What's up top: tin roof versus tile roof

 By Alex Brooks

A question more and more roofs are demanding to know, as they become increasingly fed up with crime, is: what, exactly, should they cover up with - tin or tile?

Not happy to stand there all day, reflecting the sun or keeping out the rain, roofs are rising up and questioning the material they are made of.  

“There are security issues with roof tiles,” says DTS Roof Masters director Tony SKillicorn. “Burglars can remove a few tiles and enter a property through the ceiling. If they want to try it on a metal roof, they need to bring an angle grinder and make a load of noise.” Who’d have thought robbery and pillage would inform the poor roof’s decision as to the material it should be made from?

Total Roof Care director Steve Howe agrees security is one reason people give for selecting metal rooves. Perhaps we should release roofs on their own recognizance to battle out whether tile or tin is the best material?

Prior to the 1960s, ‘tin’ roofs were made from a soft galvanised iron that came in short lengths leaving gaps that could easily become leaks. The traditional tile roof reigned supreme, with clay or concrete tiles considered sturdier and more robust than a metal roof.

Oh how times have changed. The ‘tin” roof is now made from Colourbond or zincalume and metal has made a comeback. It is now made in continuous lengths to banish those horizontal gaps that could become leaks. Colourbond especially is clawing its way to the top of most homes in WA, according to Skillicorn. “I would say two out of three roofs would be metal these days,” he says.

The advent of long-lasting Colourbond – which comes in more than 20 colours – means metal roofing is as versatile as a pair of Levis jeans. A metal roof looks good on all styles of architecture, from older-style colonial buildings to stark modern stacks.

“We get a lot of people replacing tile roofs with metal,” Howe says. “They like that there’s no maintenance. People can usually find a colour that will look good.”

The noise of rain pelting the metal is also part of the tin roof’s charm. “People really do like the noise,” Skillicorn says. “It’s not like the old days when it was so loud you couldn’t have a conversation.”

Today’s metal roofs are lined with an insulating sarking, which not only stops condensation during cold days but also dampens the noise of rain hitting the metal, leaving home owners listening to a gentle thrum of rain rather than a raucous thunder.

Back in the project home building boom days of the 1970s and 1980s, the tile well and truly conquered roofs, standing proud in its hard-baked glory. Concrete roof tiles were slightly cheaper than clay or metal roofs, and there was plenty of labour available to install tiles in a timely manner.

Time, however, has worn away the protective mortar around the capping on tile roofs, allowing water to penetrate and tarnish the good standing of the material. “Tile has a reputation for needing more maintenance over time,” Skillicorn says. “If you look after it, tiles will last.” As long as flexi-mortar is used around roof tile capping and the roof is regularly inspected for broken or cracked tiles, a tile roof will last 40 years or more.

The biggest benefit of a tiled roof is that one or two cracked or broken tiles can easily be shuffled around rather than replacing the entire roof. The modular nature of tiles makes them a cost-effective material over the long term.

Howe says clay tiles may not sit as firmly on a roof as a solid concrete tile, allowing the wind to lift them and potentially crack or break. “Concrete makes a better tile,” he says. Although the colour sprayed onto concrete roof tiles may need re-coating after 20 years or so.

 “People tend to think tiles are better quality, but that isn’t always the case. Especially these days with Colourbond,” Howe says. The only drawback with Colourbond is that it may not be suitable for properties within 100 metres or so of the coast – the salt in the air could shorten its lifespan.

And if there is one thing a roof needs, it’s a long lifespan. No homeowner wants burglars, wind, hot sun or pelting rain penetrating that roof.

TIN

• Long-lasting
• Less labour-intensive to install
• Wide variety of colours
• Suits heritage and modern homes

TILE

• Sturdy material
• Good natural thermal qualities (insulation may still be necessary)
• Can be resurfaced and restored
• Easy to pressure clean