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Thursday, July 31, 2008

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Removing removal from the equation

by Jim Austin
How many of your metal shingle bids come in lower than a competitor who installs asphalt shingles? You can probably count them on one hand, if you have any to count. Here’s the story you’ve been waiting for: a metal roofing installation that was more economical than had the owners selected asphalt shingles.
The Capuchin Franciscan Friars at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center in Marathon, Wis., determined their facility needed a new roof. The fiber cement asbestos tiles were old and in disrepair. What do you do with 43,000 square feet of fiber cement asbestos tiles? At 500 pounds per square, that’s more than 100 tons of tiles! Asphalt shingles could not be installed over cement tiles, so the cost of removal, handling, delivery, and dumping was included in any bid by an asphalt shingle installer.
How about a metal shingle? Bob Kulp, owner of Kulp’s of Stratford, proposed a lightweight metal shingle from Decra that would safely encapsulate the asbestos. The shingles could be installed with screws, right through the cement tiles, eliminating the need for removing them.
Adding to the difficulty was the fact the rectangular building has a center courtyard. To safely and effectively work on the roofing facing the center, a crane was brought in to lift a hoist over the building, into the courtyard.
Kulp decided to cover the entire roof with Ice & Water Shield to help contain the asbestos, adding to the time of the installation. Among the other obstacles that extended the length of the project was screwing the shingles into the cement tiles. “We were there about a week longer than for a normal job, but it’s still the most economical method of re-roofing these projects,” he says.
Kulp says his company has installed metal roofing on almost 10 projects that involved fiber cement asbestos tiles, mostly churches. Some congregations opt to remove the tiles because they can afford to and choose to eliminate the need for future generations dealing with the asbestos tiles. For those that can’t afford to, the metal shingles can, in many cases, be installed over the top.
“It’s a good market and it’s an approved method,” Kulp says. “There are a lot of fiber cement asbestos tiles on old buildings in northern Wisconsin.”

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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Metal Up Close: Through-fastened panels

by Jim Austin
Are you a metal roofing snob? Are you one of those guys who looks down his nose at through-fastened panels? Maybe your first metal experience was installing through-fastened metal roofing panels and you’ve since “moved up” to the so-called architectural systems.
“I think we should not forget that although standing seam panels and stunning, flat, foam core, wall panel systems are all the rage today, it is the ribbed screw-down panel that has been the backbone of the metal building industry from its infancy through and including today’s modern structures,” says Dale Nelson of Roof Hugger, a manufacturer of sub-purlin system for retrofitting existing metal roofing systems. “It was the screw-down panel that made the pre-engineered industry possible. It is light, strong, durable and nests nicely together for easy shipping and handling. It is easily attached and works on roofs or walls. It has allowed the use of lighter primary framing and light gauge secondary framing and made large clear-span buildings possible. It has protected our troops and their equipment and given countless business an affordable facility from which to operate.”
Through-fastened metal panels are just what the name implies: metal panels that are fastened with screws or nails that go through the panel directly into a purlin or deck. They are used in new construction as well as for reroofing and retrofit applications.
In a message for homeowners on its website, the Metal Roofing Alliance offers the following on through-fastened panels: “In many cases, the exposed fastener is simply driven through an overlap in the panels’ courses as well as through other strategic locations as specified by the roofing manufacturer. Exposed fastener systems are usually lesser-quality systems and therefore are subject to lesser warranties than concealed fastener systems. The reason for this is that exposed fasteners are subject to the elements and tend to break down and fail much sooner than concealed-fastener panels. Exposed fasteners are normally self-drilling screws with a hex-head drive. These screws will typically have an oversized cap head that protects a neoprene washer that is in place for watertightness. The screws will normally be painted to match the roof system. Although the screws are self-drilling, most installers will pre-drill holes in the roofing from the backside to ensure proper placement.”
Through-fastened panels may have a reputation for being part of a lesser metal roofing system, but there is still a place in the world for through-fastened metal roofing panels and contractors are still finding a market for them.
For each profile, shape, and size, there is a reason to use through-fastened panels for a particular roofing project. No other profile is used for a wider variety of applications than the through-fastened panel.
Most agree installing through-fastened roofing panels doesn’t require the same level of expertise or craftsmanship as installing a standing seam panel. That’s OK. Through-fastened panels still boast all the benefits of metal — durability, attractive appearance, and weather resistance, to name a few — and are a solid offering for the able contractor.
There are several advantages for the installer as well as the customer for choosing through-fastened panels as opposed to standing seam panels. Most have to do with the bottom line.
“Through-fastened panels are normally chosen for economical reasons,” says Bill Croucher of Fabral. “They are more economical than standing seam panels and they are typically wider and install faster. Because no sliding details are required on these panels, they are simpler and faster to install. Additionally, these exposed fastener panels provide diaphragm action to stiffen the buildings. These panels also brace the purlins. Both of these items strengthen the building and reduce the amount of structural steel in the structure.”
Fabral’s Alu-Twin panel, for instance, is offered in widths of 40 and 48 inches. A handful of other profiles offer 36 inches of coverage. “Many of our through-fastened panels are used on many wood framed structures,” Croucher says. “This includes agricultural buildings, some light commercial, and some residential. They are also used on some pre-engineered buildings.”
Most manufacturers offer through-fastened panels, ranging from 5-v crimp and corrugated to R-panels and rib panels. Homeowners in Florida have fallen in love with 5-v crimp roofing, popular on the Cracker style houses with large porches. They have to have the look of the 5-v crimp — which includes the straight lines of fasteners — and appreciate the fact it is less expensive than concealed fastener systems. Most panels are 26 inches wide (manufactured from 27-inch coil) and provide 24 inches of coverage with a 1-inch overlap on each side. A panel that takes less time to install will cost less.
“Through-fastened panels do have advantages other than economic reasons,” Croucher says. “They can be designed as deeper, stronger panels so they can span further than standing seams. Standing seam panels usually do not span further than 5 feet and, depending on the wind loads, the spans may have to be much shorter. Exposed fastened systems can span as far as 15 or more feet by using deep profile panels.”
It’s apparent that through-fastened systems may be more appropriate for large commercial or industrial applications than standing seam roofing or other concealed fastener systems.
Today’s through-fastened systems are better than the galvanized panels used in the early days of the metal building industry, but many of those 40-50-year old buildings are holding up admirably today. Nelson says some of these buildings are in need of new roofs, which are subject to much more exposure to the elements than the wall panels. That’s where the Roof Hugger comes in.
“Of course everyone hates to put on a new roof but even that is not hard or super expensive and if you think about the initial cost, the years and years of service with little or no maintenance in a wide variety of climates and hostile environments this simple screw-down metal panel has endured, I think you would agree it is truly an amazing product,” he says. “It’s a product which more than one of us owes our livelihood to.”
There you have it. The through-fastened metal roofing systems are the pioneers of today’s architectural panel systems. Technology and innovation provided today’s installers, homeowners, building owners, architects, and specifiers with a wider variety of products for a wider variety of applications. Without a doubt, there are better systems in many applications, but there is still a market for through-fastened panels.

