- Today we revisit one of
the most popular topics ever released on this
channel on Q & A Mondays, exposed fastener metal roofing verses standing seam metal roofing. (heavy metal music) What's up guys? I'm Thad Barnette from Sheffield Metals and today we're gonna take a look at something a little bit
different on Q & A Mondays. We released an episode called
exposed fastener metal roofing verses standing seam metal roofing, we got some comments asking for a more graphical look at the topic. So, that's what we're gonna
do in today's episode. If you missed the original, you can check that out right here. We had a good conversation, we're just gonna revisit
a little bit today. Today we're gonna take a look at these two types in a general way. There's a lot of different products, lots of different installation practices, lots of different types of assemblies, so for the sake of time we're gonna try to keep it simple and just
look at these in a general way. First, let's take a
look at the differences between exposed fastener metal roofing and standing seam metal roofing. Exposed fastener's just like it sounds, it uses an exposed fastener to attach the panel to the substrate, while a standing seam uses hidden hardware under the vertical leg to attach
the panel to the substrate. Exposed fastener's usually
lighter gauge material than standing seam and
they're often a lot wider than standing seam panels are, which means they'll go down faster. Less panels, less installation time. When it comes to paint, a lot of exposed fastener
systems use an SMP paint system, or silicone-modified polyester, instead of the more high
quality PVDF paint system, the polyvinylidene fluoride paint system that standing seam often uses. However, you can get PVDF systems with exposed fastener roofs, but we'll take a look at
all that a little bit later. What about flashing, details, closures? Well, for exposed fastener metal roofing, often uses a foam closure
at the eave and ridge and that's a little bit easier to install than the metal closures
that standing seam uses because those foam closures are pre-formed to fit the profile already. Now it takes a little
bit knowledge and time to install the metal closures of standing seam metal roofing. If you wanna learn about that, you can check out this video series here. What about materials? Well, exposed fastener metal
roofing is usually steel. Things like aluminum, copper, zinc, you're gonna see those as
accent pieces sometimes, but because you're usually
fastening on top of a raised rib, those materials are often
too soft to hold their shape, that's why steel is most widely used. However, on the coastline you will see some thicker aluminum for
exposed fastener systems, and if you're within
1,500 feet of a coast, you definitely recommend
going with aluminum instead of something like
Galvalume due to corrosion. When panels are installed and engaged, the exposed fastener engagement is a lap. When it comes to standing seam, the engagement is either a
snap or a seam, generally. For length, exposed fastener systems are often limited to be around 25 feet, some people say 40
depending on the system, but you should always, always follow the manufacturer's recommended length. For standing seam systems, the panels aren't pinned to the substrate so they can go hundreds of feet and we see that all the time. If you have expansion
and contraction concerns on your building, you're
not gonna wanna have something that's pinned
down at the substrate, it won't be able to take
that thermal movement. What about slope, does that
factor into what you pick? Well, yes it does. Exposed fastener metal roof systems, they need a decent pitch. We recommend something above a 3/12 so the water has less of a chance to back up on the roof system over time and possibly penetrates the holes that the fasteners create. For standing seam systems, there are low slopes
standing seam applications and you can check out this video here, hydrostatic versus hydrokinetic, and we talk about this exact thing. So we've come to a really big one here, what is the cost
difference between the two? Before you even think about installation, you have to take a look at
thickness and paint quality. Higher quality PDF paint
system's gonna be more expensive, whereas a thicker gauge material's gonna be more expensive, as well. When it comes to installation, generally exposed fastener
systems are gonna be cheaper 'cause they go down faster
due to wider panel widths, there's less manufacturing time 'cause there's less
panels to get out there. Regionally makes a difference, as well. Some regions have cheaper materials, different types of installation costs, so check that out, as well. For standing seam systems, overall you're gonna be paying
a more premium price point than exposed fastener,
but with exposed fastener, you may end up paying that
initial price difference in maintenance later down the road. So, what about longevity? Is there a longevity difference? Is that difference worth paying for? Let's break it down, typically an exposed
fastener metal roofing system will use galvanized steel or Galvalume, the MCA, the Metal
Construction Association, says that Galvalume will
last upwards of 60 years. Exposed fastener systems often use an SMP or a polyester paint system
that won't last as long as PDVF, but some systems do use
PDVF, so keep that in mind. If it's installed properly
and it's maintained properly, an exposed fastener system
can have great longevity. Now, a standing seam system
with it's hidden fasteners, high quality PDVF paint system, the ability to expand and contract and materials like Galvalume,
aluminum, zinc, copper or stainless steel has
incredible longevity. And with the properties I just mentioned, if it's installed properly
and maintained properly, again, it will often have a better chance and a longer life than
exposed fastener system will. Let's talk about when exposed
fastener metal roofing is a good choice. If you're someone who doesn't have the budget for standing seam, but you still really want
that metal roof ribbed look, then exposed fastener metal roof might be a great choice for you. It's often done DIY, people often take on their exposed fastener metal roofing projects themselves 'cause you can pick up panels
from Home Depot or Lowe's, and the flashing zones
are easier to take care of with exposed fastener than standing seam because, like I said before, the foam closures verses
the metal flashings. So when is standing seam
metal roofing a good choice? Well, if you like the look of
standing seam metal roofing with its hidden fasteners, you can afford the more
expensive price tag, and you want that longevity, definitely consider standing seam. It's totally up to you whether or not you wanna see fasteners, or
you don't wanna see fasteners. And, again, this is just a basic overview of exposed fastener metal roofing verses standing seam metal roofing. I hope it was a good
graphical representation of what we originally talked about. If it was, hit that Like button for me, and if you missed the original episode, check that out right here. Leave a comment if you have
any questions, anything else, subscribe to here the Metal
Roofing Channel and as always, I'm Thad Barnette, and
I'll catch ya next time. (bright music)
