Plastic roofing products, properties, sources:

This article describes plastic or synthetic roofing materials, choices, installations, inspection, defects, roofing repairs, and product sources.

Page top image of composite wood-plastic shingles, source U.S.FPL.

Plastic Roofing Materials, Choices, Costs, Life Expectancy, Characteristics

Question about Plastic Roofing Products:

Do you have any information on an Owens Corning plastic roof shingle? It’s not made anymore and I didn’t know why it got pulled off the market.

Reply:

Plastic roofing shingles, tiles, slates, or "wood" shingles are manufactured using polymer-based or composite materials that may offer improved impact resistance (such as resistance to hail damage). Polymer-based or plastic roofing products are generally about the same weight as laminated asphalt roof shingles, therefore lighter than cement-based shingles, clay roof tiles, or slate roofs.

Owens Corning, to address your question, produces a number of plastic roof products: roof vents, banding material, foam insulation, and plastic roof cement. But their site [web search 05/20/2010] did not turn up plastic roof shingles nor information about the discontinued Owens Corning plastic shingles that you cite.

However in 2002 Handy Magazine reported that Owens Corning was distributing Mira Vista, a composite shingle made of fiberglass, ground clay, and slate. That product was subject of a Mira Vista class action lawsuit settled in 2007. Mira Vista image at above left - Birka White.

Types of Plastic & Synthetic & Synethetic Resin Roofing Tiles & Products

• ASA (Acrylonitrile, Styrene, and Acrylic rubber) Synthetic Resin Roofing Tiles
• ASA + PVC combination roofing products
• Fiberglass & reinforced fiberglass roofing products
  See CORRUGATED ROOFING.
• Fiber-Cement Roofing
  See ASBESTOS & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING
  and
  See CEMWOOD ROOFING
  and
  See FIBERBOARD ROOFING & FIBER-WOOD ROOFING
• Molded polymer roofing products offer an increased impact-resistance over some other roofing materials, making them a possible candidate for areas where hail damage to roofs is a concern.
  Also see HAIL DAMAGED SHINGLES & OTHER ROOF COVERINGS
• Resin + Paper based roofing products
  See DURALITA & METAL TILE ROOFS - plastic alternative to clay roof tiles
• PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride based roofing tile products - see PLASTIC & SYNTHETIC ROOFING SUPPLIERS below
• Resin slate roofing products
  See SLATE ROOF SOURCES & TOOLS for products like Eternit, BritSlate, SupeSlate
• Rubber-based roofing products (in tile form, separate from membrane roofing) often made from crumb rubber in a wide variety of formulations and varying propertie resembling slate or wood shakes or shingles:
  See RUBBER ROOF SHINGLES & SLATES
  or for membrane type rubber roofs
  See RUBBER, EPDM, PVC ROOFING

Plastic & Synthetic Roofing Tile Suppliers

Here is a quick list of common roofing plastic and synethetic materials. Our roofing inspection, diagnosis, repair and installation articles listed at left and below provide roof inspection, roof leak or problem diagnosis, roof installation, and roof repair information as well as details about the factors that affect the life of any roof. We include roof warranty and claim information and links to roofing product sources.

A number of companies produce plastic or recycled plastic roof coverings in a variety of styles that look a lot like clay tile roofs, cedar shingles, slate roofs, wood roofing, and even asphalt shingle roofs.

InspectAPedia is an independent publisher of building, environmental, and forensic inspection, diagnosis, and repair information provided free to the public - we have no business nor financial connection with any manufacturer or service provider discussed at our website.

