Two of the most common forms of roofing here in the Minneapolis area are asphalt shingles and metal roofing. Both are used on homes all over North America, and many homeowners have a difficult time choosing between one or the other.

While both roofing options have something to offer, it’s important to realize the differences between the two products before making your decision. Here’s an overview of their major differences and what you can expect with either purchase.

Asphalt Shingles vs. Metal Roofing

Lifespan

Metal roofing is well-known for outlasting asphalt or composite shingles. What many homeowners don’t realize is just how much longer metal lasts over asphalt shingles. It’s common for metal roofing to last three or four times as long, which is enough of a difference to make metal roofing a good value for most buyers.

Don’t let the warranty that you get on your asphalt shingles confuse you. It’s easy to assume that shingles will last at least as long as the warranty specifies, but this often isn’t the case.  A set of shingles with a 30-year warranty can fail as early as 15 years, without offering you any replacement.

Consider the Weight Difference

One of the biggest differences between a metal roof and an asphalt roof is the weight that each of the materials has. Metal seems like a comparatively heavy material, and in many instances it is, but when used as roofing, in fact, it's one of the lightest options available. Asphalt shingles, on the other hand, are weighty and put considerably more strain on roof framing to hold it all up in place.  And due to the weight of an asphalt roof, there are limits to how often you can roof over an existing roof or whether it must be torn off.

Since metal roofing is so light compared to asphalt or other roofing materials, it can be installed over an existing roof.  In many cases, we're able to do this.

Appearance

When considering metallic and asphalt shingles, the major difference is in versatility. Asphalt shingles look much the same on every single house they are installed on. Metal roofing comes in a variety of shapes and finishes, though. Not only can you change the color (like with composite shingles), but you can also change the design. It comes in long sheets, small tiles, diamond shapes, shakes, and other profiles.  Metal roofing also has different finishes. You can achieve the look that you want with metal roofing, no matter what appearance you're after.

If you would like to find out more about metal roofing and what it has to offer, read more about it here. Quarve installs steel roofing in the  Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, including the following areas: 55416 (St. Louis Park, Edina, Golden Valley), 55431, 55425 (Bloomington), 55344 (Eden Prairie). We are a licensed Minnesota roofing contractor.