High-quality roofing guarantees the stability of the building and that’s precisely why roofing is a highly competitive market. Whether you have a small or a big house everyone wants the best roofing installed overheads because it is directly related to durability and investment. There are plenty of options in the roofing market but still, you can’t pick one at random. The roof selection must be wise and must match the local weather conditions. Otherwise, the roof will not be able to match your expectations, and eventually, you’d start seeing flaws in it. Zinc is an excellent roofing material and if you want to know what is a zinc roof? You can find the detailed information below. It is just another roofing material that is used in the USA, Russia, Australia, Peru, and a few more locations. Zinc has some of the top qualities which make it high-performance material under hard conditions, that’s why it is an ideal choice for roofing. If you are making a new house and want to install a new roof, then you might want to read the details below before making the selection.
How and when it started?
If you were under the impression that zinc roofing is a new concept, then that’s not quite right. Zinc roofs root back to 1811 when it was first used in the building of a church in Liege. However, the most notable usage of zinc as a building material is in France. In the middle of the 19th century, Napoleon III ordered the city's expansion due to an increase in population. That’s when the zinc was used intensively in roofing and even now you can find some of those buildings standing as they were. That shows how durable it is and that’s the very reason how this architectural style reached Netherland and other countries quickly. The popularity of zinc as a roofing material isn’t for nothing but it has a very serious history of performance behind it. Now that you know how zinc roofing started out, it is time to dig in deeper and find the details before you rush for the installation.
As ECO-friendly material
Present times have higher environmental concerns and it is consuming the planet faster than you imagine. If you are one of those people that truly value the environment and want to cause a lower impact on the environment while you put a roof on your house, then zinc is the perfect material. There are two notable aspects of zinc’s eco-friendliness. First, when the roof sheeting is produced it consumes a lot lower energy because it has a lower melting point and can be formed into sheets with a little effort. Consequently, you save tons of energy and cause a lower impact on the environment as compared to other materials. Secondly, it is a completely recyclable material. When the house or a building is taken down at the end zinc can be taken out and recycled and mold into something completely different. As a result, the total quantity of zinc on the planet remains the same and it doesn’t pollute the environment. If you are picking a roof, then it is the moment of truth because now you have a chance to make a better choice.
Key advantages of using zinc roof
When you are constructing a house the roof is the center of gravity most of the time. Since the market is full of roofing options and it is hard to pick one. At that time the pros and cons of various roofing solutions are compared to select the best possible solutions. There are several aspects of comparing, for example, some are just concerned about the money and usually, a relatively cheaper option is picked whether it is suitable or not. That’s not how smart people pick, the roof assures the stability of the building and smart people make intelligent choices by having the foresight of the future. Such people look at local weather, roofing quality, compatibility, and affordability before making sensitive decisions. If you don’t know much about roofing materials you can either do some research or talk to an expert right away. The top benefits of using zinc roofing are the following:
- Longevity
- Corrosion-resistant
- Match perfectly
- Malleable
- Quick installation
- Low maintenance
- Recyclability
- Weatherproof
It is said that the zinc roof can last longer than man and it usually ranges from 60 to 100 years based on the type of care. Zinc is a corrosion-resistant material and another advantage of zinc is that it is self-healing. Which means if it is scratched, it’ll recover over time. It is an excellent architectural material and makes an excellent fit due to it aesthetic appearance. Since zinc sheet is about 0.7mm thin, it can be shaped easily into curves and complex designs. Custom sheeting makes it a perfect material for quick installation. This material requires low maintenance apart from debris accumulation and leaves collection. Another big advantage over other materials zinc has is that it is completely recyclable. In addition, it is not degraded by UV light.
How to install a zinc roof?
Zinc roof installation is quite different from the regular metal roof installation where the materials are delivered in metal sheets. The zinc coil is delivered to the site directly and the contractor has all the equipment on-site to uncoil it and mold it into a roof. That means zinc roof is a fully custom job where metal is cut and formed at the size. Zinc strips are cut and placed right next to each other by the experts and seamed together by hand with the help of crimping irons. A prerequisite of zinc roof installation is that it must be kept dry to avoid underneath corrosion. The risk of corrosion increases if you are constructing a dry roof structure. Such technicalities must be discussed with the contractor in detail before you start the project.
How much it can cost?
The price is always of greater concern when you are constructing a roof because it is once in a lifetime opportunity and people are even willing to spend their whole life saving on it. Zinc roof cost is variable and it tends to go higher with the complex roof structure that has more curves and turns. It is even higher for houses that have complex access. Usually, a zinc roof cost about $125/m2 which means a roof of 100m2 would cost about $16000.
Zinc roof alternatives
There are several roofing solutions that are considered direct competitors of zinc roofing because other metals also display similar properties as zinc. That’s right, in order to solve the matter of availability is also important that the zinc alternatives are addressed. For example, copper, coated aluminum, and GreenCoat PLX are also considered a competitor of zinc. When you are unsure which one to pick, talk to an expert for details.
Zinc is a perfect roofing material and the success stories started more than a century ago. As mentioned above it is a high-performing material that can protect your roof for a very long time. It is a value-to-money investment and brings other great features. If zinc satisfies all your roofing needs then make no hesitation in talking to a contractor because the sooner you act the faster you’d have a safe roof over your head.