Roofing Shingles
By Gary Ng
Roofing shingles are something that most every homeowner has, but few spend enough time thinking about them. The purpose of shingles are to provide a single layer solution to a leak proof top for a home or structure. Shingles are generally laid out from the bottom edge of the roof upward, with each higher row overlapping the lower row. Traditionally shingles were made of wood and were capped at the top with a row of copper or lead sheeting. In modern shingle roofs this has been replaced by a row of shingles with plastic underlay. Back to the make up of shingles, wood was considered good. But in time modern materials such as asphalt and asbestos cement replaced wood as common materials. Fiberglass based asphalt shingles are now the most popular shingle used in the United States. The obvious issue with wood is fire, and fire is the reason wood and paper backed shingles are used infrequently in modern construction. Most people have seen a type of wood shingle, but wouldn't be able to identify it. It's called a shake, which is a wooden shingle made from split logs. Shake roofs were common with log cabins, and with many wood frame homes. They're still in use today, most commonly transported by helicopters, but it wasn't always done that way. Before the invention of helicopters the shakes were tied into packs and transported by pack animal or even by human power. Often cut in hilly areas, they were carried down the slope with the help of a long line run from the bottom to the top. This line served as a hand hold so people carrying the shake packs wouldn't fall. The main difference between a shingle and a tile is flexibility. Tiles are generally made from ceramic. They're brittle and ill suited to locations where tree limbs might fall on a roof. Shingles are flexible and therefor better able to stand up to tree limbs. Wood shingles rot, while ceramic

The Get More Calls Now Teleseminar Program Returns
Al Levi and Ellen Rohr are kicking off their Teleseminar Series: Get More Calls Now, which is starting Sept. 28, 2010. 
DEWALT Announces Sponsorship for Big Fight
DEWALT will sponsor the “200: Celebrate & Dominate” fight between “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Sergio “Latin Snake” Mora set to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 18
Proposed Vegetative Roofing System Standard Developed by ASTM Committee
A proposed new ASTM International standard will address an important aspect of designing this kind of roofing: determining the proper roofing and waterproofing membrane for a particular system.
Industry-First Photovoltaic Training for Roofing Contractors from CertainTeed
CertainTeed Corporation has established a new services group and robust training program that will assist roofing contractors to transition into the solar roofing market.
OMG Realigns Management Team to Drive Growth
OMG, Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of innovative fasteners, adhesives, drains and tools for use in construction and commercial roofing applications, has realigned its management team to drive continued growth.
Solar Report from Eagleview
EagleView Technologies has introduced a new solar roofing report that offers everything needed to calculate solar exposure, roof square footage and panel placement.
OMG Realigns Management Team to Drive Growth
OMG, Inc. has realigned its management team to drive continued growth.
Proposed Vegetative Roofing System Standard Being Developed by ASTM Roofing and Waterproofing Committee
Greater interest in vegetative, or green, roof systems brings a proposed standard on determining the proper roofing and waterproofing membrane for a particular system.
CertainTeed?s Shreveport Roofing Plant Paves the Way to Greener Operations
CertainTeed Corporation is teaming up with a Texas paving company to recycle nearly 100 percent of manufacturing waste, aiming to eliminate dependency on landfills.
Sika Sarnafil and Greenskies Renewable Energy Complete Solar Installation
Sika Sarnafil, a leader in thermoplastic roofing and waterproofing membranes, announced that it is hosting a solar project at its Dan Road facility in Canton, Mass.

tiles don't., but modern materials such as the asbestos base for most shingles don't rot. Another difference is the shape. Shingles are flat, while ceramic tiles commonly have an “S” profile to allow them to interlock for strength. One of the more unique materials for roof shingles is slate. Because of both cleavage and grain slate can be easily split into thin sheets. Such sheets, the slate shingles, make for an old world look for a roof. Slate shingles are installed by a slater, a tradesman trained to work with slate. The same qualities that make slate excellent for shingles, they are fireproof and an electric insulator, made them useful for early 20th century switchboards and relay controls on large electric motors. Imagine that, making a phone call on your shingles.
For more resources related to roofing materials, do visit our main site to find out more!