You don’t have to use the same roofing material on your entire roof. You can use different roofing materials over the same house. In fact, some people consider mixing roofing materials trendy. Below are some of the benefits of and ideas for mixing roofing materials.

Benefits

Mixing roofing materials has multiple benefits. Below are some of them.

Curb Appeal

You can use different roofing materials to enhance your roof’s attractiveness. For example, you can mix metal and asphalt shingles and create different profiles on different parts of the roof. Materials with different colors will even create a bigger contrast – for those who like contrast on their roofs.

Many people consider premium-roofing materials, such as slate, as aesthetically more appealing than standardmaterials. You can use those premium materials on visible parts of the roof, such as the section above the porch, and improve your curb appeal.

Cost Management

As mentioned above, high-quality roofing materials come at a price. Materials like clay tiles and slate can cost thousands of dollars per square. Thus, you can reduce your roofing budget by restricting such premium materials to selected parts of the roof. For example, you can have expensive materials on the higher sections of the roof and
inexpensive materials on the lower parts.

Enhanced Protection

Some parts of the roof experience more wear and tear than others. Examples of vulnerable parts include:

• Roofing valleys
• Eaves (bottom edges of the roof)
• Ridges
• Areas with frequent roof traffic

Some materials are tougher and withstand wear and tear better than others. You can have the tough materials on the roof’s highly vulnerable parts and the main material on the other parts.

Tips

Even though you can mix different roofing materials, you will only enjoy the benefits if you get the design right. Below are a few tips to help you.

Use Digital Rendering

You should have an idea of how your roof will look with mixed materials before construction. The best way to do this is to request the roofing contractor for a digital rendering. Some online resources also have tools you can use to view mockups of different forms of mixed roofs if you are digitally savvy.

Don’t Mix Metals

Multiple combinations of roofing materials are possible. However, you should not mix different types of metals to avoid galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process in which reactive metal experiences accelerated corrosion if it’s in contact with a less reactive metal. That means mixing metals will corrode parts of
your roof faster than normal.

Opt for Contemporary Designs

You can mix roofing materials on any roof. However, the trend seems to work best on contemporary roofing designs. Contemporary designs work best with mixed roofing materials that contrast with each other. For example, you can use metal and asphalt shingles to give your industrial roof a striking look.

Consider Faux Materials

You don’t have to let everyone know that you have mixed roofing materials – if you don’t want to. Some roofing manufacturers have faux roofing materials that mimic other materials. For example, there are

• Clay tiles that look like slate
• Asphalt shingles that look like tiles
• Synthetic shakes that look like cedar shakes

You can mix the faux roofing materials with the materials they mimic. Few people will notice the mixed materials if you get matching colors too.

Your roof plays a big role in your home’s aesthetic appeal and durability. You don’t have to stick to conventional materials and designs. Talk to D.S. Bahr Construction, Inc., for trendy and high-quality roofing installations. We have been active in the roofing industry in Twin Cities Metro Area for several decades. We understand what it takes to install a good roof.