Here are some examples:

• Authentic Roof, developed in Canada by Crowe Roofing Products in about 1992 was one of the first plastic roof products that used thermoplastic olefin/rubber and was sold in panels of seven or eight-wood-shake sections. The company currently produces slate-like roofing polymer-based "plastic" roofing products.
  Contact Crowe, 385 Dundas St. N, Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5R1 Canada Email sales@authenticroof.com Tel: 1-888-533-3358
• ASA Synthetic Resin Roofing Tiles Fabricated in various countries of similar product design:
  China (http://yikediecasting.en.made-in-china.com/) and shown in the illustration above: these are described as Fish-scale roofing tiles, synethetic resin, Width: 880mm or 1050mm
  and
  Shown below, ASA tiles from India (http://www.tradeindia.com/), Materials: UPVC,synthetic resin,pvc+pmma or asa,
  Thickness: 1.8mm,2.0mm,2.5mm,3.0mm Width: 720mm,900mm, 910mm,940mm,1050mm,1080mm 1088mm,1130mm
  These are a three-layer product consisting of an ASA layer on top, a central cor or "backbone" layer, and an interior abrasion-resistant layer.
  
  Note: "ASA" roofing tiles produced from synthetic resins are also sold in a PVC-ASA combination product and are distinct from PVC plastic roof tiles.

• DURALITA & METAL TILE ROOFS - plastic alternative to clay roof tiles
• Eco-Shake, Re-New Wood, is a vinyl and wood fiber product sold in a form resembling wood roofing shakes. Eco-Shake, LLC P.O. Box 331 Owasso, OK 74055 408 W. 2nd Ave. Owasso, OK 74055 Toll Free: 1-855-563-4703 Local: 918-376-6425 Website: http://ecoshakellc.com/
• Flex-Shake, U.S. Century, uses recycled rubber tires and crushed slate to produce slate-like roofing shingles.
• Mira Vista, Owens Corning, a composite shingle made of fiberglass, ground clay, and slate, 2002, subject of litigation and settlement, reported below.
  
  See MIRA VISTA ROOFING
• Plastic"cedar wood" roof shingles: http://www.rpmroofing.net/
• Plastic "slate" roofing http://www.rpmroofing.net/
• Plastic slate roofs: Plastic Lumber Yard http://plasticlumberyard.com/plasticroof/index.html provides slate lookalikes
• Synthetic roofing http://www.roofingstore.ca/Synthetic_Roofing.htm
• Synthetic roofing http://www.bestmaterials.com/detail.aspx?ID=16270 also
• Synthetic thatch roofing tile is produced by some chinese companies including Keba GM Group. [illustrated below]
  Website; http://keba.buy.fazendomedia.com/

• Plastruct offers plastic roof shingles http://plastruct.com/ http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDK28&P=FR

Many of these plastic roofing product producers call plastic roofing a "green" product - giving plastic roofing materials credit for using recycling, and some products are reported to be made entirely of recycled plastics.

• Corrugated fiberglass roof panels are a fiber-reinforced plastic roofing product whose origin may be traced to the Owens Corning Corporation in the 1960's when O.C. developed fiber-reinforced plastic underground storage tanks. We illustrate and discuss corrugated fiberglass roofing
  at CORRUGATED ROOFING.
• Duralita roofing is a plastic or synthetic resin roof product line made in a variety of shapes, colours, profiles that can replace a clay tile roof or other roof profiles.
  
  See DURALITA & METAL TILE ROOFS

Synthetic Roofing R-Values & Thermal Ratings

Reader Question: (Mar 10, 2014) Jean D Steele & Associates said: thermal rating figure for Authentic roof system

Trying to get a thermal rating figure for Authentic roof system.
Rw= ?

Reply: contact information for Authentic Roof Systems

Authentic Roof system is a synthetic slate company found at authenticroof.com - Crowe Building Products, who distribute roofing products in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Western U.S.

Contact
Crowe, 385 Dundas St. N, Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5R1 Canada
Email sales@authenticroof.com Tel: 1-888-533-3358

To ask for a specifications sheet for the particular Authentic Roofing System product of interest.

Owens Corning Mira Vista Plastic Roof Shingle Class Action Lawsuit & Settlement

According to Birka-White, a law firm who handled the case, a roofing product case settled by The Birka-White Law Offices in 2007 involved Owens Corning "MiraVista" shakes manufactured by Owens Corning, Molded FiberGlass Companies and Molded FiberGlass Companies West between 1996 and 2002.

