Among the materials used to finish roofs, steel roofing, i.e. metal tiles, enjoy great popularity. This solution is often chosen by the owners of single-family houses. We present here the properties and application of steel roofing, as well as their benefits and drawbacks.
Steel roofing – key information
To some extent steel roofing resembles a typical ceramic tile. However, unlike ceramic tiles, it is made of a profiled, galvanized and varnished steel sheet. Hence the popular name of this roofing material – metal roofing tile. The durability of steel roofing tiles and their other properties are determined by the thickness of the steel and the protective coating, among others.
Metal roofing tiles can be purchased in the form of sheets that are custom made to fit the size of the roof. Small-size metal roofing tile modules are also available on the market. They are intended for installing on roofs with varied, complex shapes. Steel roofing is available in diverse colors, which most often include: red, brown, black and gray, but you can also purchase a metal roof tile in any color on special request.
Advantages of steel roofing – metal tiles
Steel roofing has its advantages, which include:
- relatively low price – a metal roof tile is a cheaper investment compared to a classic ceramic or cement tile,
- with steel roofing you achieve a similar visual effect typical for ceramic roofing,
- relatively light weight – about 5 kg/m2 – it makes it possible to install a steel roofing even in cases where the roof truss is not too massive,
- steel roof tiles do not soak up water – this way they do not increase their weight under the influence of precipitation,
- steel roofing is easy to care for and maintain – in order to ensure the aesthetics of the roof, it is enough to clean it regularly and to paint the sheet every few years,
- metal roofing tiles are easy to install – they are mounted on a special grid made of battens and counter battens, and also a pre-covering foil is used. Plus, there is no need to make a full covering.
Advantages of steel roofing – metal tiles
Metal roofing tiles also have their weaknesses. The disadvantages of this solution include the following:
- steel roofing can be used only for roofs with a slope angle of more than 9°, while metal roofing tiles with a layer of mineral or ceramic coating may be used if the roof slope exceeds 12°. This solution cannot be used in the case of straight roofs,
- steel roofing is unfortunately characterized by low durability – usually the warranty for the metal roofing tile ranges from 15 to 20 years, while the maximum durability of this solution does not exceed 50 years,
- poor acoustic insulation – which you can hear, for example, during rainfall; drops hitting the roof make characteristic, unpleasant sounds,
- poor thermal insulation – unfortunately, the steel roofing heats up a lot in hot weather, in turn, during frosty days the attic gets cold, therefore it is necessary to thermally insulate a steel-tiled utility attic.
