The 10 Best Roofing Nailers

The Benefits Of A Roofing Nailer

Roofing Materials Throughout History

As long as humans have existed, they've taken shelter from the elements in housing of various types. A basic shelter will have two key elements: walls and a roof. Even the most basic shelters, such as caves or lean-to shelters, have effective roofing. Cavemen were said to have covered their dwellings with earth and plants, though this method let in many pests.

A basic shelter will have two key elements: walls and a roof.

The first roofing tile was found in China, and dated to 3000 BCE. The ancient Roman and Greek cultures used similar earth roof tiles at around the same time. These early methods of roofing were brought to England as early as 100 BCE. This means that roof tiles actually predate thatched roofs, which were developed in 735 CE.

Just 300 years later, the first wood shingles were produced. This may have been an oversight, as rampant fires spread through London in the 12th century; causing King John to immediately order citizens to replace these roofing options with clay tiles once again.

Industrial tile production began in the 19th century; starting with clay tiles and then moving to concrete tiles in the early 20th century. Asphalt also became readily available in the 1900s; and became popular due to the ability to produce large amounts of tiles very quickly.

Most of the major changes in roofing have occurred since the industrial revolution. Modern roofing materials include polymers, glass, fiberglass, and photo-voltaic tiles which turn sunlight into energy.

How The Industrial Revolution Changed Construction

In just a few short decades beginning in the late 19th century, the United States was transformed from an agrarian society full of artisans and craftsmen to a largely industrial economy powered by workers. Before the Industrial Revolution, small towns and homesteads were very self-sufficient, each family subsisting off of their craft and what they could trade to their neighbors. These farms and towns were connected by horse-drawn carriages, and received very little by train.

With the addition of cranes, tractors, and power tools such as hand drills, buildings could be made taller and faster than ever before.

This changed rapidly at the turn of the century, as manufacturing became a catalyst for rapid expansion. Goods which did not exist ten years prior were quickly becoming household items. The streamlined manufacturing and shipment methods led to even the smallest towns eventually requiring these goods to operate. By the 1920s, over half of American farms owned a car. This quick change was brought on by large manufacturers shifting their focus to profits and productivity. This required a large workforce to accomplish.

As this workforce was housed in large cities, the construction industry began booming. With the addition of cranes, tractors, and power tools such as hand drills, buildings could be made taller and faster than ever before. This rapid expansion would eventually overpopulate cities and spark the creation of modern suburbs; causing an explosion in the construction industry.

The Post-World War II economy in the United States brought even more economic expansion, and the demand for construction workers was higher than ever. With the invention of the nail gun in the 1950s, paneling and floorboards could be installed quickly and accurately by one man. Tools such as these sped up production of houses to meet the growing demand of the day. To this day, power tools continue making work more efficient for all, requiring less workers to get the same job done.