Standard Steel Roofing
- Steel roofing panels lock together and are installed with weather-resistant screws that have rubber gaskets to prevent leaking. Because roofing nails can leave areas for water to get under steel roofing panels, they should not be used. Metal roofing panels' locking systems include a simple overlap, single locks, double locks and snap locks. Deciding which kind of lock to use depends on the roof appearance you prefer. Each locking system creates a different finished look on a roof. Discuss the options with a supplier, and ask for samples and photographs to see how each locking system looks when installed.
- Standard steel roofing is made of galvanized steel, and its thickness ranges from 24 to 30 gauge. A thick gauge results in a heavy panel. Panels that are 24 gauge and no more than 3 by 10 feet are best for people who intend to install a steel roof on their own. Steel roofing panels are painted and then, based on project specifications, pressed in a manufacturing facility by a pressure molding system.
- A metal roof can cost from $3 to $15 per square foot for materials and installation, according to an undated Fixr website article. In comparison, an asphalt shingle roof cost an average of $1 to $4 per square foot as of 2008. Both prices include the removal and disposal of existing roofing materials.
- An asphalt shingle roof requires an underlayment of tar paper for weather protection. A steel roof, however, requires an underlayment of foam board insulation sheets to help reduce the sound of rain and animals on the roof. That is because metal roofing amplifies the sound of anything that hits it, and insulation deadens the sounds.
