When you think about roofs, one for your porch may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But bear with us, there’s logic to this… Whether it is a front or back porch, an entryway porch or a comfortable semi-outdoor space for you and your family, a porch can be both an aesthetic part of your home as well as a functional space. Installing a porch cover could mean that you make so much more use of it than you otherwise would.
Porch coverings or roofs come in many different shapes and forms, and with each one there are a number of things to consider before making your final choice. We take a look at the most popular options for you this month to give you a taste of what’s available.
Pitched or flat?
The decision on this will most likely depend on the architecture and style of your house as anything that looks out of place will not be a good aesthetic fit. If either will work take a look at our flat vs pitched roofs article as a starting point.
Materials
When it comes to materials you have a wide selection to choose from. Again, this will be dictated to a degree by the existing architectural style of your home, but there is more leeway here. The next thing to consider is the aspect of the porch. South-facing and north-facing porches will have different requirements with amount of sunlight and temperature considerations to account for.
On pitched roofs, there are traditional and also more modern materials that you can choose from. On the traditional end of the spectrum, you would normally use clay tiles or natural slates, which look fantastic, giving you the old-fashioned look and feel, particularly if your home is a more natural-looking style. You can also get concrete tiles and cement fibre slates (man-made), which are cheaper and normally easier to source, but will never last as long as the natural materials. Your choice may be determined by the surrounding properties and types of property you have.
When a flat roof is used, the more modern options include EPDM, an imported idea from across the pond. A highly durable, synthetic rubber roof, it typically comes in the colour black and is suitable for low-pitch porch roofs. Others include GRP and PVC options. GRP, also known as fibreglass, can last for up to 30 years and comes in easy-to-install laminate form. PVC is popular with carports, sheds, and other outbuildings. The traditional flat roofs options are typically high performance felt and Asphalt, which can last a minimum of 15 years with the new products on the market.
Additional things to consider
If you are adding a roof to a structure you will also need to add guttering to ensure that water is moved away safely and either diverted into the drain or to a rain water collection tank. Depending on the style of roof you choose you will also need to consider whether lead flashing is required to seal it off and prevent leaks through it which could find their way into your property.
For more ideas on porch roofs and what your options are get in touch with our roofing experts at Roof Rescue. Simply give us a call on 020 3189 1618 and we can talk you through or, if you know what you want, prepare a quote for you.
