Pros Of Copper Roofing
Lightweight Compared to different metal substances and other roofing materials such as shingles, concrete, or tiles, copper is extremely lightweight. Not only does this make it easier for installers and contractors to work with, but it also puts less stress on the structure of a home over time.
Durability Copper is a durable element and can withstand numerous decades as a roof. If properly installed, copper roofing can last 100+ years in some instances. Copper also works well in locations with heavy snow, frequent rainfall, and strong winds.
Aesthetically pleasing Copper is often referred to as a premium roofing material, as it enriches the outside of a building and adds a metallic reddish-orange/brown focal point to a structure. As the copper ages, it develops a blue-green covering called patina, which happens because of oxidation and sun exposure. Many building owners specifically buy copper because of how it ages and adds to the curb appeal of a structure over time.
Highly recyclable Though not as recyclable as zinc, copper can be recycled and reused if still in good condition. Copper is also a naturally sourced metal and can be used in its original mined metallic form.
Solderable Copper can be soldered, unlike other roofing materials. This means roof/wall flashings and gutter joints can be weather-tight with a soldered connection.
Why You Should Choose Skywalker For Your Metal Roofing Needs
We noted at the beginning of this blog that metal roofing is growing in popularity across the U.S., but there is also one factor which limits its growth potential the lack of qualified contractors and installers that can do the job right. Choosing the right roofing material is certainly important but having great roofing material wont do you much good if it isnt handled and installed correctly. Many local roofers are well-versed in working with shingles, but dont have the training, specialty tools and equipment, or experience to handle metal roofing the right way.
Thankfully, there is a solution! Skywalker Roofing is the elite metal roofing contractor which serves the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Charlotte Metro, and Roanoke, VA areas. We specialize in ALL preferred roofing materials, including metal, slate, wood shakes, composite materials, architectural and dimensional shingles, and more! Reach out to us at Skywalker today by calling , and let one of our friendly experts answer all your questions and you get you scheduled for a FREE home inspection and personal consultation. Lets get started on helping YOU to get the last roof youll ever need!
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Durability Of 26 Gauge Vs 29 Gauge Roofing
Panels in both size gauges provide the durability benefits of metal. They are fire-resistant, low maintenance, and protect against corrosion. However, the thickness of a panel does make a difference in its durability.
Remember, when it comes to gauge: the higher the number, the thinner the material. This is why 29-gauge is thinner than 26-gauge. Since the product is thinner, its not as strong as 26-gauge. When it comes to harsh weather elements like snow, high winds or hail, a thinner material could become a problem.
If a structure is located in a climate that has snowfall regularly, 29-gauge is not recommended. The weight of the snow could be too much for the roof to handle, resulting in leaks or even causing the roof to cave in.
Homeowners in areas that experience high winds also want to stay away from thinner metal. A 26-gauge roof is not only thicker but also heavier than 29-gauge. The added weight gives the roof a greater chance of staying intact in the event of a very heavy wind storm.
26 gauge will out-perform any 29 gauge material. In hail prone areas, a heavier gauge will make sense due to impact-resistance. If you live in an area that experiences hail often, then an even thicker gauge is a better option for your climate. Heavier material, such as 24-gauge or even 22-gauge, is more suitable for any area that is prone to extreme weather conditions.
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What Is The Best Gauge For Metal Roofing
By Kyle’s Team
Are you interested to discover what is the best gauge for metal roofing?
Before knowing the answer, there is a more important question that an ordinary layperson may want to know first the answer: what is a roof gauge?
Gauge refers to how thick the metal is for your roof. Metal roof sheets are measured by gauge and usually between twenty-two and twenty-nine.
Two roofs might have the same gauge but have different thicknesses, and any difference is only the minimum in present thickness but might impact the sturdiness of the metal.
Yet be cautious of deciding on the roof gauge alone, and you have to consider other elements relating to the durability of metal roofing.
The Painted Finish On The Standing Seam Metal Roofs Panels
A standing seam metal roof has a painted finish on the metal panels called Kynar 500. This painted finish protects your metal panels from the wear and tear a roof experiences throughout its life to ensure you get the longevity expected out of a metal roof.
But Kynar 500 not only protects the metal panels it also keeps the paint color from fading as your roof ages. This is especially important because you choose a specific color to give your metal roof the aesthetic and curb appeal youre looking for.
The Kynar 500 painted finish is only used on standing seam metal roofs. If youre thinking about a screw down metal roof, youll still have color options, but itll have a different painted finish that fades a lot quicker and doesnt last as long.
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A Standing Seam Metal Roof Doesn’t Require Much Maintenance
Every roof needs maintenance to ensure its running smoothly throughout its lifespan. However, the amount of maintenance your roof needs depends on the type of roofing material you choose.
