Metal roof or asphalt shingles?

[DH in Carolina]

Thinking of building a new house. What would you use painted metal or asphalt shingles on roof?

 

[old]

No questions asked I would use metal. Warranty on metal is 2 or 3 times that of the shingles plus the metal will not burn as some shingles will and from what I understand insurance companies prefer metal also

 

[Richard G.]

I agree with Old. I have put on my last asphalt shingle roof.
Richard in NW SC

 

[Anonymous-0]

It just depends on what type of house you are building. There are a few single story ranch style homes around here that have put on metal roofs. In my opinion they make them look cheap. Then there are some older 2 and 3 story homes that look just great, much better than a shingle roof. The best thing is to take a few rides and check out some houses and see what you like the best. The life span of the metal is longer, but also a little more expensive.

 

[Hal/ Eastern WA]

If you plan to do the work yourself, metal. But if you are having someone else build the house, it might depend on what the builder wants to do.

When we had our house built, I tried to get the builders to put on a sheet metal roof, rather than the 3 tab the specifications called for. Obviously they did not want to put on metal, since the price for their work went up $10K over and above what a composition roof cost. We had them put on the composition roof and it has worked fine for nearly 20 years.

In a few years I expect that the composition roof will be at a point where I might need to think about replacing it. I plan to have sheet metal put on at that time, and I bet it will not cost me $10K for the whole job.

Some buildings are easier to put metal on than others. I have seen "modern" designs, with rooflines going every which way that I think would be much easier to do with composition shingles. But if a house was designed fairly simply, metal is not hard to deal with, and your roof will probably still be working fine when your life ends. Something else to consider is what will happen if a bunch of snow slides off a metal roof suddenly--will that damage items below or block garage doors? Metal might not be the best choice under those circumstances.

I would suggest pricing out both roof choices and go with the one that fits your needs and pocketbook. Good luck!

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I buy 35 year shingles. Most of my roofs are put on by my insurance company, hail, wind damage.

Metal, no thank you. I lived in an old 12x65 trailer when I first got married. Anything that reminds me of a trailer is out.

If I lived where there were wild fires all the time, I would rethink it. Also want a total metal house. Well, changed my mind, tile roof and brick house.

George

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

I live in a lower middle class neighborhood with houses in the $200K-300K range (similar houses in a similar neighborhood in Seattle, 50 miles north, would be $400K-$600K). I don't know whether that information tells you anything. Two neighbors have reroofed with metal in the past five years. One roof is the kind that goes on in long sheets from peak to gutter with standing seams about 12" apart. It's a nice roof, but it looks out of place. The other metal roof has the appearance of 3-tab asphalt shingles, except that it's slightly shiny. Driving by, or possibly even walking by that house, you might not notice that it was a metal roof. It's entirely consistent with the appearance of other roofs in the area. I'm sure that that roof cost quite a bit more than the first one I described, but it's probably also the only roof the house will need for the next 50 or more years. It might be worth looking into.

Stan

 

[Wile E]

I think that there are many grades of the metal thickness and the seams have certain gaskets or sealers to prevent leaks.
Do your homework.
I am sure that both asphalt and metal have their advantages and disadvatages.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Metal. Do it once.

 

[36 Coupe]

A metal roof and shingles cost the same here.No more asphalt shingles, only fiberglass mat.

 

[Chas Schondorf]

If you want to stay-up all night, when it rains, put on a metal roof. That"s a big problem with them.

 

[Tracy Brown]

On the metal roofs with the exposed screws, the rubber seal on the screws is only good for 5-10 years. They won't tell you that when they tell you how long the metal will last...

 

[Anonymous-0]

(quoted from post at 18:51:44 09/07/13) If you want to stay-up all night, when it rains, put on a metal roof. That"s a big problem with them.

Horseschitte. Unless you have no insulation, then yes.

 

[55deere70]

(quoted from post at 14:51:44 09/07/13) If you want to stay-up all night, when it rains, put on a metal roof. That"s a big problem with them.

Really? I have a metal roof and can't hear it at all when it rains. I put metal roofs on all my out buildings as well.

 

[showcrop]

There is a lot of difference between common metal roofing an asphalt or fiberglass shingles, and there is an even bigger difference between common metal roofing and standing seam metal roofing. Standing seam will be for your lifetime even if you are in your twenties.

 

[cjk]

Metal. I would not even consider shingles anymore.

 

[WGM]

Ain"t no better way to trailer up your house than with a metal roof.

 

[taem]

Having replaced all or part of my shingle roof (asphalt first then Fiberglas) three times due to wind, and material failure, I"ve put a standing seam metal roof on in several stages. The grey metal does not "stand out" seems pretty quiet and it will outlast me. Around here (northern Vermont) this is the quality roofing; no trailer park stigma When I went to the building supply co to complain that my "20 year" shingles lasted only ten, they told me, "yup, that"s the name. There is no guarantee."

 

[JDemaris]

I would never waste my time and/or money again with asphalt shingles. Just steel.

Some of the negative claims I hear here are a little ridiculous. I own a house with soldered-seam metal roofing that is 80 years old and still fine.

I've also installed modern standing-seam and exposed-fastener type steel. Noise is not an issue if there is some sheathing and insulation underneath it. In the most severe rain-storms, I hear nothing hitting the steel roof.

