Roofs have evolved leaps and bounds since mankind began settling and building permanent dwellings and even today roofs used are constantly changing and evolving over the years. Did you know homes during the pre-historic days had roofs made up of vegetation and soil which provided good insulation but could not protect against rain, insects and vermin and these roofs needed constant tending. About 5000 years ago, roofs were replaced by clay roof tiles which appeared in Greece, Babylon, Ancient Rome, and even England.
Thatched roofs first appeared in the UK in about the 8th century and remained popular till the 19th Century as material for thatched roofs were cheap and easily and locally available. But roofs have come a long way since thatched roofsand have evolved into terra-cotta tiles, metal roofs, etc.
Terra-cotta tiles were used in Spain and other Southern European countries hence giving roofs their distinct red colour. According to Did you know Homes, even post replacement of terra-cotta tiles with concreate when it became a cheaper alternative to terra-cotta, these regions painted their roof red to maintain its original terra-cotta tile look. Metal roofs were also used but not in abundance due to the cost involved, and hence was only used in important buildings such as palaces, temples etc. These were very durable and can last for centuries with very little maintenance.
As per Did you know Homes, roofing material used is highly influenced by local climatic conditions, cultural preference and locally available material available for roofing. These days home owners have a wide variety of options of selection of type of roof and roofing material. With passage of time, roofing material is constantly evolving with more eco-friendly and hi-tech material being used for roofing which can regulate internal temperature of the houses and commercial establishments. Engineers are also in process of developing colour changing roofing tiles which change between black and white depending upon availability of sunlight to make houses more energy efficient.
Roofing material is bound to evolve with changing times and have come a long way from days of thatched roofs.
