Introduced by Saint-Gobain in 2004 through its group company CertainTeed, Roofing Shingles continue to be the most preferred roofing material across the country. They are a natural choice for buildings with sloped roofs especially high-end residences in cities, villas in the hinterlands, high-end restaurants, countryside resorts, etc. This is so because, shingles render premium aesthetical appeal along with a long-lasting performance.
Shingles are membranous coverings for sloped roofs, and come in the form of mat-like sheets of approximately 3 x 1 ft. Each sheet is a composite of a fiberglass mesh and weather asphalt. The fiberglass mesh forms the flexible central layer of the shingles and is covered on either side by layers of mineral-stabilized high-grade asphalt that make the shingles 100% water-proof.
Symbiosis University, Pune
The topmost layer of each sheet of shingle is overlaid with multi-hued, ceramic-coated, crushed limestone granules, and the bottom layer comprises of a fire-retardant coating. Each sheet is cut in distinct patterns to form different roof designs such as traditional slates, rugged wooden shakes or modern tapered tabs, and are packed in bundles.
Shingles can be installed on any hard and even roof surface (RCC Slab, Fibre-cement Boards and Marine Ply etc.) that are minimum 16-mm thick. Their flexibility enables them to easily adhere to various roof profiles such as high-pitched roofs, curvilinear and dome-shaped designs. Their other properties are anti-colour fading, resistant to moss and algal formation, and un-breakability.
The ability of shingles to be conveniently clubbed with other value-adding roofing materials such as puff-panels and insulation wools, have gained them a huge popularity amongst architects, designers and builders.
A case in point is the new Symbiosis University campus in Pune. The roof of the University had to be 100% waterproof along with a certain degree of heat and sound-insulation. To meet these demands, a composite roofing-deck system was proposed by Saint-Gobain through their associates. This roof-deck system consisted of systematic layers of insulation material covered by shingles on the top.
Upon installation, a 100% waterproof, heat and sound insulated, fully-functional beautiful red roof adorned the prestigious University. Such a composite system has been installed in many projects, from convention halls to gated communities.
Saint-Gobain has covered more than 300 lakh sft. of roofing with shingles with a pan-India marketing presence and dealer network with trained application teams. The company’s association with iconic projects such as Aamby Valley, HIDCO Convention Hall, Lavasa Hill City and upscale villas, townships, hospitality and university campuses helmed by top builders and architects bear testimony to their superior product offerings and customer service.
