Metal Roofing FAQ for Ontario Homeowners
Straight answers to the questions Ontario homeowners ask us most about metal roofing.
Cost & Value
A metal roof typically costs two to three times as much as asphalt shingles up front. The difference is how long it lasts. Asphalt in Ontario usually needs replacing every 15 to 20 years, while a Classic roof is built to last 50 years or more. Over the life of your home, that often makes metal the better value. Your quote is free and based on your actual roof.
Our roofs are built to last 50 years or more, with non-prorated warranties: 50 years on Armadura steel and lifetime on Classic Aluminum. Metal doesn’t crack, curl, rot or shed granules, so it needs very little maintenance.
Yes. We offer financing with monthly payment options, and you can get pre-approved online with no credit check and no effect on your credit score.
Yes. If your roof is being replaced through an insurance claim, we can work with your insurer on a metal roof. The claim itself stays between you and your insurance company. Some insurers also offer discounts for Class 4 impact-rated roofs, so it’s worth asking yours.
Performance & Weather
Both our steel and aluminum roofs carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, the highest available. In that test, steel balls up to 2 inches across are dropped from as high as 20 feet with no cracking or splitting.
Yes. Steel and aluminum don’t burn. Our roofs achieve a Class A fire rating, the highest available, when installed with the proper underlayment.
No. The drumming people associate with metal roofs comes from panels fastened over strapping, where large sections of metal span open gaps. Our shingles are fastened and interlocked on every side and lie directly on the roof deck or existing shingles, so there’s nothing loose to drum. Rain sounds much like it does on an asphalt roof.
Snow slides off metal more easily than asphalt, which reduces the weight on your roof and helps prevent ice dams. Where sliding snow could land on a walkway, door or deck, we install snow guards to hold it in place.
Metal reflects more of the sun’s heat than asphalt and cools quickly after sunset. The shingle design helps too: each shingle interlocks with the next, leaving a small pocket of air that acts as a thermal break. In independent testing by the Florida Solar Energy Center, Classic’s Rustic Shingle reduced heat flow into the home through the ceiling by 34% compared with asphalt shingles. Classic Aluminum has also been approved under the City of Toronto’s Eco-Roof cool roof program. Results vary with colour, attic ventilation and insulation.
Yes. Our roofs contain a high percentage of recycled metal and are fully recyclable at the end of their life. Because they can often go over existing shingles and last for decades, they keep a lot of asphalt out of landfills.
Yes. Our roofs can support foot traffic, but it helps to know where to step. For Classic Aluminum roofs, foam inserts are available that let you walk anywhere on the roof without worrying about it. If something up there needs attention, you can always call us.
Choosing Your Roof
Both are premium, concealed-fastener systems. For most Ontario homes, Armadura steel offers the best balance of strength, looks and value. Classic Aluminum costs more, but it won’t rust, it’s the lightest option, and it carries a lifetime warranty. See the comparison below.
We offer standing seam plus shingle, shake and slate-look profiles in a range of colours. During your free consultation, we bring samples to your home and help you weigh the look, your roof’s slope and your budget.
Often, yes. Classic Aluminum’s Rustic profile (a cedar-shake look) and Armadura’s slate-look steel have been approved by heritage committees as alternatives to cedar and slate. Your local committee makes the final call, and we can help with what they need to see.
Our shingle and shake profiles need a slope of at least 4/12 (4 inches of rise per foot). For lower slopes, standing seam is the right choice. We’ll measure and recommend the right system during your visit.
Lower gauge numbers mean thicker metal. Thickness matters, but so do the material, the coating, how the panels lock together and how they’re installed.
Basic sheet metal panels are screwed through the face, and over time those screws can loosen and leak. They’re also noisier and come in fewer styles. We only install concealed-fastener systems, where the fasteners are hidden and the panels lock together.
No. Metal roofing is all we do.
Yes. We often install metal on feature areas like porches, dormers, cabanas and boat houses, while the rest of the house or cottage stays asphalt. It adds a standout look and lasting protection where it matters most, and it’s a good way to try metal on a smaller scale.
Installation & Working with Classic
Metal roofing is all we do. Since 2004, we’ve installed over 5,000 roofs across Ontario with trained crews who install only our systems, and we’re the exclusive Canadian distributor of Classic Aluminum. You deal with one company from your first visit to your finished roof.
Often, yes. Our steel and aluminum shingle and panel systems can go over existing shingles, as long as there aren’t more than two layers already on the roof and the deck underneath is sound. Standing seam always goes on a bare deck. We’ll check during your visit.
Strapping (wood strips nailed across the roof to fasten the metal to) leaves an open gap between the metal and the wood. With Ontario’s swings between hot and cold, condensation forms in that gap, much like dew on a car on a fall morning, and it sits against bare wood until the wood rots. We’ve torn off many strapped roofs for exactly that reason. The gaps also make a perfect home for critters. Our roofs go directly on the plywood deck or over existing shingles, so there’s no open space for moisture to collect or animals to move into.
It depends on the size of your roof, how complex it is, and the size of the crew. With a larger crew, a fair-sized home can be done in as little as half a day; with a smaller crew, it may take a few days. We take on everything from sheds and porch roofs to large homes with several outbuildings, and we’ll tell you what to expect when we quote your roof.
If the original installer is still in business, we’ll point you back to them first. Work by another company can void a roof’s warranty, and that’s true of ours too. Unfortunately, metal roofing companies come and go, and many homeowners find their installer has closed. When that happens, we’re glad to help. It’s also why it pays to choose a company with a long track record, not just the lowest price.
Steel or Aluminum?
| Armadura Steel | Classic Aluminum | |
| Made in | Ontario, Canada | USA |
| Hail Rating | Class 4 (UL 2218) | Class 4 (UL 2218) |
| Rust & corrosion | Coated high-strength steel | Won’t rust; ideal near water |
| Weight | Lightweight | Lightest option |
| Heat | Reflects more heat than asphalt | 34% less ceiling heat flow in lab testing (Rustic) |
| Warranty | 50-year non-prorated | Lifetime non-prorated |
| Price | Mid-to-high | Premium |
Both systems lock together on all four sides, use hidden fasteners and go directly on your roof deck, never on strapping. For most Ontario homes, Armadura steel offers the best balance of strength, looks and value, and it’s made in Ontario. Classic Aluminum is the choice if you live near water or want the lightest roof with a lifetime warranty. We’ll bring samples of both to your free visit.
Still have a question?
Call 866-969-7663, or book a free visit and ask us in person.