Monday, July 28, 2008

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MRA responds to challenges presented by hurricanes

by Bill Hippard, president, Metal Roofing Alliance
Anyone who has been a part of the construction industry for more than a few years can tell you about the changes brought about in the wake of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew. The storm caused massive damage and brought about major building code changes in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The area is now recognized as having some of the most stringent provisions of any U.S. building codes. The good news for the metal roofing market is that our products meet or exceed all of these strict codes. As a result, many Florida homeowners now choose it for their homes, and metal roofing enjoys a strong market share.
Last year’s Gulf Coast hurricanes set new records for devastation, personal tragedy, and property damage. In this age of instant, round-the-clock news, the whole world watched as families were plucked from rooftops, residents suffered in deplorable conditions, and homes were battered by the storms. The media’s ability to bring this plight to millions of homes as it unfolded, coupled with the political turmoil over who was responsible for helping those affected, made this a story that will be revisited for many years to come. In fact, it’s become one of the defining moments of our age.
A year later, the dust is beginning to settle, and the hard work of rebuilding has begun. Even so, the scale of the tragedy is hard to grasp. Industry experts estimate that more than 350,000 homes were destroyed, and more than 700,000 roofs need to be replaced.
While nobody would have hoped for this outcome, the storms presented an unprecedented opportunity to expand the residential metal roofing market.
We find ourselves uniquely positioned to grow our market share and make a lasting contribution to the durability of the area’s homes and its workforce at the same time. Members of the Metal Roofing Alliance are actively involved in assessing the damage and recovery efforts in the area. We know our products will perform well in these extreme conditions, but we need to spread the word. So, a big part of our plan is to better educate both builders and homeowners about the benefits of metal roofing.
Through our ongoing marketing and public relations efforts, we’re letting both important groups know that metal roofing systems are subjected to rigorous examinations including: testing the panels for wind uplift resistance; testing panels and rim conditions to 110 mph wind-driven rain, and salt spray testing of coating for 1,000 hours. Metal panels under 22-gauge also are subjected to a brutal 2x4 impact test. Only panels that cannot be perforated by a 2x4 launched at high speed will meet the code and be installed. Many states, particularly in the Gulf region, are amending building regulations to reflect the strict Miami-Dade codes.
The second key element of our response plan is to help develop a skilled workforce in the area to help contractors meet this unprecedented need. Many contractors lost a large percentage of their workforce following the storms, as many residents who evacuated did not return.
As a result, MRA’s executive director, Tom Black, is spearheading a program to develop ongoing metal roofing training programs in conjunction with the administrators of three Louisiana and Mississippi community colleges. The proposed program will consist of 10 days of hands-on training, including OSHA training with Gulf Coast community college instructors. The students will learn using partial and full-scale roof mock-ups of a residential structure. Following the initial training, the students will perform an actual residential installation under the guidance of an MRA residential roofing contractor.
The ongoing demand for metal roofing is expected to continue to grow. The more trained installers that are available, the more growth we can accommodate. All eyes will continue to be on this region, and we’re looking forward to showcasing the many benefits of residential metal roofing.

Friday, July 25, 2008

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Roll formers can inhibit seaming

Ewald Stellrecht has been building seamers for standing seam metal roofing installers since 1976. Some time ago, he started hearing complaints from customers who had trouble seaming panels. Coincidentally, these complaints were only coming from customers who were not running panels on an ESE Machines roll former.
By looking at a cross section of the troublesome panels, Stellrecht discovered panel manufacturers were making the male leg shorter than the female leg so it would fit underneath. The measurements of the male leg made it impossible to properly seam the panels. “And those numbers are out there everywhere,” Stellrecht says. “They have been for a long time. They’ve been building the male leg shorter for years.”
A short male leg creates a gap between the top of the male leg and the female leg that inhibits proper seaming. It also allows the female leg to sit flush on the deck, not allowing space for a cleat.


U.S. Details that work:
ESEseam_01.jpg












Cleat slightly higher than male leg:
ESEseam_02.jpg










Here, the panel can lift up:

ESEseam_03.jpg










U.S. Details: Panels nest perfectly with clearance over the fastener
ESEseam_04.jpg










This is right:
ESEseam_05.jpg










This is wrong:
ESEseam_06.jpg










Can you seam this?

ESEseam_08.jpg












Absolutely - Yes!


Can you seam this?
ESEseam_09.jpg












Absolutely not!

Stellrecht has discussed this problem with several machine manufacturers. He says with machines manufactured with offset rollers, it’s relatively easy to adjust. Some owners of portable roll formers may have discovered the problem and made the adjustment themselves. Machines that manufacture panels with solid rollers that are not adjustable may require new tooling.
“We’ve made our machines with offset capability for a long, long time,” Stellrecht says. He says to properly install standing seam panels, rollers have to be adjusted when dealing with underlayments of different thicknesses. Another example Stellrecht cites is in application of standing seam roofing to metal purlins with self-drilling metal screws — the male leg has to be made longer because the female leg is sitting up on top of the head of the screw.

