What does putting on a metal roof involve?
Short answer. Putting on a metal roof involves the permit, removing the old roof or confirming a roof-over is allowed, repairing the deck, installing high-temperature underlayment, setting eave trim and closures, installing panels or metal shingles to the manufacturer's pattern, and finishing with ridge, rake and wall trims, flashings and an inspection. Panels are measured and cut to length ahead of time, and the job usually takes longer than a shingle roof.
Before work starts
- Permit and HOA approval: many Georgia jurisdictions require a permit, and some HOAs restrict metal.
- Measuring and ordering: panels are produced or cut to length from measurements, with trims and accessories ordered alongside.
- Tear-off or roof-over: the code allows some metal roofs over a single existing layer in certain conditions, but a tear-off reveals deck damage and is usually the better choice.
The installation sequence
- Deck repair and renailing.
- Underlayment, typically high-temperature synthetic with self-adhered membrane at valleys, eaves and penetrations, or full membrane on low slopes.
- Eave trim and, for exposed-fastener panels, closures with butyl tape.
- Valley flashings.
- Panels squared to the eave and installed across the roof, fastened or clipped per the pattern.
- Rake trim, ridge and hip caps with closures, plus wall and chimney flashings.
- Pipe boots made for metal roofs.
- Cleanup of metal shavings, which rust on the panels if left behind.
How long it takes
Depending on size and complexity, a metal roof on an average house often takes several days, longer than a typical one-day shingle replacement.
Quality checks
- Panels straight and square at the eave.
- Fasteners straight and snug, in neat lines.
- Closures in place, with no daylight under caps.
- Trims lapped downhill and sealed.
- Scratches touched up and no shavings left on the roof.
See metal roofing in Georgia and roofing permits in Georgia.