In regard to the neoprene washers going bad in five years? The first exposed fastener roof I put on was 25 years ago and it's still fine. Washers did not fall apart yet. And if they do - it would be pretty easy to take out the screws and put in new screws with new washers.

I like the steel because snow slides off it much better then asphalt and does not get moss growing on it.

As to houses looking cheap with steel?? I don't know what sort of houses the nay-sayers have been seeing. In the Adirondacks, some of the most expensive and high-end houses have steel and it looks pretty impressive.

 

[OldFarmTractor]

My shingled roof was bad so I went with the raised seam steel roof. I also made sure it was the high end stuff which reflects 80% of the heat that hits it. Darker red and in full sun and the pieces weren"t even warm.

All done with hidden fasteners. A single piece of metal from the ridge to the eaves. I think the lifetime is expected to be about 100 years so I don"t think I will ever be replacing it.

No noise in the rain since the undercoating is stuck down ice and snow shield for the entire roof.

First one in the area but I am sure there will soon be more.

 

[504-1]

There is a product that is steel but looks like shingles, 50 year warranty, The big box stores all sell it(just to look) buy local. Menard's had an add last week for it.
Steel shingles

 

[Sidekick]

I put metal on when I built my house 15 years ago and I have no regrets. I don't even know why anyone would want shingles. I don't hear rain either. Hail maybe, but then again it isn't doing any damage.

 

[Leroy]

not tru

 

[Ultradog MN]

Fiberglass shingles are still asphalt. Only difference is the mat they use to make them.
Used to be they used heavy resin paper which was saturated with asphalt and then covered with slate granules. Same process today except the mat is fiberglass.
I worked as a maintenance man for a shingle mfgr for a short while when I got out of the service.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

The only problem with the washers, that "are not rubber", but neopren will last as long as the steel. Seal failure occures when screws are driven croked or over tightened and the washer is distorted and squashes the seal out. Like all things in construction, CRAFTSMANSHIP is still the key to long life. Check with your local code enforcement office for their installation requirements. some require complete tearoffs of old rooing materials, some will allow direct application over existing roof, which I do not condone, and others require min. of 5/4 furing over a single layer of existing shingles. Dead load as well as live load has to be considered in older homes.They vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and they will determin the way the steel is applied.
Loren, the Acg

 

[Bradracer18]

I briefly read some of the responses here but for the origional question, they also now make metal shingles just a FYI. Go to google and type in metal shingles. You will see plenty of "normal" looking houses that appear to have shingles but actually they are metal, not asphalt.

 

[DH in Carolina]

Thanks for all the replies. I was leaning toward metal from the beginning and now going to use metal. Undecided about standing seam or screw down. Thanks again DH.

 

[redtom]

I just reroofed with shingles. Why? first because I just could not afford the metal. (3 times more). Second I have a one story ranch and I find most like mine I see with metal look odd. Big two story "period" farmhouses look good in metal. As we contemplated our new roof the past two years or so we looked as we traveled around our area. As many new builds and reroofs we saw we found very few metal roofs. That being said, If I did do metal there is no way in heck I would do any thing other than standing seam! I don't want anymore holes than necessary and that includes screws.

 

[bjb in TX from Ne]

Standing seam, b/c then you don't have to worry about the fastener seals failing and leaking.

 

[mj]

(quoted from post at 12:47:39 09/07/13) I agree with Old. I have put on my last asphalt shingle roof.
Richard in NW SC

I agree with you - as for SOME people not liking the way they look - Too bad, so sad; Just don't look then. I put one on last year and it suits me right down to the ground (Gee, hope the neighbors like it - NOT!) :twisted:

 

[Pops1532]

(quoted from post at 21:32:33 09/08/13) Thanks for all the replies. I was leaning toward metal from the beginning and now going to use metal. Undecided about standing seam or screw down. Thanks again DH.

Go with the standing seam.

Steel roofing is becoming more popular here in NE IL but the added cost is a major factor. Looks is another. It looks good on some houses and totally out of place on others. Then there are the people that are clueless about color. I recently saw a bright red metal roof on a ranch house. Kinda looks like it belongs in a circus. If the home owner had chosen a color that fit the surroundings that steel roof would have looked fine.

I put a roof on my house two years ago. I looked into steel. Don't recall the exact figures but steel was more than 3 times the cost of 50 year warranty architectural fiberglass shingles.

We plan to build a new home in a wooded area. That house will likely have a steel roof.

There are pros and cons to both types. For many, shingles are still a good choice.

 

[mj]

(quoted from post at 18:34:51 09/11/13)

(quoted from post at 21:32:33 09/08/13) Thanks for all the replies. I was leaning toward metal from the beginning and now going to use metal. Undecided about standing seam or screw down. Thanks again DH.

Go with the standing seam.

Steel roofing is becoming more popular here in NE IL but the added cost is a major factor.......

Yeah - usta be painted instead of galvanized was the cat's meow around here now it's standing seam COPPER roofing - of course all the trim and gutters got to be copper too - there's even a business here that does nothing but fabricate copper roofing supplies (pretty big operation, too), mostly for the yuppies now infesting Ridgway and Telluride - Times are a changin' - for sure :roll: