Monday, January 14, 2008

Different Types Of Metal Roofing And Their Uses

For the past several decades, metal roofing has always been the favorite of many home owners and roofing contractors for all types of homes and buildings everywhere in the world. This is not really that surprising if you consider all the benefits you can get from the different types of metal roofing materials.

First of all, any kind of metal is very durable and provides excellent protection against various weather conditions. Metal roofing is also very lightweight, which makes its installation very easy and simple, and it is also resistant to fire and rotting. On top of these, metal roofing is recyclable which makes it a very environmentally-friendly alternative.

There are many different types of metal roofing materials being made today and these are categorized according to the material they are made of. The most common metals used are aluminum, regular steel, stainless steel, zinc, copper, titanium and even some alloys.

Metal roofing can also be grouped according to how they are installed onto the house or building. There are two basic types of metal roofing according to this classification: the structural category and the non-structural or architectural category.

In the structural kind of metal roofing, the metal panels are attached to lathe boards. There is no need to install an underlying layer to support these types of metal roofing because they pretty much support themselves. The weight is spread onto the foundations and this gives it a very sturdy structure. These types of metal roofing may be painted over to enhance their visual appeal.