Metal roof v/s asphalt shingles?/

Murray2

Member
Sort of off topic. Members experiences with the metal roof projects that are gaining popularity over the asphalt shngles, which in some cases have a short life span. Planning on completing the project myself on the barn which is only 22' by 32'. (In the city) cheers, Murray
 
Around here there is only about $.30 per foot price between galvanized (no waranty) and painted (30 year warranty). We have a galvanized metal roof on part of the barn that is 20 years old now and is starting to show a hint of rust here and there. Within the next 5 years or so it will have to be coated. The part of the barn we rebuilt last year, we went with the 30 year stuff for the roof and the siding. I have steel on my house roof and my son just tore shingles off and re-roofed with steel. The older section of his roof went 50 years or so on the shingles. The newer section he tore off only had 17-18 years on them and they were getting bad. If you are in a heavy snow area, get the steel. It can be 10 below zero and a half hour of sunshine will have the snow sliding off the roof.
 
For an outbuilding I would use metal every time unless it was a really weird shape that would be too hard to cut the panels to fit. On the house some do not like the louder noise the rain makes on metal or the way the snow slides off in a big avalanche. Metal is way faster to install, requires much less in terms of a deck to support it and when it needs to be replaced you can take it to the scrap yard and get paid for it instead of paying big money to dispose of shingles that are a lot heavier.
Zach
 
About 12 years ago, I put a metal roof on a vacation cabin we own. Very easy installation, in part because it is the most uncomplicated gable roof imaginable. I sure wish I had known about cut off wheels on angle grinders at the time, though.

Traditional standing seam metal roofs are not common in city neighborhoods that I'm familiar with, yet, but they're beginning to appear. Our neighbors across the street from us had a metal shingle roof installed several years ago. Its appearance is somewhere between dark asphalt roofing and slate tiles. There's another one in the neighborhood that is an artificial looking copper color, and too shiny. The one across the street, on the other hand, looks terrific, but I'll bet it cost a fortune.

Stan
 
Lots of metal roofs going on around me, including mine. I haven't noticed much difference in noise to be honest. After shoveling snow off the roof too many times last year, I am hoping it will slide off on it's own now, or at least I can get a snow rake and pull it off from the ground if need be. The conventional shingles were going to cost me almost twice as much and I expect would only last half as long. Made my decision easy.
 
I've had a metal roof on my house for 15 years now and I don't know why people still use shingles. It's survived hailstorms, minor tornadoes and windstorms without any trouble.
 
If the snow does not come off roof be careful if you go up on it. Snow got deep on BIL's metal roof and didn't slide off . He got up on it and it cut loose and came down with him. He was lucky there was enough snow to break his fall.
 
Shingles have never been too popular here in Australia , it's either terracotta roofing tiles or corrugated metal roofing for the most part . There are two main varieties other than steel deck which is usually used on commercial or very modern buildings . The best is Colorbond roofing made by BHP Australia , it is a baked epoxy coloured finish over Zinc/aluminium coated high tensile steel , the other is a galvanised steel roofing iron that is now virtually obsolete and only used to match up to existing roofs .
Steel roofing rules , it comes with a 25 year manufacturers warranty is easy to install and withstands horrendous weather . It is light and does not need heavy framing to carry it . The fasteners used are made for metal , softwood and hardwood battens and screw in with a normal battery drill .
No one can dispute the charm and elegance of an American shingle roof but corrugated iron is just so time and cost effective as well as not half bad looking .
mvphoto10180.jpg
 
Metal roofs certainly aren't something new. I've got a soldered-seam metal roofs on my barn and half my house that are over 100 years old. You'd be hard pressed to find and asphalt roof that last 30 years.

The newer and cheaper exposed fastener painted steel seems fine also. I did one here 40 years ago and still is fine. Certainly sheds snow much better then aslphalt and never gets mold growing on it.
 
There are metal roof systems that look very good. They are not cheap. Certainly for farm buildings the standard steel roofing is very practical, but if you're in town you need to consider appearance as well. If your barn looks out of place, it's going to affect the resale value of your home. For a small building, I would try to match the house roofing. Properly installed shingles should last thirty years or more. Short shingle life is usually due to poor installation, inadequate sheathing, or both.
 
