[SouthernSK]

I was looking into using standing seam metal roofing for the shop we are planning on building. I was wondering if anyone has used this or has had any experience with it. It is a roofing system where the screws are covered or not exposed for leaks. Often the sheets are 20 inches wide made out of 24 gage. The screw are placed on the one side and the other side is crimped on the roof or seamed to cover the screws of the previous sheet. The sheets are mounted on expansion clips which allow the sheets to move a bit and not rip out the screws. It costs a bit more but they claim the leak potential of these roofs are a lot lower. It also gives long sheets of tin room to expand and contract without causing damage. The sheets are usually made on site with roll forming equipment. I was wondering if anyone has used this roofing and what your thoughts is about it. If you have used it would you do it again? Thanks SouthernSK

 

[bjtjjl]

Bob Nelson using quit a bit of it on the big steel buildings, those roofs don’t have much of a pitch.
I have no experience, except for getting quotes for my house a few years back.

 

[MF cowboy]

Dad put it on his house.
So far
Cost is more than a bit. Its cha ching.

 

[SouthernSK]

MF cowboy it is around $0.85 more per square foot than 26 gu. The 24 gu with the standing seam is significantly heavier so there will naturally be more steel cost. For guys who normally strap a roof it would be more cost because the roof has to be sheeted. We will be sheeting the roof no matter what tin goes on. When the steel sheets start to get long, the expansion and contraction of the sheets can cause a lot of screw and leak problems. I was at a large barn recently where they pulled off all the normal roof tin and were putting on the standing seam. With the screws being all covered and the expansion clips to allow for movement, I think it makes a lot of sense. They claim this roof is good for 40-50 years. I am leaning towards it but have no experience with it. There is a guy out of eastern Sask that has given me a very reasonable quote to supply the standing seam and install it.

 

[Marusko]

For a new shop that will be around for decades, go standing seam for sure. more durable, less prone to leaks.

 

[MF cowboy]

MF cowboy it is around $0.85 more per square foot than 26 gu. The 24 gu with the standing seam is significantly heavier so there will naturally be more steel cost. For guys who normally strap a roof it would be more cost because the roof has to be sheeted. We will be sheeting the roof no matter what tin goes on. When the steel sheets start to get long, the expansion and contraction of the sheets can cause a lot of screw and leak problems. I was at a large barn recently where they pulled off all the normal roof tin and were putting on the standing seam. With the screws being all covered and the expansion clips to allow for movement, I think it makes a lot of sense. They claim this roof is good for 40-50 years. I am leaning towards it but have no experience with it. There is a guy out of eastern Sask that has given me a very reasonable quote to supply the standing seam and install it.

You don't have to tell me about tin roof leaks I already know.
Have a cattle shed built around 1988 or so that now leaks like a sieve, all the screws must be loose or the washers dried up and shrunk.
Which is the reason Dad went with the covered screw tin.
All I remember is cost was like 2x a new shingle job.
And the last 30 year life shingles didn't make 20 years and they were all shot so something better had to be done.
Installation on the house cost more because of the intersecting roof, chimney and vents, there is a lot more labour involved with that versus a straight flat roof, like on a shop.
I'd have to ask dad but I'm sure the contractor was a Mennonite fellow from Bredenbury area.
I watched what they did occasionally and they seemed to make a good job.
The roof isn't that old yet maybe 4yrs only, but so far zero issues.

 

[jvw]

We put it on our house last summer. For the exact reasons listed, no exposed screws to work loose and stretch the holes as the tin contracts and expands.
Was quoted an industrial grade where you require a crimping tool to connect the sheets, but it was much more than the interlocking that we used.
Easy to install.

 

[SouthernSK]

JVW did you install it yourself? Did you manually crimp it or use a electric seamer? Do you think it is faster to install than regular tin or about the same?

 

[Transaxial]

I haven't worked with it but see it on lots of oilfield buildings and sheds. It has been around for 70 years at least. Seems to be used on a higher grade of building (commercial) than normal farm use. If you sheet your roof with plywood under the metal, would you lay down a heavy tar paper or blueskin to shed water leaks to the eaves? I would with normal ribbed roofing covering an insulated ceiling but maybe the standing rib roof is good enough to skip the waterproof paper.

 

[SouthernSK]

They often put membrane of some sort under the standing seam as well. Ice and water is probably the best but is costly and could add $8,000 to the cost of a large building. I was thinking of putting ice and water all the way around the outside perimeter and then putting a synthetic roofing membrane for the rest. I think the chance of leaks is much less with the standing seam if it is done right. I think for similar money it would be better to put foam under the cement slab rather than spend the money on ice and water for the whole roof. It is hard to figure out somedays where your money is best spent and where to stop spending.