These illustrations are from ESE’s website at www.esemachinesinc.com which features a Need To Know section on the Resource page.

Source constructionmagnet.com

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

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MRA Update: Energy efficiency key to success of metal

by Tom Black, executive director, MRA
More and more, homeowners are seeking out energy-saving building materials for their renovations and new homes. They are searching for products that secure and improve structures as well as provide long-term solutions to the increasing cost of energy bills. Consumers also have become more interested in promoting environmental and economic sustainability in the greater community.
Among the array of possible energy-efficient building materials, cool metal roofing provides a number of long-term benefits to the consumer. Residential metal roofing offers a solid, attractive roofing solution available in multiple colors, textures, and profiles for both steep-slope and low-slope applications.
As reported by the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, installation of reflective metal roofing can save a homeowner up to 40 percent in summer cooling costs. Additionally, highly emissive metal roofs can reduce urban air temperatures by as much as 12 degrees. Combined, these benefits mean lower energy bills, less dependence on energy resources, and less general air pollution.
The secret to residential metal roofing’s energy savings is the variety of options in finishes now available. A basic, unpainted metal roof will reflect much of the solar radiation that is usually absorbed in the attic and home with an asphalt roof. However, for homes in warmer climates, pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems not only reflect solar energy but also cool the home by re-emitting most of what solar radiation is absorbed. Where annual cooling loads dominate, a highly reflective and highly emissive painted or granular-coated metal roof is optimal for reducing energy consumption and can actually re-emit up to 90 percent of absorbed solar radiation.
The federal government recently endorsed the energy saving benefits of residential metal roofing systems in the Congress Energy Policy Act of 2005. From January 1, 2006, through December 21, 2007, the Act will issue tax credits to homeowners who install qualified energy-efficient improvements to their home.
In the case of roofing, the policy defines an energy-efficient improvement as a metal roof with appropriate pigmented coatings that meet the Energy Star program requirements. An Energy Star labeled metal roofing system has at least 65 percent reflectance for low-slope and 25 percent solar reflectance for steep-slope roofing. These qualified products save money and energy by reducing the amount of air conditioning needed to keep a building comfortable. Energy Star qualified products should reduce costs by at least 30 percent.
MRA member Englert, Inc., changed over its entire metal roofing line to Energy Star compliant products. “Homeowners recognize the importance of the Energy Star program and are pleased to know that they’re helping the environment when they choose a qualified metal roof product,” says Kevin Corcoran, vice president, Englert.
The government-funded Tax Incentive Assistance Project (TIAP) has posted the complete list of eligible measures for this tax credit that include “pigmented metal roofs” on its website, www.energytaxincentives.com.
Another exciting incentive for homeowners to consider is many homeowners’ insurance agencies, including State Farm Insurance, allow discounts for home-owners with specific weather-resistant metal roofing products. In some areas in the United States, discounts of up to 30 percent are being offered.
And finally, in addition to energy savings, most metal roofing systems, including the popular standing seam style, are composed of recycled material and can be installed directly onto an existing asphalt roof. This reduces landfill waste, providing a quick and easy installation, as well as decades of environmentally sound, maintenance-free strength and beauty.

The MRA is a not-for-profit coalition of metal roofing manufacturers, paint companies, coil coaters, associations, and contractors formed to introduce and educate homeowners to the many valuable benefits of metal roofing. If you’re interested in joining the MRA, please visit www.metalroofing.com.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

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Metal Roofing Details: Ventilation to control ice dams

Some homes are particularly hard to ventilate well because of the way they are built. In Northern climates these homes are the ones with perennial ice damming issues and the roof leaks that accompany them.
Roofer Dan Perkins, owner of Dan Perkins Construction, deals with these issues in the upper peninsula of Michigan.
“A metal roofing contractor will often find an eager customer within the walls of these homes who believes the metal roof itself will cure his ice dam issues,” Perkins says. “Any Northern contractor who has been in the roofing business for more than a few seasons will recognize these types of homes and customers. A seasoned contractor also knows that a metal roof alone will not solve the ice problems that result from a poorly vented home.”
Pictured are two homes illustrating a couple of the most common examples of poorly ventilated houses a residential roofing contractor encounters: the old half-story Cape Cod, and the hipped ranch. These types of houses have entirely different ventilation issues.
“The Cape Cod is typically constricted or entirely blocked in the center third of the roof span where the angled ceilings of the upstairs bedrooms are often 4-5 inches away from the roof surface with the rafters plugged full of insulation,” Perkins says. “The most reliable way of providing ventilation on this type of home is to apply a 2x4 frame over the existing roof deck with the lumber running from eave to peak. Eave venting is then installed at the end of the 2x4s and a new layer of sheathing applied on top of the frame.”
Perkins says this upgrade may be further enhanced by adding a layer or two of sheet foam insulation beneath the 2x4s (note the ventilation strip under drip edge).
The hipped ranch has an unbalanced air flow due to the lack of ridge. “The solution we have chosen for this dilemma is to vent half of the hips,” Perkins says.
With our standard perforated ridge cap on the top half of the hip and solid cap on the bottom half we create the volume of draw at the peak necessary to fully utilize the intakes at the eaves.”
Properly addressing ventilation enables a metal roofing contractor to solve his client’s ice dam problems and saves him the callbacks that accompany them.