Murry,
My opinion is usually opposite most. I'm 65, grew up on a diary farm. We had pole barns with metal roofs. I've seen the nails back come loose, roof leaks.

My Brother in law has a large boat storage pole barn. He had the same problem. Even paid someone to remove the fastners and put screws in. That didn't work. So he fastened new boards to the old roofing and put a new metal roof over old one.

Metal may last 50 years, but how about the fastners that have rubber seals?

In the 60-70's I lived in a trailer while in college. Yes, the old metal trailer roof. Metal siding on trailer. The sides were built like a pole barn. The fastners in the siding would leak, make the hole in the siding bigger due to flexing.

The roof of the trailer had poor ventilation, roof would leak condensation in the winter when the sun came up and melted the condensation from the underside of metal.

I've lived it, seen metal's ugly side. Seen it get dented with hail. Paint fades. Old metal rusts. Neighbor has an old barn with metal siding, he painted his. Today the metal may be better. I don't want to be reminded of living in a trailer everytime it rains, no thank you.

I buy 35 year shingles and my insurance replaces my shingles in 15-20 years because of hail.

If I had trees shading a house and moss was growing on the shingles, I may think otherwise about metal. I had that situation. A wind storm put the tree on my roof. Solved the moss problem, tree came down.

When I'm driving I notice where many metal roofs that weren't properly screwed down get blown off in hi winds. All these roofs were installed by so called professional roofers.. BUBBA's

You will never change my mind about metal roofs. My pole barn was desinged with trusses on 2 ft and 35 year shingles. I'm very happy I went with shingles and extra ventilation. I won't insulte the barn. I've never had the first hint of moisture causing my tools to rust.

I'm sure there are people who are happy with metal. But wait until your fastners start to leak. Like my old trailer, you don't notice a little leak in fastner in siding until you notice the screw come loose and discover the wood behind the screw is rotten.

You will never change my mind about metal. I'm sure I will never change anyone's mind about the advantages of metal.

I always said I would never have granite counter tops, now someone figured out they are radioactive. I learned that back in my college days. I will say the same about metal, I'll never have it because of the fastner issue. Is there anyone who has had metal on a building for 50 years and not have a fastner problem?

George
 
more and more metal going up around here (very harsh winters)
I'm still resisting, even though all roofers giving estimates
will press very hard to go metal.
Probably easier for them, I doubt they actually care that much about me......
I like to be able to get on the roof if need be, so I like shingles.
(chimney-antenna-etc work)

And like the other posts.
even though I imagine they have figured it out pretty well,
to me, if you drill lots of holes in something for fasteners,
no matter what/how you seal the holes.....it will eventually leak..
Overlapping shingles don't have that problem.

Recently a roofer (young guy) was telling me at best I'd get 25 years out of the shingle job, maybe 40 years out of the metal for a similar price.
LOL well, either total....I'll be long gone....so who cares
 
Can't think of a better way to trailer up your home than installing a metal roof.
 
George there are hundreds of metal roofs around here that go back 100 years with no fastener problem.

You're talking about the cheap version that has exposed fasteners.

I have no time for a roof that will only last 20 years. Or one that might blow off or leak. Copper is my choice because it is zero maintenance. Obviously time-tested. 100 years is not an old roof.

I too am 65 and have no interest in going back up there, ever.

The only better roof will not retrofit most places. My house has a green roof, with veggies growing on it. Far cheaper than copper, with some other benefits. Hail is no threat, and even the top 50' of tree that hit it a few years ago caused no damage. We didn't even know until I found it the next morning.

This BUBBA can install traditional copper standing seam as fast as I can shingle. Yes, I had some experience with that asphalt crap years ago. Never again.
 
We put common colored pole barn metal on our house roof. It's 20 years old and looks like it was just put on. There's not a shingle on any of the roofs on this place. I'm 65, and have finished roofing.
 
Outbuildings don't usually qualify for the extra expense of the standing seam 24 ga metal roofing, but for my money there is no better choice than this system for my home. With 30 year fade guarantee, and 140 mph wind guarantee and guaranteed against hail up to 2 1/2" it to me is a no-brainer.

Also an unconditional 50 year product guarantee. Not one exposed screw and a three piece vented ridge cap completes the system.

