren space becoming a living habitat.

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