Like everything in our world, roofing techniques and materials have been evolving over time. With a roof being your home’s first line of defense, it has been an extremely important part of human life for thousands of years. This article will outline a brief history of how roofing materials have evolved.
Before the concept of a roof existed, pre-historic hunters and gatherers found safety and shelter in caves. It is believed that the first roofs to ever exist were made of wooly mammoth skin. This led to small settlements of huts built out of mammoth tusks and branches with skin and mud as the roof. Palmwood was also thought to be used in more tropical areas.
As we entered into 40,000 BC, we saw the arrival of thatch roofs made of leaves, palm trees, and forest debris. Although this was a step up from the prehistoric roofs, these thatch roofs were still not strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions to protect homes and those living in them.
During the 19th century, we saw the arrival of new roofing materials emerging in different areas around the world, such as wood, clay tiles, and slate. The materials used for roofs during this time were very dependent on the natural resources available in each civilization and their geographical area.
Wood roofs were much more structurally sound than the thatch roofs made of trees and debris. Wood roofs were originally hand-split shingles made from trees that were native to the area. This wood was then smoothed and tapered with a draw knife to create a shingle. However, these wooden roofs were very prone to fires. Modern wood shake and cedar shake roofs, which have advanced from the initial hand-split wood shingles, are much less common today but can still be found in many areas around the world.
Another type of roof material that was often used in the past are clay tiles, which consist of natural harvested clay that is molded and baked at high temperatures. Slate from metamorphic rocks or natural stone was also derived from the sedimentary rock of volcanic ash, which was similarly molded into shingles.
While clay and slate roofs were prevalent during the early 19th century, they were only accessible to the wealthy. Therefore, most of the population was forced to rely on wood and straw roofs. Eventually, with industrialization playing a large role, clay and slate roofs became more accessible to the general population in an effort to prevent disastrous fires from destroying roofs.
Metal roofing originated the 18th century and was praised for its durability and resistance to fires. Metal roofing was made from aluminum, copper, stainless steel, zinc, and galvalume (most commonly made from stainless or galvalume steel today). Metal roofing was, however, extremely expensive and difficult to install and was mostly seen only on important buildings, such as temples and museums during this time.
The use of metal roofing saw an increase during the 19th century. However, it was still not very affordable and was often limited to more challenging rooflines. Even today, metal roofing remains the most expensive roofing system and is not affordable for a good percentage of our population.
Asphalt shingles are the typical shingle you see on most homes today, made of fiberglass or paper mat, asphalt, granules, sand or slag fines, and ceramic coated mineral granules. The first asphalt roofing structure was introduced by GAF in 1840, and the first asphalt permeated wool felts were introduced in the 1880s and were initially used as roll roofing. It wasn’t until 1903 that the first individual asphalt shingles were used in Grand Rapids Michigan! By cutting the material up into individual singles, this made the application easier and greatly improved the final look of the shingles. These individual cut asphalt shingles were believed to be developed by Henry Reynolds. In 1904, colored granule coating for asphalt rolls was introduced, allowing for different colors of asphalt roofs and adding to the aesthetic of homes.
In 1912, the first individual cut asphalt shingles were introduced to the market. Over the next century as science advanced, asphalt shingles and the application of asphalt shingles continued to evolve to be more durable, advanced, aesthetically pleasing and cutting edge to be what they finally are today. GAF played an enormous role in the advancement of asphalt shingles, and this is just one of the many reasons Renaissance Roofing, Inc. is happy to offer GAF products on every proposal!
Asphalt shingles were revolutionary for the roofing industry, and today they are the most common type of roof for residential homes. These shingles are relatively affordable compared to other types of material, easier to install, and extremely versatile. Asphalt shingles are also extremely effective at protecting your home and come in a variety of colors.
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Solar shingles are a shingle that contains a photovoltaic cell that converts sunlight into electricity. Solar shingles first became available in 2005 and have been improving every year since. Solar shingles are different from solar panels, as they combine seamless solar roofing technology with traditional roofing. Michigan has just recently launched the revolutionary GAF Energy Timberline Solar™ Shingle, designed as a nailable shingle to the market. Renaissance Roofing, Inc, is proud to be solar certified and able to offer this to customers on our new roof proposals.
