Steel Roofs

[bigretic]

As I drove down to the Indy area for the eclipse and across 136 and that area, i noticed A LOT of steel roofs. Rarely see more than an oddity level up north. Got me wondering why. Any of you mid-staters have any enlightening information to share on them?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

A lot of people down this way opt for them too. I think the thinking is they’ll last longer. Maybe they will but from what I’ve seen they’ll ugly out long, long before they wear out.

 

[Ingomike]

As I drove down to the Indy area for the eclipse and across 136 and that area, i noticed A LOT of steel roofs. Rarely see more than an oddity level up north. Got me wondering why. Any of you mid-staters have any enlightening information to share on them?

Maybe take a drive into Michigan out in the country, saw a lot of them recently, enough I thought the way you did about that area. But it is mostly rural from what I see, not suburban or urban…

 

[wagyu52]

Wife and I are in the middle of this discussion. She wants a metal roof on the house, me not so much.
There is an idea out there that metal (talking like pole barn metal) is a forever roof. It’s not.

 

[BigRed]

They have been around for a long time for a reason.

 

[Ingomike]

A lot of people down this way opt for them too. I think the thinking is they’ll last longer. Maybe they will but from what I’ve seen they’ll ugly out long, long before they wear out.

They can look great combined with the right architecture. The great Victorian era homes with all the strong bright multi colors look amazing, then some people paint an 80’s or 90’s house like that and it looks awful.

The big deal is picking a roof color that complements both the architecture and the siding & paint colors. They also are offering more texture options than they originally had.

 

[Magyars]

Low/no maintenance, fireproof, many colors.
Not much better than falling asleep with rain hitting a metal roof.

 

[Hardscrable]

As I drove down to the Indy area for the eclipse and across 136 and that area, i noticed A LOT of steel roofs. Rarely see more than an oddity level up north. Got me wondering why. Any of you mid-staters have any enlightening information to share on them?

Don’t know about your area in the NW but mine - central northern IN - has more new steel than any other type for several years now. Neighboring property is co-owned by 3 siblings. One of them from Boston while visiting last summer asked me about the extreme amount of steelroofs in IN. Said from Ohio line to here all they see is new steel roofs. In NE they never see one.

 

[Ingomike]

Wife and I are in the middle of this discussion. She wants a metal roof on the house, me not so much.
There is an idea out there that metal (talking like pole barn metal) is a forever roof. It’s not.

How long do you believe they last? Geographic info would be best for specific areas vs. the entire country, but we will not know for sure for a hundred years from now how modern metal roofs will last. The consensus seems to be 40-70 years with 100 on the top end.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

They can look great combined with the right architecture. The great Victorian era homes with all the strong bright multi colors look amazing, then some people paint an 80’s or 90’s house like that and it looks awful.

The big deal is picking a roof color that complements both the architecture and the siding & paint colors. They also are offering more texture options than they originally had.

Most of the ones I see I like, when they’re new. In a few years though the reds turn purple-ish and the greens turn brown-ish. And for most of them, it’s not all that many years.

With what I’ve heard people with problems with their metal roofs say, if I were to install a metal roof tomorrow, I’d choose the snap-lock version. All those screws with the rubber washers are leaks waiting to happen.

 

[Ingomike]

With what I’ve heard people with problems with their metal roofs say, if I were to install a metal roof tomorrow, I’d choose the snap-lock version. All those screws with the rubber washers are leaks waiting to happen.

Those screws only have a 5 year lifespan as I have heard. It is a must to get the hidden fastener type…

 

[wagyu52]

Low/no maintenance, fireproof, many colors.
Not much better than falling asleep with rain hitting a metal roof.

While they don’t burn a metal roof in a structure fire is a bad thing. Traps the heat in and make it incredibly dangerous to get on. Ask me how I know

 

[wagyu52]

A lot of houses have metal over existing shingles or plywood Especially in a re-roof situation.
What would normally be a minor attic/roof fire in conventional shingled roof can turn into a major deal when you have a fire burning between those layers.
Pole barns that were designed with metal roofs screw right to the purlins with no sheeting

 

[JTKelly]

I've had a many asphalt shingle roofs. I've put several asphalt shingle roofs on roofs that I put the last asphalt shingle roof on the time before. What was that definition of insanity again?

I'm never putting a shingle roof on anything I own, EVER again.

 

[wagyu52]

How long do you believe they last? Geographic info would be best for specific areas vs. the entire country, but we will not know for sure for a hundred years from now how modern metal roofs will last. The consensus seems to be 40-70 years with 100 on the top end.

Roof lasting and being water tight are two different things. How many 30-50 year old pole barns are out there with the roof on but leak or have problems

Here is my 70’s FBI pole barn nailed down, stupid idea aluminum roof that they would have replaced cause they knew it was bad if I was the original purchaser which I am not roof flapping.

That perlin is completely rotten where the nail was, nothing to hold a screw so now there is a hole, makes for an issue.

 

[stocknup]

It was a no brainer for us to get ours . When we bought our log cabin , it had cedar shakes that were in need of replacement .
After comparing pros and cons of each , we went metal . Although I Loved the cedar shake look, after a few years ( even with the correct foot ware ) they don`t recommend getting back on a shake roof just for basic maintenance .
Also , not looking for another maintenance item for the retirement years . Went with 2" standing seam , no exposed fasteners , and opted for commercial grade 24 gauge . Chose a Bronze/Brown ? neutral color .
Miss the "rustic" look of the shakes .......I wish they would have made a "rusted " look at the time . Never was a fan of the bright Red and Green colors .
The grandkids may have to have it replaced one day ....................

 

[Ingomike]

Roof lasting and being water tight are two different things. How many 30-50 year old pole barns are out there with the roof on but leak or have problems

Here is my 70’s FBI pole barn nailed down, stupid idea aluminum roof that they would have replaced cause they knew it was bad if I was the original purchaser which I am not roof flapping.

That perlin is completely rotten where the nail was, nothing to hold a screw so now there is a hole, makes for an issue. View attachment 347768

I think one disconnect is that folks conflate a 40-70-100 roof with 0 maintenance. So far there is no maintenance free roof. That said it does not seem fair to equate the modern metal roofs with old pole barns either. My brothers morton barn is still near perfect at 30 years old.

 

[duanewade]

I put a steel roof on my old farm house in 2007 because I didn't want to put another roof on the house before I died.

Asphalt @ $12k vs. steel @16k and it was well worth the difference because of being maintenance free and a 50 year warranty.

 

[wagyu52]

Roofs are like tries, they wear out. No such thing a a maintenance free roof. Think your metal roof is? I’ve got a drawer full of roof screws that beg to differ

 

[BugI02]

As far as why many people were going metal roof in that one particular area, any idea how much hail they get in an average year?