Source constructionmagnet.com

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Metal Up Close: Comp shingle facsimiles

by Mark Ward Sr.
Metal roof products are available today that offer the look of tile, shake, or shingle. And though the latter is the most recent addition to the metal roofing market, general manager John Rossi of Cal-Pac Roofing in San Mateo, Calif., believes that “stone-coated metal shingles have the potential to be the top seller of the three.”
Rossi says his company worked with California-based Decra Roofing Systems as the manufacturer developed its Decra Shingle product some five years ago. “We were the first contractor to install their metal shingles,” he reports, “but the product has only gone into national distribution in the past 18 months. It isn’t mainstream yet, but I believe it soon will be.”
What makes Rossi confident that metal shingles are ready for a breakthrough in the consumer market? He cites several factors, starting with the narrowing price gap between conventional asphalt shingles and their metal facsimiles.
“Improvements have been made in the metal shingles,” Rossi points out. “Now you don’t need a batten system or any special underlayment, which makes the product easier and faster to install. Today you can install a metal shingle roof in about the same time it takes to do a conventional asphalt roof.”
While the labor cost to install metal shingles has come down, the price of petroleum-based asphalt shingles has risen along with oil prices. “At the higher end of the residential roofing market,” Rossi explains, “metal shingles are now more competitive with asphalt shingles.” Upscale homeowners who have the money and want a durable roof, he says, can now think about metal shingles based on merit and not just on price.
“If a homeowner is in a neighborhood where residents mostly have asphalt roofs,” Rossi continues, “they don’t usually want a roof that looks totally different.” So when Cal-Pac shows how metal is an option that will match the look of their neighbors, and yet provide a lifetime roof — at a price they can at least consider — customers take notice. “And in the last year,” he notes, “consumers tell us they’ve started learning about shingle facsimiles from the Internet.”
In its marketing, Cal-Pac studies neighborhood maps as a way to target its sales efforts. Rossi has noticed that metal roof installations tend to happen in clusters. When one or two jobs occur in a community, neighbors become aware of the metal option and may install it for themselves. “And since 80 percent of American homes have asphalt shingle roofs,” he suggests, “when it comes time to replace those roofs, metal shingles may have the greatest potential for being the metal roofing product that home-owners choose.”
The industry sees this potential, Rossi contends, since by his count at least a dozen roofing manufacturers now offer metal shingles. “Of course,” he notes, “asphalt manufacturers say they’re making improvements to the durability of the shingles and the strength of the bonding material. But while metal shingles may always cost more, they can’t be beat for providing both durability and aesthetics.”

Cost Comparison
At Lastime Roofing in Omaha, Neb., partner Tom Pflug agrees that stone-coated metal roofing shingles “haven’t been on the market as long as tile and shake facsimiles, but the shingles are getting more popular because the cost is going down.” For one thing, he affirms that installation of the metal shingles is easier now that a batten system is no longer required.
“But metal shingles are also more competitive, relative to asphalt shingles, than tile or shake facsimiles are to real tile and shake,” Pflug continues. “That’s because the tile and shake facsimiles are thicker than the shingle facsimiles. The higher amount of metal means their cost is higher.”
Rossi reports that few architects in his California sales territory have specified metal shingles and Pflug has had the same experience in Nebraska. “Architects and developers aren’t very aware of the product,” he acknowledges, “and they usually stick with what they know anyway.”
Yet Pflug believes metal shingles are now making inroads into the roofing market as the product’s benefits are becoming known. “Metal roofs are durable, cut down on noise, increase your roof’s R-value, have transferable warranties, resist fire and storm damage, and may earn you a break on your homeowners insurance,” he points out. At the same time, he reports that — with three price increases announced in 2006 — the cost of asphalt shingles is rising.
“The price gap between asphalt and steel will never close entirely,” Pflug concedes, “but as long as metal shingles are becoming more competitive, their benefits are starting to win over some customers.” He too has noticed that a growing number of homeowners, especially at the higher end of the market, are doing their own research into roofing options by looking through magazines, home shows, and the Internet.
Sales prospects for metal shingles, Pflug believes, are enhanced by three additional factors. First, manufacturers have introduced metal shingles in colors — black, gray, green, brown, red, tan, white — that reflect the colors most commonly found in asphalt shingles. Second, he says, “It’s more likely that a homeowners association will change its covenants to allow metal shingles in place of asphalt, since that’s not as big a switch as going from wood to another material.”
Finally, though Pflug sells a variety of stone-coated metal roofing products, he concedes, “Metal tile and shake facsimiles don’t look like real tile and shake. But metal shingles really do look like asphalt shingles.” Lastime Roofing installs asphalt, wood and concrete tile roofs, as well as metal roofing products from Gerard, Metro, and TAMKO. “And we’re getting calls from all types of customers, from homeowners to churches, asking about metal shingles.”
These positive omens prompt Pflug to predict that stone-coated metal shingles could grab 20 percent of more of the market away from asphalt shingles. By contrast, since tile and shake facsimiles cost more due to the higher amount of metal required, he believes 15 percent of the market is perhaps the most they can capture from their conventional counterparts.

Replacement of Choice
Both Rossi and Pflug report that, in their respective markets of California and Nebraska, shake roofs had long been the dominant roofing product. Danger from wildfires has tarnished the luster of wood roofs in the Golden State, while high winds have taken a toll on residential roofs in the Great Plains. Yet even though both men serve regions where shake roofs remain much in evidence, they express more long-term enthusiasm for metal shingles than for shake facsimiles.
This is also true for Mark Sandridge, owner of Over The Top Roofing in Kansas City, Mo. “You’ve got fires on the West Coast and hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, but in our area the biggest dangers to roofs are tornadoes and hail,” he says. “Twenty-five years ago, wood shake was the high end of the market here. But now shake is obsolete due to fire hazards, hail damage, wind and tornados, and the insect problem we have in Kansas City with silverfish.”
Given their experience with shake roofs, Sandridge states that Kansas City homeowners “want roofs that are durable and maintenance-free.” At present, he observes, those who opt for metal roofs “usually choose whatever is closest to the type of roof they had before; if it was shake, tile or shingle, they want the same thing in metal.”
Nevertheless, Sandridge has noticed that customers willing to change the look of their roofs are most likely to consider metal shingles. As a result, he reports growing demand for the product “as people learn about it from our sales presentations and also see it on the Internet, in magazine ads, at home shows, and from seeing installations in their communities.” His company offers metal shingles from Gerard.
Sandridge pegs the cost of a metal shingle roof at two to two-and-a-half times more than an asphalt shingle roof. “Installation takes a lot more work for metal shingle than for asphalt,” he adds. “Your crews need to be really precise. There’s not much room for error since the metal is expensive and you don’t want to waste any. Still, the fact that you don’t need a batten with metal shingles is a help.”
For that reason, though Over The Top Roofing charges at least twice as much for metal versus asphalt, “there’s not that much profit, like you might think,” relates Sandridge. “My labor and material costs are higher, and so is my advertising cost. But even though I keep my overhead low, since the metal roofing market is competitive here, the profit margins are really minimal on metal shingle jobs.”
Yet Sandridge believes that, even if margins are tight, his company is gaining experience that will pay off in the future. “Someday metal shingles will really take off,” he says. “Right now I sell more shake and tile facsimiles than I do metal shingles. But I think that metal shingles will eventually outsell the metal shake and tile products. When that happens, I’ll be ready with the sales and installation experience to capitalize on the opportunity.”

