There are many styles of roofs we use today for our homes, businesses, and other structures. But have you ever wondered about the history of roofs? As long as man has been on earth we have sought shelter from the heat, rain, wind, cold, and other elements that could pose us harm. As time progressed, mankind invented better and more efficient roofs to protect them and provide shelter from the out of doors. Journey back in time as Nickerson Roofing shares a brief history of the roof and the improving developments throughout time.
Clay, Thatched & Wooden Shingle Roofs
Some of the first glazed clay tile roofs were used in China about 5000 years ago. The first flat earthenware tiled roofs were used by the Babylonian and Grecians around the same time. The Romans brought us their own version of the Greek tile to England round 100 B.C. Even though clay tiles were widely used around 735 A.D., many cultures started to use thatched roofs or straw like roofs as they were far cheaper and easier for even the poor to obtain. Around 300 years later, the use of wooden shingles was used more frequently by the populace. They too were easier to obtain and were affordable for all classes to use. However both the thatched roofs and wooden shingled roof had a major flaw. The number of residential fires increased and in the 12th century, King John, the King of England at the time, implemented the use of clay tile once again. He banned the use of thatched or wooden shingle roofs, reducing the amount of accidental fires. By the 19th century the majority of roof industries began producing clay roof tiles. However as the industry grew and designs improved, they later invented the first concrete roofing tile. Nonetheless, many didn’t like the look of the concrete, so manufacturers began adding colored dye to the tile to help make their concrete tile appear more like the traditional clay tile.
Green Roofing System & Asphalt Shingles
Around the early 1970s in Germany, roofing development industries came out with the first “Green roofing system,” which also gave birth to the asphalt shingle. Due to the asphalt shingles simplicity of manufacturing and inexpensive cost, the roofing industries had a higher and higher demand for producing asphalt roofs. However the biggest breakthrough in roof materials and design has occurred in the last 200 years.
Wood, Slate & Metal Roofs
In the United States we see wood and metal roofs being used in the southern parts of the nation, slate roofs in the Northeast, wooden roofs mostly in the Midwest, and tile roofing in south west parts of America. Each material is often used due to the regional climate. Now, with more advances in technology more materials are being used for roofing, such as glass and polymer, as well as smog absorbing tiles. With an ever growing industry of roofing, who knows what the future might bring in material and roofing design.
Roofing Services in Truckee, Mystic, Floriston, Olympic Valley, Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Ridgewood, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, Eder, Norden, Soda Springs & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California
Because of the continuing improvements of the roofing industry, Nickerson Roofing can provide roofing installation for new homes as well as repair or replace the roofs of older homes. We can inspect and maintain roof for homes in Truckee, California and surrounding regions. Contact Nickerson Roofing today for all of your roofing needs.
