Strength under pressure

When you live in a windswept location, it's important to select building materials that will hold up under pressure.

Set on a hillside overlooking the Matakana Coast, this house enjoys panoramic sea views, but is exposed to extreme gusts of wind.

Architect George Hilgeholt from Architecture Without Ego (AWE) says while the architecture is similar to an American Cape Cod style of house, this is very much a New Zealand home in terms of the materials and detailing used.

He says the house required a heavy roof that wouldn't rattle and shake in the wind. Slate-look Artisan concrete tiles from Monier were chosen for the job.

The roofing colour, Charcoal, was also chosen to complement the home's dark stained cedar weatherboards and natural stone pergolas.

CSR Monier national sales manager Marsden Griffiths says the Artisan tiles replicate the flat appearance of traditional slate roofs, as well as providing a look of substance and permanence.

"There has long been a need for a solid, concrete tile that provides this profile," says Griffiths.

To enhance the smooth, flat look of the Artisan tiles, the ridges are butted rather than lapped.

"As well as adding character, the roofing offers a number of other benefits," he says. "The flexible pointing system bonds the ridge capping to the tiles and is designed to prevent leaks by accommodating the natural flexing of the house."

Griffiths says Monier concrete roof tiles are designed to provide both sound and insulation benefits and to withstand a wide range of New Zealand weather conditions, including extreme heat, snow, ice and salt spray.

All CSR Monier roofs carry a 50-year performance guarantee against warping, cracking and corrosion.

For more details, contact CSR Monier, PO Box 12-270, Penrose, Auckland, freephone 0800 Monier (666 437) or visit the website: www.csr.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas