New trends in roofing

Lower and lighter

The angle of a roof’s pitch not only helps to determine how quickly it can drain rain and snow, but also defines the whole character and feel of a building. For example, steep pitches of 60 degrees or more are a common feature in gothic revival architecture – helping to create an imposing impression – whilst many housebuilders opt for a right-angled form factor with roof pitches around 45 degrees. Recently, however, designers of both domestic and non-domestic buildings have started to think more low-key — introducing pitches of between 30 and 10 degrees. 

Why low pitch?

There are a variety of reasons for this shift towards shallower roof angles.
 
Local planning requirements often restrict the ridge height of new buildings to ensure they do not stand out from, or tower over, the surrounding architecture. By reducing the pitch angle, designers are able to raise the height of eaves on these buildings. This can allow floor to ceiling heights to be increased in the rooms below, making them feel lighter and more spacious. In some cases, it may even allow an additional floor to be created – considerably increasing the property’s saleable value.
 
Aesthetics are another important consideration. Many designers and owners now favour sleek minimalist styling over the more traditional approaches. On a smaller scale, many owners of pitched roof buildings prefer low-angle pitched roofs to flat roofs when extending their property as they allow better continuity of design.
 
Decreasing the pitch angle of a roof can also lower its weight as the area of tiling is reduced. 

Design considerations

The most obvious concern when designing or installing a low pitch roof is that rainwater will drain more slowly. This means careful detailing is essential at any openings in the roof surface and at ventilation points to prevent moisture being driven into the roof construction.
 
The increased potential for moisture ingress in these roofs means that many manufacturers do not support the use of standard clay and concrete tile systems at pitch angles below 30 degrees. If these systems are used then installers and designers must take considerable care to properly weatherproof them, for example, by increasing the degree of lap between the tiles. This can significantly increase both the timescale and cost of the roofing work whilst failure to properly assess these areas may lead to serious long-term problems including leaks and rotting soffits and rafter feet.
 
Metal tile systems can often provide a simpler and more cost-effective solution for these applications. The tiles are typically installed in long runs with a single fix, reducing the number of fixings and penetrations. Their precision jointing also helps to form a more resilient seal in these applications. 
 
The lightweight design of metal tile systems makes them particularly well suited to installations on existing low-pitched roofs where structural loading requirements are already set. They also provide considerable design flexibility. Our AeroDek range tiles are available with a variety of coatings which can replicate the appearance of materials such as clay, concrete and even wood.