Choosing the right roofing material for a garage is crucial. The roof will need to keep your garage watertight, protect it from the elements, and match your property aesthetics.
These factors become even more important when building a timber garage. A good roof will help keep the wood dry, preserve it for longer, and enhance its appearance.
In this article, we explore the best garage roof options on the market and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
The best type of roof for a garage is a pitched roof, which is the most common roof shape. It consists of two sections sloping in opposite directions and meeting at the ridge.
A pitched roof is especially suitable for garages in cold and temperate climates. Gable roof slopes direct water and snow off the roof. This helps prevent water build-up, which can drip into the building’s interior and cause damage to the walls and structure of the building.
Moreover, gable roofs provide improved airflow, preventing mould and dampness in your garage.
Having decades of experience in handcrafting and installing timber garages across the UK, at Chart Garages, we believe the best roofing options are:
Below, we explore each material and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
Onduline is a brand of lightweight roofing sheets made of recycled cellulose fibres and bitumen, which resemble corrugated steel.
Onduline sheets are watertight, even when perforated. When drilling into them, they release micro bitumen drops, which seal around fasteners. Moreover, Onduline sheets can withstand high wind loads (up to 260 kilometres per hour when installed on wooden purlins) by absorbing shocks and vibrations.
If you plan to use part of your garage as a workshop or gym, you will also enjoy Onduline's sound-absorbing qualities. Bitumen can transform vibrations into heat, reducing the external noise in your garage.
Some people complain that Onduline sheets aren’t strong enough to withstand walking on and can deform. However, these issues only appear when the material hasn’t been installed correctly, using the recommended number of nails.
At Chart Garages, we supply black Onduline sheets as standard. However, red, brown, and green sheets are also available.
Onduvilla Roof Tiles are tile strips made of recycled materials with a three-tone colour finish, which resemble clay tiles.
They are an excellent alternative to Onduline sheets, offering the same level of waterproofing and sound-absorbing properties. Onduvilla tiles are durable - when used for garage roofing, they come with a 10-year guarantee - and are rust-proof, which means they are suitable for coastal areas.
At Chart Garages, Onduvilla Roof Tiles are available in black, shaded brown, shaded green, and shaded red.
Cedar shingles are a 100% natural roofing solution that will make your garage look timeless. If you live in a Conservation Area or an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you might have to choose this roofing solution to comply with your local authority requirements.
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Cedar shingles are renowned for their exceptional durability and protective qualities. The natural oils in cedar wood provide a robust defence against the weather, burrowing insects, and decay.
Moreover, cedar shingles do not warp or change in size in different weather conditions. Finally, they provide natural insulation against both cold and hot weather.
Cedar shingles are a 100% natural product, making them an environmentally friendly choice.
However, remember that a cedar roof needs cleaning from moss and fungi every two to four years. These can retain moisture and damage the roof.
At Chart Garages, we offer a cedar shingles installation option.
Clay tiles are known for their durability and robustness. They can withstand heavy rainfall, strong winds, and extreme temperatures, making them especially suitable for garages.
Because they are resistant to mould, mildew, and insect damage, clay tiles require minimal maintenance.
Finally, clay tiles are environmentally friendly because they are made of pieces of baked clay, carpet, cork, or other substances. They come in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes.
However, clay tiles can break under heavy impact, like a tree branch falling. So you will need to make sure you build your garage far from any trees.
Our Chester Range garages can be designed to support clay tiles. To complete the tiling, you will need to hire a roof contractor.
Slate-tiled roofs look elegant and are durable - they can last up to 100 years. Because they are non-absorbent, they do not require sealants, which discourages the growth of moss, algae, and fungi.
Moreover, slate is a natural material that is 100% recyclable and is resistant to acid rain, ensuring your roof will last a long time.
On the other hand, slate tiles can break under direct impact and require a specialist installer. Slate is the most expensive garage roofing option on the market.
Our Chester Range of buildings can be designed to accommodate slate tiles. However, we do not carry the tiling out; you will need to hire a roof contractor.
