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There are plenty of historic homes in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, and if you are fortunate enough to own one, you probably want to do everything you can to retain its charm and authenticity. That can make selecting roofing materials a bit more complex than it does for other homes. Most historic homes at one point had wood-shingled roofs, but it is quite likely that your house has either had those wood shingles removed or they have been covered over, perhaps a number of times.
It is unlikely that you would be able to or even want to restore the house to its original roofing type, but that doesn’t mean you can’t preserve the look. As long as you avoid creating a look that the home has never had, you will maintain a historic appearance. If you can identify the original shingle type either by viewing it in the attic between the gaps in the sheathing or because you have found photographs of the home when it was built, then by all means, do what you can to mimic that style.
If you cannot identify the original roofing type, the best thing to do is choose a simple shingle roofing. The idea is to not make the roof a huge feature of the house but to be less intrusive instead. A good option for this is a standard three-tab asphalt shingle. You should select an unobtrusive color rather than make a bold statement with something green, blue, or red – unless you can prove they were used on the house originally. Better options are black, dark gray, dark brown, or a dark reddish brown.
If you need advice about roofing for a historic house or any home, give us a call at Crown Builders. You can view roofing material options at our showroom, or we’ll be happy to bring samples to your home and give you an estimate for putting new roofing on your home. Count on our 28 years of experience to provide you with quality roofing work. Plus, you’ll love that our pricing averages 30% less than industry standards.