They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Contrary to popular opinion, there can be a night and day difference between panel thickness, warranty and paint quality.
LAYERS OF PROTECTION
Learn what makes up a quality metal panel.
Manufacturers offer panels that look the same, but can vary widely in quality and performance. To help you make an educated decision you should understand these specific layers: the paint layer, the anti-rust layer, and the steel core.
MAIN LAYERS OF A METAL PANEL
PAINT LAYER
Paint and Primer
ANTI-RUST LAYER
Galvalume or Galvanized
STEEL CORE
Steel grade and thickness
Use this information to make an informed decision about your next metal purchase. Ask your current metal supplier to explain the layers of protection that are included in their quote.
PAINT LAYER
Fade protection is a balance of paint type and thickness.
A warranty can give you peace of mind when investing in a new metal roof. Don’t assume that warranty is an indicator of performance. No one wants a metal roof that is faded, no matter how long the roof lasts. More than the term of the warranty, you should be concerned with fade protection. Fade protection is a result of the type of paint used and how thick the paint is applied. A manufacturers warranty should list the acceptable amount of fade the warranty allows.
Paint Type
The paint system you choose affects fade performance.
There are three major types of paint used in the metal roofing market: polyester, SMP, and Fluropon®. Click on the chart below to see how the three paint types fade differently over time.
Paint Thickness
Some metal panels have a thin coat of paint, but offer the same warranty.
A thicker coat of paint fades less, but costs more since it contains more paint. The marketplace offers metal panels with 40-year warranties at a wide range of costs. Ask the manufacturer for their paint thickness on the panels you are considering buying.You may find that the metal you were quoted features a thinner, cheaper coat of paint. A full, thick coat of paint should be between .9 and 1.0 mil thick, including primer.
Steel hardness
Metal roofing is produced from different hardness grades.
Grade 80 is a hard steel used to produce metal panels of 26 or 29 gauges. This combination of thickness and hardness is great for metal panels that require dent resistance. Making trim from Grade 80, however, will cause tiny cracks in the metal, exposing it to rain and eventually rust. Since trim has lots of sharp bends, it is better to use a softer steel such as Grade 50 or 33.
Many manufacturers can only afford to carry one grade of steel. This results in either making panels out of soft steel that will dent, or trim out of hard steel that will crack. Make sure and ask your supplier about the hardness of their metal.
Steel thickness
There can be a 40% difference in dent resistance between thin and thick 29 gauges.
In the metal industry, gauge is a range of thicknesses that manufacturers have to stay within. With profitability causing pressure on costs, many manufacturers are offering the thinnest metal that is allowed within the gauge. So, it is important that you understand the thickness of your metal so you can make an informed decision.
There can be a 40% difference in dent protection between the low and high end of 29 gauge. This difference in dent protection is an important consideration when investing in a metal roof.