A big advantage of standing seam metal roof is that it doesn’t require as much maintenance as other roof types. After its installed, no maintenance is actually required except at the penetrations such as vent pipes, gas pipes, etc.
Besides that, cleaning is the only other general maintenance needed, and thats a personal choice for each customer. On the other hand, a screw down metal panel’s screws have to be replaced every 5 years to prevent leaks or before a strong storm tears the entire metal roof off.
Gauge Vs 26 Gauge Metal Roofing Thickness
Gauge numbers refer to the and each gauge has a range. When it comes to 24-gauge and 26-gauge, there is an approximate 30% difference in thickness between the two metals.
When you apply a paint finish to the base metal it will increase the overall thickness of the metal. The metal roofing gauge thickness is based upon the base metal before the paint has been applied.
Refer to the chart below for thickness ranges of each gauge.
| 1- 1.156 lbs. per square foot | .75- .9063 lbs. per square foot |
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When You Should Choose The Thinner Panel
Most homes have a layer of plywood or sheathing covered by a weather-resistant barrier. Metal panels are attached to the sheathing to keep it dry. Since they dont have a structural role, a 29-gauge panel would be more than adequate for most homes. So, if you live in an area that doesnt often face harsh weather conditions, our recommendation is to choose a thinner type of panel. However, if you live in an area that experiences hailstorms throughout the year, you might be better off with a thicker panel to prevent dents.
How Do You Measure Sheet Metal Thickness
You can find the thickness of your sheet metal by using a measuring tape and a simple conversion technique. First, use the tape measure to find its thickness in millimeters. This helps get the most accurate measurement. Second, multiply the number of millimeters by 0.03937. If your original measurement was 40 millimeters, the new one would be 1.5748 in inches.
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Gauge Vs 29 Gauge Metal Roofing
While 26 gauge and 24 gauge are generally the standard for most commercial and residential installations, some choose to work with 29-gauge because it is more affordable. But is the savings worth working with a thinner, less durable material? Is a 29 gauge metal roof good?
In this article, we analyze which panel provides the most value by comparing 26 gauge vs 29 gauge steel in the following areas:
Metal Barn Material Thickness
The steel framing of the structure is made with 14-gauge or 12-gauge galvanized steel tubing the metal panels are made with 29-gauge galvanized steel sheets.
Gauge stands for, the thickness, size, or capacity of something, especially as a standard measure, in particular. In the case of metal buildings, steel gauge means the thickness and strength of the steel components of that structure. Hence, the thicker the framing, the more strength, and the value it adds to the overall property.
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Corrugated Metal Roofing Thickness
There is not a standard gauge for an exposed fastener metal roofing system. The primary factor in determining the correct gauge is based upon whether the panel is installed on a solid wood substrate or spanning from support to support.
Residential Metal Roofing Over A Solid Wood Substrate
This is the most common type of residential metal roofing installation. You will have a solid wood substrate, roofing underlayment, and then the panel gets installed on top of these. With this type of installation the panel does not have to support any weight.
Either 24 or 26 gauge are appropriate for this type of metal roofing installation. Each has its pros and cons that are discussed later in this article.
Metal Roofing Spanning From Support To Support
This is a roof that has either metal purlins or wood beams spaced at different distances. The panels will need to support themselves and any load that it will have to carry such as a snow load, people walking on it, etc. It will also have to withstand the wind uplift.
24 Gauge is capable of greater spans and load capacity when compared to 26 gauge. However, every job is different and load charts and uplift charts are used to determine which metal roofing gauge will handle all of the load requirements.
What Does Gauge Metal Mean
Gauge refers to the thickness of the metal installed on the roof. Your roofing contractor will measure metal panels by gauge, which is typically between 22 and 29. The most common ones include 22, 24, 26 and 29. Metals with a higher gauge are thinner than ones with a lower gauge. It means 22-gauge metal roofs are the thickest and the thinnest are 29-gauge metal.
Every number pertains to a range of inches, meaning two roofing systems may fall under the same gauge, but differ in thickness. While the difference is very slight, it could dramatically affect the durability of the metal. However, the gauge isnt the only thing affecting the sturdiness of a metal roof.
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Choosing The Right Metal Roofing Color
We talked about the three decisions that should be made prior to choosing the best gauge metal roofing. We touched upon all of them except choosing a metal roofing color. This is both the most exciting and difficult decision that has to be made. Once you choose your color, you’re stuck with it as metal roofing is difficult to repaint.
The first step is getting familiar with the different types of colors and finishes. You will have color charts to choose from that will display four different types of finishes and colors.
What About 048 Bmt
Unlike its thinner cousin, 0.48 BMT is used primarily in industrial applications.