MikeysRoof5PanelsandFlashing007_zps35a57afa.jpg


Screws go 12" on center in the male flange that will be covered with the next female edge of the next panel.

MikesRoof6EastValley008_zpsf2aa1e55.jpg


The valleys are 20" in width and the end of the panels are hooked with 1" double hemmed edges over the gasketed 6" 20 ga. cleat that hooks under the outside lip of the valley bend. All sheeting is covered with "Ice and Water" underlayment with three individual overlays inside the valleys.

First straight up the center bottom to top, then from the left overlapping the right then the third from the right overlapping the left.

MikesRoof7FinishingFront007_zps7000fc6e.jpg


The drip edges are formed of the same 24 ga steel. The tail pieces of the individual panels are attached with a 180 degree double hem over the drip edge which then provides FOUR thicknesses of 24 ga steel for wind protection.

Thus the 140 mph wind guarantee....

I've found no better solution...but I'm sure there is one somewhere.


The blue is the SIL's house, completed this spring and the copper one is mine, completed a couple years ago.

MikeysRoofno1009_zpsa89ee7da.jpg


Of course, it doesn't hurt to be able to order a roll of metal, slip it on the machine and program the lengths and quanties and catch 'em as they come out the end.
 
Biggest problem with asphalt shingles is that everyone is putting a dark or black roof on anymore. The HEAT from these dark colors is enormous - frying an egg or baking cookies on your roof on a hot sunny day is only the beginning of what you can do. The heat shortens the life of the shingles and even the plywood sheeting.

Go with a shasta white shingle (that no one seems to want anymore) and even the basic 20 year 3 tab will last 20-30 years - much lessthe life you can get from a quality 30-40 year shingle. Spend an hour the first year with a tube of tar caulking to glue down the shingles that pop up in the wind and then stay off of it and it will last.
 
This is a touchy subject! I will give you what info I have. I too lived several years in a ratty trailer...come a long way since then...with all the problems George Marsh related. Last week I met with the sales rep for Chelsea Lumber regarding a pole building for the farm. I was dead set against traditional shingles because I felt they would be going bad at a time when I would be unable to afford replacement and unable to do it myself. Their rep was firm with me that there could be issues with fasteners coming loose and rotting trusses on the metal and that there would also be condensation issues. Dripping inside the building. Just saying...they sell TONS of pole barns. He should have knowledge of these things.
 
Va tom,
Where I live, sub zero temps, 90 mph straight winds, 100 degree summer days I've seen many old metal roof fastner problems. Metal and wood expands and contract, wood with moisture. I've seen nails screws work loose. Need me to go to neighbors and post a pic of his old roof? Even problems with metal roofs put on buildings recently. Do you need pics of where the wind has ripped the metal off before you believe me?

You have to consider not all of us live in the same climate. Do you need to talk to BIL from N Indiana who had fastner problem with his boat storage building? Finally put a roof over the old roof to fix fastner issue.

Personally metal on a house, especially a brick house, looks weird, out of place, reminds me of my mobile home days. NO THANKS.

Pre 1977 insurance put shingles on the house I purchased and still have. In the mid 80's insurance paid for another new roof. In 1998 we had a major hail storm and 90 mph winds. I had major roof and siding damage from that storm. 300 people in neighborhood also had damage. Once again insurance company came throught for me. In 2010 another hail storm got a rental house.

I don't care how bad the shingles are, I get 35 year shingles, and hail replaces them. I have a very good roofer who can finish any job I give him same day. Usually done by 3:30 or before. Last big job, 2 houses, 3 garages. Roof damage, about 10 holes in house roof from branches falling on roof. Another house tree fell on garage and house damaging roof too.

His army of guys pulled off the job on time, 3:30.
The roof damages alone came to $13k. That's why I carry good insurance. Pay now, not later. Hail gets my shingles, not age.
George
 
Right George, as usual. Surely you know any roofing can have a crappy installation. Maybe our BUBBA roofers are more careful than yours. No loose fasteners on my mountaintop, with occasional winds stronger than you mention.

The climate you describe is no different from here. Perhaps you've forgotten I consult housing, including in your neighborhood. Old barns here were not not usually well cared for, houses usually were.

Regarding brick houses, metal roofing was good enough to land several of our local brick houses on the National Registry of Historic Places. Perhaps you've heard of Monticello? Take a peek at a nickel. That looks like a trailer to you?

