A Comprehensive Guide to the 3 Basic Roofing Types

Overview
Asphalt Shingles
Corrugated Metal
Standing-Seam Metal
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Your roof is wearing out. The shingles are old, faded, and growing a bit of moss. Maybe a few are missing or beginning to curl.

It’s time to start thinking about replacing your roof. But what type of roofing material should you choose?

At Choice Exteriors, we’d love to help out! We install roofs and are committed to quality, customer-focused work. That’s why we’ll walk you through your primary roofing choices, helping you decide what you want to use on your own home or business.

1. Overview of Your Roofing Options
2. Asphalt Shingles: What You Need to Know
3. Corrugated Metal Roofing: What You Need to Know

4. Standing-Seam Metal Roofing: What You Need to Know
5. Where Can I Find a Roofing Expert?

Overview of Your Roofing Options

Throughout history, people have constructed roofs out of stone, clay, metal, and straw, using what they had on hand to make a watertight shelter for themselves.

But some products have always been superior to others.

For instance, although thatched roofs could last a good 25-40 years, that pales in comparison to the stone, copper, or lead cathedral roofs that survived for decades or even centuries with proper repair and maintenance.

Today, your roofing options are nearly limitless—from wooden shingles to clay tiles to old-fashioned slate tiles. You can even take an example from the inhabitants of the Faroe Islands and create a living roof.

But to narrow down your options, you should be aware of three basic types of roofing that are practical, cost-effective, and attractive.

They are:

Asphalt Shingles
Corrugated Metal Roofing
Standing-Seam Metal Roofing

Let’s go over the pros and cons of each roofing type, as well as the time, money, and tools needed to install them.

Quick Question: Will you re-roof or completely replace your roof?

Before we get into the specifics of each roofing type, let’s talk a bit about re-roofing vs. replacing your roof.

A roof replacement involves tearing off the existing roofing materials and replacing them with new ones.

Re-roofing is a simpler process. In the right circumstances, you can install asphalt shingles, corrugated metal roofing, or standing-seam metal roofing on top of an existing shingle roof. We’ll get into the specific circumstances later, but remember, if your roof is storm-damaged, has structural damage, or is leaking severely, you should do a complete replacement to deal with the damage underneath!

Asphalt Shingles: What You Need to Know

Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material for homes in the USA—80% of homes use asphalt shingles!

And although asphalt shingles aren’t as ubiquitous on commercial buildings, they’re still a popular choice.

But remember, just because it’s popular doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option!

History of Asphalt Shingles

Shingles and roofing tiles made from wood, stone, metal, or clay have been used since ancient times. But modern asphalt shingles were invented by Henry Reynolds at the turn of the 20th century.

Reynolds took roofing felt and coated it in asphalt to make it waterproof. Later, he learned to add stone granules to make it more durable, and he cut the finished product into shingles and began installing it on roofs.

Because they were both waterproof and cost-effective, asphalt shingles rapidly gained popularity.

Pros and Cons of Asphalt Shingles

Let’s go over some of the main pros and cons of asphalt shingles.

Pros

Inexpensive: Asphalt shingles are one of the cheapest roofing options out there. Installation and materials typically cost $1 to $6 per square foot.
Easy to install: Asphalt shingles are a relatively easy roofing material to install (we’ll get into more installation details later).
Looks: There’s something homey about asphalt shingles—maybe because so many homes have shingles that we associate the two in our minds, or perhaps because the texture softens the roof's look compared to metal roofing.

Cons

Flimsy: Compared to other roofing options, asphalt shingles tend to tear, crack, and curl earlier. They’re also susceptible to wind damage. Of course, some types of asphalt shingles are sturdier than others. Cheaper shingles may only last ten years, while better asphalt shingles can last up to 50 years.
Environmentally unfriendly: Unfortunately, asphalt shingles are made from petroleum and fiberglass and take 300 years to decompose. Although they’re not environmentally friendly to make or throw in a landfill, they can be recycled.

Types of Asphalt Shingle Roofing

Asphalt shingles are regarded as a “flimsier” roof option but remember: there are various types of asphalt shingles, all with different degrees of durability.

3-tab shingles: This is the cheapest and most basic type of asphalt shingle roofing. It’s made with one layer of asphalt and lasts 10-25 years.
Dimensional shingles: The current most popular type of asphalt shingles, dimensional shingles contain multiple asphalt layers for more durability. They’re slightly more expensive and last 15-30 years.
Luxury shingles: These shingles are larger and heavier than the other shingle types but also cost more. Luxury shingle roofs should last 30-50 years.

