What You Need to Know About Roofing a Tiny House

Roofing materials

Your choice of roofing material is crucial. There are three main types of roofing materials you can choose from:

• Asphalt shingles
• Ceramic tiles
• Metal roofing panels

Asphalt shingles and metal panels are popular choices, but you might want to check out the difference between metal and asphalt roofs before settling on what suits your tiny house. Asphalt shingles are very durable but are costly, and difficult to install and transport. On the other hand, metal roofs are lighter and can be installed without professional help, but are can be susceptible to rust. So choose the metal roofing type carefully! Check out this guide.

Vented or unvented

The roof plays a crucial ventilation role in a tiny house. Before you choose your roofing style, you must consider if it will be vented or unvented. On a vented roof, ridge vents allow fresh air to move along the underside of the roof, and warm air from the interior exits through the soffit vents. This technique prevents the formation of ice dams in winter and overheating in the summer.

Unfortunately, vented roofing isn't ideal for a tiny house, and experts recommend unvented roofing as the house has a less vertical height which is further reduced when creating vents. Unvented roofs are sealed without airways and are easier to install.

What does the roof do for you?

Roofing helps to mitigate inclement weather occurrences such as rainwater, humidity, airflow, and thermal conductivity. Different regions experience these weather patterns in varying extremities. You should always imagine your roof in layers. The first layer, made up of shingles, tiles, or metal panels, should be waterproof to avoid water seepage and ice damming. The next layer should seal the roof to control airflow and water vapor that may lead to the development of molds. The third layer should insulate the house from heat extremities.

Different roofing styles

Once you have put all aspects of your roofing design into perspective, you can select a roofing style that suits your tiny house architecture. You can choose from any of the following options:

• Gable roof
• Gambrel roof
• Mansard roof
• Hipped roof
• Shed roof
• Flat roof

Installing the roofing correctly

Different roofing materials have unique methods of installation. However, before installing shingles, metal panels, or tiles, your roof must be decked and lined with roofing paper for ventilation and sealing purposes. Roofing decks are made of pressure-treated wood and are the base that holds the roofing materials on the frame.

The roofing paper comes after the deck and seals your roof from any water that may seep through the roofing materials that automatically goes above the roofing paper and should be installed appropriately to allow easy water runoff. Remember to install other supporting features such as drip edge flashings and drainages.