Metal Roof Panels: Navigating the Options

by Mark Robins | 1 April 2022 12:00 am

Ahhhhh … metal roofing! This contributor’s favorite topic at the office and at the dinner table. Every year the options continue to grow on all sides of the manufacturing lineup. The metal roofing world has come a long way since the days of the fixed length sheet of barn steel that was the go-to option for decades. As the technology of manipulating metal advances, we can be sure of even better choices to come, but with an already vast range of choices comes the risk of overwhelming the public.

Nowadays, a roof project has at its disposal metal versions of slate, shakes, shingles and tile in all shapes and sizes, colors, textures, shiny and matte finishes, even stone-coated steel. The options are nearly limitless, so, how do we help our customers choose what’s best for their project?

Choosing by Elimination

We can help the end user navigate the options by using the process of elimination to what should be considered by a prospective owner by knocking off as many categories as we can. Based on the parameters of the project, we can help guide them to a successful choice. As an example, the mystique of the cabin in the woods lends itself to a cedar shake replica. This can help steer the customer away from the myriad of other choices, and help avoid confusion and choice paralysis.

A cabin in the Canadian snowbelt for example, might need consideration of the snow load and whether that is a structural concern. If the roof is deep in the woods, we might focus on the smooth-painted steel options so the roof will shed the snow without the need of human intervention. If the property is a three-season cabin or simply an unheated structure where we are not concerned with the snow staying on the roof for long periods, we might also suggest stone-coated panels as an option.

Choosing by Function

In many cases a re-roofer finds the roof structure is not as level as it once was. Narrow down the options by avoiding panels that need the full support of a roof deck to avoid mimicking the imperfections of a wavy roof deck; bring in the battened system panels. To re-form a level roof plane, steel or wood battens are run vertically up the roof, typically fastened through to the rafters with a second layer of battens applied on top horizontally.

By shimming low points, it is very easy to re-level the roof without having to get into the underlying roof structure. This batten structure once installed also provides once of the best access systems around, especially on the steeper pitches. Once the battens are in place, there are many options of metal tile, shake, shingle and slates in both smooth paint and stone-coated finishes. No asphalt shingle can offer this type of solution. The batten system also adds an airspace that offers what we refer to as above-sheathing ventilation and can have terrific effect minimizing heat transfer from the sun into the attic space. This system can also be used to topically add a layer of insulation to the roof if necessary.

Churches offer another excellent opportunity where a smooth or stone-coated slate panel can be an excellent long-term substitution for aging slate roofs. These options can result in a project with excellent aesthetics that also structurally benefits the building with the reduced weight of metal roof covering. In certain circumstances a stone-coated panel can also reduce the need for expensive snow retention systems.

Metal is the Future

There will continue to be new profiles, textures and finishes and even new overlapping/fastening techniques. Older styles will fade away as new and improved technologies take over, but one thing is crystal clear: metal roofing continues to and will always offer the building community the most diverse range of products available to be considered for the roof covering. Since the roof is the show piece of many buildings, this is very good news indeed.

Mike Kilty is special projects manager at Metstar Building Products, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. To learn more, visit www.metstar.com[1].

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/metal-roof-panels-navigating-the-options/

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