Cement Shingles

Cement shingles are often the preferred choice of many households in home building and renovation. There are lots of benefits a homeowner can reap if he chooses to make use of cement shingles for the roof.

One of the reasons why people have confidence on cement roof tiles is its classiness – the beauty and sophistication that comes with this type of shingles. Builders and homeowners alike love the classic idea and Western approach of cement shingles. What’s more is that the beauty and elegance they bring can be preserved in several years, as cement is a very durable material.

There is an array of design and model of cement shingles that will definitely strike and catch attention. Homes who want to resemble a country feel in their log-cabin-theme can use the cedar shake shingles. The classic style is what most people would really love to have on their roof. Foreign-oriented exterior design such as Chinese temples and Spanish mansions can make use of Spanish tiles.

Builders and contractors are fond of using cement roof tile, also called concrete roof tiles, because they add value and worth of a house. It’s the lasting endurance of this type of roofing approach that increases attractiveness. Experts recommend installation of concrete roof tiles with the highest rating of Class A for fire resistance.

If one might notice, most homes that count on lifetime cement shingles are inspired by home exterior designs of European houses. This is because most of the roofing materials that are used in this region are made of concrete. Different countries do have different materials that are distinctly available, and in this part, concrete is a common resource in Europe.

Cement was already used as a construction material even during the reign of the Roman Empire. Yet it was only during the early 1800s that cement shingles became popular. Germany is the pioneer in the mass production of cement shingles. Bavarian-based company Kroher was the first in the industry to widely produce cement shingles in the city of Staudach in the year 1844. The earliest commercial cement shingles then were only made of a combination of ample volume of water and the right amount of sand and cement mixture. This basic compound however turned out to be the best yielding concrete tile in Europe.

Cements shingles were simply shaped during those days. Square and rectangle was the common form of these roof tiles. But the way the earliest builders constructed their roofs was simply but amazing. The intricate and stylish diamond arrangement was absolutely a trademark in most German homes in the 19th century.

The Kroher factory only relied on pure manual power to produce their well-known cement shingles. As years went by, technology advancement helped increase the production of mass cement shingles. Many manufacturers then employed machines in the 1900s. A machine like the Ringsted was a great use. It used casting and molds where the cement and sand mixture were poured in. In the middle of the 20th Century, cement shingles have started to penetrate and capture households in the United States. It started with humble beginnings and when it picked up, the industry of concrete roof tiling became a multi-billion dollar success. Today, manufacturers use various cutting edge technology and machineries that can generate as much as 30 cement shingles in just one minute.

The American success of cement tiles has brought standards and stylish innovation to what used to be just a square roof tile. There were enhancements that were made. Manufacturers added more texture. Cement shingles became more colorful which was made possible through the use of revolutionary coloring pigments that will retain permanently in the tiles.

The price of installing cement shingles is worth the investment. Not only will the homeowner experience a lofty and leak-free roof, but it also gives him more savings on his insurance. Cement shingles are also good energy-savers for cooling and heating appliances.