The Different Metal Roofing Styles for Your Home

Choosing which type of metal roof is best for your home can be a difficult decision, especially if you aren’t sure what the pros and cons of each style are. Metal roofing has expanded to include a variety of different designs that come with both visual and practical benefits, so you don’t have to settle for a flat-textured and shiny metal roof if that’s not what you’re looking for. You can have the same great look of traditional roofing designs with the added protection and longevity that a metal roof brings. Many of the available options can be customized by color and style to help fit your home and your vision, too. It’s possible for homeowners to truly have the best of both worlds by finding the perfect design for their home and keeping it protected.

Dimensional Shingles

If you admire the classic look of asphalt shingles, this is the option for you. Dimensional metal shingles are highly customizable and can be made with the pattern and color of your choosing, allowing you complete control over the outcome of your roof’s design. This style is a universal option if you want a balance between energy efficiency, affordability, durability, and aesthetic appeal. You can use metal shingle styles in a variety of different climates as well.

Spanish Tile

Spanish tile is a choice for homeowners who are looking for their homes to project a more elegant theme. These curved tiles commonly seen throughout Europe are known for their craftsmanship and gorgeous look. Traditionally, these tiles are made out of clay or concrete, but with modern metal roofing, you have the option to replace them with an identical yet much more durable substitute. While standard Spanish tile roofs are susceptible to cracking, breaking, sun damage, and water leaks, metal roofing alternatives solve these problems. They provide you with the look you desire while keeping the benefits you look for in a metal roof.

Metal Spanish tile styles are much lighter weight than their clay or concrete counterparts, making them much easier to plan around when designing a house and choosing a roof. They also require substantially less maintenance and have a significantly reduced risk of breaking. You can customize the color and style of tile when choosing what roof is best too, and installation costs tend to be lower than traditional Spanish tile options. Spanish tile is best suited for those living in warmer climates. They are often lighter in color, which helps to reflect sunlight away from the home, keeping it better insulated.

Shake

Shake-style roofs are typically made out of wood and offer homes a natural, cozy feel. You can think of a shake style as a thicker, more textured version of shingles. While these roofs are stunning, they are susceptible to a lot of problems in their natural wood form. Some of these problems and damage can include:

• Wood rot
• Moss growth
• Water damage
• Fire damage
• Pest infestations

Because of this, wooden shake-style roofs are expensive to maintain. Luckily, metal shake-style roofs are specifically designed to address these problems, while still keeping the same classic and rustic look that shake roofs are known for. If you live in a more temperate climate that utilizes wood and rustic design choices in buildings, this would be the perfect option to meet your style wishes without sacrificing security and protection.

Comparing Your Options

If none of these metal roof options are calling to you and the vision you see for your house, you may want to look at some of these other styles. While protecting yourself and your house against the elements is one of the important reasons to select a metal roof, it’s equally important that you find the metal roof that fits the aesthetic vision you have for your house. Some of these other styles of metal roofs could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Exposed Fastener

An exposed fastener style of roof is one of the most economical metal roof styles. It’s constructed of overlapping panels that are hooked directly to the roof deck, and the fastener head remains exposed, hence the name. However, that isn’t to say that the fasteners are obvious. Instead, they blend in and are the same color as the roof around them. Because of the width of this type of roof panel, fewer roof panels are needed than most other styles.

Standing Seam

This premium style of metal roofing is popular for its sleek look and ribbed design. It is constructed by a series of panels joined at raised seams. This allows the panels to expand and contract with temperature changes without damaging the roof’s integrity. This style of roof is also very customizable, but it is more on the expensive side.

Slate

Slate-style metal roofing looks like stone, and it is much more affordable than stone tiles. Real stone also creates strain on your roof and often needs reinforced beams to function. The same visual effect of stone tiles can be found in metal roofing. You won’t have the extra strain on your roof’s structure, but you’ll have all the expected benefits and protections of a metal roof.

Corrugated

This metal roof texture is created both for style and for function. The metal is galvanized — it’s dipped in zinc and then corrugated by folding the material into grooves. The galvanization makes the material stronger. Not only is it more durable, but it’s more rust resistant and has a beautiful texture, all in addition to the expected benefits of a metal roof.

Finding the Right Style for You

Metal roofs are a great way to protect your home for many years to come. By understanding the positives and negatives of a variety of metal roofing styles, you can be more prepared to discuss your options with an expert. It’s a big decision, and it can be overwhelming. However, the more you understand what you’re looking for and what you can gain from the installation of a metal roof, the easier the process will be — and the more fun you’ll have selecting your new roof.