Innovative design, leading edge manufacturing processes, and installation methods are what make Classic® Metal Roofing Systems the ultimate solution in permanent roofing. When searching for the right metal roof for your home, be sure to inquire about these 4 crucial keys:
1. Hidden Fasteners
While old school metal roofs had exposed fasteners, new design technology has brought roofs with concealed fasteners. The concealed fasteners don’t need neoprene washers that wear out because they are never exposed to the weather. Additionally, concealed fasteners, through clip design and sometimes panel design, allow for the thermal movement of the metal. The roof is held secure, but there are ways for it to float incrementally and move with temperature changes without anything breaking down or coming less weathertight with age.
- never exposed to weather – won’t wear out
- allow for natural thermal movement
- permanently weathertight
2. 4-Way Interlocking Panels
The alternative to overlapping panels are panels that actively lock together. These panels do well in wind uplift testing, and they do not present the opportunity for debris or water to work its way underneath. These systems have locking hems on all four sides of the panels and are actively engaged (hooked) into one another all the way around. This method of connection provides for the highest levels of wind, water, and uplift resistance—the most permanent and stormproof roofing.
- actively engaged on all 4 sides
- provides highest levels of wind, water and uplift resistance
- the most permanent and storm proof roofing system
Classic Metal Roofing Systems are installed directly to the roof decking on an elementary level. Direct-to-deck installation requires no battens or strapping and is considered the best practice for metal roofing installation.
3. Direct-To-Deck Installation
Another difference is some panels are installed on over battens (link to “why batten mounted metal roofing is a poor choice” blog) while others are installed directly to the roof decking (link to “metal roof decking, battens and underlayment” blog) on an elementary level. Battens are rows of 1×2″s nailed to the roof first to provide a racking system for the roof panels to fasten into. This was another installation method derived from old school metal roofs. All panels installed over battens also have exposed fasteners. Putting down battens raises the level of the roof which means gutters must be raised and the roof level can sometimes get too high on homes with dormer windows – the roof can begin to run into the bottom of the windows.
Metal roofers using wood strapping or battens will often say they use this old technique to control condensation by creating an air chamber to dry the inevitable drip or sweat from the metal shingle. This has proven to be an unreliable practice as the airflow is not adequate to dry the drip or sweat fast enough to prevent dampening and accumulation around the wood strapping. Ice in winter from condensation adds the element of expansion and contraction fatigue on the wood strapping resulting in premature rotting of the wood. If exposed fasteners are used on wood strapping this is also an intrusion waiting to happen once the neoprene rubber washers are compromised. With direct to deck installation and hidden fasteners, metal shingle condensation is a non-issue.
4. Engineered Kynar® Colour Coating System
The finest coating available today uses PVDF chemistry – polyvinylideneflouride. With this coating, the resin is based upon the very hard, glass-like mineral fluorite, which creates an extremely tight molecular bond. These coatings are known to resist materials sticking to them and for incredible durability in terms of fading and chalk resistance. The fluorite resin protects the pigment and holds everything together. It is well known by architects that the best exterior coating that exists today is based on this chemistry. There is no better colour coating system on the horizon – period.
We are so confident about our colour coating system that we are one of the only metal roofing providers in the world that actually include fade and chalk resistance as part of our warranty.