Saturday, July 19, 2008

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Photo contest: Focal point of community

Aesthetics play a major role in redevelopment and refurbishment.PC-Woodbridge2.jpg
If a metal roofing installer can turn something bland into a community focal point, that’s worth talking about. And because a picture says 1,000 words, Roger Steyer’s work with a renovation project in Detroit is the winner of this issue’s photo contest.
Steyer of Metal Design Manufacturing of Detroit teamed up with developer Steve Slavik and Rick Markowski of Markowski Siding on this project.
Steyer assembled and installed a standing seam roofing system on top of three older high-rise buildings that served as public housing for many years. The buildings have been fixed up and are now senior housing.
PC-Woodbridge1.jpg“To make the towers the focal point of the development, the developer and the city opted to convert the flat roof of the towers to metal roofing,” Steyer says. “There is still a flat roof. We installed a combination of I-beam and light-gauge framing around the perimeter and then installed panels and cornice trim on that. One building will have a clock tower installed above the penthouse structure.”
Steyer and his crew assembled most of the metal roof system, including the lower framing of tube steel and I-beam framing, on the ground. The upper half is framed with 16-gauge C purlins and topped with standing seam roofing panels. A crane, which would have been needed to lift components to the roof, hoisted the assembly to the flat rooftop.
Because of the steep pitch of the roof, assembling the structure and roofing panels on the ground was easier and safer. The sidewall panels were installed on the structure after it was placed on the flat roof.
When these photos were taken, Steyer and his crew still had the other two buildings to complete. In addition to roofing the buildings, there will be a covered walkway and entries constructed to protect residents going from their cars to the building — both with metal roofing and custom metal facade trim.
“With the first building now up, the appearance update is dramatic,” Steyer says. “I think this development is a substantial link in the rebirth of Detroit.”
Congratulations Detroit and congratulations Roger.

Metal Roofing Magazine will publish a winning photo every issue and pay the winner $100. Runners-up will be automatically eligible for future issues. Send a slide, hard copy, or a high-resolution digital image to: Metal Roofing Magazine, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI, 54990, or by e-mail to jim.austin@fwpubs.com. Photographs must be free of copyright restriction. Photographs will be assumed to show appropriate safety practices.

Source constructionmagnet.com

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Photo contest: History update

For some, there’s no job too big. Heather & Little of Markham, Ont., doesn’t back down from most challenges and the Harvard University Memorial Hall steeple tower reconstruction was a unique challenge.
The Cambridge, Mass., school presented Heather & Little with drawings of the original building — dated 1872 — to help with the historical restoration.
Submitted with images for the Metal Roofing Magazine photo contest, Cameron Forbes of Heather & Little included a project list of what needed to be done.
“Items replicated included, cresting, weathervanes, pinnacles, cornice, and fenestrel dormers, capped with decorative trefoils, copper clad wood windows, and finials,” he says. “All were done in 20-ounce copper sheet, and 1/4-inch plate copper and brass.”PC-Hoisting 1.jpg
Working from the original drawings and assisted with computer generated drawings by the architects, the tower is replicated in every historical detail, with the exception of the new steel structural support system, and a plywood roof substrate.
After the Civil War ended in May 1865, a group of alumni met to discuss a suggestion first made by President Emeritus Walker, to build a suitable memorial to the sons of Harvard who died defending the Union during the Civil War. Two architects, Harvard alums as well, were awarded the project, and the cornerstone was laid on October 6, 1870. Memorial Hall was the largest academic building of its time; the structure built in the form of a cross, the longer part being Memorial Hall itself.PC-Harvard Cresting.jpg
The transept contains plaques listing the names, and places of death of those graduates who died in the Civil War. There are 136 names recorded, although the records show there should be 137.
In September of 1956, the tower, was consumed in a spectacular blaze, and destroyed; it remained in this condition for more than 40 years, until Forbes and Heather & Little showed up with the skill to complete the job — and the camera to take the award-winning photos.
Congratulations!

Submit your photos
Metal Roofing Magazine will publish a winning photo every issue and pay the winner $100. Runners-up will be
automatically eligible for future issues. Send a slide, hard copy, or a high-resolution digital image to: Metal Roofing Magazine, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI, 54990, or by e-mail to jim.austin@fwpubs.com. Photographs must be free of copyright restriction. Photographs will be assumed to show appropriate safety practices.