 

[SouthernSK]

I would pay attention to what the PSI rating on the tin. When you look at 24 gage tin, 50 psi rated tin is 67% stronger than 30 psi tin. Many guys that install standing seam use 30 psi tin which is a lot weaker. It is something to pay attention to even when you buy sheeting for a building. I often look at the gage but it is also important to look at the psi rating as well.

 

[bjtjjl]

Sure looking forward to this shop build being highly documented on the forum whenever it starts. Sounds like it will be the “make it right” version of how a shop should be 👌

 

[MF cowboy]

I would pay attention to what the PSI rating on the tin. When you look at 24 gage tin, 50 psi rated tin is 67% stronger than 30 psi tin. Many guys that install standing seam use 30 psi tin which is a lot weaker. It is something to pay attention to even when you buy sheeting for a building. I often look at the gage but it is also important to look at the psi rating as well.

I'm not sure what strength was used here.
The tin was on a roll and the machine formed it on site.
Similar to the continuous eavestrough machines.

 

[Transaxial]

How much do you gain from under slab insulation? The temperature differential between a radiant heated shop floor at 15C and normal ground temp at 8C is only 7 degrees so not much heat transfer. It would be more with slab heating. A slab to ground heat loss would be by conduction so would not require much of an R value to stop. Would an inexpensive bubble foil layer do the trick to create the break in conduction?

 

[Bigswede1?]

How much do you gain from under slab insulation? The temperature differential between a radiant heated shop floor at 15C and normal ground temp at 8C is only 7 degrees so not much heat transfer. It would be more with slab heating. A slab to ground heat loss would be by conduction so would not require much of an R value to stop. Would an inexpensive bubble foil layer do the trick to create the break in conduction?

It probably helps a bit but not as much as styrofoam. I put it under my basement slab and the air trapped under the foil bubbled up through the concrete for a long time. I didn’t anticipate that and when you’re in the middle of the pour and the trucks are coming from an hour away it’s kind of a lousy feeling. Some places stopped within minutes but some bubbled for an hour or more. I’ve never noticed any long term affects but it’s certainly not helping make better concrete. Maybe there’s a fix for that but I just decided that day to not bother with that stuff again

 

[sasksodbuster]

We put in 2” 40 psi high density foam, I would not recommend bubble wrap but some contractors do. I think you get what you pay for.

 

[SouthernSK]

Foam under the slab is not cheap as well. If the ground is 4-5 deg c under the slab some of the heat from the shop will be wicked from the shop to the ground. I think if you heat with floor heat the insulation under the slab is more important than if you use radiant or forced air heat. With the carbon tax not likely to disappear any time soon building insulation will pay more and more. It is too bad there is not good test data on these type of questions. With all the shops that have been built you would think there would be some info to indicate the payback of insulation under the slab. Once the cement is poured it is too late to add insulation underneath. I still am unsure what to put under the slab.

 

[SouthernSK]

Most of the tin used for standing seam roofing comes from Cascadia metal. They have a monopoly on the business after they bought out their competition. They only sell the 33 grade or strength in the 24 gag for standing seam. This tin is the same strength as 26 gage in the 80 grade or strength. The Hutterites sell 24 gage for standing seam in the 50 grade or strength which is 50% stronger than the 33 grade. A guy would have to use 22 gage in the 33 strength to equal the strength of the 24 gage in the 50 grade or strength. I guess to summarize next time you buy tin I would find out what gage and grade or strength it is. If you can get tin that is 50% stronger for not much increase in price it will likely take a hail storm better than the weaker tin. Regular tin sheeting can be made in the 80 grade or strength because of their is not any sever bends when the sheets are made. For standing seam grade 50 is the highest strength that can be used because of the bends it has to make which is 50% stronger than grade 33 which is normally used..

 

[shayman]

I was looking into using standing seam metal roofing for the shop we are planning on building. I was wondering if anyone has used this or has had any experience with it. It is a roofing system where the screws are covered or not exposed for leaks. Often the sheets are 20 inches wide made out of 24 gage. The screw are placed on the one side and the other side is crimped on the roof or seamed to cover the screws of the previous sheet. The sheets are mounted on expansion clips which allow the sheets to move a bit and not rip out the screws. It costs a bit more but they claim the leak potential of these roofs are a lot lower. It also gives long sheets of tin room to expand and contract without causing damage. The sheets are usually made on site with roll forming equipment. I was wondering if anyone has used this roofing and what your thoughts is about it. If you have used it would you do it again? Thanks SouthernSK

Same here.

 

[shayman]

I haven't worked with it but see it on lots of oilfield buildings and sheds. It has been around for 70 years at least. Seems to be used on a higher grade of building (commercial) than normal farm use. If you sheet your roof with plywood under the metal, would you lay down a heavy tar paper or blueskin to shed water leaks to the eaves? I would with normal ribbed roofing covering an insulated ceiling but maybe the standing rib roof is good enough to skip the waterproof paper.

Same here.