Roofing has taken quite a journey from its origins of plant material and animal hides. The material makeup of a roof can help define the culture, climate and economic status of the building it protects. For instance, a terracotta roof is typical of the Mediterranean, of temperate climates and a culture of long lasting construction. A bituminous roof; the flat, blacktop type, is standard on commercial or large scale residential buildings and tends to require complicated construction techniques and lifetime maintenance. The list goes on and on, but for a moment run through the possibilities and see where it takes you – metal, green roof, solar panel, slate, asphalt tile, wood shingle.

Clay Roof Tiles. Designed by The Roof Tile Guru.

Reclaimed building materials are working their way into the upper echelon via creative materials such as Vintage Wine Barrel flooring, reclaimed barn wood by Stone Source and resurrected shattered safety glass surfaces. While these products all deal with interior finishes, the exterior of a building makes the first impression. The Roof Tile Guru, is making reclaimed roofs a reality with its extensive collection of reclaimed roofing tiles.

Located in Colorado, the Roof Tile Guru has historic tiles that date back to the 1800’s. Their stock includes clay, concrete and asbestos transite tiles which come in a variety of antique styles and colors. A look through the Roof Tile Guru inventory is like a walk through an old American town.

The environmental benefits of reclaimed roofing include limiting the production of new materials, and keeping old, still functioning materials out of our landfills. The integrity of the reclaimed material would determine the energy efficiency of the new (old) roof, but I’ll leave that up to the experts. In terms of aesthetics, there is a charm to well aged materials that can’t be imitated.