Source constructionmagnet.com

Friday, July 18, 2008

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Metal shingles disguised

Metal roofing manufacturers constantly add profiles in an attempt to meet the needs and desires of everyone who needs a roof. Because of the benefits their products can provide, metal roofing manufacturers have consciously developed products to compete aesthetically with the manufacturers of all types of residential roofing — asphalt shingles, wood shingles and shakes, concrete and clay tile.
As a result, today there are more metal roofing substrates, styles, colors, and companies to choose from than ever before.
To best compete with the aforementioned opposition, the metal roofing industry has adapted its thinking to manufacturing products that resemble the competition. For the most part, these profiles fall under the broad category known as metal shingles.
There are stamped shingles in a variety of shapes, slate shingles, tile and shake facsimiles, as well as stone-coated shingles that mimic the look of temporary asphalt shingles. Somewhere out there is a metal roof that will get the job done, and provide the look the customer wants.
Those who like the look of clay and concrete tiles can now choose one of several metal products and benefit from a lighter and more durable system. During the recent hurricanes in Florida and surrounding states, many tile roofs were damaged by the high winds. Those same tile roofs caused more damage when large pieces became projectiles.
In many areas, homeowners prefer the rustic look of wood shakes and shingles. Metal roofing manufacturers can provide that look as well, along with the peace of mind that comes from having a roof that can handle anything nature throws at it — fire, mold, hail, and/or snow.
Then there are high-end shingle products like copper. According to David Hunt, manager of architectural services for Revere Copper, more homeowners are choosing copper roofs for reasons aesthetic and practical. Those homeowners are influenced by the development and availability of new lightweight copper roofing shingles. “Homeowners turn to copper to add refinement and a sense of luxury to their homes,” Hunt says. Customers have a “desire for uniqueness.”
Still, asphalt shingles are installed on more U.S. homes than any other roofing type. The biggest selling point is price, but customers know they get what they pay for.
“The stupidest sales tactic I’ve heard of, and I’ve heard it a lot of times, is when one of those asphalt roofers tells a homeowner he can’t afford a metal roof,” says Bob Kulp, of Kulp’s of Stratford in central Wisconsin. “That sort of ticks off homeowners, but the cheap sell is the only tactic they’ve got. Quality is never an angle; it’s always from a price perspective. We can give a client a dozen different reasons why they should have metal and the only thing they have is price.”
As long as there are people out there who don’t necessarily want the look of flat or ribbed metal panels on their homes, the manufacturers of metal roofing systems will keep cranking out the ever-growing variety of shingle products. Shingle products will cost the customer more, in part because they may take longer to install. Because shingle products are chosen in part for their aesthetic value, most view metal shingles as an up-sell product. Kulp installs mainly Decra Roofing systems, but also works with products from Metro Roof Products and Revere Copper. As a salesman, Kulp sees the advantage of being armed with a product similar in appearance to asphalt shingles.
“A lot of people say they don’t like the look of a metal roof, so we ask them what a metal roof looks like,” says Kulp. “Usually they tell us about the ribbed stuff they see on sheds or pole barns. So we ask them if they’d consider a metal roof that looked like asphalt shingles. When they come to us thinking about metal, we always lead them down that road.”
Bruce Horton of Metal Roofing Systems in St. Charles, Mo., got into the business of installing metal shingles because his wife wanted the look for their home and no one else installed it. “We were looking for the granular coated clay tile look, and we looked for anybody in the vicinity,” he says. “Nobody knew what we were talking about, but we kept looking and looking and looking. Finally we found the manufacturers. It was a long, slow process of getting to the right product, but eventually we got there. I even found a guy who would come out and give us an estimate, but he was so bad, I thought, ‘You’re not getting on my house.’”
Horton and his wife liked the granular coated tile look of the Dura-Loc product. Horton talked to a Dura-Loc representative and was given the opportunity help on an installation in Iowa. After working with and looking over the installed product, Horton was hooked. Now he’s got to set the hook in the Show-Me State.
“I had no idea it would be such a hard sell in this area,” Horton says. “Everybody down here always has a different answer. The metal roofing market is pretty tough. The roofs we usually get are so complicated that it’s just almost unbelievable. They’re even hard for an asphalt roofer to cut all these corners, those are the ones we take.”
Don Hickman, owner of Hickman Metal Roofing in Gainesville, Fla., installs Metro Roof Products, as well as standing seam and through-fastened panels. He believes the stone-coated systems have evolved into an architectural shingle, with a better look. “The only drawback once it’s installed is that it looks like a composite roof and a lot of people don’t notice it,” he says. “That makes it tough to market. We do well at home shows, where people can see it and touch it.”
Hickman says the Metro shingles allow him to provide an option to his customers.
“It has to be code-approved and the Metro products meet those standards here in Florida, where it probably gets tested more so than anywhere else,” Hickman says. “It’s an alternative to the painted metal. It’s for people who don’t like the painted metal or for those who can’t use it because of deed restrictions. For those people who live with deed restrictions, stone-coated is their only option for metal.”
Terry Lamb of Sunshine Metal Works in Oxford, Ala., sells shingles from Classic Products as well as standing seam roofing. He owns his own roll former and buys coil from McElroy Metal — standing seam accounts for about 75 percent of his business. Lamb offers alternatives.
“When we walk in with a $10,000 or $12,000 McElroy job, it’s going to be a $20,000 or $22,000 Classic job,” he says. “But as far as the product goes, Classic’s shingles are on the cutting edge with their high-R pigment coatings.”
Many metal shingle products, as well as metal panels, are manufactured on technology’s cutting edge, adding to their value. Reflective pigments allow for metal — in a wider variety of colors — to meet the Energy Star standards for reflectivity, a factor in figuring the “cool” qualities (Metal Roofing Magazine, April-May 2004) of a roofing product.
Many manufacturers have taken advantage of the latest innovation by converting all of their painted metal products to reflective paints, offering contractors with another selling tool. It also appeals to architects and specifiers who prefer a product that is Energy Star compliant and meets LEED requirements. Among the companies who have made the switch are Classic Products, Englert, Custom-Bilt Metals, Follansbee Steel, and Petersen Aluminum.
Kulp says many customers are discovering the one-time cost of a metal shingle roof is less than purchasing four or five asphalt roofs during the life of a metal roofing system. It gives the price advantage to the metal roofing product. “They’re more educated and sophisticated now and that’s a great thing,” he says. “I enjoy selling to people who are a little more savvy, and still smart enough to realize they’re not the experts. Everyone has access to the Internet, so they learn about our products that way.”
Kulp recalls one woman who wanted a metal roof, and she was 79. She had purchased a new asphalt shingle roof six years earlier and it needed to be replaced. She told Kulp if she lives to be 90, she didn’t want to have to buy new roofing two more times.
Lamb says the biggest competition in his market (Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee) is exposed fastener metal panels. “They walk in and they’re selling it for $125 a square and we’re at $625 a square, so we have to sell value and aluminum, and we do. I sell my heart out,” he says. “Homeowners know they get what they pay for. I make it a point to let them know we’re in good standing with the Better Business Bureau, we’ve got a general contractor’s license, we have all the proper insurance, and we’re members of the Alabama Home Builders and MRA. Each of those cost something and it’s passed on to the end customer, but it’s spread out over a large number of customers. They see the benefit of working with a company like that.”
Frank Farmer, owner of American Metal Roofs in Flint, Mich., says asphalt roofers in central Michigan are realizing the threat of metal and are bragging up a new longevity of their products. “They’re all saying they’ve climbed into bed with their manufacturers, they’re in programs and they’re certified because they’re using a complete system,” he says. “They’re selling their stuff as a 40-year shingle, when the reality of it is the stuff we’re tearing off here is 10 or 12 years old and it’s supposed to be a 25-year shingle. The 40-year stuff is coming off in 12 to 14 years. We call on a lot of churches, and we’re finding that after about 14 or 15 years, their 40-year shingle is shot. That’s what drives our business.
“We carved a niche in our area with aluminum. It’s new heat reflective coatings on top of heat reflective aluminum; it’s a plus, plus. The biggest selling point is the quality product and the quality of installation. The Rustic Shake is so popular, it’s been around since 1959.”
Farmer, who installs aluminum shingles from Classic Products, conservatively estimates his company’s numbers will double 2004, but with fingers crossed says, “We could hit three times.”
“We realize we’re on the cutting edge of something big here in the next few years,” says Farmer. “We’ve built a program around the best product and quality installation. The last few years, we’ve been building and training our crews. We’re going to grow.”
The advantages of metal continue to grow. The variety of metal shingles and alternatives to painted metal panels continues to grow. It could be argued there is a correlation between that growth and the growth of metal roofing in the residential market.
Lamb says there are three things that lead customers to his door looking for a metal shingle product. “The No. 1 thing is the guarantee of a lifetime roof,” he says. “They love the idea of never having to replace the roof. The second thing is quality and the third thing is beauty, something unique that no one else has.”

