Profiles
Three metal roof profiles, side by side
Gauges below are typical, not a promise: the spec sheet names the gauge and the maker for your roof.
Standing seam
Typical gauge: 24 or 26
Fastening: hidden clips, no screws through the face
Seams: raised, locked or snapped together
Best on: steep roofs, snow country, roofs that should look clean
Exposed fastener
Typical gauge: 26 or 29
Fastening: screws with gaskets through the panel face
Ribs: low and rounded or tall and square
Best on: cabins, garages, barns, outbuildings
Metal shingle
Typical gauge: 26
Fastening: hidden or in the overlap, by maker
Look: shingle, shake or slate
Best on: roofs with dormers, valleys and many planes
Gauge and coating
Lower gauge number, thicker steel
Gauge is steel thickness, and the numbers run backward: 24 is thicker than 29. Thicker panels dent less and stay flatter, and they cost more.
The coating matters as much. Steel panels carry a metal coat and a paint system, and the maker's finish warranty covers the paint. The spec sheet names the panel maker, the gauge and the paint system, so you can read the maker's own terms.
Thicker gauge: dents less, stays flatter
Paint system: set by the maker, with its own warranty terms
No panel is dent-proof
Profiles
Questions we hear about profiles
Is exposed fastener a lesser roof?
It's a different tradeoff. It costs less per square and goes on faster. The screws and gaskets are the part that ages, so they need a look every few years.
Will a metal roof be loud in the rain?
Over a solid deck with underlayment, not much louder than shingle. Panels over open framing, as on some barns, are louder. We say which you're getting on the spec sheet.
Can I get a color that isn't on your list?
Yes. The six finishes are the ones we show most. Each panel maker has its own chart, and the spec sheet names the finish you choose.
Does metal attract lightning?
No. A metal roof isn't more likely to be struck than any other roof, and metal doesn't burn.
Not sure which profile?
Tell us the roof and the budget on the form. We'll say which one we'd pick, and why.