What Are The Best Roof Tiles For Hot Weather?
By Created: September, 2022 - Modified: April, 2024
Related Product: Sterling Roof Top Tile Solid Colors 2 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
One aspect that shouldn’t be forgotten is the fact that rooftop patios often do not offer much in the way of shade, so find the best roof tiles for hot weather can be critical in making that space usable.
If an effort to do just that, Greatmats tested a few of its most popular flat rooftop floor tiles to see which fared best under the heat of direct sunlight.
Each of these tiles spent at least 4 hours in the sun before taking its surface temperature reading using an infrared thermometer. At the time of the unofficial surface temperature test, the outdoor air temperature was between 81 and 83 degrees.
The products tested were rubber pavers and perforated PVC floor tiles.
Roof Tile Temperature Testing
- 4 hours of direct sunlight
- 81 °F and 83 °F air temperature
- 9 PVC products
- 10 rubber products
Temperature Test Conclusion
The PVC products were clear favorites in the temperature department, ranging from 87 degrees to 123 degrees Fahrenheit. We tested 9 tiles and all were roughly ½ inch thick. The coolest was blue in color while the hottest was black. Two tan tiles and one gray tile manage to stay below the 100 degree mark while both Terra Cotta colored tiles tested registered between 110 and 115 degrees.
Of the 10 rubber paver tiles tested, the temperature readings ranged from 124 degrees to 155 degrees Fahrenheit. These rubber tiles also ranged in thickness from 1 inch to 2.75 inches and included a variety of colors. The hottest tile was 2.75 inches thick and black in color. The coolest option was 1 inch thick and steel gray in color.
Another thing to note is that the rubber products all retained the heat longer than the pvc product once removed from the sun’s heat.
| PVC 1/2'' | PVC 1'' | Rubber 1'' | Rubber 2.75'' |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perforated | Perforated | Solid | Solid |
| 98° - Tan | 87° - Blue | 124° - Gray Steel | 136° - Tan |
| 115° - Terra Cotta | 123° - Black | 136° - Creme | 155° - Black |
Recommended Cooler Roof Tile Products
Based on temperature alone, if you’re looking for the best roof tiles for hot weather, these would be our top 3 recommendations.Keep in mind that there are more factors to consider than temperature alone as pvc rooftop tiles will not be able to support as much weight as rubber pavers and will not weigh as much themselves.
Rubber Roof Tile Considerations
If rubber is still your material of choice, keep in mind that the lighter the color and thinner the material, the less it will heat up in the sun.If your rooftop patio flooring does get too hot to walk on, you can cool it off by spraying it down with water.
