Roofing!

[NoShangriLa]

My mom home is in need of a new roof and we are looking at asphalt shingle vs. tin shingle & tin sheeting.

We are looking at selling the place in 3-5 years and like the look of tin but unsure if it is worth the time & money.

Thanks.

 

[ElFenix]

does it have a wood roof on it now? if so, make sure they vent the new roof properly. wood roofs vent pretty well by themselves because there isn't really a deck, but a solid deck roof like asphalt or tin doesn't vent well at all. we're talking double the a/c bill.

 

[thedarkwolf]

How many layers of shingles are on it now? Parents just had a new metal roof put on their house. They already had 2 layers of asphalt on the roof which is the max here. Metal roofing you can just slap right over the asphalt without any problems. Without having the pay to remove the asphalt and haul it off the metal roofing didn't add much to the cost and looks better IMO.

 

[NoShangriLa]

1 layer of asphalt shingle is on it at the moment.

We have to remove the present asphalt shingle and 3/4 plywood sheeting to repair damages that was done by a squirrel (vaulted ceiling therefore we do not have attic).

 

[IGBT]

..had my roof done in RyLock Hidden Fastner metal in polar white. 1" of insulation underneath. Looks great. The Polar White blows off the summer heat. The house doesn't overheat on hot days anymore. Also much quiter. It's not cheap but goes down fast and really looks great. Adds lots of value to the house.

 

[Darwin333]

I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

..surprised to hear exposed fastner is still used in residential app's. All the new construction north of Sac.in Calif. is hidden fastner RyLock. Some in extreme windy areas. Yet to see any complaints about wind damage or leaks in hidden fastner.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for the great reply.

We are on the Canadian West Coast (or known as the Wet Coast to the local), and 24 gauge standing seam is the most common metal roofing that I have seen. And, metal shingle is the only other metal roofing material that I have seen installed.

I'm convinced that standing seam is the way to go for roofing material.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for the great reply.

We are on the Canadian West Coast (or know as the Wet Coast to the local), and 24 gauge standing seam is the most common metal roofing that I have seen. And, metal shingle is the only other metal roofing material that I have seen installed.

I'm convinced that standing seam is the way to go for roofing material.

..is standing seam a hidden fastner design??

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: IGBT

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for the great reply.

We are on the Canadian West Coast (or know as the Wet Coast to the local), and 24 gauge standing seam is the most common metal roofing that I have seen. And, metal shingle is the only other metal roofing material that I have seen installed.

I'm convinced that standing seam is the way to go for roofing material.

..is standing seam a hidden fastner design??

There are exposed fastener & hidden fastener standing seam design, but hidden fastener is the more common design. And, it look like they aren't that difficult to install...thankfully that I have some experience with tin bashing.

 

[RaiderJ]

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

I worked in roofing for 8 years and I agree with all this advice. I bolded the metal shingle section because I have never seen any of those setups work here in Alaska. Personally, I'd recommend just going with option 1. Can't advise on the electrical bill part of it, as we don't have to worry about overheating here

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: IGBT

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: Darwin333
I am a project manager and estimator for a commercial roofing company. My expertise is not in residential roofing but I have done quite a bit of it after Katrina and the materials are the same.

First, I ALWAYS recommend that you remove the existing roofing system first. The underlayment is just as important as the finished roofing material. Removing the existing system allows you to install new felt and Ice & water shield (if necessary). I would also recommend that you use #30 felt (spoken as 30 pound felt) instead of the cheaper #15. There is not that much of a price difference but the #30 felt is a much stronger product.

1. 25 year 3 tab asphalt shingles.
Pros: Cheap, easy to install, very good impact resistance, more expensive architectural shingles have some darn good wind uplift ratings as well
Cons: Horrible for your electrical bill Even light colored shingles are still asphaltic products and absorb a large amount of heat which is transfered to your attic, darker shingles can get
well over 150 degrees.

2. Exposed fastener corrugated metal panels. Most common panel type used in residential/argricultural roofing is called an 'R' panel.
Pros: Extremely cheap, very easy to install, slightly better reflectivity than shingles if you use white.
Cons: Poor wind rating, especially if you use 26ga. panels that are common in residential roofing, I personally despise exposed fastener roofs. Its very easy to over torque a screw damaging the neoprene washer and causing a leak later that is relatively difficult to locate.

3. Metal shingle systems (In my opinion I would NEVER consider a metal shingle roof system on my home)
Pros: Cheap, slightly better reflectivity
Cons: Warranty is not worth the paper that its written on, real world reflectivity is no where near what they advertise, tons of exposed fasteners

4. Concealed fastener metal roof (referred to as "Standing Seam" this is the very best choice besides high end systems like clay tile)
Pros: Extremely high wind resistance and reflectivity on lighter colors, 24ga. kynar coated metal comes with a 20 year paint finish warranty so your reflectivity lasts much longer, NO
exposed fasteners, very easy and cheap to raise the panel an inch off the roof deck in order to install a cheap low-e reflective insulation which reflects 98% of the heat from actually
entering your attic (The insulation works best when it has 1 inch of air space, 1X2's every two feet or metal hat channels can be used to raise the attachment point of the panel and
therefore the roof system itself), 20 year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranties available, very high impact rating, one of the best water shedding roof systems in respect to performance

Cons: Not the cheapest option, but depending on your current energy usage the addition of a low-e insulation could significantly lower energy costs, must have a skilled crew to properly
install it


Other thoughts:

If you go with a metal roof make sure you use 24ga. and not 26ga. Not much price difference between the two but 24ga. performs MUCH better.

