Fibreglass
All you need to know about GRP FIBREGLASS ROOFING … GRP Stands for ‘Glassfibre Reinforced Plastics’, also referred to as ‘Fibreglass’, ‘Composite Plastics’, and in the USA, ‘FRP’. It is an amazingly versatile material, and one that is little understood in industry, but which has truly immense potential across a wide spectrum of applications. Its vast range of properties can be confusing to the uninitiated. It is a ‘Plastic’ but it displays few of the disadvantages of conventional ‘thermoplastics’ in everyday use. For instance, it will not melt, but will burn in a similar way to wood, but can be easily and cheaply made fire retardant. It is very strong – seven times the flexural strength of steel – yet very lightweight with the tremendous energy absorption properties which have made it a common material for racing cars, boats, baths & even aero planes. However, GRP is a moulded product which requires some sort of former or tool from which it is moulded in to or on to. In it simplest and most common form, know as ‘hand-lay’.A typical roof would be constructed as follows : Remove Existing Felt/Chippings & Deck. Expose Existing Roof Joists. Ensure Poor Water Drainage is improved usually with timber firings. Re deck roof area with 18mm External Grade Ply. Specially made pre moulded edging trims, flashing trims, fillets trims are fixed. Matting is cut to size and impregnated with special resin on to deck to form a seamless membrane. Once curing time has elapsed a pigmented top coat resin is applied to the whole roof. Where roof meets wall a lead flashing or grp flashing is installed. Where roof meets roof tiles GRP roof will be extended under the tile roof. Waste is removed from site. A 20 year guarantee is issued. This system is a new generation of Flat Roofing and the answer to leaking felt roofs. This system is a permanent guaranteed solution to all flat roofing problems. The unique seamless system totally eliminates all the problems and short life span of traditional felt & bitumen materials. This system is Long Lasting, Attractive, Cost Effective, Maintenance Free & Durable and can be Cold Applied (hence no blow torches or live flames).This roof is a specially developed resin system that accommodates everyday structural expansion and contraction. This system offers long term peace of mind and real value for money. This system is extensively used by local authorities, architects, and major companies throughout the country.

Felt roofing
Roofing felt comprises layers of felt material, impregnated with a tarry layer of bituminous that waterproofs the felt, bonds the layers together and allows it to bond to the roof structure. The felt can be attached to the roof by ‘cold’ or ‘hot’ works. In the first technique, bitumen is heated and poured on as the roofing material is unrolled to aid with adherence to the roof structure. An alternative method involves heating the felting material with a blowtorch as the roofing is unrolled, with this method being more suitable for smaller surface areas. With cold works, the felt is unrolled and then adhered or nailed to the surface underneath. Felt roofing can last up to thirty years and is repairable.

Slate roofing
A slate roof is a roof made from slate, a type of metamorphic rock which is highly durable, making it very suitable for roofing. It is most common to see slate roofs in regions where slate is naturally abundant, although slate shingles can also be shipped to other regions of the world. Slate is very close-grained, and it cleaves readily into thin tiles which can be used for roofing. This rock is typically dark in tone, varying from gray to bluish to greenish, and when it is applied properly by a professional slater, a slate roof can last for years. The roof will also be very water-resistant, and it will be able to withstand heavy accumulations of snow.

Tiling
There are many different types of roof tiles and slates which are made from various materials and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which come in a plethora of different colours and finishes. To help get your head around the all these options it’s worth understanding a little about roof tile design. Most roof tiles available today have evolved from just four original types of roof covering that were first introduced hundreds of years ago and still remain popular today. These are : -Slate – thin rectangular sections of quarried metamorphic rock that come in varying sizes and thicknesses. Plain Tiles – small rectangular sections of clay with a smooth or sanded surface finish. Pantiles – a distinctive clay tile with an ‘S’ shaped profile. Roman Tiles – similar to a Pantile, but has a cross section that is flat with a small roll.The principal designs outlined above have evolved over the last 50 years with the majority of new tiles and slates falling into one of the above family of products. Tile design evolved with added features to improve performance and reduce cost. This first started in the 1950s when manufacturers began to use concrete to create more economical plain tiles and pantiles. In the 60s and 70s after successfully copying clay tiles in concrete the manufacturers went one step further, by taking the traditional pantile and roman tile designs and forming them into larger double unit concrete tiles. These new designs were quicker, easier and therefore cheaper to install. The same approach was applied to slate, which spawned alternatives made from concrete and fibre cement. More recently, new clay tile designs have appeared that match concrete in size and ease of installation. There are also new clay tiles that take on a slate appearance, creating cost effective natural alternatives to traditional slate. It’s worth noting that one of the key constraints on roof tile design, is the planning system, which demands that new and refurbished roofs reflect traditional and local styles. This is one of the reasons that new tile designs do not stray too far from any of the original traditional designs. Instead, manufacturers create hybrids that introduce added benefits but remain respectful of each tile’s origins.

Rubber roofing
Rubber roofing is a durable exterior roofing material used for flat roof surfaces. Often used to cover RV roofs, this material is also used on flat roofs in both residential and commercial structures. It is resistant to most extreme weather conditions and requires very little care and maintenance.