Metal Roofs vs. Shingle Roofs on Pole Buildings

Noise

• Perhaps the biggest drawback of metal roofing when installed on pole buildings is noise. Because of their simple design, pole buildings are spacious, and noise such as rain falling on a metal roof tends to echo. This isn’t as much of an issue with shingles. Noise due to a metal roof, however, is usually only louder when a metal roof is installed on a pole building without a solid roof deck beneath to insulate the noise. Metal roofs installed on pole buildings with a wood roof deck beneath them make no more sound than shingle roofs.

Installation and Maintenance

• A properly installed metal roof on a pole building is virtually maintenance-free. Correct installation of metal roofing requires the use of special accessories such as edges, screws, flashing and paint. Shingle roofs are easily installed and work on a variety of roof profiles and slopes, and they require no special accessories. They’re easy to cut, fit and fasten, but they need slightly more maintenance than a metal roof.

Durability

• Metal roofing resists warping, cracking and peeling in extreme weather conditions and it is fire- and pest-resistant. Shingles are often warrantied for up to 30 years but may be damaged in extreme weather conditions such as high wind and hail. A metal roof may be more ideal than a shingle roof in regions with significant snowfalls because it sheds snow and ice easily and doesn’t absorb water, which eliminates cracking due to freezing and thawing. Those problems can occur on a shingle roof.

Life Expectancy

• The main disadvantage to shingle roofs over metal roofs is that asphalt shingles have a life expectancy of 20 to 50 years, depending on their manufacturer, but often wear out and require repair or replacement well before their warranty period ends. If a pole building is in a region that experiences large amounts of snow, wind or rain, or that is extremely hot and humid, the lifespan of its shingles decreases again. Metal roofing is resistant to most weather conditions and doesn’t deteriorate in extreme temperatures. While the initial cost of a metal roof is higher than that of a shingle roof, its life expectancy is much longer, eliminating the cost of maintenance and replacement that is common with shingles.

Cost

• Asphalt shingles' initial cost is inexpensive when compared to metal roofing's initial cost. So using shingles can reduce the initial cost when roofing a new pole building. The cost increases for an existing pole building, however, because the old roofing material must be removed first, adding to the labor involved. Metal roofing often can be installed over existing roofs, including shingles, saving time and money.