• Steel roofing is a popular construction material.abstract red metal tiled roof background and chimney image by Avesun from Fotolia.com
  
  Because of its strength, light-weight nature and malleability, steel is a popular type of roofing material. In addition to its other properties, steel is also fire-proof. This is particularly important if you live in the southwest, where the airborne sparks from large wildfires have ignited many wooden roofs and set entire housing tracts ablaze.
  
  

Steel Panel Roofing

• For roofing a large outbuilding or barn, steel roofing panels are often installed. They are available in a variety of lengths. Most are coated with a baked on paint, which is available in a variety of colors, such as barn red, green or blue. The roofing panels are secured with hex-headed roofing screws that fasten the panels to the wooden roofing purlins installed beneath them.
  
  

Stone Coated Steel

• Stone coated steel roofing is another popular steel roofing type. Pulverized stone is mixed with adhesive and attached to steel roofing panels, which are often formed with a wavy surface. One manufactured and properly installed, stone coated roof emulates the appearance and color of as classic Spanish style tile roof.
  
  

Steel Shake Roofs

• Because steel can easily be formed into any number of patterns and textures, another popular type of steel roofing is shake style. The roofing resembles the texture of cedar roofing shakes and can be ordered in a variety of colors. Unlike wooden cedar shakes, steel roofing will never rot or catch fire if struck by lightning.
  
  

Steel Shingle Roofs

• Another popular style of steel roofing is the shingle style. The steel is stamped in sheets and the surface looks exactly like asphalt roofing, but as with the shake type, it is also fireproof.