Source constructionmagnet.com

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

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Oil Canning: Industry weighs in on possible standard

by Jim Austin
Oil canning. You can deny it, avoid it, ignore it, and totally disassociate yourself from it, but it’s out there.
Anyone schooled in marketing knows the dangers in discussing possible negative perceptions, no matter how insignificant. So how significant is oil canning in the selling, installation, maintenance, and public perception of metal roofing? It depends on who you ask.
By accepted definition, oil canning is “a perceived waviness in the flat area of roofing panels.” In its technical bulletin on oil canning, the closest thing to a standard as the industry has at this point, the Metal Construction Association says oil canning “is an inherent part of light gauge cold formed metal products, particularly those with broad flat areas.” Because oil canning is an “inherent” property of light gauge metals, most metal roofing manufacturers spell it out in the black and white of their contracts — oil canning is not cause for rejection.
Most in the industry recognize oil canning as an aesthetic issue and nothing else. In fact, some metal roofing customers actually prefer the look of panels with a certain degree of oil canning. So its significance, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
“I think the customer has to be made aware of the possibility, but sometimes that can be worse than not telling them,” says Dean Laraway, president of Laraway Roofing in New Ulm, Minn. “The average person might not see it until someone else gives them the idea.”
Anecdotal evidence suggests that average people are not complaining about oil canning en masse. “I talk to a lot of companies who deal with the problem of oil canning on a day-to-day basis,” says MCA technical director Scott Kriner. “We don’t get a lot of calls from customers about the issue, so that tells me that our members are doing a good job of dealing with it.”
Kriner says there are many variables that can lead to the possibility of oil canning. The MCA devotes more than half of its technical bulletin to the sources of oil canning, which can be caused by “many uncontrollable factors” and occur during coil production, fabrication, and/or installation. Oil canning that occurs during production and/or fabrication can be compounded during installation.
The exact cause of oil canning in a metal roofing panel on a particular project can be difficult to pin down. Then, when oil canning occurs, it can occur in an infinite degree of measures, making it difficult (some say impossible) to set a standard of acceptability.

An oil canning standard?
Oil canning is a reality, and so are the fears that come with establishing an industry standard for what degree of oil canning is acceptable and what is not. Some don’t believe it is necessary to establish a standard. Others believe a standard would benefit the industry. Many acknowledge it would be at least difficult to establish such a standard, while others believe it would be impossible.
One key concern comes from the possibility of someone outside the metal roofing industry establishing a standard that may be difficult, or almost impossible, to meet. The American Society for Testing and Materials has established the A924/A924M-04 Standard Specification for General Requirements for Steel Sheet, Metallic-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process. According to Tom Shingler, P.E., president of Design Dynamics, Inc., the standard allows for a flatness tolerance of 1/4-inch maximum deviation from a horizontal flat surface of the raw steel sheet (at the steel mill) used to fabricate a light gauge steel wall or roof panel. “This maximum allowable deviation represents a very high level of flatness imperfection,” Shingler says.
Metal roofing panels endure many more opportunities to become oil canned before the homeowner or building owner views their new metal roof for the first time — or the second time, or third time, if oil canning occurs because of thermal expansion and contraction after installation. So, in essence, the industry is currently being guided by the conscience, integrity, and skill level of individuals in the industry, and the consumer demand for quality.
If the metal roofing industry can address its own weaknesses (perceived or not), it answers to challenges from the competition. Those challenges will surely increase as the popularity of metal roofing grows and earns market share.

