Zinc and standing seam
Zinc and standing seam for steep, snowy roofs
A zinc or standing seam roof is the cleanest line you can put on a gable. We form it on site and detail it so snow leaves where you decide.
What we install
Three ways to a metal roof
Zinc standing seam
Matte blue-gray that builds its own protective layer.
Cut and formed on site
Seamed on a ventilated deck
Steel and aluminum standing seam
Factory-finished panels in a range of colors, on the same detailing.
Dark, light or bronze finishes
Rolled ridge cap and hidden fasteners
Snow retention
Guards, rails and cleats placed on the plan, never added after the first winter.
Over entries, decks and drives
Clamped, not drilled, through the seam
Details
Detailed for the winter that follows
Why a metal roof here is drawn around snow first.
A deck that breathes
A ventilated deck keeps the roof cold, so snow melts slowly and ice stays off the eave.
Zinc patina
Zinc starts bright and settles to a matte gray. Scratches fade as it weathers.
Thermal movement
Floating clips let panels expand and contract without noise or stress.
Penetrations
Every vent, flue and skylight is flashed to a drawn detail, not caulked.
Settled on paper
What we settle first
Three things we put on paper before the order.
- 01
Where snow goes
Which slopes shed and which hold, marked on the plan.
- 02
The ridge and hips
Cap profile, vent and how the panels end.
- 03
Every penetration
Flue, vent, skylight and antenna mount, each with its flashing.
How the job runs
Day by day on your roof
- 01
Step 1: Day 1: dry-in
Old roof off, deck checked and ice barrier laid.
- 02
Step 2: Days 2 to 4: panels formed and set
Roll-formed at the property, clipped and seamed in the day's order.
- 03
Step 3: Next: ridge, hips and penetrations
Details cut, folded and sealed to the drawing.
- 04
Step 4: Last: snow retention and walk-through
Guards set and checked against the plan, with a photo record.
The bid
What the price depends on
We don't post prices. A roof like this is priced from its drawings, and each of these shows on the written bid.
Roof area and pitch
Squares, slope and how many planes meet.
Metal and finish
Zinc, steel or aluminum, and the color system.
Snow retention
Guards, rails and where they go.
Deck and ventilation
What sits under the metal and how it breathes.
Penetrations and details
Skylights, flues, dormers and snow-country detailing.
Access and season
Crane or lift, haul distance and the weather window.
Questions
Questions about zinc and standing seam
How long does zinc last?
Makers quote 80 years or more for zinc in the right conditions. Ask for the maker's data sheet, and we include it with the bid.
How do you control snow sliding off a metal roof?
Snow guards or rails, placed on the plan over the places snow would hurt: entries, decks, drives and the roofs below.
Does a metal roof attract lightning?
No. A metal roof doesn't raise the odds of a strike, and it can spread a strike's energy more safely. A lightning protection system is a separate trade.
Can we see a sample?
Yes. We bring panel samples to the site visit and to your architect or design review board.
Ask for a metal roof bid
Send a drawing, a photo or the address. We answer on the next business day.