Roof material from USA?

[patongphil]

This is the new roof on a house being built close to me. Apparently the material is popular in the States and is imported from there. Comes in sheets resembling a bitumen backed Lino which are then overlapped and nailed on onto a timber sheet.

Anyway does anyone have any experience with such and any good or bad comments? I believe it costs something like 1200 baht per sq.m.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Crossy
Photo flipped

[GeForce]

Your pic is upside-down

Edited June 24, 2014 by GeForce

[steelepulse]

I have those same shingles, almost the same color. No problems so far after 10 years. I believe there was a 25 year warranty on them.

[VocalNeal]

Called asphalt shingles, they will probably melt here and drip off the roof? Yes they maybe 1200/sqm but you need a plywood roof first to nail the shingles to. What is the cost of that.

When the termites get finished with the plywood, what then?

[Sealbash]

This is the new roof on a house being built close to me. Apparently the material is popular in the States and is imported from there. Comes in sheets resembling a bitumen backed Lino which are then overlapped and nailed on onto a timber sheet.

Anyway does anyone have any experience with such and any good or bad comments? I believe it costs something like 1200 baht per sq.m.

The houses in the estate at Bonanza golf course used this roofing material. Lasted about 8 years, then started to deteriorate, perp as because of the sun and heat. It is good roofing material, but does not last as long as roofing tiles.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[GeForce]

It looks to me like the same Black roofing material as they use on flat roofs in the west only that its cut into squares and colored.

Edited June 24, 2014 by GeForce

[Crossy]

It does indeed GeForce, the post from VocalNeal suggests it's exactly that.

I would worry about water being blown under the material unless it's fixed at the bottom edge, and that plywood substrate would be a magnet for the local wildlife unless treated with something particularly nasty.

Just because something works well in your home country, doesn't mean it's suitable for here

[ClutchClark]

Called asphalt shingles, they will probably melt here and drip off the roof? Yes they maybe 1200/sqm but you need a plywood roof first to nail the shingles to. What is the cost of that.

When the termites get finished with the plywood, what then?

They are a fiberglass asphalt shingle most likely and called Architectural shingles in the trade.

Here is a major manufacturer website: http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Shingles/Timberline

They are used in climates as warm and wet as Florida and Hawaii with success but all asphalt and fiberglass shingles are 100% dependent on a well ventilated attic space. If the attic space lacks good ventilation and allows trapped air to heat up then it will quickly destroy these shingles over a few years. You will see curled edges and they will eventually become brittle and crack.

In the US they are extremely popular and most roofing contractors are well trained in proper installation procedures. I would be very cautious having a general roofing contractor in Thailand install these unless they specialize in this type of product.

It is essential to lay a membrane between the plywood roof sheathing and the shingle, which is typically a roll of 15# or 30# felt. It is essential to use proper flashing material where the roof butts up against dormers and skylights and the flashing has to be correctly layered into each row of shingle. It is essential to not have the seams on one shingle overlap with the seams on the row (or course) above or it will leak (typically each row will be offset from the one below in a stairstep pattern). Any roof penetrations like exhaust vents need to be properly flashed. There are minimum requirements for roof pitch.

Also, as the post above already mentions plywood concerns (I will not address termite damage), this is a very heavy roofing material and should only be used in combination with Western-style framing practices. The minimum plywood thickness should be matched with the spacing of the rafters or truss spacing or the weight will cause the plywood to sag between framing members.

When proper techniques are followed, the roof can last 20 years. But I know alot of old-timers like myself that would never trade a corrugated tin roof for any other roof because we like to hear the sound of the rain hit the tin. ;-)

Edited June 24, 2014 by ClutchClark

[ClutchClark]

It does indeed GeForce, the post from VocalNeal suggests it's exactly that.

I would worry about water being blown under the material unless it's fixed at the bottom edge, and that plywood substrate would be a magnet for the local wildlife unless treated with something particularly nasty.

Just because something works well in your home country, doesn't mean it's suitable for here

Crossy, I would agree with your last sentence except to say this roofing material is successful in climates like Florida and Hawaii as long as the structure and roof are being constructed to North American standards. The failure occurs when attempts are made to install this type of roof on a Thai-style structure using Thai-style building methods.

Water finding its way in from the bottom edge of the shingles will not be a problem as long as the roof design and pitch does not allow standing water to occur. I know--easier said than done in Thailand ;-) there is a bead of roofing cement (a strip of tar) under each shingle that works as a barrier.

All of this being said, I think there are superior roofing materials for the Thai climate and that are more respectful of the Thai aesthetic. Personally, I would never have anything but a tin roof or a standing-seam metal roof.

Edited June 24, 2014 by ClutchClark

[Crossy]

Cheers for the enlightenment CC, it does seem rather dependent upon good installation practices and no short cutting.

Not something I'd like to try as a new technique.

[VocalNeal]

The houses in the estate at Bonanza golf course used this roofing material. Lasted about 8 years, then started to deteriorate, perp as because of the sun and heat. It is good roofing material, but does not last as long as roofing tiles.

There is a small development on BangNa-Trat with "American" houses they have this type of roof. Pretty standard in north america, had them on my house. But termites don't like 40 below!

Edited June 24, 2014 by VocalNeal

[wayned]

Asphalt roofing shingles are and have been very popular in the US for years. They do survive hot climates as I lived in southern Mississippi just north of New Orleans where the temp in the summer was at or near 40 degrees every day. Not fun to walk on though in the heat. They are normally attached to a plywood roof but have a wide overlapped sheet of tar paper underneath to prevent any moisture intrusion. Overlapped tar paper in 1 meter strips and then overlapped and interlaced shingles on top. They worked well and I lived in the house for 10 years (1976-1986) with no problems. The house is still there with my ex living it and I bet it's the same roof..

