Retreads on the Roof

I can’t wait for my roof to start failing. I know, that sounds a bit strange. But as I’ve written here before, Green Depot is one of my favorite stores. All their building materials and home supplies pass through a rigorous filter so I know that what I’m getting is the greenest out there - except for the stuff I make and salvage myself. And they have some very cool roofing that you should know about if you are planning to roof or reroof this year.

Take a look at the picture above. Looks like slate tiles, right? Wrong. It’s EcoStar roofing, made from 80% recycled rubber and plastics, radiator hoses, car bumpers and scrap from baby diaper manufacture. (Not the waste from the diapers themselves - let’s be clear about that!) And unlike old generation green products that cost more and don’t perform as well, these shingles have a 50-year warranty and a 110 mph wind warranty. Plus they install as easily as regular shingles and weigh way less than slate, which saves supporting lumber.

You can get this roofing in a slate or cedar shake look, but without chopping trees or excavating quarries. These recycled roofs provide high-impact resistance to wind, driving rain, hail, falling branches, foot traffic, ice and snow damage.

There are other rubber roofing suppliers that make shingles that look like slate, shakes or tiles from old tires as well. The tire wall section is removed from the tire and the tread section is cut into sections. The actual tread is buffed off from the section and the rubber shingle is coated with either sawdust or slate dust. The tread pieces are left in fairly large pieces so that the shingle benefits from the steel belting originally found in the tire. A plastic tab is attached to the shingle to facilitate the actual nailing of the shingle to the roof.

Some other suppliers include Da Vinci Roofscapes, Royal Building Supplies (Dura), and RuBBuR. Check them out. And then when the roof starts leaking over your head, just retread!

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

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