Terracotta roofs, usually found on heritage houses, are a popular choice in Philippine architecture. They can lend rustic charm and elegance to your home, but they also come with disadvantages. Keep reading to learn more.
What is terracotta?
Terracotta means “baked earth” in Italian. It is made by baking molded clay soil in high-temperature kilns or ovens. The baking process hardens the clay, transforming it into a durable, waterproof material lasting hundreds of years. Baking also imbues the clay with a beautiful red-brown-orange color.
For roofing, terracotta is molded into tiles before being fired up in the oven. These tiles are then attached to the roof in overlapping layers using nails.
Benefits of terracotta: durability and sustainability
As ancient artifacts prove, terracotta is extremely durable. Archeologists have found terracotta pottery, art, and roofing as old as several millennia.
Roofs made with terracotta are sustainable because they are made of natural materials and insulate the home well, so you save on cooling costs.
Disadvantages: higher carbon footprint and can break during transport
Terracotta tiles are not made on-site these days, which may pose a problem. Transporting the heavy tiles across distances increases the tiles’ carbon footprint. The tiles may also suffer damage from the trip because they are vulnerable to cracks and breaking on impact.
Not terracotta but concrete?
Most of what passes for terracotta tiles today are actually tinted concrete. While concrete tiles can look similar to terracotta tiles, concrete does not perform as well against the ravages of the weather. Concrete also rates low on insulation and lifespan and is heavier than the already weighty terracotta tiles.
Stone-coated steel roofing: a lightweight and affordable alternative
If you like the look of terracotta tiles, stone-coated steel roofing is a great alternative. Because it’s stone-coated, you can enjoy the elegance of Filipino architectural design without the clunkiness and maintenance needs of terracotta tiles.
Terracotta Roofing in Filipino Architecture
Spanish colonizers brought terracotta roofing to the Philippines. The use of clay tiles coincided with the appearance of the bahay na bato design for homes of the more affluent. Thus, terracotta tiles became associated with high status and elegance.
These days, you can still find bahay na bato with terracotta roofing in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Lipa, Batangas; Iloilo, Iloilo; Boac, Marinduque; Carcar, Cebu; and Dapitan, Zamboanga Del Norte.
To get the look and feel of traditional terracotta tiles today, consider stone-coated steel roofing with a terracotta finish.
What is stone-coated steel roofing?
Steel is coated with stone chips and sealed with acrylic film to make lightweight, durable roofs that look like stone tiles.
The lifespan of stone-coated steel is around one hundred years. Yet, it is lightweight compared to baked terracotta tiles.
Stone-coated steel roofing is also low maintenance. You don’t need to do much to maintain the roof apart from clearing debris. The stone-coated steel roof will not curl, crack, or break. It is perfect for the Philippine climate with its hot summers, extreme humidity, and wild storms.
Unlike terracotta tiles, stone-coated steel roofing is also more affordable. They cost much less than the cost of terracotta roof tiles.
Terracotta finish adds a Spanish colonial feel
You can now have all the benefits of a stone-coated steel roof with the look and feel of a terracotta clay roof because Metalink roofs are available in an elegant terracotta finish.
With terracotta-colored stone coating, Metalink brings a rustic and traditional charm to its durable and modern steel roofs. Best of all, you get a beautiful roof without the weight and cost of clay tiles.
How do you choose the right terracotta-colored stone-coated steel roof? There are different designs available. Select the one that suits your aesthetic.
Terracotta-colored stone-coated steel roofing products for your Filipino-inspired home
These options from Metalink are perfect to give your home that traditional feel.
- STONETILE: the first and only long span stone-coated tile roof in the Philippines
- STONERIB: a rib type stone-coated steel roof
- ECOSEAM: a classic rib roof
- HAVANA: a classic horizontal roof with concealed fasteners
- HAVANATILE: the modern horizontal roof in tile form
Give your house the feel of an ancestral home with terracotta-colored stone-coated steel roofing. With Metalink, you can have a lovely home in the style of Filipino architecture without the weight and cost of clay tiles. Metalink stone-coated steel roofs are durable, sustainable, and last for generations. Contact Metalink to learn more about how our products can be used to complement your Filipino-inspired home.
