Rubber shingles

**Frank Bombardiere** · 10-06-2010, 05:17 PM

I inspected a home today with what appeared to be rubber shingles. They may be plastic, but felt more like rubber. They were made to look like slate. The roof was about 9 years old and many of the shingles were curling but otherwise appeared to be in good condition. i am wondering if these shingles are just prone to curl due to the nails being slightly over driven or if there are known defects with this type of shingle. Anyone had much experience with these shingles?

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**Paul Kondzich** · 10-06-2010, 06:41 PM

They would be grat for areas with alot of hail I would suspect. Never heard of them though.

**Markus Keller** · 10-06-2010, 06:45 PM

I've checked out samples of these at the supply house but haven't actually come across any on a roof. The samples I've looked at had a name stamped on the under side. Probably too late for you to try to check for that.
I'm a little concerned about the few different colored shingles here an there. Doesn't look like enough to be a real pattern. I'm wondering if these aren't past repair spots.
Sorry I don't have better info. Good luck

**Frank Bombardiere** · 10-06-2010, 06:55 PM

The different colors were in the design and not repairs. I believe they were EcoStar, but do not know the model.

**John Kogel** · 10-06-2010, 07:32 PM

I've heard of them. Recycled tires, good idea.

Shingles Made from Recycled Tires

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. The green mantra is on everyone's minds these days - including those in the roofing industry. Leading companies such as Rubbur Concepts and EcoStar have begun using post-consumer recycled tires to manufacture roof shingles. Like all new products, there are pros and cons of using rubber shingles in place of traditional roofing material such as slate or wood.
Rubber roof shingles are made from rubber powder which is ground from old tires. In liquid form, the ground rubber is poured into molds that resemble wood and slate shingles. As a result, the recycled shingles have a similar aesthetic to the natural ones, but are lighter, cheaper, more flexible, and more durable. Where slate shingles can be damaged in transit or during installation, rubber shingles will not be. The lighter rubber shingles can also save homeowners money by eliminating the need for special or reinforced roof framing.
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Most rubber shingles come with at least a 30 year warranty, and some manufacturers, such as EcoStar, offer a 50 year or lifetime warranty. EcoStar, who markets their shingles as a luxury product, has nine colors and six styles in their product line.
The biggest disadvantage to rubber shingles made from recycled tires is their smell. Old tires smell, new tires smell, and many consumers report an unpleasant odor during the installation of rubber shingles. They also report, however, that after few weeks, the smell dissipates. Another disadvantage of recycled roof shingles comes from the natural flexibility that can cause some minor issues at installation; however, an experienced roofer should be able to install the recycled roof shingles without any problem.

**Rick Hurst** · 10-06-2010, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Paul Kondzich

They would be grat for areas with alot of hail I would suspect. Never heard of them though.

Since Frank is in the area known as Tornado alley, I would assume hail is a common problem.

Right before the house is demolished!

rick

**Frank Bombardiere** · 10-07-2010, 07:22 AM

Yea, we have a bunch of neighborhoods with older homes surrounding a swath of new homes where the tornado went through. Although they seem to prefer mobile home parks. Reminds me of a joke.

What do a hurricane, tornado, and a redneck divorce have in common?

Someone's fixin to lose a trailer.

**Vern Heiler** · 10-07-2010, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Frank Bombardiere

Yea, we have a bunch of neighborhoods with older homes surrounding a swath of new homes where the tornado went through. Although they seem to prefer mobile home parks. Reminds me of a joke.

What do a hurricane, tornado, and a redneck divorce have in common?

Someone's fixin to lose a trailer.

I've never understood why the storm chasers drive all over the country looking for a tornado. Why not just wait in the trailer park?

Leslie Schoeck · 10-08-2010, 05:43 AM

I was first introduced to these about 8 years ago. They are reconstituted rubber and plastics from tires and the P&G diaper factories. I chose not to sell them, to this day. The manufacturers require certified installers for the warranties. You also have to use their nails, flashings and underlay. Each shingle has a memory that sets at the time the nail penetrates the first time. You are instructed to not have a finger under the corner of the shingle when the nail penetrates, as the shingle will remember that and return to that shape at a future point in time. This requirement makes it a harder installation and would be difficult to police. Hail won't cause this phenomena. They may have corrected this problem by now. If this installation is over 5 or 6 years old, I suspect the memory curl is what you are seeing.

Frank Suchodolski · 11-07-2010, 09:41 PM

The product is great even when it curls a little, probably improper storage rather than install. My issues with this product they all have their proprietary nails, flashings and underlay, and they suck. Install this product as you would cedar, except use a synthetic underlay, and use the same details and you will have a roof that last 50+ years. I've seen too many leaks from poor details from these roofs.