Installing a Standing Seam Metal Roof

[Slowgsr]

Beautiful work Slowgsr! I saw your pictures on another thread and was hoping that you would comment here. I believe that you didn't have much experience with standing seam metal but had a friend who did helping you out. A roof like yours can transform any house into something special.

So that is 26ga mechanically double locked? Where did you get your coil from? Do you think that forming the panels on-site as you go adds much time versus having precut panels delivered? Did you have to rent the roll former? How long did the roof take?

Yeah its 26ga double mechanical, all hand seamed using seamers but other areas were seamed using hand tools.

Coil came from Havelock metals, they show up with the equipment and roll the panels all at once on site. Its expensive equipment from what I understand.

The roof took 9 months due to weather. However we did roof, chimney, sofit/fascia addressed venting, we levelled the roof, did gutters, replaced all existing vinyl on the house as well, and repaired a lot of rotten wood. Basically addressed all the exterior. Including replacing 9 windows.

My friend was full time on the project yes, he's currently gone to New Zealand doing metal there.

There's a big difference between an American type of install and European style, one which relies on overlap and caulking, and one which doesn't. Double lock is so rare I've yet to see another house locally with it. Everything is always snap lock, then fold overlap, caulk. Since its all about production type work and the bottom line.

 

[yeldogt]

Yeah its 26ga double mechanical, all hand seamed using seamers but other areas were seamed using hand tools.

Coil came from Havelock metals, they show up with the equipment and roll the panels all at once on site. Its expensive equipment from what I understand.

The roof took 9 months due to weather. However we did roof, chimney, sofit/fascia addressed venting, we levelled the roof, did gutters, replaced all existing vinyl on the house as well, and repaired a lot of rotten wood. Basically addressed all the exterior. Including replacing 9 windows.

My friend was full time on the project yes, he's currently gone to New Zealand doing metal there.

There's a big difference between an American type of install and European style, one which relies on overlap and caulking, and one which doesn't. Double lock is so rare I've yet to see another house locally with it. Everything is always snap lock, then fold overlap, caulk. Since its all about production type work and the bottom line.

True mechanical DLSS was at one time common -- Prior to asphalt coming on the market it was cedar, metal and slate. Even after Asphalt many traditional styled homes used metal on the low slope porch roofs.

Joe is in PA: there are many still doing true mechanical standing seam -- it's often copper. I did Zinc because the architect wanted the gray to complement the slate ... It depends on how close to Philadelphia -- North and West of the city there are many people doing that type of work. All of the Main Line ... Chestnut Hill ... north into Bucks County.

The guys that do this type of work have the equipment to make the custom panels -- that way you don't have odd sizes at the end of the run. It's a real art. If you look at my slate roof above -- that gutter assembly took 5 guys over a week to install ... and there is two of them. Even the vent you see down low is a work of art when you see it up close ..

 

[Dzlpete]

Yes, what I call true metal standing seam is mechanically folded, not snap together.
If the roofing association thinks they are the same, must be they have heavy funding from the snap lock guys- totally not the same job.
Mechanically locked is a much cleaner looking job without a lot of bulky “trim” pieces
coverings edges, etc...

Yeldogt- Where are you from? Must be very far from the Northeast?
Slate runs about $500 a square here, for the good stuff, unless you want red.
Trucking must be the killer.
Or, maybe I need to start a small hotshot company supplying slate

 

[yeldogt]

Yes, what I call true metal standing seam is mechanically folded, not snap together.
If the roofing association thinks they are the same, must be they have heavy funding from the snap lock guys- totally not the same job.
Mechanically locked is a much cleaner looking job without a lot of bulky “trim” pieces
coverings edges, etc...

Yeldogt- Where are you from? Must be very far from the Northeast?
Slate runs about $500 a square here, for the good stuff, unless you want red.
Trucking must be the killer.
Or, maybe I need to start a small hotshot company supplying slate

The house I am doing with the slate is north of Philadelphia -- Buckingham Slate from VA. They supplied all the sizes for the job -- including the custom scalloped. It's a very high quality slate -- dark ...non fading. It's pushing 1k a square.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I know that I have MUCH to learn about metal roofs, so here is a beginner question.

What is the difference between the "standing seam" metal roof, and the "stone coated steel" shingles? The stone coated steel outlet here advertises a LOT on the radio, and claims that if you purchase the materials from them, EITHER they will install, or they will train you, the homeowner, to install. THAT sounds too good to be true.

I got a qiote from them and they were about twice the asphalt shingle price. One problem around here is that even a "30-year shingle" will only last about 15, at best. Winters are tough.




