Metal Shingles: Mixing old and new
Metal Shingles: Mixing old and new |
If your roof consists of old metal shingles....and you want to add an addition to your structure....what choices do you have about your old metal shingles?
On this church in Maryland, the first question to resolve was the condition of the existing tin shingles over the sanctuary. In brief, were they worth saving?
The two photos below illustrated the worse sections of the church's metal shingle roof, or 1% of the surface area. Except for these minor irregularities, the past routine maintenance on the roof offered the church an opportunity to restore the metal shingles, if they desired. But there was a small hurdle.
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The plans for the renovation called for an addition to the front of the church. Back areas of the building had additions with asphalt shingles, which worked quite well. But a front addition...the entrance to the main sanctuary...required some rethinking about asphalt shingles. In technical terms, asphalt shingles would look tacky.
The architect contacted Berridge manufacturing in Texas (see "old" metal shingle sources) which fortunately produced a similar style of metal shingle. Still there was a small hurdle.
The older shingles had been covered with an aluminum coating, leaving a finish that failed to match the new addition's shingles. Plus the church wanted a "shiny" finish. Most owners of vintage metal roofs prefer the "matted" appearance, but on occasion, a finished look with a sheen is requested. For projects with colored metal roofs with a shiny tint,the technique is altered. This church committee preferred "shiny", like the new shingles. If you look closely at the photo of the new metal shingle, you will note that the right side is the finish that Berridge manufacturing applies to their product. The left side is a formulation with a special tint of silver. The final plan was that all roof surfaces would be top coated with this formulation tinted in silver.
The crew cleaned the roof with a pressure washer. In this instance we used a boom in order to work closely on the shingles. Once the roof dried, the crew applied primer over the old sections, including the steeple. Finally, the formulation with the silver tint was coated onto all the shingles. Detail decisions about trim pieces were made at the time of the work.
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The final appearance blended the two roofs constructed about 100 years apart.
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April 2008 update: From time to time, we encounter unexpected surprises with the material....resulting in a challenge to us to adapt:
Applying Barn Red acrylic on 90 degree plus sunny days has to applied differently compared to all other days
For a shiny surface, add shiny tint to product, not clearcoat a matted application
Address the chalking characteristic of the green tints
....these are just a few examples
This project also had a surprise for us, the metallic product did not adhere properly. So we are redoing the project with a different combination of products because testing did not reveal exactly what the problem was. Photos to be posted.
If you are seeking an experienced company to offer an estimate to preserve your existing roof, one of us would be delighted to visit your residence, discuss the alternatives available and, if requested, submit a quote for restoring your tin roofs. Click here for a map of our geographical work area.
Beyond information about our contracting services, this site is designed for individuals interested in tin roofs--photos, technical tidbits and history. These web pages are prepared by the same contractor that specializes in the restoration of these tin roofs. She enjoys dabbling in website construction, therefore photos and articles are simply presented. All pictures are from Roof Menders projects, the same contractor. If you have questions, just call 610-941-1051 for a chat.