Aluminum Roofing Panels, Shingles and Small Roofs
Aluminum is a different metal, not a cheaper version of steel. It's roughly a third the weight, it costs more, and it dents more easily. Each form below suits a different job.
Aluminum Standing Seam
Standing seam aluminum uses the same raised-seam, hidden-clip design as steel. The difference is movement. Aluminum expands and contracts more than steel with temperature, so long panels need floating clips that let them slide. Without them, panels can warp or show oil-canning. National cost guides put aluminum standing seam at $10 to $18 per square foot installed. For snap-lock versus mechanically seamed profiles and clip details, see standing seam metal roof.
Aluminum Shingles and Shakes
Aluminum shingles are stamped and embossed to look like slate, cedar shake or clay tile, and they interlock so no fasteners show. The code lets press-formed aluminum shingles be thinner than panels: 0.019 inch minimum. Expect about $7 to $16 per square foot installed, with deeper embossing at the top of the range. For the shingle-look options in steel, see metal shingles.
Screw-Down Aluminum Panels
Exposed-fastener aluminum sheets screw straight through to the deck or purlins. At $7 to $13 per square foot installed they're the cheapest way into aluminum. Every screw and washer is a possible leak point over time, though, so this form makes the most sense on a shed, carport or back porch where a drip isn't a ceiling stain.
Aluminum on Porches and Additions
Weight matters most on small roofs. Steel panels run about 1.5 to 2.0 pounds per square foot and aluminum about 0.5 to 0.75. On an old porch with undersized rafters, or an addition framed light, that gap is real. Insulated aluminum panels, a foam core between two aluminum skins, run about $17 to $21 per square foot installed. They're worth pricing over a sunroom or patio room with no attic above it. See metal porch roof for porch types and tie-ins.
Why Columbia homeowners call Columbia Metal Roofs
- A free on-site measure and a written quote
- Panel type, steel gauge and paint system spelled out before you sign
- Ask who pulls the roofing permit: it goes in the scope
- Your request goes to one independent metal roofer, not a list
- No fee to the property owner for the referral
Aluminum Roofing or Coated Steel for an Inland House
Most of aluminum's reputation comes from the coast. Salt air breaks down the coating on steel, so roofing makers steer seaside jobs to aluminum. One panel maker requires aluminum panels with stainless clips on coastal jobs to keep its warranty. Columbia isn't on salt water, and coated Galvalume steel is among the most popular choices away from the coast. So aluminum here has to earn its price on other grounds:
No red rust at cuts and scratches
Steel relies on its coating. Where that coating is cut at a panel edge or gouged by a falling limb, the steel underneath can rust. Aluminum has no steel underneath.Weight
About a third of steel's, which helps on old or light framing.Price
Aluminum roofing systems typically run 20% to 35% more than steel.Dents
Aluminum is softer than steel and dents more readily from hail and falling limbs. Cost guides suggest thicker panels where hail is common; the same logic applies under big oaks and pines.Lifespan
Aluminum roofs are typically rated for about 40 to 60 years.
For coatings, gauge and paint on the steel side of this choice, see Galvalume metal roof.
Aluminum Roofing Prices and What Pushes Them Up
National cost guides put aluminum roofing at $7 to $18 per square foot installed. Most homeowners spend between $14,000 and $45,000 on a whole roof. Those are national numbers, so treat them as a way to check whether a Columbia bid is in the right range, not as a local price list. Where a quote lands depends on a handful of items:
Panel form
Screw-down sheets sit at the bottom of the range, standing seam and insulated panels at the top.Labor share
Labor is typically 40% to 60% or more of an aluminum roof, about $4 to $8 per square foot. Standing seam needs more skill and tools than screw-down panels, and it's priced that way.Tear-off
Removing the old roof adds about $1 to $5 per square foot, depending on the material and how many layers are on the house.Trim and underlayment
Underlayment, flashing, fasteners and trim can add $4 to $5 per square foot. Most installers fold them into the quote, so check they're actually listed.Supply
Aluminum roofing is less widely stocked than steel. A color or profile that has to be ordered in can add cost and time.
Ask for the price per square foot broken out by roof section if the house has a porch or addition at a different pitch. Low sections may need a different panel. Our low slope metal roof page covers why.
Aluminum Roofing Install Details That Decide How It Lasts
Aluminum fails from what touches it more than from weather. The Metal Construction Association's bulletin on dissimilar metals lists the traps:
Galvanized fasteners
A zinc-coated nail or screw in an aluminum roof is a small piece of zinc surrounded by a large aluminum surface, so the zinc corrodes away. Aluminum or stainless fasteners avoid it.Copper anywhere uphill
Copper flashing, a copper bay roof or copper plumbing vents that drain onto aluminum will corrode it. See copper roofing for how copper and other metals are kept apart.Pencil marks
Graphite is extremely corrosive to aluminum. A good installer marks cuts with a non-graphite marker.Treated lumber and wood blocking
Pressure-treated wood carries copper compounds, and any wood or rubber pad left on the roof traps moisture against the metal.Thickness on paper
The code minimum is 0.024 inch for panels. Ask for the actual thickness and alloy on the bid, not just the word "aluminum."Finish
Ask whether the paint is PVDF or SMP, the two resins covered on the Galvalume page above.
Ask whether the clips and fasteners come from the panel maker's own system. Mixing parts from different suppliers is an easy way to let the problems above in.