Part of this is due to the boost in strength and durability that comes from the added thickness.
Another reason for this however is that in many cases, its chosen to cut costs!
Metal framing is expensive the less of it used, the better.
This isnt really a concern for homes, where roof area tends to be much smaller .
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Which Is The Best Gauge For A Metal Roof
The most preferred gauges for metal roofs are 26 and 29. Both of these options are ideal for your roof replacement project. To further strengthen your homes protection against water damage, consider getting new gutters, too.
Knowing the difference between these metal roof gauges can help you decide which one is more suitable for your needs. They differ in durability, looks, thickness, lifespan and cost. Since 29-gauge metal roof is thinner than a 26-gauge one, this means that the latter option does better at withstanding harsh outdoor elements. The standard thickness of a 26-gauge metal roof is 3/160 inches while a 29-gauge metal roof is 9/640 inches.
Metal Roof Panels At Lowes And Home Depot
Both Lowes and Home Depot sell steel roof panels in a couple of types: corrugated and classic rib standing seam roofing. In many cases, they can also set you up with an installer.
Both companies sell two types of panels: corrugated and classic rib standing-seam roofing.
Corrugated panels are meant primarily for utility usage such as shed walls or fencing. They are 2 feet wide by 8 feet or 12 feet long, with 2 ½-inch corrugations. The 8-foot panels cost about $18 and the 12-foot panels run about $27.
Lowes sells two sizes of Classic Rib standing-seam roofing panels that are 3-feet wide by 8 or 12 feet long. At the time this article was written, Lowes had a more limited selection of sizes than Home Depot. Lengths were 2 feet wide and either 8 or 12 feet long. Home Depots panels are also 2 feet wide, but lengths run 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 feetand longer.
At Lowes the 8-foot panels cost about $29 and the 12-foot panels are about $40 each. At Home Depot, expect to pay about $19 for 8-foot panels and $27 for 12-foot panels.
Colors may be limited to galvanized and white.
The steel is 29 gauge. Ribs are ¾-inch high. Bell-top trapezoidal ribs are on 9-inch centers.
This material is given a 4-layer Galvalume® coating that has a 40- or 45-year warranty. Seven colors are available.
Here are a few popular brands of metal shingle systems:
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Metal Roofing Gauges: What Are The Best Gauges For Metal Roofs
When your customers decide to use metal panels for their building project, theyll need to make several decisions to choose the best panel. One of the first decisions theyll make is what gauge or thickness they need. There are a variety of metal roof and wall panel profiles to choose from, and they are all available in several gauge thicknesses but what does that really mean to your customers and how does that affect your business?
Metal Roofing Buying Guide
Thats why you should at least consider metal roofing over more conventional materials.
Unbiased, expert advice on how to buy metal roofing, types of metal roofing including standing-seam metal roofing and metal shingles. Includes advice about brands, colors, metal roofing from Lowes and Home Depot, hiring a metal roof contractor, and more.For your homes roof, you want the most durable, weathertight, fire-resistant, great looking roof you can buy, right?
In this article, well take a close look at metal roofing and help you decide whether or not it is right for your home. If it is, well walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know when choosing the right metal roofing for your needs. Then well advise you on how to get the job done.
Metal roofs are favored for their fire-resistant qualities, longevity, and speed of installation (in most cases, they are installed by qualified metal roofing contractors. The material is also surprisingly lightweight and great at reflecting heat from the sun, a characteristic that helps homeowners save energy and may even qualify for tax credits.
Of course, metal roofing has a few drawbacks, too. Before deciding to install a metal roof, be sure to see Pros & Cons of Metal Roofing.
The trick is finding the right product for the job.
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What Gauge Metal Roof Is Best: 24 Gauge Vs 26 Gauge
If youre currently picking out metal roofing, deciding on which metal gauge to use is a choice that youll have to make.
If you havent already picked out any of the above, we highly suggest you look at those choices first. The gauge should be one of the last decisions you make regarding your metal roofing panels.
The reason for choosing gauge last is that it could be already decided for you based on one of the other options you choose. For example, if you want a standing seam metal roof or a flush wall siding panel, you will be automatically using 24 gauge as the sheets arent available in a lighter gauge.
Western States Metal Roofing has been manufacturing metal roofing and siding panels for over two decades and has helped thousands of customers choose the right metal panels for their building projects. We know from experience that one of the choices that is sometimes overlooked is which gauge metal to use.
There is no standard gauge for metal roofing. However, 24-gauge and 26-gauge are the preferred metal roofing thickness for most residential and commercial applications. There are times when one metal roofing gauge thickness is a better choice than the other.
In this article, we will go over how to choose between 24 gauge and 26 gauge metal depending on different factors such as the type of roofing panels so you have a better idea of which is best for you to use.
