Whether you're planning a new home or replacing the roof on an existing dwelling, you will have a range of materials to select from. One popular option is metal roofing. Here are several benefits.

Resilience

When installing a roof, you want to know that it will withstand the elements and protect your home over long periods. Metals form durable and long-lasting roofing. One possibility is aluminium, which naturally repels rust due to an oxide layer that develops on its surface. Steel is another common substrate for roofs. One variety, stainless steel, contains chromium, which buffers it against moisture damage, preventing rust forming. Other kinds of steel can tend to corrode, but advanced technologies offer protection. Because zinc naturally repels rust (as does aluminium), a zinc-aluminium alloy covers some steel sheeting. Other roofs, on top of these protections, add a coat of baked-on polyester paint. Different grades of metal suit particular environments, so if you live along a coastline, install a marine-grade material to protect your roof from the corrosive salty atmosphere. 

Design Options

With a metal roof, you'll have a range of colour options and profiles on offer that complement diverse architectures, from Queenslander to contemporary styles. A variety of stunning bush-inspired tones are available, both bold and subtle. Select from light, dark, cool and warm shades, including earthy greens, greys, blues and tans. Because other elements such as garage doors, guttering, fences and gates can use metal also, you have the chance to match or complement the roof to the overall exterior landscape. 

Climate Friendly

No matter what your local climate is, metal roofing can help to keep your home comfortable. Both steel and aluminium have a low thermal mass, which means they don't absorb heat and release it hours later as concrete does. This is helpful in hot climates if you want to allow cooling night air to refresh your home; heat quickly moves through these roofs. Advanced reflective coatings can reflect the sun away from the roof during the daytime, keeping your home cooler during daylight hours. If you live in a colder southern region of Australia, insulation can help the roof to hold in needed warmth in the wintertime. Even snow easily slides off metal sheet roofing. Tiles, on the other hand, provide crevices in which snow collects to possibly cause moisture damage. Because metal is much lighter than many other roofing materials, the additional weight of snow does not generally cause any problem for the building structure.

For more information, call a roofing professional near you.