18th Century Roofing Materials

Oak or chestnut shingles were also very fashionable in the 14th century and were seen as less of a fi re risk in urban areas than thatch.

18th century roofing materials.

The roof so often equals style. Roofs of the 17th and 18th centuries typically were covered by cedar or pine shingles. Thomas jefferson was an early advocate of tin roofing and he installed a standingseam tin roof on monticello ca. Lead as well as copper covered roof surfaces where wood tile or slate shingles were inappropriate because of the roof s pitch or shape.

Another advantage of copper roofing systems is that they are relatively easy to repair. Copper roofs have a high initial cost but very long lifetime. The search for alternative roofing materials is not new. As early as the 18th century fear of fire caused many wood shingle or board roofs to be replaced by sheet metal or clay tile.

Unlike wood slate is a highly durable inflammable rot and insect resistant material. Depending on the ownership and location of quarries or brickyards stone slates or tiles were also used. For example a lead roof covered rosewell one of the grandest mansions in 18th century virginia. Clay tiles were seen as early as the 17th century and had largely been used by european settlers in such settlements as jamestown new york and boston.

The tiles themselves are flat and rectangular with a common measurement of around 10 by 6 by. Tests on european copper roofs from the 18th century showed that in theory copper roofs can last one thousand years. For example a lead roof covered rosewell one of the grandest mansions in 18th century virginia. Lead as well as copper covered roof surfaces where wood tile or slate shingles were inappropriate because of the roof s pitch or shape.

But more often lead was used for protective flashing. The steep gables of gothic revival a pyramid roof broken by dormers on an american foursquare and as here the extravagant complex asymmetry topping a victorian queen anne house. These clay materials were ideal as a precaution against fires which had engulfed london in 1666 and charred boston in 1679. Some historic roofs were failures from the start based on overambitious and naive use of materials as they were first developed.

Tinplate iron commonly called tin roofing was used extensively in canada in the 18th century but it was not as common in the united states until later. Material of choice was lead and to a lesser extent copper.