[IMHO]

if it's 1200/sqm for the shingles, I imagine it's going to hit around 1700/sqm once you factor in decent grade plywood underneath (~1350-1400 baht for a 4' x 8' sheet of 20mm epoxy bonded)

By comparison, Monier Elebana tiles will cost as low as 110 Baht/sqm - or around 200/sqm once you factor in battens and reflective foil.

What could possibly be the benefit of paying more than 7x the price of tried a proven tiles? I find it very difficult to believe it could possibly be superior, but maybe I'm not looking at it right

[eyecatcher]

I was looking last week for the wooden shingles in a roof to see what they looked like when wet and rotting.

I thought ey up these look pretty fantastic.

Was very surprised that they are infact plastic in 750mm lengths.

Its a big house and looked excellent.

Tried to speak with the owner but no one at home.....anyone seen them about?

[bazmlb]

I will be usng Batts, Foil and Bluescope Colourbond continuous roll on mine.

[patongphil]

I will be usng Batts, Foil and Bluescope Colourbond continuous roll on mine.

What sort of price for these?

[Pib]

Yeap, those are asphalt shingles...very common in the U.S....they just caught on many years ago because they are low cost/easy/quick to install. But typical life expectancy is around 20 years (less in hot environments/the tropics like around 15 years). I would rather have concrete-type shingles like commonly used in Thailand...lasts much longer and look better IMHO.

[rsokolowski]

I researched different roofing options for our eventual house in Thailand. I think the best option is a metal roof with radiant barrier insulation attached to the sheets, and a good ventilation to remove the heat build up. I currently live in Hawaii with an asphalt shingle roof (with an extremely well ventilated attic, radiant barrier sheathing, solar powered attic fan, and whole house ventilation {eaves and inside the house]). Works well here in Hawaii, but asphalt shingles are in my opinion not optimum for the heat of Thailand.

Don't dismiss a radiant barrier to reduce the amount of heat that it transferred into your home. Combined with good attic ventilation it can make a huge difference in keeping your house cooler.

[Pib]

I researched different roofing options for our eventual house in Thailand. I think the best option is a metal roof with radiant barrier insulation attached to the sheets, and a good ventilation to remove the heat build up. I currently live in Hawaii with an asphalt shingle roof (with an extremely well ventilated attic, radiant barrier sheathing, solar powered attic fan, and whole house ventilation {eaves and inside the house]). Works well here in Hawaii, but asphalt shingles are in my opinion not optimum for the heat of Thailand.

Don't dismiss a radiant barrier to reduce the amount of heat that it transferred into your home. Combined with good attic ventilation it can make a huge difference in keeping your house cooler.

I too owned a home in Hawaii and it had a metal roof...long metal sheets shaped kinda like concrete shingles you see here in Thailand...it basically looked like concrete-type shingles. That metal roof (with various anti-corrosion preventions built-in) was guaranteed like for 50 years and I expect it would have really lasted much, much longer than that before possibly developing some significant corrosion. I know that after 15 years the roof still looked brand new. Hawaii is probably not as hard on roofs as a lot of people think because it really don't get that hot in Hawaii and the temperature/humidity is fairly constant throughout the year....you don't have blazing heat for X-amount of months (yes it gets hot in the summer but not hot-hot), then freezing cold for X-months...such temperature swings are rough on many roofing materials. Yeap, as far as I'm concerned Hawaii has the best weather in the world!...if only Thailand's weather could be like Hawaii's weather...one can dream. Aloha.

[IMHO]

I researched different roofing options for our eventual house in Thailand. I think the best option is a metal roof with radiant barrier insulation attached to the sheets, and a good ventilation to remove the heat build up. I currently live in Hawaii with an asphalt shingle roof (with an extremely well ventilated attic, radiant barrier sheathing, solar powered attic fan, and whole house ventilation {eaves and inside the house]). Works well here in Hawaii, but asphalt shingles are in my opinion not optimum for the heat of Thailand.

Don't dismiss a radiant barrier to reduce the amount of heat that it transferred into your home. Combined with good attic ventilation it can make a huge difference in keeping your house cooler.

You would not want the radiant barrier physically attached to metal roofing sheets, otherwise it just becomes a heat conductor right?

I've never had a house with a metal roof, but the two potential downsides I can see are noise when it rains, and no street cred - at all - metal is the choice of the poor Isaan farmer in Thai minds. Just sayin'

Edited June 25, 2014 by IMHO

[ClutchClark]

I researched different roofing options for our eventual house in Thailand. I think the best option is a metal roof with radiant barrier insulation attached to the sheets, and a good ventilation to remove the heat build up. I currently live in Hawaii with an asphalt shingle roof (with an extremely well ventilated attic, radiant barrier sheathing, solar powered attic fan, and whole house ventilation {eaves and inside the house]). Works well here in Hawaii, but asphalt shingles are in my opinion not optimum for the heat of Thailand.

Don't dismiss a radiant barrier to reduce the amount of heat that it transferred into your home. Combined with good attic ventilation it can make a huge difference in keeping your house cooler.

When you say insulation attached to the sheets, is it the type of metal roof panel with approx 2-3 cm rigid insulation incorporated directly into the underside of the panels?

I am familiar with atleast one such brand and they have an advantage of silencing the sound of the rainfall.

Cheers

[bangsaenguy]

We are building a new house and using Owens Corning composition shingles. I am from the southern US. If they hold up in Texas heat I don't know why they won't hold up in Thailand. We are using them because of the leak problems experienced with the concrete tiles.

Edited July 3, 2014 by bangsaenguy