Postimees · Home & Construction (Kodu ja Ehitus) · 2025
How to find the best roof for your house?
English translation of the original Estonian article. Original headline: Kuidas leida oma majale parim katus?
See the original design in the magazineChoosing a roof is important, because who doesn't know the saying – the main thing is to have a roof over your head. A roof protects us from the weather in the changeable Nordic climate, adds to the feeling of home and gives a house its characteristic appearance. Most importantly, the lifespan of the whole house depends largely on the roofing material.
The pitched roof is the most common in Estonia, and for good reason. Such a solution is best for draining precipitation and helps protect the structure of the house under heavy snow loads. Steeper roofs also look classically beautiful. How do you find your way among the different roofing materials and make the best choice? This article sets out the main options, advantages and disadvantages to support an informed decision.
A tiled roof – a durable and timeless choice
A tiled roof withstands strong wind, rain and harsh winters best. Despite the considerable weight on the building's structure and time-consuming installation, the result is worth it. It is the most durable material, and its shapes and colour range suit many buildings.
A tiled roof does have a few drawbacks, though. Installation takes more time, for example, so labour costs rise. The strength of the load-bearing structures also has to be taken into account in design. Although it doesn't damage the roof, tile is porous and can grow moss in certain conditions. Simply removing it does the tiled roof no harm.
One more argument in favour of a tiled roof: since it has far more advantages than disadvantages, it helps increase the value of the property.
One myth about tiled roofs is that they are expensive. Indrek Tudre, board member of Indrem Elementmajad OÜ, a builder of prefabricated houses with years of experience, helps dispel it: "Today roof tiles are comparable in price to quality steel profile. Yet a tiled roof lasts many times longer, needs much less maintenance and gives the house a far more dignified appearance."
Advantages of a tiled roof
- A very long service life.
- Withstands the weather: wind, rain, snow, UV radiation.
- Needs little care.
- Good sound insulation.
- Durable, with beauty and price in balance.
A metal roof is light and quick to install
The light patter of rain on the roof may seem lovely and romantic, but in big storms you start to worry whether all the sheets were properly fixed to the battens. Changeable weather and branches falling on a metal roof can cause quite serious damage.
Although a metal roof has many advantages, there are some drawbacks. As with steel products in general, rust damage and dents are possible. Depending on the location, mobile reception may be impaired. At the same time, the sun's UV radiation shows no mercy, fading the paint. In addition, strong wind or hail can damage the roof profile and the surface of the paint layer, thereby reducing durability.
Leho Liidres, board member of Steelroof Plekikoda OÜ, a highly experienced installer of metal roofs, refutes the idea that steel profile roofs are noisy. "Well-insulated metal roofs with quality insulation make no more noise than others. The key is proper installation. At the same time, new noise-dampening solutions are offered for even more sensitive ears. SoundControl is a fabric glued to the underside of the panels during production; it contains no chemicals harmful to materials or health, is resistant to bacteria and gives a noticeable reduction of wind and rain noise of up to 35 per cent. Noise level reductions of up to 6 dB have been measured."
At the same time, the laws of physics can't be ignored: metal still dampens the fall of raindrops less than thicker and more porous tile. This can matter especially near roof windows.
Advantages of a metal roof
- Light weight.
- Quick and easy installation.
- A wide range of colours and profiles.
- Good value for money.
- Generally doesn't grow moss, because the surface isn't porous.
A simple and flexible bitumen roof
Bitumen is a viscous, sticky substance from which a waterproof and durable material can be made. It is used mainly as an ingredient in asphalt, but bitumen is often seen on the flat roofs of shopping centres, commercial buildings, car parks and private houses. To make the material more flexible, rubber is sometimes added.
Its drawbacks include a shorter service life than a tiled roof, lower resistance to UV radiation and the need for maintenance in our climate. Materials installed on flat roofs need to be checked especially in winter and spring, as blown leaves, snow and ice can prevent water from draining off the roof. If debris has blocked the drains, leaks can appear in unexpected places after rain or thawing.
A flat roof also needs heated drains so that precipitation and meltwater can be led off the roof in winter too. This porous material also risks collecting airborne debris and growing moss. Bitumen is brittle at sub-zero temperatures and susceptible to puncture damage.
Just as important is the fact that a bitumen roof is installed using an open flame and, unlike tile, its production and disposal have a large ecological footprint.
Advantages
- Flexible, suits roofs of different shapes.
- Easy to install, especially as roll material.
- As quiet as tile.
- Inexpensive.
The elastic PVC roof
A PVC roof uses thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride, which has similar properties, instead of the usual bitumen as the flat roof covering. Its advantage is durability: two layers of ordinary bitumen roofing correspond to the same strength class, and just one layer is enough to cover the roof. PVC is installed with special hot-air welders.
A drawback is the need to inspect and maintain a PVC roof from time to time to avoid unexpected leaks. As with a bitumen flat roof, the rainwater drains will most likely need to be heated in winter to prevent blockages. This, however, increases the electricity bill.
Because of large temperature fluctuations, the material expands and contracts and can tear. This in turn increases the risk of leaks. It should also be remembered that PVC has poor insulating properties and is made from oil, a non-renewable resource.
On the other hand, PVC is also suitable under green roofs, but ventilation definitely needs attention here.
Advantages
- High elasticity.
- Quick installation.
- Good durability.
- Excellent adhesion to many surfaces, including concrete, brick and glass.
- Only one layer needed.
A successful comeback: fibre cement sheets, or eternit
Today, besides tile, fibre cement sheets, or eternit, are probably the roofing material with the longest lifespan. Consisting of limestone, cement, cellulose, water and PVA fibres, it has long since stopped containing the asbestos known from Soviet times, which is dangerous to humans.
Although today's eternit roof is durable and dampens noise well, there are problems too. Fibre cement sheets may need repainting, for example, to keep their aesthetic appearance. In extreme conditions, some roof sheets occasionally break and need replacing. For some homeowners, using eternit is the least prestigious choice.
Advantages
- Weather-resistant.
- The balance between price and service life is right.
- Relatively easy installation.
- Good sound insulation.
Stand out in a nature-friendly way with a green roof
As a bold decision, you can choose a distinctive green roof. It is ecological and beautiful to look at, but requires commitment, a strong house structure and, of course, quality insulation.
A green roof is truly eye-catching, has a small ecological footprint and works well as a fire barrier. Here the architectural specifics should not be forgotten: the roof requires a strong load-bearing structure, high-quality waterproofing work, a drainage system and careful choice of plants.
Advantages
- Binds airborne dust.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Reduces the house's energy consumption.
- Dampens noise well.
What else is possible?
Staying true to old traditions, there is also the option of a thatched roof or a wooden shingle roof. These need a steeper roof pitch and are often quite costly. From a sustainability perspective, the so-called solar roof is becoming ever more popular and affordable: integrated solar panels that fit with a tiled roof, or solar panels that function entirely as the roofing material.
A roof is a considerable investment that should keep its properties for decades. You need to know the advantages and disadvantages of different materials to make a well-considered decision. When choosing a roof, you have to take into account the location of the house, weather conditions, architecture, personal preferences and budget. Sometimes, when making a bigger investment, an old saying helps: "You're not rich enough to buy cheap things."