Which Type of Metal Roof is Best for Residential Roofing?

So you’ve decided to upgrade your roof to metal, but given the various types of metal roofs on the market, how do you choose which type of metal roof is best for residential roofing?

You know outfitting your home with a metal roof can help add value to your property thanks to its durability and longevity. There are other benefits to consider, too, such as curb appeal and practicality.

We’ll walk you through the different types of metal roofing, and help you decide which one is best for your home.

Types of Metals Used in Residential Roofing

With so many materials, colors, and styles to choose from, figuring out what kind of metal roof to invest in can be daunting. For a more in-depth look at the various options, it’s a good idea to start by reading our homeowner’s guide to metal roofs.

The most common types of metal residential roofing are:

• Aluminum: One of the more popular choices for metal roofing, aluminum is lightweight and easy to work with. Coastal consumers like aluminum for its rust-resistant and energy-efficient properties, but there are fewer options when it comes to choosing colors and styles.           
• Steel: One of the toughest and most popular choices for metal roofing, steel is available in a number of subtypes: galvanized, galvalume, and stainless. With more stylish options to choose from than aluminum, customers like steel for its durability against extreme weather. As a bonus, it’s also available in a wide range of colors.
• Copper: Copper might be thought of as the most pleasing to the eye, but it’s also the most expensive. Red-bronze in color, unless it develops a green patina, copper is incredibly durable and lasts the longest.
• Zinc: Zinc is environmentally friendly, lasts a long time, and develops a blue-grey patina some homeowners enjoy. However, this corrosion-resistant material is heavier on the wallet as one of the more expensive options.

Residential Metal Roofing Styles

Now that you’re familiar with the different metals used for residential roofing, consider the various residential metal roofing styles:

• Corrugated: Corrugated metal roofs appear almost wavy due to the parallel folds the aluminum is shaped into. This shape creates a stronger metal. Sometimes, corrugated metal roofs are made out of steel or copper.
• Standing seam or vertical seam: Standing or vertical seam metal roofs are made from flat panels of metal. These panels interlock for a uniform appearance. Usually made from steel, this type of metal roof is easy to maintain.
• Stone-coated: Stone-coated metal roofs are made from stamped sheets of steel that are created to look like shingles, tiles, shake, or slate. With the durability of steel and the aesthetics of high-end copper tiles or dimensional shingles, stone-coated metal shingles also offer sound absorption to eliminate the noise you might get with other types of metal roofing.

Why Choose Stone-Coated Metal Roofing

When you’re looking for the right metal roof for your home, you want the best. Why invest the time, money, and energy into a subpar solution for something as important as your home’s roof?

Stone-coated metal roofs make for some of the best residential roofing, as you get all the benefits of a metal roof with the pleasing aesthetics of traditional roofing.

Stone-coated metal roofs are crafted from panels of steel and made to look like more traditional roofing: shingles, tiles, slate, or shake. The steel panels are coated with an aluminum-zinc alloy to which stone granules are bonded, creating a stone-coated metal roofing material that can improve your home.

You can rest easy knowing your roof is long-lasting, can stand up to extreme weather, and looks great in your neighborhood.

Other benefits include:

• Sound-absorbing cushion
• Energy-efficient
• Multiple style and color options

Deciding which company to trust with your new metal roof is a big decision. Not only is every metal roof from Erie Home professionally installed, but each one also comes with a 50-year limited lifetime transferable warranty.

Call us today at 1-800-862-6400 to find out if a stone-coated metal roof is best for your home and to get a free quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most durable metal roof?

The most durable metal roof is one that’s properly and professionally installed. With a metal roof from Erie Home, you’ll benefit from 50 years of experience.

What type of metal roof lasts the longest?

Copper roofing tends to last the longest, up to 100 years. Professionally installed steel metal roofs can last up to 50 years.

What is the best grade of metal roofing?

The most common grades of metal roofing are 24- and 26-gauge. The lower the gauge number, the thicker and stronger the metal.

What is the best steel roofing for a house?

Though you can choose from multiple steel options, stone-coated metal roofs are the only option to give you the look of a traditional roof, whether shingles, tiles, or shake, while also giving you the durability and other benefits of metal roofing.