How to Install and Cut Metal Roofing | Step-by-Step Guide
How to Install and Cut Metal Roofing | Step-by-Step Guide
My friend decided to install his own metal roof last spring. He watched many YouTube videos to install the roof. By Sunday afternoon, he had three panels up, and they looked like a kindergartener had put them on. Nothing lined up right. He’d cut one piece way too short. And he knew not whether to tear off his old shingles first or to place the metal over them. And then he called me, and I said that installing metal roofing is not a light DIY job.
Can You Really Put Metal Over Shingles?
Yes, you can install metal roofing over your existing shingles. It saves a ton of money on tear-off costs. But there’s a catch. The roof that you are having should be in proper condition. Just putting a cover over a set of leaks, soft spots, or rot under those shingles – i.e., covering up what will sting you later.
The shingles he had were approximately ten years old and in excellent condition; thus, going over them was not a big issue. But his neighbor also attempted the same with a twenty-five-year-old roof that had water damage, and within a year, he had mold problems. The roof of metal was good–only that he had left something that he had gone under it.
Furring strips are required when you do over-shingling. They are made of thin wooden strips and placed on top of your old roof, forming an air gap between the shingles and the new metal sheets. They assist with ventilation and provide a place to screw your panels. One more thing, most building codes only allow this if you’ve got one layer of shingles up there. If you’ve already got two layers, you’re tearing everything off. No shortcuts.
How to cut Metal Roofing
His first big mistake was picking up his usual circular saw and thinking he could cut through metal panels as easily as he would wood. Wrong. The blade heated up and sparked all around, and the edges were so jagged and twisted that the pieces could not fit back together.
To cut metal roofing, you must have the appropriate tools. Tin snips are excellent for small cuts and edges, but your hands will howl at you in a few panels. The professionals use electric shears or a nibbler tool, leaving the proper cut with less drama. He had to rent shears in the hardware store, something he had to do initially.
How to Install Metal Roofing over Shingles
Installing metal roofing looks simple in videos. In real life? It’s detailed work. The panels overlap an average of an inch on the sides and six inches on the ends when you are doing more than one row. You start the process at the bottom of the roof and work your way up, making sure each panel is square and straight.
You also have special screws that have rubber washers to prevent water from leaking through. These run through the elevated side of the panel, not through the flat side, and they must be just tight, not forcefully tight. Strip one out, and you’ve got a leak waiting to happen. He learned this the hard way during his first rainstorm.
Should You Do It Yourself?
After watching him muddle through his metal roofing project and then finally hiring a contractor to fix everything he messed up, I am convinced that metal roofing is one of those projects you don’t want to DIY unless you really know what you are doing.
So, save your headache. Get a few quotes from metal roofing contractors who specialize in this type of work. As always, remember prevention is better than a cure.
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