The new development down the road here, 2300 acres with only 100 lots, you don't get in for much under $3 million. The houses imitate old farm houses, some brick, some frame, all with metal roofs.

I live on the original road here that went anywhere, before railroads it was a main freight artery. Stagestops every few miles. Guess what? Almost all brick, all with metal roofs. Trailers? Hardly.

Get a grip. This is a very old tradition that worked so well it's still the best thing going. Anyone who wants a durable roof would do well to copy what's worked well for a couple hundred years. That ain't asphalt shingles. Why none live here.

You want a short-lived roof, that's your option.
 
Here's that brick trailer for you George. The Rotunda at the University, same architect TJ, is similar. Folks here find them attractive.

mvphoto10234.jpg
 
I got to side with George mass.
All my building incl the house are forest green colored steel.
On the house and barn it's on there 21 years.
Te paint is faded and it looks blue.
Screws come loose regularly and i have to get on these roofs every fall to replace the ones that are gone altogether and the ones where the rubber washer is split or gone.
The barn has a 50' long roof and could not be covered with a single sheet. The place where 2 sheets overlap and has a screw trough both sheets the expansion and shrink has caused 3/4" long slotted holes that allow water to seep trough causing rot in the wood under it.(the biggest screw to be had has only a 1/2" washer)
After a frosty night when the morning sun heats the roof it is raining in barn.
Steel roofs look nice and are fast installed but they sure ain't without problems in the long run.
That 30 year warranty is just a sales pitch, most of these steel roofing sellers are no longer around when you might have a valid warranty claim or problem or they no longer sell that brand you have and have switched to diff steel suppliers.BTDT.
 
Bison,
I learned about condensation when I was 8. Dad
bought a dairy. Our mortan metal pole barn was
open on the south so cows could get out of the
rain and snow. When cows breath and pee, they give
off self iss-steam which condenses on inside of
roof and turns to frost. When sun would come out
and warm the metal roof, the cow iss-steam melts
and turns the barn into a rain forest. You wanted
to avoid the place when it's rainning.

It's hard to believe people don't know about
thermal expansion, holes getting enlarged by
screws when wind blows, building flexes.

There are a few lessons in life I guess some
people will have to learn the hard way. I put
granite counter tops and metal roofs on my list of
one of the worlds greatest cons.

I have nothing to gain by trying to educate
people, so why do I even try?

So Bison, would you invest in metal roofing again?
George
 
Don't you think they should have used pole barn
metal tom if they wanted it to look like a brick
mobile home?

FYI, my county court house has domed gold plated
roof, no joke, they actually used gold.

I still think a home with barn meta roof looks like
a trailer. Neighbor recently turned his brick home
into a trailer. Want to see a pic?
 
George, last I knew the Colorado state capitol in Denver was also gold plated. Looked nice in the skyline there. Have you been to Jerusalem to see the Temple Mount? The gold Dome of the Rock there is exquisite, where Abraham made his offer, and Mohamed ascended.

Post your neighbor's house, but I'd rather see a photo of your house that's so attractive with asphalt shingles.

Anything can be made ugly and exposed fasteners always are, but I have yet to see a house made more attractive with asphalt shingles.

My question was about TJ's metal roof. That looks like a trailer to you? That is what you said. Brick houses and metal roofs. Real common here. Mostly lovely. None with exposed fasteners. That's just cheap crap. Like asphalt shingles.
 
Bison, you're making the same error George did, confusing exposed fastener crap with quality standing seam roofing. Read the other posts and photos beyond mine. Flat seams like Monticello work, but require a high skill level from the installer.

If you had gotten a better product and installation, your problems don't happen. Very long history, as I posted. 30 years? That's insignificant. 50' long pans? No problem for a quality installation with expansion joints. Uncomplicated with no leaks, lays nice and flat. The book I use for reference was published in 1959. Nothing new then, or now. Other than better paint for steel.

You got an inferior product, your choice. You would have had a totally different experience if you had made a better choice. I'm sorry you didn't. Barns here don't have those problems with far longer pans, so long as the owner bought the right product. 100 years of history has passed the test of time.

I prefer copper, no paint problems.
 
