Standard shingles Vs Metal Roofs

[MichaelMPerez]

I am in search of roofer and roofing material. Planning to do it soon after winter. The shingles are in bad shape but on seeking professional guidance from lightweight roofing services like roof line east inc (http://www.rooflines.com/products/asphalt-shingle-roofing/) , they suggested it would be good to go ahead with replacement after winter. Regarding the material, I am confused which to go for metal or shingles. Though Shingles are cheaper, I want roofing which lasts for long time. Need guidance from all out there in this regard. Should I select metal for its aesthetics and the lifespan of metal(50years)? All input would be appreciated.

[scgargoyle]

I prefer metal, and used it on my house and barn. It should certainly outlast me, which is all I  care about! :D Here in the south, shingle roofs don't last all that long. A tin roof can be recoated (after many years) and nursed along nearly forever. I'm not sure why metal roofs cost so much. The actual materials aren't that expensive, and they go up a lot faster. I bought the materials, and did some of it myself, but chickened out on the high parts and had a local guy finish the job. I get vertigo, and 25' up on a slick metal roof is not my idea of 'comfort zone'!

[caveman]

We built our house in '93-94 and had a three tab shingle roof put on.  We got a leak or two in '04, the year we had three hurricanes and had to replace a few truss ends a few years later due to clogged gutters causing water to rot them.  Both were minor fixes.
This summer we went with metal over the shingles on 3/4" strips and 1/2" foam insulation.  The neighbor just replaced a 12 year old shingle roof with metal.  I helped him screw it down between rains as Hurricane Matthew skirted the coast 80 or so miles to our east. Good luck with your roof.

[WDH]

I went to metal, too, for the reasons stated above.  Use the lifetime screws with the pan head that fits over the rubber washer rather than the cheaper flat head screws that do not cover the rubber, just compress it. 

[jwilly3879]

As a contractor I have installed both shingles and screw down metal roofing. If the roof has valleys I prefer shingles because they are easier to install. With metal the detailing in the valley is very critical. Additionally with metal roofing , in my area snow sliding is a major concern. The snow will accumulate in the valleys as it slides down the adjoining roofs which can lead to meltwater backing up. With proper installation this will not create leaks but one small puncture in the underlayment is trouble. Another concern in snow areas is large amounts of snow sliding off the roof which can create safety hazards.

[Kbeitz]

For me it's metal all the way. I have 13 buildings to keep under roof.
My Grandfather put new metal on the barn and wagon shed in 1935.
It will last longer than I'll be around. It looks good for 81 years old.



 

[WV Sawmiller]

MMP,

   Check with your insurance company before you get too far along. May find a savings for metal due to fire retarding ability or may find cost more if wind area. I looked at metal here but opted for shingles last year when I found the freezing and thawing and the valleys presented problems with the metal.

[Gearbox]

There is a new product called Decra Stone . It is a steel shingle that locks into the one below . No snow slide and looks like shingles 50 year warranty . We just put 27 square on our church .

[Ox]

For me, steel is the way to go.  I've had nothing but problems and water intrusion with shingles.  I just had a new steel roof with 40 year warranty put on a 26 x 40 building for $2500 total.  I got a heckuva good deal, I know, but had an Amish roofer quote me $3500.  Most of the bigger roofing companies were around $4500.  For something that will last the rest of my life, I'm happy with it.

[bluthum]

40 years of carpentry experience has put me around a lot of roofs. Either metal or shingles can be the best choice, it depends on the job. Complicated roofs are typically bad candidates for metal, ditto low pitches. Metal with exposed fasteners will always be more likely to leak in an average situation opposed to composition. Another negative is the metal's ability to shed humans which is important if the roof must be crossed much as in chimney cleaning and such.

Some reroof situations are better handled with metal if you need to cover bad  sheathing  and avoid shingle tear off for instance. Metal is more wind resistant, lighter, and easy to remove and recycle come time to replace.

Metal also gets too much credit about fire resistance as embers atop the metal can ignite the underlying structure [though probably takes longer than composition]. 

Much of the time both metal and shingle roofs are replaced do to their rundown look rather than the fact they are failing. I've seen a lot of metal that lost it's luster in a few short years.

So the best choice just depends......

[Den Socling]

"metal's ability to shed humans" that's pretty funny, bluthum.
We went with metal, too. We had an Amish crew put it on and there wasn't much difference in price between them and an "English" crew using shingles.

[repmma]

Metal all the way!  We put 27' panels on my garage, 2 people, roofing cost $1500 in materials and I don't have to shovel the snow off like I do the house!  Until the shingles need to be replaced that is.

[Bruno of NH]

Standing seam metal is the best
But you don't want to be near my walkout basement door when the snow unloads off my farmers porch
By the way have been a builder for 35 years
Bruno

[ellmoe]

Just built a new house in Fla. Insurance companies will wants new shingle roof every 20+\- years, I am good for a lifetime with my standiyseam roof. I do not recommend colored metal as they fade quickly.

