There are many types of roofing materials on the market and in order to determine which roof type is right for a given structure one must do a little comparison between the available options. Only by comparing the needs of a structure and its owners as well as occupants to the benefits and potential problems caused by different types of roofs can one pick the best roof type for the situation.

For simplicity sake there are essential 4 major types of roofs: metal roofs, concrete roofs, wooden roofs and ceramic roofs. Each of those roof types can be further broken down, but that is beyond the scope of this article. In fact, if one wanted to cover all the different types of roofs on the market they could fill up several books without breaking stride. In fact, many authors actually have, but this is more of a primer on the material choices.

Metal roofs have a lengthy history and have enjoyed lengthy stints as the roofing material of choice in many European and Asian cultures at different points in history. There are many different types of metals that can be used in the construction of roofs and each type of metal has its own properties. Compared to woods, metals are quite durable though both are vulnerable to exposure to rain, snow and humidity over long periods of time.

Ceramic and concrete are far less vulnerable to extended exposure, however concrete requires ample load bearing capacities built into the structure unlike any of the other materials. Ceramic, like wood and metal roofing materials comes in a variety of forms that can compete at a number of different price points with other forms of roofing. On the whole metals and ceramics tend to occupy the lowest price points, and solid concrete roofs only compete with rare and exotic hardwoods in terms of price per square foot.

It is worth noting that of all of the common materials that human being build roofs out of, only metals are recyclable. This is great for the environment in more way than one due to the fact that there are also metal roofing materials made from recycled materials. Add to this the fact that wood is in limited supply that is currently being exhausted at an alarming rate. Metal roofs may, therefore be the most environmentally friendly option from many different standpoints.

Remember to weigh ones needs against the strengths and weaknesses of each type of roofing material. Choosing a type of roofing material based only on strengths may be dangerous if the local weather will exploit a weakness of that material or if the price is simply too high. Remember to look at the entire picture, which includes maintenance needs measured over a span of several years before making any final purchasing decision.