Roofing Metals

i assume you mean metal? the raised seam panels is now common, the old "corregated" products may still be avail, dunno. the metal can be expoxy paint over steel or anodized/coated aluminum in many colors.

in the "snow country", years past, a "tin" roof was considered the epitome, and a lifetime roof. --Loren

Asphalt shingles are still very common throughout the US. California has pushed to get away from them, moving more towards less flammable roofing in fire areas. Terra Cota Tile rooves are very expensive, but fairly common as you get closer to the mexican border.

Here in Seattle cement board shingles are very popular due to their durablilty and lifespan.

Vinyl coated steel roofing is moving from commercial to residential, but corugated roofing is not seen much anymore. Just raised seam panels.

My brother used to live in Lawrence, Kansas. The only roofing that could withstand the hailstorms they get there is plastic sheeting. Everything else gets pulverized.

In the snow country is where you see the most steel rooves, and they are usually just galvanized steel, instead of the fancy vinyl colors.

I need to do my roof this year, and i plan on a raised seam panel roof in vinyl coated steel. I really don't want to have to go up and repair a roof in my lifetime.

lcoe wrote:(clip)What are the popular roofing materials in use to-day in the USA? ^^^^^^^^^^^^ I guess this wouldn't qualify as "popular," but if you can afford it, and can keep the thieves away, copper is good.

Jim Stewart wrote: The most unusual metal roof I've seen was made from used aluminium printing press plates.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Those work really well. I have a small offset press in my garage, so I recycle hundreds of plates. I used a bunch a few years back to create a shelter for a colony of feral cats, and they are still holding up.

If you need to roof a shed or something, I am sure you could go to any commercial printer and acquire many square feet of used plates for very little money. They save them up to be sold as scrap.

Eh? Around here (San Jose), the really bad shingles are those made from cedar. They can and will burn with the slightest provocation, and any flame retardant will last a few years at best. The usual retrofit is an asphalt shingle. I dumped my shake roof almost 10 years ago, and saved a bunch on fire insurance. (The crushed gravel coating gives the shingle its fire resistance--not as good as tile or the newer cement products, but usually lighter per area.) Asphalt roofs (if installed correctly) will last from about

20 to 50 years, depending on the quality of the shingle. The really good ones are quite thick, thus negating some of the weight savings, but still a lot lighter than tile.

There's a corrugated roofing product for sheds and patio covers, but the most common variant of this is fiberglas--translucent, though prone to wear from sun and weather.

If you have a flat roof (semi-common where snow is uncommon), the tar-and-gravel roof is common.

Pete Brooks

Plenty of corrugated iron roofs, but it's usually used for utility (barns, sheds, etc.) rather than for housing. I think the current equivalent is in the modern steel building, the decendent of the Quonset hut.

I'm recalling a few languid afternoons spent in a warm barn with a light rain pattering down on the 'tin' roof. A remarkably relaxing sound, that one is.

Well Glenn, I am an ex tinner and slater, Before my back gave out I primarily used these materials , in no specific order; Copper flat and standing seam Lead flat and standing seam stainless flat and standing seam tin (terne plate, lead coated steel if I remember right)flat and standing seam slate These were usually high dollar custom homes and commercial buildings in the north east.

Also used in the US are; Concrete tiles Ceramic tiles asphatic shingles aluminum stamped shingles aluminum standing seam galvanized (steel ot iron not sure) standing seam I've heard of Monel standing seam but never seen it.

Paul

There are a lot of turn of the century houses here in Georgia with corrugated iron roofs. (Heavy corrugated iron, not the thin sheetmetal usually found on barns and outbuildings.) Usually, these roofs are good for at least a hundred years. One of my co-workers lives in a house built in 1892 which has the original iron roof. He says it is still solid and sound.

That sort of thin sheet is still used on barns and outbuildings here. It is normally considered good for 20 to 30 years (unless it gets hit by a hail storm).

For new housing here in Georgia, the most common materials are seal down asphalt or fiberglass shingles over plywood decking. These are also considered 20 year roofs (though some manufacturers claim 30 years). Mine developed several leaks at the 17 year point, so I replaced it. That makes the current roof 14 years old, and it recently developed its first leak.

Gary

I think it is a 5 fold chinked seal. The two fit over and under each other then a crimper tool pinched the seal.

Do a googol search on it somehow - I saw it done on one of the rip it up and put it back shows.

Martin

Jon, I'm not quite sure I follow. Some questions. What is copper clad sheet? I've always used solid copper sheeting like

12 or 16 oz copper. I'm not sure about soldering the copper clad, How thick is it and what is the base metal?

Are you saying that you would like to do a flat seam roof instead of a standing seam? Either one of these are possible witout a metal break using just hand tools. There are specialized crimpers for this.

For Flat seam work: First I cut the copper into small sized squares or rectangles (like

18" X 24" or smaller). Be careful not to use panels that are too big becasue copper expands in heat, you want that expansion spread out over several smaller pieces rather than all in one place. I then use strip cleats to cleat off the edge of the panels say every 6 inches or so, these cleats hook over the edge of the flat lock seam. It is critical to cleat your work, they control expansion, contraction and keep the roof from blowing off. Then flat lock your next panel together, use a mallet to flatten all of the seams down when you are finshed, this should put the roof into tension. Should be nich and tight like a drum. Next get yourself a heavy (2 Lb head or more) soldering iron, I use a charcoal fired heating pot, works better in my opinion. They make elctrical too though. Get some tinners flux the pink stuff, and use an acid brush to wipe down your seams. Get 50/50 or 60/40 bars of solder and go to town sweating the seams. It is VERY important that you sweat your seams throughly, otherwise the solder jont will just crack and leak. Remember the majority of your mecahnical strength is comong from your cleats not your solder.

Let me know if this helps, Steve

[clip lots of good info]

Stuff I'm planninmg to use is industrial scrap. Dunno what it began as, but it appears to be a very thin copper thin overlay on zinc (?) sheeting.

I understand about the crimping concept, but would rather avoid major humps. All i really am after is setting up the metal like it was asphalt shingling, cause that i know how to do right.

Anyhow, getting started next week. Something always works its way through.

Ellay Jon; Silent Arnie for Gov!