[glassman_48]

Michael,
One of my best friends owned a roofing company and he retired.  I asked him the same question years ago and he does not believe in metal for a roof at all.  He said you can buy a good 35 year shingle and get nearly the same warranty, I think he said steel warranty went up to 40 years.  His concern was the way the metal gets fastened over the existing shingles.  If you screw 2 by 4's into your existing shingles and screw metal into those 2 by 4's then what will stop the water (from condensation of the metal roof) from eventually finding its way to the screws that hold the 2 by 4's.  He said that water will pool up on the top side of the 2 by 4 and eventually work its way through the screws that hold down the 2 by 4 and eventually find its way into the attic.  I remember him saying this process would take years but he thinks that people will eventually (after many years) may have to pull their whole roof off and replace because of mold etc.  He thought that the only way to install that way would be to dado out each 2 by 4 so water could not pool up on the top side.  I trust this guy and what he said made sense and we have a lot of people with leaking metal roofs in northern Michigan.  I think that the metal moves so much that it might eventually make the hole under the rubber grommeted screw large enough to make the water come in under the screw also.  I also get a lot of glass broken from metal roofs, the ice curls down under the eve and when it finally comes down it takes out decks and windows at least here in northern Michigan. In 1994 I had my house built by a licensed builder and every winter I had water drip onto my kitchen window its a chalet with a dormer upstairs, I was going to put metal over it, I spent thousands of dollars trying to stop that leak.  After talking with my retired roofer buddy, I stayed with shingles and when the original builder built the house one of his guys had punched a small hole in the flashing that went along the dormer and was covered with t-11 siding, when the snow piled up above that area, then melted It would run down through that small hole and come in on my window directly under the dormer in my kitchen.  I am glad I stayed with shingles.  We could never find hole but when it got reroofed I had them take the old shingles off and start new and one of the guys found the hole then.

[dean herring]

Metal roof and your done for a lifetime
We love ours

[glassman_48]

Michael,
I would also add that this was in late 90's when I talked to my roofing friend when I was having leaking problems.  Hopefully there are better ways to install the metal (like the better screws like wdh talked about) but his point was so valid about condensation causing problems that I wanted to post it.  I have had similar situations with employees when we put in an aftermarket sunroof at my glass shop, they challenge me on why you should prime the bare metal after we cut a hole in a roof for a sunroof, their theory is if the sunroof doesnt leak why bother with primer.  I would say just one word,"condensation" and that would stop them in their tracks.  In northern michigan where I live we have so many issues with weather, we have to be extra careful, not trying to bash metal roofs, I was going to reroof my house with metal.  Just trying to bring up the point of the condensation, and being careful with installation.  Good luck either way.

[LaneC]

   I agree with whoever said your location has a lot to do with it. I have had both. I personally think that the potential for a thousand or more holes in the roof will eventually show up. I have had the good ones installed with the rubber, with the good washers used and still had problems. (A guy once told me the gravitational pull of the moon will loosen the screws ) If you have high winds, I think that plays a part in loosening the screws. Just my opinion. I went back with shingles and I am very glad I did. Just my 2 cents.

[Don P]

One thing to think about, if you are venting the underside of a cold metal roof with damp air, it is going to have condensation. If the metal is tight to the deck with closures, that damp air isn't contacting the underside of your roof, that condensation is on the top side only.

If it's much more than a simple gable I prefer shingles. But I do know how to say "yes m'am, that is an excellent choice", both obviously work.

[David Freed]

You can buy "no drip" metal roofing. Many people put Ayr-Foil under regular metal to stop condensation.

I put regular metal on my house roof when the shingles started leaking. I used Ayr-Foil under the metal on my shop addition.

[jwilly3879]

I replaced a metal roof that had blown off, they had used the correct washered screws but for some reason the used 1 1/2" screws into 7/16 osb roofing. The attic wasn't properly vented and in the winter icicles would form on the exposed screws, when the sun hit, the ice would melt and the owners thought their roof was leaking. We vented the roof properly and the icicle problem was solved but after years of this the osb rotted away around the screws and in a high wind one side of the roof blew off completely.

In all my years of contracting and continuing education I have learned just how much damage condensation can cause. 

[4x4American]

Ok now what about slate roofing?  I notice that many old barns and houses in my area have slate roofs, and I wonder why, and also how they install it?  There are many stone quarries by me and maybe the availability has something to do with it?  It's high wind and alot of snow in this area (Washington County) ...And what about cedar shingles?  How well do they work out?

[Don P]

Slate and tile are fine roofs but the house has to be designed for them loadwise, they are heavy roofs. Larger rafters and beams and then trace that increased load to the foundation, I prefer less brittle than them or shakes or cedar shingles (a shake is split a shingle is sawn). Cedar should be on ventilating strips. It lasts much longer if it can dry rapidly. It is a fire hazard...

[Al_Smith]

My shop.60 by 70 has metal .The shed roof on the back,30 by 60 has 32 or 33 feet long panels of 22 gauge deck metal .It was a chore to get them on the roof but there are no cross seams to leak .I coat it about every 7-8 years .Decking is less expensive than either raised panel or standing seam .I opted for decking because the roof purlins were on an 8 foot spacing on the main 40 by 60 portion with a 6 -12 pitch .The shed is 4-12 pitch with purlins on 4 foot spacing .

My mistake was not opting for galvanized,I used painted .As such every time I recoat it it costs me about 400 bucks a pop and takes me about 3 days to do .

[Ox]

Al - what paint/coating do you use?  How do you apply it?