Will Your Garage Look Good?
Before you choose your garage roof’s materials, it’s also a good idea to ask yourself if your garage will be seen as an extension of your home or not. Attached garages and detached garages that are large and visible from the street will look best when they match your home’s roof. You have more flexibility when choosing a roof for a smaller garage or even a shed that is tucked behind the house because it won’t affect your curb appeal. Although, even a hidden garage roof may still affect how potential buyers feel about your backyard. Take a peek at your home’s roofing material and keep it in mind when you look through the material list below.
Materials You Can Install on a Garage Roof
High-Pitched Roofs
The materials you can use on a garage roof depend on its pitch. High-pitched garage roofs include many styles, from gambrels to hip roofs to gable roofs. As long as your roof’s pitch is above 2:12, you can use the following materials.
Metal roofing: Specialized metal roofing makes for a very durable and reliable roof. However, it’s very expensive. Some homeowners worry it will be noisy in the rain — although that’s not as much of a concern on your garage.
Clay/concrete tiles: Clay and concrete tiles are popular roofing materials in Europe. You can find them in North America, but they aren’t the best choice for a garage roof. They’re durable, fire-resistant and often beautiful. However, they’re heavy, which may add too much weight to your garage.
Cedar/wood shingles: Wooden shakes and shingles are available to adorn your garage. While they have a finer look than many other garage roofing options, they need more maintenance than all other options and wear out faster in wet areas.
Asphalt shingles: Asphalt shingles are the most popular residential roofing material in North America and make great garage roofs for much the same reasons they’re so widely used throughout North America. Asphalt shingles are durable and can be very cost-effective. If you choose asphalt shingles, then you’ll likely be able to match your garage with your home exactly, which is key to maintain the look of your property.
What Kind of Decking Should You Use on a Garage Roof?
Shingles aren’t the only thing you need to consider when putting a roof on your garage. The base layer of the roof, the decking, is also critical. Plywood is recommended.
Shingles aren’t the only thing you need to consider when putting a roof on your garage. The base layer of the roof, the decking, is also critical. Plywood is recommended.
How to Fix a Sagging Roof
If your garage’s roof is sagging it is most likely due to improper support. You may end up needing to install a completely new roof from the deck up. You can prepare for a garage reroof the way you’d prepare for your home’s roof replacement.
Drip Edges, Flashing and Gutters
The other major problem garage roofs run into is crumbling or damaged edges. Shingles aren’t enough to protect the edge of a roof because, as water drips off, some of it clings to the surface and soaks up into the decking or underlayment.
The solution is to install drip edges, a type of metal flashing that helps water leave the edge of the roof without causing damage. Water will leave the drip edge and land in the gutter. Speaking of which, you should also install gutters on your garage. If you don’t, water may collect around the foundation and cause damage. If your garage is in your backyard and surrounded by grass, the force of the water dropping from the edge of the garage can damage that grass.
