All About Asphalt Shingle Tiles With SheShed

At SheShed we supply two types of roofing for our cabins depending on the style you are ordering. In this blog we will cover the properties and uses of asphalt shingle tiles to answer some common questions to provide a better understanding of their benefits, care, and maintenance.

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What are Asphalt Shingle Tiles?

Asphalt shingle tiles are one of the most common types of roofing around the world. It has a beautiful and aesthetic look to it and has quite a good performance and lifespan lasting easily between 10 to 15 years, or even longer with proper care. Asphalt tiles are bituminous sheets nailed on top of a timber roof. They are incredibly easy to install and come in a standardised size so they can easily be trimmed to fit any roof area.

When laid in the correct manner, the shingles each overlap the layer beneath, so rain slides off due to the water repellent nature of the asphalt itself. The nails are hidden by the overlapping sheet above, and the warmth of the sun helps the tiles to fuse together, creating an aesthetically pleasing weatherproof membrane to keep the water out of your cabin.

The tiles are a smart choice of roofing with a great wind resistance of up to 160km/h when they're fixed to the roof in the correct manner. Another benefit of using a bituminous /mineral-based product means they are non-corrosive, so if you’re close to the ocean you won’t have to worry about saltwater spray damaging the roof.

Asphalt tiles are a cost effective and lightweight roofing option in comparison to other materials such as concrete, clay and slate tiles. They have a very high UV resistance, as well as resistance to mildew, salt, and high weather impacts. At SheShed, we use asphalt tiles for our gable and apex style cabins due to its great practical properties for the sloped type of roofing, and the ease of installing for our DIY customers. The Bituminous base product is naturally black, so this means the roof doesn't fade over time, but retains its original colour for the life of the product.

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Rainwater Collection Off Asphalt Tiles:

In general, when you are collecting rainwater, precaution should be taken as it’s normally not meant for drinking, no matter how it’s collected. This is because it’s considered “grey water,” meaning it’s more suitable for use in the garden or for other household chores. Rainwater is also often exposed to other things such as debris, paint, leaves and insects, bird droppings, vermin & other pest as well as the roofing material itself. All these factors can make collected rainwater not recommended for consumption. If you are wanting to use collected rainwater for drinking, you will need to filter it from an asphalt roof in the same way you would from any other type of roof.  

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Are Asphalt Tiles Poisonous?

The SheShed asphalt tiles themselves are a non-hazardous product and are only manufactured from non-toxic materials. As we use modern day asphalt shingle tiles, there are no traces of asbestos in our product, (unlike some kinds of tiles used by other companies in the past). Another great benefit is that asphalt tiles do not pose a major threat to the environment as they can be recycled for road repairs when they are removed. Their general care is very low maintenance too, as they usually do not require any special cleaning or specific treatments.

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How To Look After Asphalt Tiles On Your SheShed

Although asphalt shingle tiles do not need regular cleaning or maintenance, there are a few key things you can do to prolong the lifespan of your roof.

• Keep the area clear of leaves, branches or other debris that can potentially damage the shingles.
• Trim overhanging tree branches so they no not cause damage to the tiles or cause gaps for water to get in.
• For builds in shaded areas, make sure there is no moss or lichen growing on the tiles as this can force itself between the tiles causing an opening for potential water leakage.
• Although a rare occurrence, periodically check for any damaged or missing tiles and replace them as soon as possible.

Overall, asphalt shingle tiles are a great material for roofing and are very hardy and low maintenance. As long as they are installed correctly, and any damage is repaired immediately, the tiles have an extensive life span.

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With a range of different size options and styles, a SheShed kitset cabin can provide the perfect solution to easily create your guest house, spare bedroom, office space, hair studio, beauty therapy, home business, kids retreat, granny flat, bach or holiday house extension. Whatever your space needs, a SheShed is the solution! See our full range of kitset cabin options here.