George and VaTom.
The lack of money was the reason i went with steel on the old barn and new house 21 years ago and the new metal style with the seems was not around yet.
When i build my new shop 2 years ago i wanted everything looking the same so i went with steel again on it.The roof on the shop has a steeper pitch than either the barn or the house so hope it'll stand up better, we used also the bigger 1/4" screws and full length sheets.
Steel is around here pretty much all that is used nowadays.
Shingle roofers are scarce as hens teeth in these parts and charge a fortune anyway.
Will i do it again?
On the barn probably yes as it is at least 6000 sq feet and has a fairly shallow roof.( there was aluminum sheeting on it held down with spiral aluminum nails when i bought the place but 1/2 of it was blown to pieces)
On the house no,..but it is all hindsight now.
 
How can you tell if you're getting a BUBBA or a professional roofer?

I ask, "Hey are you a BUBBA?" and they always say NO! Every roofer does top quality work and stand behind it if you ask them.

There's a Morton building on the farm that's been there since 1980. Not one loose fastener or rotted washer.

Put 35 year shingles on the barn. Complete tear-off, sheating repair, perfect conditions for new, everything supposedly done "right". They were leaking within 5 years. Had to put steel on.
 
If you had shingles leaking after 5 years I serious doubt they were installed correctly. If they were you would have had a warranty claim.
 
Yeah...more to that story than he is telling. Properly installed shingles are going to last more than five years. As to the metal, no mention of where this is and that matters also. One of the things I will never understand is, outside of being a roofing salesman for one or the other, why would a person be so vehemently opposed to one or the other without hearing all the facts regarding improvements/new developments. Seems like it is always in our best interests to keep an open mind. From my perspective, I felt that metal would be more durable and the chances of getting up on the roof in later years doing a tear off would be mitigated. Salesman (who sells both) told me about condensation, fastener issues, etc and recommended the shingles. Others here are confirming this. I think a good shingle is going to be around 15-20 years at least. That is how long the cheap ones on the house lasted. Just saying...I have installed metal, shingle, corrugated plastic and other types of roof material on outbuildings over the years. My current pick for best is traditional shingles.
 
If there's more to the story, you tell me what it is.

This was a gambrel roof barn and they used T-lock shingles. As to installed properly, they looked properly installed from the ground. I don't know what else you can do besides lay down the tar paper, lay down the shingles, and nail them.

Shingling is not exactly rocket science. Is there some voodoo spell that I don't know about, some dance that you do as you're laying shingles?

The shingles were shedding their aggregate and curling up after only 5 years. The shingle manufacturer didn't even come out and look. They just said, "Oh they must've been improperly installed."

It was either let the barn leak, rot and fall down, or put on steel.
 
I helped my dad reshingle the roof on our house back in 1974 (I was 7 at the time). He did an addition and the house still had the original asphalt shingles from 1952 (when the house was built). The old roof was stripped and the house was tar papered and reshingled over a two week period. Him being the tight @$$ that he was bought the cheapest 3 tab white shingles he could find - he said they'd out last him. Considering he died in 1986 he was right.


My brother bought the house and immediately collected on hail from the insurance company in 1988. Last summer he decided it was time to reshingle the house - 39 years without a leak and the insurance company paying for the replacement two decades ago. I can't see how metal would be cheaper. My brother is 50 and just put 40 year Timberline shingles on the roof (he throws his money around a little more than the old man did). My brother's kids might get lucky and his grandkids will be the ones to have to reshingle it.
 
I don't think I understand what you mean by "T Locking". If you are saying they shingled the valleys instead of using metal valleys I think I found your problem - especially if they were using architecture type shingles. Not to mention the fact that even with a "weave" and cheap 3 tab shingles all it takes is one nail in the wrong place and you have a leak.
 
No, they used T-lock shingles. They have a T-shaped tab and they lock together.

They were commonly used on gambrel-roofed barns until shingle technology went down the toilet.

The original T-lock shingles on that barn were well over 50 years old, and were just starting to leak when he had the roof re-done with the same style of shingle.

This is an example of a T-lock shingle roof.

t_roof.jpg
 
to each his own , I actually prefer the look of a metal roof to asphalt shingles, and no longer than shingles seem to last nowadays , you will likely put 4 roofs on your house and I will still have this one on.
 

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