Whether it’s The Blues vs The Maroons, Australia vs England, or Colorbond vs Bristile; competition is what drives humanity forwards. Whichever side of the fence you fall on, be it backing NSW in the State Of Origin, or selecting Bristile’s latest concrete tile offering, there will always be pros and cons to your choice. This blog sets out to inform you about the two main roofing materials available in Australia.
Cost
Contrary to popular belief, the actual cost difference between the two roof materials are minimal, and is largely dependent on the customisation you choose after selecting the roof material. Ongoing cost can depend on a variety of factors though…..
Winner: Draw
Maintenance
Opinion is mixed here. If you live in a very volatile region that is subject to frequent turbulent weather conditions, metal may be a better choice. High wind conditions can cause pressure fluctuations on a tiled roof, causing them to become dislodged. However, if you live by the ocean, salt can have an adverse effect on the material composition of metal. Furthermore, metal roofing can become discoloured by the constant exposure to UV, whereas a terracotta roof tile will not fade.
In terms of life expectancy, Colorbond has really upped it its game here, but a 50 year product warranty on offer from Bristile on their concrete roof tiles is hard to argue with. Furthermore, if damage occurs, it’s much easier to replace one or two tiles than it is a whole metal roof sheet.
Winner: Tile
Material Properties
In summer months, metal roofs will typically transfer more heat into the roof space than a tiled roof. A tiled roof will also allow ventilation through the roof space, keeping the roof space and dwelling cooler. Daily heat cycles will also cause the building to expand and contract. A metal roof will typically creak from this movement. Precipitation will also make much more of a racket than water droplets falling onto a tiled roof, so if silence is a prerequisite to building your new home, tile trumps metal here.
Winner: Tile
Transport
Depending on location, metal roof sheets can be much easier to transport in high volumes. They can be flat-packed on a truck, with little chance of damage occurring in transit. Tiles are much heavier and much harder to pack, making them a little bit more difficult to transport to the job if it’s in a remote location.
Winner: Metal
The ‘Je ne sais pas’
Tile has always been synonymous with prestige and tradition. The aesthetics of a tile roof are far superior (in my opinion) to a metal roof’s aesthetics, and although beauty is in the eye of a beholder, I think most would agree there is something satisfying about seeing a tiled roof with lead grey [Wakaflex] flashing installed.
However, Colorbond knows this, and over the past decade it has been very clever with its marketing. Colorbond has increased its market share substantially (around 70% currently) by advertising metal as the future of roofing, and making it more desirable as the roofing material of choice. So where tile is traditional, metal is the new punk in town….and it has taken the market by a storm.
Winner: Tile
Summary
It’s a personal choice. I would always prefer a tiled roof due to the aesthetics, the quieter acoustics in harsh weather conditions, and 20 years post installation, a tiled roof would have character, whereas I believe a metal roof looks haggard.
Overall Winner: Tile
What do you prefer? Thankfully Evo Build can offer a variety of flashings to suit your roofing material, be it tile or metal.