Metal Roofing Installation, Step by Step
Metal roofing is a layered system, not just panels bolted to a rooftop. We start with a full tear-off and a roof inspection so we can read the decking, then rebuild every layer in order.
- We strip the old roof down to the decking, which lets us probe the plywood and OSB sheathing for rot, decay, and soft spots.
- We replace damaged roof deck boards and renail the substrate with ring-shank nails sized to the sheathing thickness.
- A self-adhered ice-and-water shield goes along the eaves and valleys, where wind-driven rain and ice dams cause the most trouble.
- Synthetic underlayment covers the field in staggered courses, so water always sheds downhill toward the drip edge.
- Standing-seam panel runs are hidden-fastened with clips, so no fastener ever sits in the weather path.
- Exposed-fastener panels and corrugated panel profiles get screws through the lap, with neoprene washers sealed at each penetration.
- Flashing gets hand-sealed where two planes meet: drip edge, apron flashing, step flashing, counter-flashing, chimney flashing, and boot flashing.
- Ridge cap, ridge vent, and pipe boot close the system, and gutters with downspouts carry runoff away from the fascia and soffit.
Why Standing-Seam Panels Beat Exposed-Fastener Panels for Most Homes
Metal panel options differ in how they handle water and movement. A standing-seam panel floats above the deck on clips, so thermal expansion never backs a fastener out.
Exposed-fastener panels and corrugated panel profiles cost less up front. They perform fine on barns, sheds, and steep utilitarian rooflines, where the washers are the first part to age.
- Standing-seam steel in 24-gauge carries a PVDF or SMP finish that resists chalking, peeling, and UV degradation.
- Stone-coated steel panels mimic wood shake, cedar shake, clay tile, or slate while weighing far less than concrete tile.
- Aluminum panels suit coastal air, where salt corrodes steel and erodes ordinary asphalt shingle surfaces.
- Manufacturers like McElroy Metal, ATAS, and Decra publish finishes built around 40-50 year lifespans on a residential roof.
What We Inspect Before We Quote, and What Failure Looks Like
Metal roofing is only as strong as the layers beneath it. A free roof estimate starts on the rooftop, never in a spreadsheet.
- We read your existing asphalt shingle, architectural shingle, or three-tab shingle for granule loss and end-of-life wear.
- We probe the roof deck, truss, rafter, joist, and ridge beam for rot, decay, sag, and settle.
- We test attic ventilation (soffit vent, ridge vent, attic fan) plus insulation and vapor barrier condition, since trapped heat cooks a rooftop from below.
- We check flashing condition at step flashing, pipe flashing, vent boot, dormer, skylight, and chimney.
- On low-slope sections we note ponding water, blistering, and delamination on membrane, TPO, EPDM, PVC membrane, built-up roof, or modified bitumen.
- Older rooftops often hide tar, bitumen, asphalt, and roofing felt layered over the original deck, and that all has to come off.
- We photograph parapet coping, scupper drains, and any coating that has started to flake or spall.
Local Conditions That Change the Work
Metal roofing here has to survive humidity, thunderstorms, and hurricane-force winds off the Gulf. We size clips and fasteners for wind uplift, not the minimum.
- High humidity lets water wick into roofing felt, tar paper, and old underlayment that should have been replaced years ago.
- Storm winds pry at rake edges, hip corners, and verges, so we anchor perimeter panels with extra fasteners.
- Intense heat and UV damage peel and oxidize thin coatings, so we specify a coating with a real dry film thickness.
- Building code requirements for high-wind zones govern fastener spacing, panel gauge, underlayment type, and how we waterproof the eaves.
- Steep pitch and complex geometry on a mansard, gambrel, or dormered roofline add labor and staging time.
Timelines, Cost Drivers, and What the Crew Brings
Metal roofing takes longer to install than asphalt because every panel is cut and fastened on site. Most homes run several days, weather permitting.
- Roof pitch, hips, valleys, dormers, and features like a canopy, awning, or wide overhang all add labor hours.
- A one-story gable with a simple overhang moves faster than a steep hip carrying a skylight and chimney.
- Deck repairs, purlin and batten replacement, and counterbatten work push the schedule when framing is soft.
- Gutters, downspouts, snow guard placement, and any recoat or roof coating work price as separate line items.
Our crew sets scaffold and ladders, wears a safety harness, and leaves a dumpster for tear-off debris. Pry bars and roofing shovels strip the old layers, and we never bring a torch near a metal panel.
We cut panels by hand and set every nail and screw with a nail gun or air compressor at the correct depth. Laps get caulk, sealant, and adhesive rated for metal.
Ask any roofing contractor for a line-item estimate. We quote tear-off, decking, weatherproofing details, and panel gauge separately. A roofer who quotes from the driveway is guessing.
