How to Install a Metal Roof in Toronto – Step-by-Step

Trying to work on this roof. I’m going to go up here and talk to Brett just a little bit, see how we’re coming along with it. Just going to talk about the difference between asphalt and metal roofs. They say an eco-friendly house can’t be built in 150 days for $150,000, and I say it can.

So, this metal roof, what kind of life expectancy are we talking about on something like this, Brett? Well, there’s about a 50 year life on the paint, but as far as the metal goes, it’s about a lifetime, about 80 years. 80? Wow. Well, I love them. I mean, you know, we used them on the main house here at the farm and think they got such a great, classic look. But, you know, there’s also some benefits to metal over, say, conventional asphalt, isn’t there, from a sustainability standpoint? Yes sir, the metal here is galvalume, which is a galvanized metal and aluminum, that they bring together and it’s made of about 54 percent of recycled material. Ah, 54. Yeah, that’s fabulous. And the metal also will–it’s 100 percent recyclable after it’s term, so it can be used again.

Unlike asphalt? Correct, sir. The asphalt shingles, they take up a lot space. They don’t have a life expectancy that’s the same. So, after about 15 to 20 years you’re having to replace them.h. So, about billion tons of asphalt every year. That’s a lot of waste? Yes, sir. Good grief, that is unbelievable. Well, tell me a little bit about the process here because you put down this water barrier, or vapor barrier. Yes sir, this vapor barrier here, it’s a moisture barrier also and it helps to keep the sheets from sweating.

It’s polypropylene, which is a recycled material also. It will keep our decking from rotting throughout the year. Because you can get condensation that will build up underneath that metal? Correct, sir. So, it seems to me, I mean, you guys got started down here on this end–it’s really important to get everything aligned first. You get off in the beginning, you’re really going to have a tough project. That’s right, we had to measure actually from the porch and measure back to get our first sheet, so when these sheets come across this roof they will all line up.

Right, I see. And the water will come down all your sheets. So, this sheet won’t be sitting here. It will go right up here and it will all be in line. So, the sanding seams, the seams themselves on the main roof, will line up with the seams here on the porch? Correct, yeah. Otherwise it wouldn’t read right if you’re standing back up here in the Daffodil field looking at it.

Correct, and that’s why it’s so hard, because we’re going from the roof here and it’s got to meet here. Then we hit a dormer. Everything on top has to meet. And then when we get on the other side of the dormer everything has to meet and line up. So, it’s almost like it’s just draping from the house? Yeah. Excellent. Ordinarily, it would take, well, just a few days to knock out this roof. But since we got some valleys in the back and these 2 dormers on the front, the guys are having to cut out a lot. So, it’s going to take a little more time.

But, you know, it’s going to be fantastic when it’s all done. I just love looking across the Daffodil field and seeing this red roof come up.

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