Roofs built for the coast

The structural plywood sheathing every other layer is fastened to. During a re-roof the deck is inspected for rot and re-nailed to current Florida Building Code spacing — the single cheapest upgrade to a roof’s uplift resistance.

Concrete / clay tile 19/32" plywood sheathing, re-nailed

Tile is heavy, so the deck and its fasteners carry both dead load and uplift. Damaged sheets are replaced and the whole deck re-nailed before anything goes over it.

Standing-seam metal 19/32" plywood sheathing, re-nailed

Metal panels telegraph every dip in the deck, so flatness matters as much as strength. Sheets are replaced where needed and the deck re-nailed to code.

Architectural shingle 19/32" plywood sheathing, re-nailed

Shingles are only as well anchored as the wood beneath them. Soft or delaminated sheets come off and the deck is re-nailed to current code.

Required by the Florida Building Code in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone — Miami-Dade and Broward. A self-adhered membrane sealed to the deck so that if the covering is torn off in a storm, the house underneath stays dry.

Concrete / clay tile Self-adhered HVHZ membrane

Bonded directly to the sheathing and over every seam, so a roof stripped of its tile is still a sealed deck rather than an open house.

Standing-seam metal Self-adhered HVHZ membrane

The code-required last line of defence beneath a metal system: a fully adhered sheet that keeps wind-driven water off the deck.

Architectural shingle Self-adhered HVHZ membrane

Blown-off shingles are the most common storm failure in South Florida. This sealed membrane is what stops that from becoming an interior loss.

The waterproofing membrane bonded to the deck. In South Florida this — not the tile or the shingle — is what actually keeps water out when a covering lifts in a squall. Skimp here and the roof leaks long before it looks worn.

Concrete / clay tile Two-ply self-adhered tile underlayment

A heavy self-adhered system rated to be walked on and fastened through by tile crews, and to stay watertight for the full life of the tile above it.

Standing-seam metal High-temperature synthetic underlayment

Metal panels run hot. This underlayment holds its seal at deck temperatures that would soften a conventional felt.

Architectural shingle Synthetic underlayment

A tear-resistant sheet lapped up-slope so water always runs over a seam, never into one.

Metal worked into every valley, wall junction, chimney and pipe penetration. Most roof leaks are flashing failures, not covering failures — which is why replacing flashing, rather than re-using it, is part of a real re-roof.

Concrete / clay tile Valley, wall and pan flashing

Wide metal valleys and headwall pans carry the concentrated water that tile channels into every intersection.

Standing-seam metal Integrated panel flashing and closures

Ridge, hip and sidewall trims are formed to match the panel profile, with closures that block wind-driven rain from tracking under the ribs.

Architectural shingle Step, valley and vent flashing

Step flashing woven course by course into every wall, plus new boots at each penetration — the details that decide whether a shingle roof stays dry.

The visible weather surface, and the layer that takes the sun, the salt and the wind. It is the roof everyone sees — and the only layer whose failure is obvious from the street.

Concrete / clay tile Concrete or clay barrel tile

The South Florida signature: heavy, ventilated, and effectively immune to UV. Set on a code-approved adhesive or mechanical system so each tile is individually rated for uplift.

Standing-seam metal Standing-seam metal panel

Concealed-fastener panels with seams raised above the water line. No exposed screws to back out, and the longest service life of the three systems.

Architectural shingle Architectural asphalt shingle

The most economical system, in a laminated profile with a high wind rating. Correct nailing pattern and starter course matter more than the brand on the wrapper.

Ridge vents exhausting at the peak and intake at the eave, so heat and moisture leave the attic instead of cooking the deck from below. Balanced ventilation is what makes a roof’s rated lifespan its real lifespan.

Concrete / clay tile Ridge vent with eave intake

The air gap under tile already moves heat; a vented ridge finishes the path so the attic exhausts continuously along the peak.

Standing-seam metal Vented ridge cap with eave intake

A profiled vented ridge under the metal cap, paired with soffit intake, keeps the panel cavity moving air rather than trapping it.

Architectural shingle Shingle-over ridge vent with eave intake

A continuous vent cut into the ridge and capped with shingle, balanced against soffit intake so hot air is pulled out rather than pushed in.