Metal Roofing in Coeur d'Alene, ID

A standing seam metal roof uses long vertical panels joined at raised seams, with the clips and fasteners hidden underneath. Nothing punches through the face of the panel, so there are no exposed screws or washers to dry out and leak. The 2018 IRC allows standing seam down to a 1/4:12 slope, which makes it a good fit for low porch roofs and modern shed designs as well as steep gables.

Gauge numbers run backward: the lower the number, the thicker the steel. Our 24-gauge panels measure 0.0239-0.0276 inches, compared with 0.0179-0.0217 inches for 26-gauge. That extra thickness resists oil-canning, denting from hail and flex under heavy snow, which is why 24-gauge is the normal standard for standing seam in snow and wind country like Kootenai County.

Kynar 500 is a PVDF resin finish, 70% PVDF by formula, and it holds color far longer than standard polyester paint. One major panel maker's sample warranty promises no chalking beyond a rating of 8 for 30 years and no cracking or peeling for 40 years. That matters in North Idaho, where summer sun and winter glare off snow both work on a roof's color.

Galvalume is the corrosion coating on the steel itself: 55% aluminum, 43.4% zinc and 1.6% silicon, made to ASTM A792. Coating weight is listed as AZ50 or AZ55, with AZ55 typical for unpainted roofing. Some barns and shops use bare Galvalume panels. On homes, most owners prefer a painted Kynar 500 panel over the Galvalume base for color choice and a longer finish warranty.

Our metal roof repair work covers existing metal roofs, not only the ones we built. Common fixes are seams that have lifted, dried sealant around vent pipes and chimneys, loose ridge and eave trim, and a panel bent by sliding ice. Most problems sit at penetrations and flashing, so we repair those first and tell you plainly if the panels themselves are near the end of their 40-80 year life.

Metal sheds snow fast, and a full slab can tear off gutters or land on a walkway. Snow guards are brackets or rails clamped to the seams that hold snow on the roof so it melts or slides in smaller pieces. Coeur d'Alene designs roofs for a 40 psf roof snow load, so we lay out guards above entries, decks, driveways and lower roofs.

Under every panel we install ice and water shield, a self-adhering membrane meeting ASTM D1970, along the eaves and in the valleys, with synthetic underlayment across the rest of the deck. Code section R905.1.2 calls for it from the eave to 24 inches inside the exterior wall. Metal sheds snow well, but ice dams can still form at a cold eave.

Code can allow metal over a single layer of shingles, but R908.3.1.1 bans any recover where two or more layers already exist. We usually recommend a full tear-off anyway. Stripping to the deck lets us replace soft or rotted sheathing, add ice and water shield correctly, and keep the new panels flat, so the roof underneath is not hiding problems for the next 40 years.

Exposed-fastener panels are screwed through the face, are often 26-gauge, and need at least a 3:12 slope under R905.10.2. They cost less but the screw washers need checking over time. Stone-coated steel looks like shake or tile and carries a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating. We install standing seam, and we are happy to walk you through how these compare.