Another "what Type Of Roof Thread"

[Daffy D]

Have been following threads here for some time but don't recall seeing anything about wood roof shingles.

I've seen them on beach front restaurants and bungalows but not on peoples houses.

Anyone have experience with shingles? (Wood roof type ones )

Are they expensive and do they last?

Most important are they cooler than other forms of roofing material?

I'm also interested on information on clay tiles. Are they cooler than the regular cement tiles and/or wood shingles and relative cost?

Cheers

[trogers]

Any type of shingles will need roof slope greater than 50⁰ to withstand the high wet winds.

[Rimmer]

Any type of shingles will need roof slope greater than 50⁰ to withstand the high wet winds.

That's a very good tip, I never thought about that one.

[Daffy D]

Any type of shingles will need roof slope greater than 50⁰ to withstand the high wet winds.

Mmm! Hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the heads up.

What about cost and durability and are they cooler than the regular cement tiles?

Any ideas? Anybody?

Cheers

[Cuban]

>What about cost and durability and are they cooler than the regular cement tiles?

There is a lot of wood kicking about here, there will be a good reason that it is not used for 'normal' house builds. My first thought was being eaten by and a home for a broad selection of insects and bugs (wood boring beetles), even with chemical preservative I would guess exposure to the sun would photo-degrade most forms of protection. We have a fair amount of very tired white sun bleached wood around the house, sheet iron galvanized roof here. Once any protection is gone you will suffer from cracks induced by wet rain drying sun cycles, so the surface layer will not be ideal. The cracks allow places for bugs to bypass and chemical layer in the wood surface layer even if applied under pressure.

Further reading: http://www.toolbase.org/Best-Practices/Fai...xposed-outdoors

As for the situations you have seen them used, I suggest that they are there for appearance not the long haul.

As for heat issues, sun bleached wood will absorb less heat than a dark tile (I'm surprised that dark blue is such a popular even though I agree it looks nice), also wood will not store heat as a concrete tile will: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_mass

So you seek something long lasting, that reflects the heat and does not store thermal energy, you see why silver galvanized sheeting is a common choice.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Cuban

[Daffy D]

Thanks Cuban you bring up some interesting points as you say there must be a good reason why they are not seen more often.

So you seek something long lasting, that reflects the heat and does not store thermal energy, you see why silver galvanized sheeting is a common choice.

Is that the regular corrugated tin roofs that are seen all over the place? I always thought they really heat up a house, though they don't retain heat as concrete does once the sun goes down.

[Cuban]

Is that the regular corrugated tin roofs that are seen all over the place? I always thought they really heat up a house, though they don't retain heat as concrete does once the sun goes down.

It really depends on what sort of house / location you are living in, and how you live.

For me, rural, big house on stilts, firmly throw a stone to hit a neighbor.

Many Thais spend most of the day outside the house doing stuff, the house is a place to sleep - at night. Daytime sleeping is either downstairs (in the concrete and tile lined 'cave' - I can't keep leather shoes down there due to mold growth it's that cool) or in a hammock between the trees. I'm the only one inside, using the computer.

Cooking, eating and much living takes place outside during the day - the house can heat up as it will be cool during the evening (sun down) when people return inside.

Houses on estates, suffer from heat as they are a mass of concrete and tile that stores the heat of the day and because of the surrounding houses, wind does not cool them during the evening. We have a relative in KK on such an estate, it's hot all the time.