When choosing the best roof for your home, you have many options – but what are the different styles of metal roofing to choose from?
A metal roof often sounds like the best idea for your home. They’re highly adaptable, last for a long time, and come in all kinds of colors. When you go to buy one for your home, you’ll soon see that there’s all kinds of metal roofing styles available. What are the different styles of metal roofing out there, and which one should you choose for your home? Let’s take a look.
Standing Seam Roofs
If you think of a metal roof, this is probably what you’re thinking of. Standing seam is one of the most popular styles of metal roofing. These roofs are made up of several metal panels put together to create your roof. They use a vertical seam that is basically timeless, and looks good on all kinds of houses.
Many home owners go with standing seam metal roofs because they’re a lot quicker to put together. Rather than having to place down shingles or slate, they can simply sit the panels together. If you don’t want to put up with the disruption having a new roof causes, this minimizes it well.
A standing seam roof works really well on lower sloping ranch style residences, as well as roofs that have longer spans. If you particularly like the bold look of it, then you’re going to want the standing seam roof for your home.
Metal Slate Roofs
As the name implies, the metal slate roof gives you the look of a slate roof without the added costs that a slate roof brings to you. Metal slates are significantly lighter and thinner than regular slate. That makes them much easier to install, as well as putting a lot less stress on your roof overall.
That doesn’t mean that you’re going to compromise on the look of your roof, though. These slates are made to look just like the real thing, and you’ll see that they look great once they’re on your roof. As a bonus, they’re not going to crack or split like a regular slates may do in bad weather.
Many like to install metal slates as they look just like the real thing, but they cost so much less. With all the added bonuses too, you’ll see that you’ll pay much less in upkeep and repairs over the years.
Metal Shake Roofs
Much like metal slate roofs, these are made to simulate the look and feel of natural wooden shakes. Many go for these as wooden shakes are expensive to install and maintain. Being wooden, they can become susceptible to water damage which puts your whole home at risk. Because of that, they’re often just not useful to any homeowner.
Metal shakes, on the other hand, are a much better option. As they’re metal they’re a lot lighter than wood, and again will put less strain on the roof. You’ll also see that they come in a huge array of colors. You can get all kinds of wooden hues, so they’ll look just like the real thing.
If you’re concerned about the environment, you can get metal shakes that are actually made from recycled metal. As roofing is so hard on the environment, it’s great to see that you can get roofing that reduces that impact. They’ll also be energy efficient, so you’ll be losing less energy through your roof too.
As an alternative to wooden shakes, metal shakes are great. You won’t know the difference once they’re on the roof, and they need so much less care overall.
Metal Shingles
You can get metal shingles too. Shingles are a very common roofing choice, thanks to their low cost and their wide range of colors. However, they’re not the most hard wearing material. They’re prone to being pulled off by high winds, or damaged by falling debris. Once a shingle has been knocked off, you’ll have to replace it quickly or again, you’re opening yourself up to water damage. All in all, they take some work to keep looking good.
This isn’t the case with metal shingles. These are made to look like thin cut wood shingles, and have a lot of benefits over their asphalt cousins. Firstly, being metal they’re much more resistant to water, ensuring that it doesn’t make its way into your roof. They’re installed with interlocking edges too, so they form a full barrier against the weather.
You can get metal shingles in all sorts of colors too, so you can get one that suits your home perfectly. It’s one of the best ways of improving the curb appeal of your home, overall.
Steel Tiles
There’s also the option to use steel tiles on your roof, that look fantastic. These styles of metal roofing mimic the look of Mediterranean clay tiles, without any of the drawbacks. The clay tiles will crack and break over time, and of course are very heavy.
With metal tiles, you’ll get all of the look of them without the issues they create. These tiles are hurricane proof, so they’re an excellent option if you live in an area that’s prone to them. They can even be walked on without any ill effects towards them. They’re a lot lighter than clay as you would expect too, so again your roof won’t be under stress as it would under clay tiles.
With the coloring and coating, these look just like a regular clay tile. To anyone standing in the street, they won’t be able to tell the difference. If you want that traditional look without sacrificing efficiency, these are the tiles for you.
Different Styles of Metal Roofing for Every Home
As you’ve seen, a metal roof can emulate almost any kind of roofing you can imagine. It’s great to have so many options for your home. Metal is a great substitute as it works out cheaper than some materials, while being lighter and more hard wearing.
With all the different styles of metal roofing, you are sure to find the perfect option for your home. Use this guide to help you find the right one for you, and get it installed. Soon you’ll be protected from the elements, as well as having a fantastic looking roof.
