As metal roofing grows in popularity, more people are interested in its advantages, including both clients and contractors. Being knowledgeable about different types of metal roofing and knowing their benefits is helpful when working on a commercial project. Contractors and construction professionals should have knowledge of the types of metal roofing available so when clients have questions, the answers are on the tip of their tongue.
Why Look Into Metal Roofing Materials?
Metal roofing has many benefits that traditional roofing does not. Metal roofing is eco-friendly, lightweight, and weather resistant–making it an excellent choice for many projects. Another huge benefit of metal roofing is the resale value.
Popular Types of Metal Roofing
Not every type of metal roofing works well for every building. The following discusses five of the most popular types of metal roofing you can consider when working with a client.
Aluminum
Aluminum is one of the lightest-weight materials available for metal roofing. Though it is extremely lightweight and inexpensive, it is still a very strong, dependable material. An advantage of using aluminum is that it takes a lot of strength to corrode the material–rain and saltwater do little damage to aluminum. Though the material is extremely durable, it does tend to dent with ease–an obvious downfall to this type of metal roofing.
Corrugated Metal
Though aluminum is extremely inexpensive, corrugated metal is often even less pricey. This is a popular choice among types of metal roofing, but one major downfall is its lackluster durability. Other than durability concerns, the paneled look of corrugated metal is a favorite. The modern panels have a wave-like look and easily snap together for installation. The sheets are extremely simple to click into place and contract and expand during temperature changes.
Copper
Copper is one of the most appealing types of metal roofing. It comes in different forms–shingles, sheets, tiles, panels, etc.–and does tend to change color over time. This color change is liked by some and despised by others since it can go from the color of a bright penny to a greenish-blue hue. Copper roofing is extremely durable and lasts through many different climates. It’s also extremely lightweight, easy to install, and rather budget-friendly compared to other types of metal roofing. However, copper is known to dent rather easily when heavy debris falls onto it.
Zinc
Zinc is a quality roofing material. It is durable enough to withstand harsh climates and has a coating that self-heals so little maintenance is needed. It has been known to last up to 150 years when installed properly and has a clean, modern curb appeal. Though zinc is a favorite, it isn’t the most budget-friendly option. It can be trickier to install, which means labor also increases costs.
Standing Seam
Standing seam is a type of metal roofing that can be made of multiple metal roofing types. Typically, these panels are available in steel, aluminum, copper, and zinc–but the metals can be chosen by the site owner. Standing seam is nice because it doesn’t expose any fasteners. This is because the roof is made of vertical panels with ribs that hide the fasteners when installing and keep climate and weather from impacting this type of metal roofing. Installation is typically a combination of snap-in panels and some that may need to be capped in place.