I’ve actually been eyeing those recycled rubber tiles too, mostly because my back is still mad at me from hauling concrete pavers up last summer. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet, but I did talk to a neighbor who put them on his garage roof. He said they’re lighter and easier to cut, but they did shrink a bit after the first winter—nothing major, just enough to notice. Not sure if that’s better or worse than the plastic grids going wavy, honestly. At least they don’t crack like concrete when it gets icy. If I ever swap out my pavers, I might give them a shot just for the weight savings.
I hear you on the weight—moving concrete pavers is brutal. I’ve looked at those rubber tiles too, mostly because I’m not keen on hauling anything heavy up a ladder again. The shrinkage thing your neighbor mentioned is interesting though.
That’s kind of what worries me. I’m in a spot where we get freeze/thaw cycles all winter, so even a little movement could mess with the seams or let water in.“He said they’re lighter and easier to cut, but they did shrink a bit after the first winter—nothing major, just enough to notice.”
If you’re thinking about swapping out your pavers for rubber, here’s how I’d approach it: 1) Check if your local code has any weird rules about “non-traditional” roofing materials (mine does), 2) Figure out if you need extra underlayment for drainage, and 3) Price out the tiles vs. plastic grids vs. just sticking with concrete. For me, cost always wins out unless there’s a big maintenance headache down the line.
Curious—did your neighbor mention if he had to do anything special to keep the tiles from shifting after they shrank? That’s my main hesitation right now...
That shrinkage thing is exactly why I keep second-guessing the rubber tiles. I’m in upstate NY and our winters are all over the place—one week it’s 40 and raining, next week it’s single digits. Stuff moves around like crazy. I had a buddy try those interlocking rubber mats on his porch (not a roof, but similar exposure), and after a couple seasons, he said the seams started to pull apart just enough for weeds to poke through. He tried running a bead of outdoor caulk in the gaps, which worked for a bit, but eventually it just looked patchy.
I’m right there with you on the weight issue, though. The last time I replaced a few broken concrete pavers, I swore I’d never do it again. My back still remembers. But the rubber tiles almost seem too good to be true—lighter, easier to cut, supposedly “eco-friendly,” but then you hear about the shifting and shrinking. I haven’t heard of anyone around here finding a perfect fix for that. My neighbor with the rubber tiles said he just lived with the gaps. He tried re-seating a few, but it’s not like you can glue them down without making drainage a nightmare.
Local code is a whole other headache. I got tripped up last year trying to put in a rain barrel, of all things—apparently it “altered runoff patterns.” I can only imagine what they’d say about a non-standard roof tile. And the cost thing...well, I priced out those rubber tiles at the big box store and nearly choked. When you add in the underlayment and edge pieces, it’s not that much cheaper than concrete, unless you factor in the labor (or chiropractor bills).
Honestly, if I could find something that didn’t shift with the freeze/thaw and wouldn’t break my back or my bank, I’d be all over it. For now, I’m patching what I’ve got and keeping an eye out for sales on lightweight stuff that actually holds up.
I hear you on the freeze/thaw shuffle—upstate NY is brutal for that. I tried those rubber tiles on my garage roof a few years back, thinking they'd be the magic fix for weight and drainage. They went down easy, but by the second winter, I had seams opening up just like your buddy. Weeds, moss, even a rogue maple seedling found its way in. I tried the caulk trick too, but it just made a mess and didn’t last.
What finally worked for me (sort of) was switching gears and going with a modular green roof tray system. It’s not cheap up front, but the trays lock together and have built-in drainage, so they don’t shift as much. Plus, the plants actually help insulate against temp swings. The local code folks gave me a hard time about “added load,” but once I showed them the engineering specs and drainage plan, they signed off. Still, it took months of back-and-forth.
Not saying it’s perfect—maintenance is a thing, and you’ve got to keep an eye on roots—but it’s held up better than anything else I’ve tried. If you’re already patching, might be worth looking into when you’re ready for a bigger overhaul.
What finally worked for me (sort of) was switching gears and going with a modular green roof tray system. It’s not cheap up front, but the trays lock together and have built-in drainage, so they ...
That “added load” headache is all too familiar. I ran into something similar when a client wanted to retrofit a green roof on their 1920s bungalow. The city was skeptical until we got a structural engineer to sign off and mapped out the drainage in detail. One thing I’d add—double-check your waterproofing layers before those trays go down. I’ve seen a few jobs where folks skipped that step, and it led to leaks right into the attic. Maintenance is definitely ongoing, but if you’re already patching, it can be a solid long-term move.