Creative Options That can Make Roofing Stylish, Affordable and Functional | Baltimore MD

Just because roofing is one of the most practical elements in the construction of a house is no reason that it cannot also serve the whims of your more creative side. The functional quality of all roofing simply should not be considered an obstruction to its making a statement about the aesthetic essence of your castle. 

Wood Shingles

Few roofing materials instantly instill a definite sense of design quite like wood shingles. You put wood shingles on a house otherwise constructed in just about any style and you can bet that somewhere in every description of that domicile will appear the word "rustic." Sturdy trees like the cypress and the redwood are two of the biggest stars in the world of roofing material.  The most useful tip you will ever receive when it comes to going with wood shingles when building a roof is to triple check every piece to ensure a straight and true grain. The primary selling point for wood shingles? Durability. Roofing made of wood shingles can easily last 30 years as long it is maintained. 

Metal roofing

Some people hear the words "metal roofing" and instantly turn up their nose at the idea of a cheap tin roof. Metal roofing has come a long, long way in recent decades. One of the great paradoxes of the contemporary state of metal roofs are that you can choose from options that provide all the protection of metal, but offers no metallic features for display purposes. Maryland is particularly well-suited to metal roofing since it offers one of the most effective defenses against harsh weather conditions from high winds to ice and snow.  Metal roofing carries yet another advantage that should make it more enticing: no special framing is usually required since metal roofing is more lightweight than other choices.

Laying Asphalt Shingles Over Existing Roofing

If a survey confirms that the deck and framing are strong enough, you can save some serious money by adding new asphalt shingles directly over your existing roof. Asphalt shingles will probably be your most affordable option if the need arises for new roofing. The payoff here is twofold: you get a roof that looks brand new yet provides double the defense of a roof made using asphalt shingles that actually is brand new.

Skylights

New roofing gives you the opportunity to reduce your power bill, increase illumination and still give the house a certain panache. How? By making room among whatever roofing material you decide on for the inclusion of skylights. Skylight construction that is angled or flared also sweetens the pot by giving you more control over the path that sunlight takes inside your home.

Gable Roof

A gable roof these days can be a work of deception. The gables of older homes were usually an architectural reality that gave an authentic sense of what the house looked like inside. Today, you can have get all seven of Nathaniel Hawthorne's gables and not a single one will be architecturally necessary. Of course, if you are building a large house, a gable roof can function to make attic space livable as well as adding some aesthetic interest.

Thatched Roof

While you probably wouldn't want to take the chance of exposing your house to the more extreme by going with thatched roofing, it may well be worth at least a moment of consideration for small separate living quarters on your property like a home office, studio or guest house. A thatched roof may scream out a certain time and place even more than the rustic quality afforded by roofing with wood shingles. Of course, it is important to keep in mind during the early planning stages that thatched roofs may violate building codes and will almost certainly boost your insurance premiums. On the other hand, thatched roofing is very rare and capable making smaller structures on your property really stand out from the pack.

To learn more about roofing in Maryland and to begin your FREE in-home consultation, contact us today.  

 

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Sponsored by Irwin Stone