As one of the main parts of a house, the roof has a very important role. The roof protects us from bad weather such as rain, heat, and so on. At first, the roofs of traditional houses in Indonesia were made of natural materials including thatch, palm fiber, straw, and so on. The development of the times and the increasing standards of human comfort paved the way for the development of new types of non-organic roofs that are more sturdy and durable.
For those of you who are renovating or building a house, here are various types of tile roofs that can be an option for your house.
Natural Roofing
This type of roof is obtained from natural materials. In Indonesia, there are at least four commonly used materials, including wood, bamboo, palm fiber, and thatch. One example of natural roof is wooden roof which is commonly called shingle roof. Ordinary wooden planks are laid out neatly on top of the roof structure and provide cool atmosphere in house. The wood that is commonly used is ironwood, teak, or merbau.
In addition, the palm fiber roof is also widely used, especially for traditional houses. This roof is made of hard fibers that protect the palm tree midrib. It is black, durable and water resistant. The palm fiber roof is suitable if you want to build a traditional style tropical house so that it looks rustic.
Clay Tile Roof
Clay tile roofs are the most common type of roof used in Indonesia todays. As local roofing material, roof tiles developed in the early 20th century. Originally imported by the Dutch as roofs for their homes and sugar factories in Indonesia, clay roof tiles then became popular among local people.
Currently, there are various types of tile roofs with unique local names, such as frog tile, plentong, garuda, kojer, press, and so on. Clay tiles are known to retain heat well so the space is cool. This tile is suitable for variety of design styles, from traditional to modern. The modern variant of clay tiles is ceramic tiles. If the surface of ordinary tile is rough and porous, ceramic tile surface has been given a layer of glaze so that it is waterproof and looks shiny.
Concrete Tile Roof
As the name suggests, concrete roof tiles are made of concrete materials, sand and cement. Dyes are added to make it look aesthetic. These materials are processed through high-pressure machine and then heated to form strong and durable tile. You can choose wave type or flat type concrete tile. If you want a natural impression, you can choose wavy tile. A modern impression appears when you use flat tiles. The heavy weight of concrete tiles (60 kg per square meter, compared to 45 kg of clay tiles) requires strong roof structure construction.
Metal Tile Roof
Metal roof tiles are currently increasingly popular. In addition to its ability to withstand strong weather effects, metal roof tiles are also light in weight and easy to install. Various metal materials are used for this type of tile, such as stainless steel, copper, galvalume steel tile, spandex (zinc and aluminum), multiroof metal tile, millennium tile, and so on.
According to the texture, there are corrugated tiles and some are flat. Millennium tile types, for example, have flat appearance with futuristic colors that suitable for modern homes with minimalist style. Although metal roof tiles are more economical and lighter, what needs to be considered is the ability to conduct high heat. If the ceiling of the house doesn’t have an empty space or ceiling, a house that shaded by metal roof tiles tends to feel hotter.
Bitumen Tile Roof
Bitumen is another name for asphalt. Bitumen tile is indeed made from a mixture of asphalt with reinforcing materials, like wood fiber. Because of the components that make it, bitumen tile becomes tough and strong.
In addition, bitumen tiles are also very light, about 1/6 of the weight of concrete tiles for the same area. As a result, you can install it on any type of roof support structure. The ‘soft’ material makes this tile good for dampening outside sounds. The tile which became popular in the US at the beginning of 20th century is also increasingly popular in Indonesia, especially for minimalist themed houses.
Apart from these various types of roof tiles, there are also other interesting types of roof tiles, such as PVC tiles, and solar tiles, for example. Solar tile function is as a tile as well as a source of solar power generation. Still looking for the right type of tile for your home?
–sh
