In this article, you will learn how to measure a roof for metal roofing. You might have noticed different types of roofing, such as asphalt shingles, clay and concrete tile, slate roofing, metal roofing, wood roofing, standing seam metal roofing, and corrugated steel roofing.
Also, there are Aluminum shingles, stone-coated steel shingles, green roofing, rolled roofing, and many more. This roofing is made using different materials and laid in various formats.
The metal roofs started in France in 1937, and later many countries manufactured them. France galvanized metal with zinc to produce metal roof sheets. In metal roofing, you will be using a metal sheet or piece to cover the roof of your house. Sometimes there are houses with metal roofing you might not notice them because you don’t look at the top.
The primary reason your roof the house is for protection so that home is covered and protected from disaster, climatic change, unauthorized access, etc. Also, a good roof will add value to your house, prevent water leaks and provide warmth.
Roofing plays a crucial role when you are building a new home. And if you are planning to use a metal roof, then it is essential to know how to measure a roof for metal roofing.
Metal Roofs Types
There are various types of metal roofs. Here, we will be looking at some of them.
- Steel metal roofing is one of the metal roofing you will see in most houses, as this type is most common for residential purposes. Steel metal roofing comes in 24 and 26 gauges, whereas 24 gauge will be better since 26 gauge is thin and will result in oil canning.
- Another type of metal roofing which permanent and used for residential purposes is copper metal roofing. Copper metal roofing comes in ounces instead of gauges. There are various ounces, but for houses, mostly 16-ounce copper metal sheets are preferable.
- Another common type of metal roofing is stainless steel metal roofing. Although this roof is not widely used, this will be a good option for your house roofing; this is permanent once fixed and will not rust. Stainless steel sheet is a bit expensive and can also be damaged by severe climatic changes.
Apart from these types of metal roofing, there are also standing seam, shake inspired, tile-inspired, slate inspired, corrugated, zinc, and many others which also belong to the same category.
Various Roof Designs
You need to know the design of your roof and measure it accordingly to spread it correctly. There are different shapes/ designs of roofing, some of which will be in the list below.
- Gable roof
- Clipped gable roof
- Hip roof
- Shed roof
- Gambrel roof
- Flat roof
- Mansard roof
Most commonly, you will have come across gable and hip roofs. There are houses built with other designs too.
What Is Batt Insulation vs Roll? The Best Comparison To Read Is Here.
How To Measure A Roof for Metal Roofing?
Here are the steps you must follow when measuring the roof for metal roofing.
- Don’t worry about the scale and the beauty. Roughly sketch the top-down view of your roof. Make sure you get the sketch similar to your roof design.
- Now you must measure the roof’s length. You start from one corner and measure until the other edge. Note down the measurement.
- Measure the width of the metal sheet you selected for roofing and note the measurement. Now divide the roof length by the value you got for the width of the metal sheet. For example, if the size of your roof is 480 inches and the width of the sheet is 24 inches, then 480 divided by 24, you will get 20. The answer is the number of metal sheets required to cover the side of the roof.
- It would help if you also took the length from the other side of your roof. Taking this measurement is mandatory because there are chances for the length to be different. Now you can divide that also by the width of the sheet and note the size.
- You can measure the fascia board to the roof’s peak to find the number of metal sheets you will need to cover one side of the roof.
That’s how to measure a roof for metal roofing.
The Benefits of Using Metal Roofing
If you correctly install the metal roof, their durability will be more and would withstand wind and other climatic changes. Also, the longevity of metal roofing is more. Since metal roof sheets are light, they can install very quickly, and the installation is also easy.
The metal roof will not harm the environment. Hence the roofs are eco-friendly, and if you are residing in a place with heavy snow or rainfall, this roofing will be safe for your house as it is slippery grips is not possible.
Moss or fungus will not grow on the metal roof, so frequent cleaning of the roof is unnecessary. Also, metal roofs are energy efficient and fire-resistant. Hence installing a metal roof in the home will be a better option.
The Disadvantages of Using Metal Roofing
Although metal roofs have various benefits for your house, they also have some disadvantages. The property of a metal is that it expands and contracts so that the metal roof will develop during summer, and contraction will occur during winter.
Since the longevity and durability of the metal roofs are high, the cost is also more compared to the other types of roofs. You get different roof types for lower prices, but later, you will have to spend on repair as they will not be of good quality. One of the worst parts of using a metal roof is the noise, which will be very noisy if you don’t install it properly.
During heavy hailstorms, the tops might get dents. Rarely this type of roof will leak, but no other low-quality roofs. So, when choosing metal roofs or any different kind of roof, you must also know about the cons they will have.
We hope this article on measuring a roof for metal roofing was helpful. And you will be able to get the measurements for metal roofing on your own.