Rolls of 24- or 26-gauge steel sheets are coated with a metallic coating to prevent rusting, and then painted with a baked-on finish to protect against corrosion. Aluminum sheets do not require a metallic coating, but they are still painted in order to protect them. Cupro, which is sometimes referred to as a "natural metal product," is not coated or painted because it weathers without becoming corroded. Some special features, such as the roof of a prominent bay window, are created using this technique.

Steel roofing products are coated with either zinc (galvanized) or a mixture of aluminum and zinc (galvalume or zincalume), depending on their application. Galvalume outlasts the other two in terms of service life. A variety of coating thicknesses are available; the thicker the coating, the longer it will provide service and the more expensive it will be.

Textures and finishes are important in the design process

Many different shapes and sizes of Metal roofing products can be stamped into them, and they are typically installed as interlocking panels with hidden fasteners. When viewed from a distance, they provide reasonably accurate representations of shingles and tiles. Products that are referred to as'stone-coated' are coated with an acrylic coating in which stone granules are embedded. These have a less metallic appearance.

Standing-seam metal roofs are exactly what they appear to be: long sheets of painted steel with vertical seams that are visible from the ground. From a design standpoint, they are a more pure product, but they are not appropriate for every home. Probably the best match for standing-seam roofs is the clean lines of cabins and modern home designs with minimal ornamentation.

Metal roofing has a number of advantages

The primary advantage of metal roofing is its long life expectancy. Manufacturers routinely provide 50-year warranties, and in some cases, lifetime warranties that are not prorated. The company claims that their products will last two to four times as long as roofs made of asphalt shingles. You will more than offset the higher initial cost of the Metal roof shingles by avoiding one or two re-roofing jobs over the course of the roof's lifespan. In the short term, a new Metal roofing helps homeowners recoup a portion of their investment when they sell their home.