MiraVista was manufactured largely from fiberglass resin and inorganic fillers. The case was prosecuted in the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, Case No. 00-3837. On January 23, 2007, the Court granted final approval of the settlement which consists of $11 million dollars plus optional replacement MiraVista shakes.

Defective Mira Vista roofing claims website defunct

Complete information about the Mira Vista settlement and claim forms were available at the Mira Vista Settlement website at www.miravistaclassaction.com [not found online 07/12/2010]. The claims administrator was at 1-800-947-4460

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2018-08-22 by June Fitch

where can we buy this product

On 2017-12-06 - by (mod) -

My OPINION is that while each type of roof covering has its pros and cons, plastic roofing tiles, compared with traditional concrete (or clay) roofing tiles ,when compared with concrete based roof tiles, are likely to be

- lighter - about 1/3 the weight of concrete-based tiles or about 300 lbs/square (100 sqft)

- possibly more-impact resistant than some roofing alternatives - typically Class-4 hail / impact resistance

- possibly more resistant to frost damage

- possibly more resistant to algae and lichens growth

Check what is permitted by your local building codes and also

Check the fire rating of the product that interests you: Plastic roof tiles are typically available in either Class A or Class C fire rating.

Check the wind rating of the product as well: Typical might be 110 MPH wind ratings, possibly varying by fastening method and fastener schedule.

Example sources that I consulted:

Quarrix (http://quarrix.com/) building products (previously trimline-products.com)

On 2017-12-06 by Jean

What are the benefits of using a plastic (waste plastic and sand) roof tile versus concrete roof tile

On 2017-02-11 - by (mod) -

I am not sure I agree with your conclusion. Galvanized steel is surely more resistant to photo oxidation and extreme temperatures than plastic products for roofing, and it might have a cleaner environmental footprint, be more easily obtained, and less costly.

There are some composite, fiberglass roofing products that I see here in Mexico but they are less common than clay tile or metal.

On 2017-02-10 by Dave

I am with a unit that is activating and traveling to Central America to do several Humanitarian Projects. We will be building several buildings for use as schools and refurbishing some existing. Steel roofing is common on the current structures but does not last long in the extreme humid and salty environment. Corrugated plastic, synthetic, or rubber roofing sounds to be a better long lasting product over steel, painted or galvanized. What are your recommendations?

On 2016-06-11 - by (mod) -

Brian, to have sufficient space to reply to your very important and interesting question in detail I started a new page. Please see

https://inspectapedia.com/roof/Rubber_Roof_Shingles.php

If you can provide more details and photos those would be invaluable. Use our page top or bottom CONTACT link.

Daniel

On 2016-06-11 by Brian Koepf ASHI #229

I inspected an 8 year old simulated slate rubber roof yesterday on a huge house that are discolored in areas where they fish mouthed/bowing. I cannot find info on the web about this. Does anyone have experience with this condition? I recommended that the manufacturer be consulted regarding their warranty, and that a licensed roofer who is qualified to install this product be contacted.

Question: information about Eco-Shake Roofing

(Sept 23, 2011) frank powelson said:
where can i find eco-shake roofing material

Reply:

Frank

Eco-Shake is a composite shake roofing material made from recycled polymers, founded in 1993 and under new ownership since 2012. The company's manufacturing partner is Southern Platics, LLC. producing a Class-A fire-retardant and Class 4 Hail resistant roofing product.

You can contact Eco-Shake Roofing, a U.S. company in Tulsa, at:

Eco-Shake, LLC
P.O. Box 331
Owasso, OK 74055

408 W. 2nd Ave.
Owasso, OK 74055

Toll Free: 1-855-563-4703
Local: 918-376-6425

Website: http://ecoshakellc.com/

Question: warranty on roofing?

paul said:
installed 2002 Cracking breaking and bending. Wny warranty

Reply:

Paul, roofing warranty terms are specific to the manufacturer and product. With no more information than your note I'm not sure what else to suggest.

...

Continue reading at RUBBER ROOF SHINGLES & SLATES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

DURALITA & METAL TILE ROOFS

WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES

Suggested citation for this web page

PLASTIC ROOFING TYPES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ROOFING

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