Mountain homes can provide a respite away from city life and often include beautiful views of the surrounding landscape or are tucked into a wooded space for privacy and peace. In order to achieve the level of tranquility you deserve in your mountain home or at a mountain lodge getaway, it's essential to choose the right roofing materials that can stand up to mountain climates.
Though the goal of mountain homes is essentially the same — to create a relaxing and peaceful environment in nature — the style of mountain homes can vary greatly from towering chalets to simple A-frames or expansive lodges, but their roofing needs are largely the same.
Mountain House Roofing Climate Considerations
Mountainous climates require certain roofing materials to best protect the structures. Climate considerations include:
Snow and ice: Mountain climates are known for their snowfall, so mountain house roofs are typically pitched to allow for the snow to slide off.
Water: When the snow melts, water needs to be able to run off the roof.Roofing materials should also be able to stand up to freeze-thaw cycles that affect any water on the roof.
Hot, dry summers: Summer mountain climates are typically hot and dry with bright sunlight beating on the roof’s surface. Roofing material needs to be able to withstand UV exposure as well as resist warping and cracking.
Wildfire hazards: Wildfires are a concern in mountainous regions, so roofing material needs to be fire resistant to provide the best protection against fire damage and spread.
Mountain House Exterior Design Ideas
To help inspire your mountain house roof design, here are 7 ideas to get you started.
1. Cedar Shake Roofing And Siding
For a beautiful mountain home that is worthy of standing in the midst of so much natural beauty, cedar shake tiles can be used as a roofing as well as siding material. Because natural cedar shakes require so much maintenance, using them as both roofing and siding adds a lot of maintenance to a mountain home. Composite Cedar Shakes are a better option because they last longer and don’t require any maintenance.
2. Choose Natural Materials That Compliment Each Other
This modern mountain house design showcases how Brava Cedar Shake in Aged completes the look of a mountain house exterior. Paired with stone columns and chimneys, it enhances the natural feel and helps the home blend into its natural surroundings.
3. Manage Multiple Rooflines With Ease
This Wyoming mountain lodge exterior design features multiple rooflines that can create a challenge for installing and maintaining roofing materials. Brava Cedar Shake Aspen roof tiles are able to handle the multiple rooflines and transitions with ease. They don’t require any maintenance, so this roof is much more manageable than if a high-maintenance material, like natural cedar shake, was chosen.
4. Create Stunning Details
Mountain home exteriors are known for their unique touches. This mountain home exterior design features a flower inlay on the balcony overhang. The overhang’s hexagonal roof adds even more character. These little touches are made even easier with synthetic cedar shakes that can handle any roofline while protecting the roof from the elements.
5. Mix Natural Materials
One goal of mountain homes is typically to blend in with their surroundings. This is achieved using materials like wood and natural stone veneer siding. For the roof, materials like cedar shake and slate shingles are often used to enhance the natural look, but natural cedar and slate come with a range of problems that create the need for costly maintenance over their life. Brava offers Cedar Shake and Old World Slate tiles that enhance the natural look, but without the downsides.
6. Take Advantage Of Traditional Designs
An A-frame is a traditional style of mountain home because of its ability to shed snow and ice common to mountain climates. Brava roof tiles are lightweight, so they can stand up to the steep pitch of an A-frame without the concerns of slipped tiles that come with heavier materials.
7. Go Low Maintenance For Large (And Small) Projects
When Marcy Pickering, property manager of The Lodges of Sundance in Mountain Village, Colorado, needed to replace the old, worn cedar shake siding, she relied on Brava’s synthetic Cedar Shake. One of her goals was to reduce maintenance costs while also protecting the mountain lodges from damage from the elements. Brava came through in a big way, by providing the best synthetic cedar shake that won’t require costly maintenance.
Choose Brava Roof Tiles For Your Mountain House Exterior
Brava roof tiles offer a number of benefits for mountain homes:
Closed-cell materials that prevent water absorption
50-year protection warranty
Class A and C fire ratings
Strong UV resistance
Lightweight material
Natural look and feel
No maintenance
A range of beautiful colors
Contact the experts at Brava today to choose the best roofing for your mountain house exterior design.