Installing Your Asphalt Shingle Roof

As long as you only have one layer of shingles on your roof, you can theoretically lay another layer on top of them. Any more than two layers and the weight becomes a problem. Many building codes also prohibit a third layer.

However, experts recommend that you always tear off the old shingles first. The shingles will lay nicer over a flat even surface, and you don’t want to worry about the deteriorating shingles underneath causing issues with the new layer on top.

Do It Yourself or Call an Expert?

If you have roofing experience, installing your asphalt shingles yourself is possible. But if you go the DIY route, here are a few things you must keep in mind.

Put your safety first.

Buy or rent a safety harness and use it. Falls and injuries can happen to anyone; if you hurt yourself, your family will suffer far more than they would from having a leaky roof.

Do the job carefully and correctly.

If you cut corners, it may feel like you’re saving time and money, but in the long run, you’re flushing money down the toilet because the roof will break down prematurely.

Make sure you have the tools you need.

Whether you’re buying them, renting them, or borrowing from a friend, you won’t be able to do the job correctly if you don't have the right tools.

To correctly install an asphalt shingle roof, you should have the following:

Ladders
Roofing shoes
Pry bar and shingle tear-off tools to remove old roofing
A roofing nail gun
A roofing hammer or hatchet
An air compressor for running pneumatic tools
A roofing blade or utility knife to cut shingles
Chalk line tools
Measuring tools
Caulking gun or cement bucket and trowel
Reciprocating saw and circular saw to cut roof decking (if necessary)
A way to haul away old shingles, such as a dumpster or truck.

Calling an expert.

When in doubt, always call in an expert to do the job! And don’t just go with the cheapest contractor you can find—after all, the biggest waste of money is installing new shingles incorrectly. The roofer you choose should be honest and transparent, communicate well, and have good references.

Corrugated Metal Roofing: What You Need to Know

Corrugated metal is sheet metal that’s been pressed into a wavy pattern. Since corrugated metal is mass-produced, cheap, lightweight, and durable, it’s ideal for many building projects, including roofing.

History of Corrugated Metal Roofing

In 1829, Henry Robinson Palmer invented corrugated metal when he discovered that bending a sheet of wrought iron into a wavy shape increased its tensile strength and made it corrosion-resistant.

Corrugated metal proved to be such a useful building material that it soon became popular, particularly with semi-skilled builders in rural areas. It was used for many different purposes, one of which was roofing.

In the 1890s, corrugated metal panels switched from being made of wrought iron to mild steel. Today, corrugated metal is typically made from stainless steel, aluminum, or copper.

Pros and Cons of Corrugated Metal Roofing

Like asphalt shingle roofing, corrugated metal roofing has its pros and cons. Let’s look at them.

Pros

Durable: In general, metal roofs can withstand much more than shingle roofs. Your corrugated metal roof should last at least 35-40 years.
Inexpensive: Corrugated metal costs slightly more than asphalt shingles for both materials and installation, but it’s the cheapest type of metal roofing.
Environmentally friendly: Corrugated metal can easily be repurposed and recycled.
Easy to install: Although it should be installed by someone who knows what they’re doing, corrugated metal roofing installation does not require a specialized skill set. It’s also generally faster than installing shingles.

Cons

Has exposed fasteners: The biggest con to corrugated metal roofing is that the fasteners are exposed to the elements and may begin rusting or leaking over time.
Looks: Since corrugated metal roofing is popular on industrial and farm buildings, it can make a building look cheap or shed-like.
Noisy: Rain on a corrugated metal roof is loud, although you can dampen it with an insulated attic.

Types of Corrugated Metal Roofing

When you think of corrugated metal roofing, you might picture the wavy galvanized steel that sheltered your grandpa’s goat shed.

However, you have various options that produce wildly different looks, depending on what you’re after.

Exposed fastener panels

Traditional corrugated metal has an even wavy shape, but you can also buy roofing panels with different patterns, some of which might be a bit more your style. These include:

Metal choices

Corrugated roofing panels also come in different metal types, such as:

Stainless steel
Corrugated steel
Aluminum
Copper

Roofing panels are frequently painted, so you have many color options to choose from as well.