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Does anyone have any information on the various types of plastic tile roofs and where to buy them at the best price? I have been looking around and find that the metal roof tiles scratch very easily and therefore need painting frequently. Plastic seems best but I want to see every type available so that I can make a fair judgment on what to buy.
I can’t respond to your question, David, but I can offer this. Our architect has used plastic roof tiles in the past and had bad outcomes. Apparently they did not hold up under the harsh equitorial sun. He’s told friends of ours that there are now better tiles available, but it would behoove you to be careful with your selection. They’re not all the same.
i have a recycled plastic tile roof — from a distance it looks like clay tiles. but. . . i live in an area where we get lots of wind and neblina, and when the wind blows at a certain angle, it blows the rain and mist up under the tiles and it then drips into my kitchen. we´ve tried to silicon it everywhere, but i think it either needs to have a complete subroof or i just have to live with it. there is a tiny piece of duct tape on my kitchen floor where the bucket goes in the rainy season! it only leaks about a teaspoon of water so i´ve decided i can live with that by consoling myself that it only rains 6 months a year!!! the company that made my tiles is Mateco and they are in San Jose.
Hi there,
I purchased these same tiles from the same company mentioned above several years ago in 2001. They lasted about 3 years before I needed replacing them. They leaked terribly in heavy rains and damaged my ceiling as well as when working on the roof they cracked and became brittle under the tropical sun here. Also, as they deteriorated I noticed mixed into the plastic were wood particles… Unless they have changed the formula drastically I would stick to a tin roofing material in this climate and paint it every couple years… save yourself some money and headache.Hope this helps,
TicopazThe problem is that I think we are talking apples and oranges. How can anyone know they purchased “the Same” tiles because they are made be several different companies? This is why I wanted to know all the companies who make them or sell them. I had these tiles put on by a builder three years ago and they had three small leaks. Another builder took them off and replaced the same tiles and I had about 52 leaks. Then I went to the manufacturer (I think, because that was what I was told) and he replaced the same tiles and now there are NO LEAKS for six months including the high rainy season. He also gives a 15 year guarantee. So it seems that it all depends on who puts them on because there is a trick to it.
So, if nobody really know who makes them, what other types of roofs are recommended? I don’t want tin and I can’t afford real tile. So what’s left that looks good and works well?
I am using 30 year guarantee laminated asphalt fiberglass roof shingles made by CertainTeed. Landmark 30 AR shingles, in the Burnt Sienna color, 10 year algae resistance, installed over marine plywood. It looks great, like slate tile, and it includes integrated ventilation shingles for hips and ridge tops. I can send a photo, installation design info to your email. Totally satisfied so far. GreciaBound 08
This may be silly but isn’t the tile over a metal roof? I would assume the metal would keep out the rain and the tiles provide a good look and another layer of protection.
Lotus, there are no silly questions – just silly people who don’t ask questions when they should. In the U.S. or Canada we could get all the answers fast but there seem to be many secrets here so we have to work together to make suggestions and ask questions which is the beauty of Scott’s site. He makes it possible. From my research so far it seems that the safest way is, as you say, a metal roof (or plywood or zinc panels) to keep out the rain and the plastic tiles for cosmetics. GreciaBound has provided part of the answer too. (GreciaBound, please ask Scott for my email address as I would like to see what you have). BUT, in my own experience I first had a guy put the tiles on wrong (and without the “under-roof.”) Then another replaced it also without the “under-roof” Then another company who said they were the manufacturer (although I’m not sure) replaced it a third time and since then it has worked(without the “under roof” perfectly through the latter part of the rainy season, so it looks like if the tiles are put on right they will work without anything else. BUT I am now building another house and I want to get it right. That’s why I’m trying to get all the info I can about manufacturers, suppliers and different types of material. Thanks to you all and thanks again to Scott for this invaluable service.
I used plastic tiles by Teja Real in san Jose. They have now been up three years on one roof and seem to be ok. Don’t walk on them when they are hot, they get brittle and snap. They now make a rustic tile, slightly different material and size. It seems to have better thermal qualities. The comments are correct about installing them correctly. It does seem possible to scredw u the installation and leave leaks. We have not used zinc under them and we have no leaks except for a few unplugged screw holes where screws were withdrawn.
GreciaBound,
I am also interested in any info you have regarding your roof system. We are in need of replacing our roof soon and what you have sounds like what we might be looking for. Please email me at the e-address above at aol.com.
Thanks!K.
Costa Rica Roofing 101
When selecting a sustainable material for roof covering in Costa Rica, one should take into account the following variables:Durability- How well can it tolerate the strong ultraviolet rays of the sun and for how long.
Heat Resistance- Some roofing materials retain more heat than others. If the selected product heats up, it will stay hot into the night and can affect the energy efficiency of your dwelling.
