Metal roofs (Howdy!)

[pawsplus]

Hi! I'm new here.

I am in the process of taking bids to replace my older shingle (asphalt) roof w/ a metal one. During the course of all this, I have learned that there are 2 different ways to install standing seam metal roofs: Using the hidden clippy things so that there are no water inlets at all (VERY EXPENSIVE) and using the rubber gasketed roofing screws, sealed w/ silicone (less expensive but still more expensive than a plain old asphalt roof).

Here is my house:


What I am asking, I guess, is whether the expensive ($22K!!!!!) estimate really IS the only "safe" way to do a metal roof. I find this hard to believe, since farmers have been doing it the other way for a long time. But I need to know, b/c I CANNOT afford $22K and I'm gonna be sad if I have to do asphalt. This is a country house and my dream is to have green metal roofing on the house, the toolshed, and the carport to match my run-in shed (for the horses -- that's already done) and SOMEDAY the barn as well (barn got a new roof b/f I bought the place to that won't be for a while).

Opinions on this? Thanks very much!

Elizabeth

[sc419795]

I've helped install 2 pole barns using the rubber sealed screws. Have yet to see either leak. If you do it right, and have straight lines, not sure it looks all that bad, and as you indicated, a whole lot less expensive.

[HayZee518]

the sub roof is critical too! Down the street from me they put in a tin roof - green too I may add but before the roofing was put up, they stripped the asphalt down to the sheathing, put down roofing paper and 1X3 furring strips where the joints would be. Then they just laid on the roofing. They overlapped the joints and used silicone as an adhesive and weatherseal and used long colored stainless steel screws with weatherproof washers under the heads. The valleys just overlapped and were sealed with silicone.

[driz]

Everyone in my area uses corrugated tin with the raised ridges that overlap and the rubber sealed screws. I never heard of any problems with them at all. The Canadians seem to love them as they are all over the place. I have a garage and a barn I built 17 and 6 years ago and neither one have any issues with the seals going bad under the screws. The seal is covered by a galvanized cap that completely covers it so the sun can't get to it. Because they are screwed on the tops of the ridge they couldn't really leak much anyways. I never thought that sort of roof was expensive though. The expensive ones are the old stye that are leaded and lapped. Way too much hassle for me to deal with. Screwed roofs go on so fast an easy its scary and won't blow off and leak like shingles. The only thing lots of folks hate with metal is the sound rain makes on it. Personally I just love the sound. Anyways about the only bad thing i can say about those screws is that you can see them if you look for them and secondly if you fall and slide off the roof yer gonna rip yer keyster on em all the way down.. I doubt it would cost you more than a few grand to do that roof with painted, galvanized corrugated steel.