Author Topic: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal  (Read 1475 times)

skp

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standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« on: June 22, 2019, 01:35:04 PM »
Our roof needs replaced and we are thinking about putting a metal roof instead of asphalt.  The main reasons are that we live in the woods and are having problems with moss growing on the roof and we are also in our early 60s and want a low maintenance get and forget it roof that we won't have to replace again.  We currently plan to stay put.  We have 3 acres of property (mostly wooded) that we like to maintain. It keeps us busy.  It's cheap entertainment and we enjoy it.   We live in NE Ohio which has cold winters and moderately warm but humid summers.   I've done some research and it seems that standing seam metal roofs are better but they are also 2-3 times the cost.  Are they worth it?   We like nice things for the house.  For example we put in triple pane windows that were definitely worth them money IMO.  I don't mind buying "good" when it is needed but don't when it's not.

Cadman

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2019, 01:42:04 PM »
As long as you go with a hidden-fastener style, you should be good. I'm a fan of Menards' Pro-Snap. It's a standing-seam style that's easy to install and just as water-tight as traditional. Each section is 16" wide in about as long a continuous length as you like. You screw down one edge and the next panel snaps over it. I assume it's available from other vendors under similar names.

What you do NOT want is exposed fasteners. The expansion/contraction of the steel will cause them to slowly back out, just enough for water to get in. Meanwhile, UV is doing its best to break down the rubber washer. Perfectly fine for a pole building, but not a house.

joenorm

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2019, 12:56:06 PM »
Either option is a good one and better than asphalt, which can only be thrown in the garbage at the end of its life.

If you go with corrugated make sure the installer fastens at the "ridges" and not the "valleys" of the panels. This will ensure that even when the gasketed screws begin to fail (and they will) they still generally keep water out.

That said, if it were my house I would go with Snap Lock standing seem with hidden fasteners. The extra insurance of no water getting in is worth the cost. Plus they're likely a thicker gauge steel then the cheapest corrugated panel.


Fishindude

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2019, 01:13:25 PM »
If you have a simple gabled roof at least 4:12 pitch without many hips valleys or penetrations a simple corrugated metal roof will work fine.   You should first strip off the shingles, install new tar paper or water barrier and place the roof directly on the deck, assuming the deck is something suitable and thick enough to hold screws.   If it's 7/16" OSB like many roof decks are, I'd install horizontal 2x4 furring members at 24" centers to screw the roof to.   Thru fasten the 2x4's thru decking into the trusses.

If you go with corrugated make sure the installer fastens at the "ridges" and not the "valleys" of the panels. This will ensure that even when the gasketed screws begin to fail (and they will) they still generally keep water out.
This is incorrect information.   Follow the roof panel manufacturers fastening instructions which will undoubtedly have you putting many of the screws in the panel flats.   The key to screw and gasket performance is fastening to the correct torque so you compress the rubber washer without over tightening and damaging it.

If you have a lot of hips, valleys, and roof penetrations a flat pan, standing seam roof is much easier to flash at all of these locations in a water tight manner.

With either option, hire a pro to do the work and check some references.

Jon Bon

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2019, 01:23:54 PM »
As long as you go with a hidden-fastener style, you should be good. I'm a fan of Menards' Pro-Snap. It's a standing-seam style that's easy to install and just as water-tight as traditional. Each section is 16" wide in about as long a continuous length as you like. You screw down one edge and the next panel snaps over it. I assume it's available from other vendors under similar names.

What you do NOT want is exposed fasteners. The expansion/contraction of the steel will cause them to slowly back out, just enough for water to get in. Meanwhile, UV is doing its best to break down the rubber washer. Perfectly fine for a pole building, but not a house.

@Cadman  Tell us more!

Have you done a DIY install? What were the major challanges? what was unexpected? Most importantly how much did it cost?


Cadman

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2019, 03:16:13 PM »
Jon Bon, here's a pic of my shop roof... each panel is 34' long, and total width 64'. I ended up building a fixture for a bucket lift so we could bring them up a couple at a time without kinking. My GF (now wife) ran the lift from the ground, and me and 2 buddies did the install. The most critical thing was getting the first couple panels setup so that they'd run true and making sure you have adequate overhang at the rear from the start.

One of my favorite all-around tools is a Bosch pocket-sized battery impact. One man would gently walk on the snap portion of the seam to snap the panel down, then it was a matter of a minute or two to run in all the screws. With the impact, you can gauge just the right amount of torque in seconds without deformation. Works better than a slip-clutch on a drill. Slots are already stamped for the screw to allow movement for expansion/contraction. Rinse and repeat, checking for square every few panels.

I've since done a couple smaller projects with the same roofing, even using it as vertical siding on DW's modern-style she-shed this year. Easy enough to cut, though I use a short-nose snip to cut the two high ridges, then long-nose to go across the panel.

Cost is around $2/lin ft from the local box store (cheaper on sale) and you can specify length to the inch. 20+ colors. The hidden fee is packaging, roughly $100 to build up a custom crate, wrap it in vinyl so it's water tight and ship it to the store. Then I usually spring to have it delivered due to the length.



Jon Bon

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2019, 09:59:55 AM »
Plumbing vents come later?

Yeah if I had that simple of a roof I would totally do it! Mine is a bit more complex but not grossly so. Really the hardest part would be dealing with the pitch, im somewhere between 6 and 8/12

Looks great though, I have way to many shitty 3 tab asphalt  roofs, So every time I get a decent thunderstorm I take a drive to see where I am missing shingles!

I feel like a metal roof should be cheaper then asphalt roofs. A shingle covers all ove what 1 sqft? Versus one of those panels will cover 25-50 sqft? Is there a bunch of extra labor in the underlayment or are they still just a 'novel' product with contractors?


Cadman

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2019, 11:25:58 AM »
After FIRE my plan is to add a bathroom out there, but I'd really like to go out the top of the second story wall for the DWV stack vent. I hate, hate, hate any kind of roof penetration.

I think contractors love shingles because they can be 'fast and dirty'. A few horizontal chalk lines and they're good. No special care or handling with the bundles. And now with architectural shingles you can really get sloppy.

Contrast that with steel panels where finished length has to be pretty darn close before you start, you're dealing with an painted appearance surface, and you've got to exercise care in storage, delivery and uncrating. Plus your BOM better be accurate as it's all special order. No running over to Home Depot for a few bundles of a generic color if you're going to be short.

Prep was easy...I'd recommend tearing off the old and starting with a solid deck. Conventional or synthetic tar paper works just fine. For your pitch, maybe you could attach a 'stop' of sorts to your fascia (long 2x6's?) so you could slide each panel up onto the roof and have the ends come to a rest against it? Sure would make alignment easy.

Fishindude

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Re: standing seam metal roof vs corrugated metal
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2019, 11:32:22 AM »
A simple plumbing stack thru a standing seam roof is easy and won't leak.    Use a Dek Tite Neoprene boot installed per manufacturers instructions and make sure it is located near the center of panel so that water can get around both sides.   They even make a few different custom colored ones -vs- the standard grey or black.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!