The 5 Best Roofing Materials for Your Home in Nashville, TN

Getting a new roof in Nashville, TN, requires some decision-making. One of the biggest decisions is choosing the type of roofing material you want installed on your Nashville home. 

But how can you make this big decision without knowing the best options available? 

For over 30 years, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided homeowners with transparent information to find the perfect roofing material. Because of this, I’ll break down the best roofing material options for your Nashville, TN, home. 

This article covers the following roofing materials:

• Asphalt shingles
• Metal roofing
• Synthetic shingles
• Cedar shakes 
• Slate tiles

1. Asphalt shingles

The most popular roofing material in Nashville (and the United States) is an asphalt shingle roof. An asphalt roof is made up of asphalt shingles and other asphalt roofing components. 

There are three different types of asphalt shingles to choose from: 3-tab, architectural, and luxury. Each type of shingle has a specific look and price point. 

3-tab asphalt shingles lay flat and get their name from the 3 tabs on each shingle strip.

Architectural (also called dimensional) shingles give you a good-looking random pattern or simulate the look of a wood-shake roof.

Luxury (also called premium or designer) shingles are designed to mimic a slate tile roof. They are also larger and thicker, which makes them more durable than the two other asphalt shingles.

3-tab shingles used to dominate the roofing industry, but architectural shingles are now the most common type used in residential roofing. Luxury shingles aren’t as common because they are almost double the price of architectural shingles.

However, they last longer and offer your home more curb appeal than architectural shingles. If you’re looking for an affordable and quality roof, an architectural asphalt shingle roof is a great option. 

But if you have the budget to raise your home’s curb appeal and get extra life, a luxury asphalt shingle roof is well worth the extra price. 

2. Standing seam metal roofing

The next roofing material for your Nashville home is metal roofing. There are two types of metal roofs, but a standing seam metal roof is the recommended choice for residential roofing. 

A standing seam metal roof system is a series of metal panels locked together at the seams or seamed mechanically. This allows for the metal panels to expand and contract freely when going through thermal expansion.

While not as common as asphalt, standing seam metal roofing is becoming increasingly popular in Nashville, TN. But just know it’ll be around three times more expensive than an asphalt shingle roof. 

The great thing about a metal roof is that it’s a versatile material. So, if you can’t afford a full metal roof system, you can add it as an accent to your roof replacement on a covered porch, dormers, flat roof facets, and more. 

3. Synthetic shingles

Synthetic shingles are a newcomer to the roofing industry but are becoming more and more popular in the Nashville area. Synthetic (also known as composite) roof shingles are made of recycled materials or engineered polymer, depending on the manufacturer. 

(Left: synthetic slate; Right: synthetic cedar shake)

Synthetic shingles are unique because they’re designed to look exactly like a cedar shake roof or slate roof. Manufacturers use actual molds of real cedar shake shingles and slate tiles to make them look as authentic as possible. 

If you work in the roofing industry, you might be able to tell the difference between the synthetic shingles and the roofing material it mimics. But I guarantee you, your neighbors, or anyone walking by won’t be able to tell the difference from the ground. 

If you have the budget, a synthetic shingle roof is a great and durable roofing material for your Nashville, TN, home.

4. Cedar shakes

Next on the list (and the first of the natural roofing materials) is cedar shakes. A cedar shake roof is a premium roof system made of natural wood materials and offers one of the highest curb appeals.

To make the shingles, cedar trees are cut into 2-foot sections and hand split or sawed into a tapered thickness (tapersawn). Hand split gives you a more rugged look, while tapersawn offers a smoother look. 

Unfortunately, there’s no manufacturer warranty on the materials if they fail prematurely because cedar shake shingles are a naturally occurring material. This means you’ll only have your roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty to protect your investment. 

You also need to be aware that cedar shake shingles lose their color, rot, crack, and curl as they age, depending on the climate. Here in Nashville, we have a good climate for a cedar shake roof. 

5. Slate tiles

The last roofing material on this list is slate tiles. A slate tile roof is a premium roof system made primarily out of natural slate tiles and other slate roofing materials.

The slate is mined (mostly in Italy) and cut into individual square tiles. Slate tiles have to be installed one at a time, unlike other roofing materials that come in 3-foot wide strips or metal panels. 

This makes installing a new slate roof a very slow and expensive process. Your home also has to be built, framed, or retrofitted to hold the heavy weight of a slate tile roof. 

While a slate roof is one of the most beautiful and long-lasting roof systems, it’s also one of (if not the most) expensive. However, if you can afford the premium price, it’ll be the last roof you ever put on your Nashville, TN, home.  

Just like cedar shakes, there’s no manufacturer warranty if the slate tiles break or fail prematurely. 

Get all the information you need for your upcoming roof replacement

Now you know the 5 best roofing materials for your Nashville, TN, home. Remember, you can click on the links to learn more about each individual material. 

While this helps you learn more, it’s also time-consuming. That’s why we created a buyer’s guide to save you time while still learning what you need to make the right purchasing decisions. 

The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof contains all of the advantages and disadvantages of all the roofing materials, plus their cost, lifespan, and warranty options. It also helps you hire a great roofing contractor, how to pay for a new roof, and so much more. 

Go into the roof replacement process with all the knowledge you need to make the right decisions. Keep going to get your free buyer’s guide now.

Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roof replacements to homeowners in Nashville, Tennessee, and surrounding Tennessee areas. You can count on our workmanship to give you a roof that lasts for decades, and we back it up with a lifetime craftsmanship guarantee. 

If you’re local to Nashville, Tennessee, don’t hesitate to Contact Us today for any of your roofing needs.

Here’s Your Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof to make all the right decisions for your upcoming roof replacement.