.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I know that I have MUCH to learn about metal roofs, so here is a beginner question.

What is the difference between the "standing seam" metal roof, and the "stone coated steel" shingles? The stone coated steel outlet here advertises a LOT on the radio, and claims that if you purchase the materials from them, EITHER they will install, or they will train you, the homeowner, to install. THAT sounds too good to be true.

.

A world of difference. A standing seam roof is just that. Something that has a sealed crimped joint between full length unbroken panels and deep flashings, if done right.
Those tin shingles only have a 5/8" unsealed clip sort of thing to resist water. Even asphalt shingles have better.
A properly done SS roof will resist high winds. Ours has weathered 90 mph gusts. A properly done tin shingle roof looks like a ruffled sequin blouse after 90 mph winds.
SS roofs can be laid over nearly flat roofs. Tin shingles work best on steep roofs.

 

[yeldogt]

I know that I have MUCH to learn about metal roofs, so here is a beginner question.

What is the difference between the "standing seam" metal roof, and the "stone coated steel" shingles? The stone coated steel outlet here advertises a LOT on the radio, and claims that if you purchase the materials from them, EITHER they will install, or they will train you, the homeowner, to install. THAT sounds too good to be true.

I got a qiote from them and they were about twice the asphalt shingle price. One problem around here is that even a "30-year shingle" will only last about 15, at best. Winters are tough.


----------True double lock standing seam (DLSS) is achieved by bending the panels together onsite -- the joint is waterproof and does not have to be that high. The snap systems have to have a high seam -- often 2" or more depending on the rain anticipated -- many have a cap and use sealant. True DLSS is a quiet looking roof w/o all the ups and downs of the panel systems.

Metal shingles are a different product ... they can be very interesting on the correct building.

 

[Showkey]

Showkey, is there an asphalt shingle that will last 50 years?

I have a couple quotes from GAF master elite installers and their 50 year golden pledge warranty. Came in $40K-$50K for basic underlayments and GAF Timberline HD shingles (one tried to upsell other underlayments until I asked why would I pay more if the warranty period is 50 years regardless). I don't believe these shingles will last 50 years and I don't believe that they would warranty the roof when it fails before 50 years.

Besides the longevity of concealed fastener standing seam metal, I also like the efficiency gains and appearance vs asphalt.

Not to start a huge ******* contest........but..........the same can be said for metal roof warranty with the no rust, no fade, no staining, no leaks. Going through the exact same process on my home and shop as we speak. Having a very hard time justifying metal vs high quality asphalt.........as.........the metal is coming in a least twice the price, two guys are three times the price.

I will say I have seen too many metal roofs with exposed fasteners fail long before 20 years.....with leaks, fade and staining.

 

[Slowgsr]

Anyone ever seen anything done in corten? Not the material for someone who is scared of paint fade or rust.

SS double lock roofing should not have any exposed fasteners, or rely on caulking. It should be water right by design. Installation methods are everything.

 

[yeldogt]

Not to start a huge ******* contest........but..........the same can be said for metal roof warranty with the no rust, no fade, no staining, no leaks. Going through the exact same process on my home and shop as we speak. Having a very hard time justifying metal vs high quality asphalt.........as.........the metal is coming in a least twice the price, two guys are three times the price.

I did a Celotex Presidential Asphalt roof on my suburban property about 20 years ago and the roof looks like the day it was installed. Certainteed bought them and still make the product -- they have two lines now. The old thicker and a thinner product (guess to cut costs). Think they are 40/50 years. I put on an addition about 8 years ago and the new Certainteed product was a perfect match.

Roof warranties are a joke IMO -- Buy from a good company and follow the directions -- including using the correct base material.

Even entry level metal is going to be 2x the cost. It's all about looks ... and what's is expected on a house.

I could have done asphalt for about 1/3 of the slate using a supper premium asphalt ..... In my case the roof is so much of the building ..and I love slate.

The interesting thing about true standing seam -- it's so labor intensive that it can be more expensive than anything else depending on the product. I used real Zinc because I did not want painted -- copper was a bit less for the metal but the color is not correct. Zinc is harder to work with -- so Zinc and copper are about the same cost. Metal gets crazy expensive on a complex roof.

 

[TurnipTruck]

Good to hear Turnip Truck. Where did you get your panels from? Were they formed on site? Any pictures?

I had family in the Fairbanks area. AK is a beautiful state unlike any other.

We went through an Alaskan roof panel producer 200 miles away. It’s a snap lock kinda roof; we never found any company within 800 miles who did the form&crimp-in-place type of roof.