Metal tile. What is worth knowing about this way of finishing the roof?

When choosing materials to finish your home, it is worth considering more than just their aesthetics. It is the same with roofing. Is a metal tile always a good idea?

A metal tile is not only a cheaper alternative to traditional tiles, but also an aesthetic and durable roofing material, which will successfully survive several decades. When choosing a tile, however, other parameters should be taken into account, such as weight or tightness. So in this article – everything you need to know about roof tiles!

Metal tile vs roof tile – what is the difference?

There is one fundamental difference between a tile and a metal roof tile – the material from which they are made. Tiles can be ceramic or cement, and roof tiles – as the name suggests – are made of sheet metal. Between these two types of roofing, there are slight differences in durability (tiles can last up to 80 years without replacement, while the average durability of a metal roofing tile is 50 years), as well as significant differences in price. It is the price which ultimately convinces most owners of single-family houses to reach for a metal tile – it is cheaper than a ceramic tile even by 10 PLN per^m2!

Types of metal roofing tiles

In DIY stores and building depots you can find many types of roof tiles. They differ in length, height, shape. We can distinguish between sheet tiles:

• corrugated – also called profiled. The aesthetics of round lines imitate traditional ceramic tiles, but it is much cheaper and lighter, so it works well where the use of tiles would involve reinforcement of the rafter framing;

• flat – also called a panel tile. Its minimalist aesthetic works well mainly in modern houses, most often chosen for simple, gable roofs. It consists of simple, geometric modules;

• trapezoid – one of the cheapest types of roofing. It has parallel ribs in the shape of a trapezoid. Roofs made of trapezoidal sheet appear more coherent, since they are not built of small modules. The length of the trapezoidal sheet varies from 80 cm to 12 meters;

• standing seam – if you are looking for a minimalistic solution, standing seam is also an option to consider. Currently, it is back in favor and more and more modern houses are “dressed” in it. It has a long tradition – in the past roofs were covered only with sheets of metal. In order to obtain a coherent surface, the edges of two pieces were joined and put on one of them;

• plain tile – the most expensive type of metal tile. The price per meter can be several hundred zlotys. The name comes from the final appearance of the roof, which looks like covered with fish scales

Sheet metal roofing tile’s advantages

Tile is a cheaper solution than traditional tiles. With a large roof area the cost difference can be colossal. In addition, tile works well in places where the use of traditional tiles would require reinforcement of the roof truss, because it is simply lighter. It is also important that tile is smoother, which is why it is recommended for places where snow often accumulates

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