Bitumen shingles

The shape of a shingle depends on the cut-outs. The most common shapes are beaver tail, scale, trapezoid, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, master, classic and shingles made from two bonded layers. 

A bitumen shingle consists of two layers:

• a reinforcement layer, made from glass fibre nonwoven or a blend of glass fibre and synthetic nonwovens, protected by a moisture-resistant bituminous compound; the reinforcement ensures high mechanical strength and dimensional stability of the covering; it also provides watertightness and therefore durability;

• a top layer of metal foil or coarse mineral granules, coloured in various shades; it can also be shaded to give the covering a three-dimensional appearance; as well as enhancing its appearance, colouring provides resistance to chemical agents and weather; the granules do not crumble or fade under sunlight, frost or acid rain and are also resistant to mechanical damage;

The bituminous compounds used to impregnate the covering make it watertight and resistant to ageing, low and high temperatures, and UV radiation. The durability of the covering varies according to the material used. 

The following types of bituminous compound are used to manufacture roof coverings:

• polymer-modified bitumen: highly resistant to ageing, high and low temperatures and chemical compounds; it has low sensitivity to UV radiation, resists deformation, is flexible and easy to lay;

• mineral-modified bitumen is resistant to ageing and UV radiation;

• oxidised (oxidative, blown) bitumen has high softening-point and brittleness-temperature values and resists crumbling of the coating.

Applications and advantages

Bitumen shingles are an attractive, inexpensive and lightweight roof covering (one square metre of shingles weighs between 7 and 16 kilograms). They can be used on roofs of various shapes and pitches, including steep roofs (from 12 to 80 degrees). They are even suitable for vertical surfaces. This material is worth choosing for the roofs of detached homes, holiday homes, public buildings, hotels, schools, blocks of flats and religious buildings. 

Shingles are particularly easy to install, making them indispensable for roof renovation and maintenance. They can also be used on roof slopes with quite elaborate shapes. Laying them yourself poses no problems, as there is no need to build a labour-intensive grid of battens and counterbattens. This covering is laid on a continuous substrate made from boards or other wood-based materials. 

A properly prepared substrate, adequate ventilation and installation in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations allow a long service life without maintenance. 

Roof coverings are popular construction materials thanks to their properties and applications. Their low cost and the minimal waste generated when laying these components make them a popular choice among clients and contractors. Bitumen shingles are estimated to last for as long as several decades. Their particular advantages become clear on roofs with complex structures. Because shingles made from this material bend easily and are flexible and lightweight, they simplify intricate roofing details, minimising the cost and time needed to complete the roof. 

We offer roofing accessories for bitumen shingles, including verge finishing components, sealants, ridge pieces, rooflights, roof ventilators and ventilation outlets. You will find these products in the Roofing accessories section. Our specialists can also provide information.