Maintainability- Exterior building products here in Costa Rica, less than 10 degrees from the equator, do not perform as well as in other areas that are further away from the equator. A realistic maintenance program should be organized with a knowledgeable builder who has many years of experience here in Costa Rica. Otherwise, when the exterior of your dwelling leaks, it will cause damage to the interior installations as well as your personal items.
Rainwater Effect- Asphalt, Slate, Clay or cementitious materials erode and a portion of the surface aggregate will pass below to other installations and eventually leach into the ground water.
Weight- Heavier roofing materials will require stronger and more expensive structural materials.
Cost- The roof of your dwelling protects all other building materials as well as your personal possessions. You should invest as much as is necessary to install a quality and maintenance free roof.
Fire Rating- Not so much of an issue here as in North America because of federal and local regulations, however your personal safety should always be a consideration when selecting building materials.
Installation Requirements- Once you’ve selected a roofing product, you should be able to rely on the manufacturers guaranteed performance for many years. Roofing products fail here in Costa Rica because they are not installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications. New products and their proprietary installation techniques are often not understood by the architects who specify them and create the blueprints. It’s the responsibility of the builder to install these modern roofing products correctly. Many experienced, Latin tradesmen have been installing traditional roofing materials according to their installation methods for many years but they are not normally receptive to new products and their unique installation methods. You need to be able to communicate well with your builder, and your builder needs to communicate well with the tradesmen who will be installing the materials. Additionally, the builder must be able to speak the language of the tradesmen and have the patience to train them to respect the proprietary installation methods for the products you have specified.
Metal roof materials, steel and aluminum contain high percentages of recycled content, up to 100% in many aluminum products. Most metal roofing, including standing-seam, contains recycled metal. An additional advantage is that these materials are as lightweight and durable as well as easily recycled in their post-use.
Asphalt shingles use recycled, mixed paper in their base and some use reclaimed minerals in the surface aggregate. This type of material does not last as long as the others mentioned above. Recycled plastic roof materials are starting to be introduced as a lightweight option.
Slate, clay, and cementitious roof materials offer excellent durability but are heavy. Fiber-cement composite roof materials are somewhat lighter and use fiber materials resourcefully. Some use waste paper as well as wood fiber. Many have 60 year warranties.
The galvanized factory-finished roofing panels and flashing materials, used in housing construction require specific dimensions of laminate and flashing overlapping and watertight sealants applied between the product overlaps according to the manufacturer’s details.
Metal laminates respond to temperature change by expanding and contracting. This causes the fastener holes size to increase, resulting in leaks. Dark colors will experience the largest thermal movement.
Panels installed over Metal Perlin should not harm the roof system with thermal movement.
If possible, do not use solid decking with metal roof panels. However if installing over a solid deck, use Z-shaped metal sleepers over the decking. The sleepers will move with the panels and eliminate fatigue where the screws penetrate the panels (the screw hole will become elongated causing leaks) or the screws will lose grip on the decking.
Additionally, the metal panels are on the anodic end of the galvanic scale and can experience galvanic reactions (corrosion), when they come into contact with fasteners and flashings on the cathodic end.
Metal roofing products can be made to give shingle appearance.
Factory applied paint performance:
Polyester resin finishes offer least durability and fading will occur in 5 to 7 years.
Silicone modified polyester finishes are superior (the more silicone, the better the performance).
Fluorpolymer resins provide a state of the art finish. Five paint companies produce this paint under the brand names of Duranar, Nubelar, Fluropon, Trinar, and Visulure
Low cost metal roofs, primarily used for agricultural buildings require premium metal coatings such as:
a. Zinc (galvanized) coatings oxidize to protect the steel. Protection is lost when the oxidation process uses up the zinc, and the steel underneath can rust. On low-sloped roofs in wet climates, coating loss and rust can show up in five years.
b. Aluminum coatings are superior to zinc, carrying warranties up to twenty years. They are inert, and do not degrade over time.
c. Aluminum-zinc alloys, or Galvalume, will outperform aluminized coatings and exceed twenty-year warrantees.There are some nice looking plastic tiles that look just like the typical clay ones, I think the name of the company is Teja Real S.A., look them up in the yellos pages or call 113 (information in Costa Rica)
Thanks jcmcgee. I think this is the best place. I did try to find other comparable tiles but failed.
Jorge at Teja Real speaks excellent English and the compnay has a good reputation and (I think) reasonable prices. We have their tiles on one house and I’m happy, so now I’m putting them on the next one also.
You can reach Jorge at the office number 2235 0201 or on his cell phone 8829 4887. Please tell him you heard about him on WeLoveCostaRica.com or tell him David sent you.
Oh! Oh!. Hold your horses. I told you I was going to deal with Teja Real and I did. Now I wish I had not. Looks like this is another colosal rip-off. And they seemed so nice. I am trying to get all the information together to give a full report but for right now I strongly suggest that you not deal with Teja Real. I’ll be back in a few days on this.
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