With 'R' panels you will have a selection of about a dozen color choices

With standing seam roofs you have dozens of color selections and if you use a low-e insulation properly you will not have to base the color of the roof on reflectivity (i.e. you can choose a much darker color and not loose any energy performance)

Install a full width piece of ice & water shield in all valleys, and elsewhere as required by your area

I am sure I will think of some more tips. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for the great reply.

We are on the Canadian West Coast (or know as the Wet Coast to the local), and 24 gauge standing seam is the most common metal roofing that I have seen. And, metal shingle is the only other metal roofing material that I have seen installed.

I'm convinced that standing seam is the way to go for roofing material.

..is standing seam a hidden fastner design??

There are exposed fastener & hidden fastener standing seam design, but hidden fastener is the more common design. And, it look like they aren't that difficult to install...thankfully that I have some experience with tin bashing.

..mine came pre cut to length and simply laid over the insulation. Best roof syst.in the biz. amazed how much cooler the house is. The polar white really makes a difference.

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: IGBT

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Thank you for the great reply.

We are on the Canadian West Coast (or know as the Wet Coast to the local), and 24 gauge standing seam is the most common metal roofing that I have seen. And, metal shingle is the only other metal roofing material that I have seen installed.

I'm convinced that standing seam is the way to go for roofing material.

..is standing seam a hidden fastener design??

Standing seam is your absolute best choice until you start getting into really high end systems. Since that seems to be the direction your leaning to I will try to elaborate on it a bit.

First of all, the vast majority of standing seam roofs are also concealed fastener systems. That is one of the biggest drawing points to it. As I said earlier, I wouldn't put an exposed fastener roof system on my dog house much less my own or a customers (unless water intrusion is not an issue such as some agriculture applications where price is the only issue).

The basic way the system works is you have a metal panel with a leg on each side, generally a male and female leg. You install the clips on one of the legs and screw it into the roof deck/hat channels. Your second panel's opposite leg will then cover the leg (and clip and fasteners) and so on..

For the rest of my explanations I am going to use the manufacturer Berridge as a ?basis of design?. There are plenty of good metal roofing manufacturers out there but we use Berridge the most (actually own 3 of their machines to field roll panels). There are 3 basic types of standing seam roof systems that you will be looking at. They are ?Snap lock?, ?Mechanically seamed?, and ?batten seamed? systems.

I will start with snap seamed systems because it?s the most common.
The pro?s of snap seam systems are ease of installation, quicker install, more forgiving on mistakes than mechanical seamed systems and if you ever need to remove a panel from the middle of a run you don?t have to destroy half the roof to do it. Here is a good detail that shows both the concealed fastener system and the ?Cee-lock? or snap seam panel system.

http://www.berridge.com/ceelock.htm

Notice how the leg of the second panel covers the clip and then ?snaps? into place. So, in reality only one side of the panel is screwed down. You can get up to an I-90 uplift rating but that is pretty hard to achieve with the new FM standards.

If you decide to go with a snap seam system please read the next line twice.
Make sure you purchase and use (or instruct your installer) the optional vinyl weather seal. It costs about 18 cents per LF (multiply roof area by .75 to know how many LF you need) and greatly improves the performance of the system. I personally will not install a Cee-lock roof without the vinyl weather seal.

Cons: It can not span empty space well so you would want a solid substrate to install on. Depending on the climate of your area you may see some oil canning. If your concerned with that ask the manufacturer to roll the panels with stiffening ribs.

The next system is a mechanically fastened system or as an example a Berridge ?Zee-lock?. The main advantage over a snap seam system is the zee-lock system is structurally stronger. It can span open space very well and can achieve a higher uplift rating. Side note: On a wood deck it is not possible to achieve over an I-90 uplift rating and I highly doubt that a residential wood deck would be installed well enough to achieve an I-90. In laymans terms, if you install a Zee-lock system and the roof blows off there is a very high chance that you will find the roof with the deck still attached to it (I.E. the deck blew off, not the roof system).

Cons: Not as forgivable during installation, takes longer to install, seaming by hand is time consuming. Also, if for some reason you need to replace a panel in the middle of a roof slope you will probably destroy 30% of the panels you remove to get to it IF the roof is single locked. DO NOT DOUBLE LOCK THE ROOF. If you do you will destroy 100% of the panels you have to remove in order to get to the damaged one.

In a nutshell, use a mechanically fastened system if you want a structurally stronger panel.

http://www.berridge.com/zeelock.htm

The last system is a batten seam system. Most architects specify these systems for aesthetics alone. They are good systems but I would concentrate on the other two unless you really like the look of them.

http://www.berridge.com/batten.htm


Sorry for the long post. If you want some more info on a specific system don't hesitate to ask.


Edit: One more thing, and this is important. If at all possible have the panels rolled on the jobsite with a portable roll former. If not, make sure all of the panels are able to span from the eave to the ridge/hip in a single panel.