Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Metal roof on house

I just put a new (entire!) roof on our rental apartments, due to a tenant fire. The metal roofing I put on in 81 or 82 was still doing it's job, but faded out. Still wasn't bad- going for the "rustic" look.... The new stuff looks good.

I love the sound of rain on metal roofing.

I haven't comparison priced materials/labor, but even if metal is more expensive, it goes up fast, saving on labor hours over shingles.. I suspect it's largely a wash. If weather or timeliness is an issue, definately go metal, especially on simple roofes- that gable fitting might drive costs up, some.

The only downside I know of is that many installers of dishes or antenaas won't do it on metal.. Buncha pussies, IMHO.

We had a big hail storm in Idaho Falls a while back, and as a percentage, more metal roofs were damaged than shingles.

I replaced our roof this Spring, and I wanted to like metal, but the warranties on the shingle roofs were better and they were considerably cheaper. If wild fire is not a concern, a premium shingle roof with a 30 year warranty is hard to beat.

Never had one hail damaged in the last 35 years of installing them in NW Montana, Alaska and Florida.

The last metal roofing I bought came with a 40 year warranty.

I did have an older home in Montana with a light weight metal siding get dinged up in a hail storm once but the dents popped out after the first sunny day.

I was continually having to replace shingles from wind damage to our house, several times a year. We've had several tornadoes come close by and get a lot of storms. Finally called insurance after a big storm and they recommended a new roof. We weighted the pro/con's...asked for opinions here....and went with standing seam metal roofing. It was a good bit more expensive than 30 year shingles but it should never need to be replaced. We're very happy with it so far and I'd do it again.

Metal roofs last 30 years or so out here in rain-soaked, wind-blown Aleutian Hell where everything rusts, rots, grows moss, mold and mildew. Anywhere else and you should get 50 years out of it.

Put down ice and water before putting on the metal and you're pretty much bullet proof.

its funny that no roofer in my area will put a screw on metal roof on my house. it has a worn out standing seam roof now. they will not tear it off and install a screw on metal roof on it because the shingle roof under them is what stops them from leaking and sweating. I've seen to that were put on over shingles blow off already.
they had 2x4 under the metal and the bottom ones rotted due to the metal sweating and running down longer runs. they are counting on the shingles sealing the screws under the metal and keeping the seal once the washers on the screws crack . I don't think any of them will last anywhere as long as they say.

Understanding what could make a metal roof sweat on the underside might make you reconsider your theory.

I put a metal roof on my house 4 years ago. Only problem is, the roof is noisy. When the sun heats it up in the morning it creaks and groans.
Later in the day, if a cloud obscures the sun, the roof cools a little and makes more noise, creaking etc.

I like the roof but damn it is noisy.

Did you pre drill the holes?

I predrill the whole stack (sorted by section) with an 1/8" blue mol

It helps *some*


I did not pre drill my polycarb panel sunroom roof. That sombitch sounds like lady fingers popping off sometimes at sunset. I'll probably yank that down and put metal panel on

Over the life of the roof, the cheapest roof you can put on a house is a copper roof.

It needs more screws.

What kind of shoes do you wear to walk on metal roofs? Tried to clean my gutters on barn roof wearing work boots & damn near went down.

I've always used a good tennis shoe.
Avoid really hot periods of the day, cooks right through the soles.

I'm good up to a 6/12 with tennis shoes with some cautions.
Rinse the roof off first if it's dusty and then let it dry.
Don't snap a chalk line and then attempt to walk over areas dusted with chalk, it's like trying to walk on tiny ball bearings
At 6/12, keep your feet as flat on the roof as possible, no leaning up on your toes.
Keep your body weight on your feet, actives such as transferring your body weight to a tool, like a drill to add pressure can make your shoes loose their grip.

The position one might find himself in while cleaning rain gutters can be compromising on any roofing material.
You don't want to do a header off any roof.

If completing the task off a ladder is out of the question a guy might want to consider sub'in the job out to a insured contractor or renting a man lift.
Both alternatives may seem spendy for such a simple task but a fall can change your life.

If I need to rent a lift, I save up numerous small projects first to justify the costs of the rental.
I pay around 300 a day for rental but have done thousands of dollars worth of tree work, and other high, hard spot tasks for a days worth of rental fees.

The cost for asphalt shingle roof was 8500 dollars. Same roof for a no.26 steel was 10000. This summer home is 40-50ft and I had already roofed it once 12 years ago with asphalt shingles. I like the looks of the steel roof and the POM that goes with it. Folks in this vicinity, also in need of a new roof, are considering steel after seeing mine. Noise of any sort is not a problem.

Anyone had any experience with the newer types of metal roofs that go on similar to 3-tabs? Mike Holmes and others used them on their shows. They screw down and the screws are hidden. From a distance, they mimic Stone, slate or just asphalt look.

A friend has steel shingles. They are in sections.

Metal roof all the way. I’ve put them on my last two homes and helped install a half dozen. If diy don’t use treated wood for the strips. The new treatment corrodes the screws and roofing. The roof will fail within three years if you use treated wood. I put reflective insulation under the roof strips. Between the reflective galvalume , air space , and reflective insulation the reduction in air conditioning costs will more than pay for the roof in just a few years here in Florida.

It's expensive and mostly about aesthetics. They look great.

If you can afford it, go for it. They have them in solid copper even.

Personally I feel you might lose some of the wind resistance that is achieved with solid metal panels.
Standing Seam panels also hide the screws if that is all you are after.

I'm not so sure the added expense would be recognized in your average home appraisal when re-sale is considered it may just be valued as any metal roof.

Have lived in our log home for 34 years with two different metal roofs on it.

The first roof was put on with screws, and put on over just a vapor barrier, over an open beam ceiling.

After about the first 8 years, we replaced it with snap lock steel.

We had 1/2" plywood put down, a vapor barrier over that, then the roofing installed.

Very little noise. It's gotta rain really hard to hear it at all, and our bedroom is up stairs, so we're sleeping right under the roof.

We live in the woods, so fire danger is top priority here, but we really like our metal roof.

Last year, when two foot of snow started sliding, it did pull part of the gutters loose.

Virgil B.

What inspired the change after the first 8 years?