Standard thoughts
No one denies oil canning exists and all agree there are plenty of causes. Many think at least to some degree, it’s unavoidable and that’s the way it should be addressed.
“Quantifying an acceptable, measurable amount of oil canning would be very difficult to do,” says Bill Croucher, director of product at Fabral. “Also, even if you could quantify an acceptable level you’d still have the problem of who pays to correct the problem, since the causes can be from several sources.
“Even if the panels are perfect when they arrive at the jobsite, which would be difficult to accomplish in the first place, the way the installer handles the sheets, installs the sheets and the condition of the substrate they are being installed on can all cause oil canning. We need to educate the architects that this is something that can be a part of a metal panel and many of the causes are out of the manufacturer’s control. You always see oil canning, for example, in a copper roof, but it is accepted as a part of the appearance of that product. Oil canning is, normally, an aesthetic problem only. It does not impact the performance of the metal roof.”
Rarely does oil canning lead to system failure, what would be known more commonly as a leak. But it could be argued that if a customer purchases a metal roofing system because of its architectural appearance, a roof that ends up oil canning is indeed impacting the performance the customer paid for.
Dick Bus of ATAS, first vice president of the MCA, says the association is working on establishing a standard that would measure oil canning as it leaves the manufacturing facility. “What that does is put the onus on the contractor or the subcontractor to stop and correct any problems before installing the roofing system,” he says. The MCA is an association of manufacturers, so for its purposes, a standard that tests panels for flatness on the way out of the manufacturing facility is a way of holding manufacturers accountable. Bus said he expects the MCA committee dealing with oil canning will be able to reveal some progress at association’s semiannual meeting in Cincinnati in early August.
Some in the industry believe a standard should go a step further, arming the homeowner or building owner with a standard of acceptability.
Rob Haddock is the president of Metal Roof Advisory Group, and a consultant in the metal roofing industry. In a discussion on oil canning, Haddock was asked two questions: Is there a need for an industry standard? And, if so, how difficult would it be to establish?
“My answer to the first question is a very resounding, ‘Yes,’ and my answer to the second question is, “Very difficult, very challenging,’” he says. “I deal with it all the time. I get calls from both owners and contractors. The owners are saying, ‘I got this metal roof job installed and it looks horrible — all oil canned.’ The contractors are saying, ‘I installed this job and there is a little oil canning, so they won’t pay me. They are threatening to make me replace it. My supplier tells me that oil canning is not a cause for rejection. What do I do?’”
Haddock says they are both right — to a degree — because there is no industry standard. Currently most manufacturers stand behind the phrase, “Oil canning is not cause for rejection.” Haddock says that is not reasonable because it allows for even extreme examples of oil canning. “It gives a license to sleazebags to peddle secondary coil, run it through a $20 machine and put it on a roof and say, ‘That’s acceptable. Live with it — oil canning is not cause for rejection.’”
Haddock says more savvy roof buyers are fed up to the point of writing their own standard, demanding the finished product show no signs of oil canning. “That’s just as ridiculous,” Haddock says. “I think a standard would have a positive effect on the industry,” he says. “If the industry could adapt a position that’s reasonable, then building owners and specifiers won’t be making up their own, and irresponsible selling and installation practices would be reined in.
“I think it is prudent to come up with a means to measure oil canning so that an owner can reject a job if it is excessive after installation, just as the manufacturer can reject coil on flatness grounds before roll forming. There has to be a way to quantify acceptable or unacceptable levels of deformation on installed panels. I’m not pretending to have all the answers, it’s going to be very, very difficult to do, and maybe it’s not even doable, I don’t know.”
Therein lies the current problem — no one has a solution for measuring or quantifying oil canning every time the metal endures another step in the process toward being an installed roof panel.

How is it measured?
“I can’t imagine how on earth you would measure it,” says Peyton Collie, project manager in the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ Association Technical Resources Department. “If you did, how would you go about deciding who’s at fault? The reason you set a standard is to hold someone accountable, and there are so many people in the chain that could be held accountable.”
SMACNA addresses the issue in its paper, “Oil Canning — It Bends Architects Out of Shape,” which is included in Architectural Sheet Metal Manual, Sixth edition (page 29). It addresses methods of minimizing the effects of oil canning, because “it is unrealistic to expect any architectural roof or similar wide-metal element to be totally free of some degree of oil canning.”
Collie says most of the problems that cause oil canning are design issues, and that even the most skilled installers can’t overcome bad design.
“A high percentage of design questions we received were from architects,” says Collie. “In some cases, up close, you can’t see it. But very often, at a distance it shows up on large flat areas. And if you get up on the roof to see it, you can make it worse.”
Haddock believes most in the industry care about making the building owner or specifier happy. He also says the easiest way to keep the owner happy is to come up with some kind of benchmark as to what is an acceptable finished product regarding flatness. “Right now we measure flatness only on coil, but the building owner is not buying coil, he’s buying installed panels,” Haddocks says. “My approach has been from the owner’s perspective — he is buying a finished roof. He deserves a reasonable frame of reference of what’s acceptable. Part of the resistance to this is that supply side participants of the process are worried about having the finger pointed at them, getting blamed. I think there are very few cases where the supply side is culpable, but the point is everyone in the chain needs to be accountable — and maybe some folks who aren’t in the chain, too. What about the guy who installed the deck that is all mismatched and screwed up?”

Avoiding finger pointing
It’s easy to get caught up in the finger pointing game, especially when there are so many places to point. No one likes to be accused of doing less than acceptable work. And certainly, no one wants to have to pay for replacing panels or a part of the substrate.
“It’s more of an application problem than anything else,” says Gary Battistella, director of sales and marketing for New Tech Machinery. “The education system in our industry is so bad. Most of the oil canning is caused through the actual application. We need more application schooling on metal roofing. Shoddy workmanship is the problem in our industry.”
Jim Bush, director of marketing and sales at ATAS, says his company recommends to its installers that if they notice any imperfection in the substrate, they should contact the customer to let them know the situation could produce an oil canning effect. Before proceeding, the installer must have, in writing, the customer’s acceptance of the substrate. “When I get called out to jobs on complaints of oil canning, I would say about 80 percent of them are not product related,” Bush says. “They’re due to inadequate substrates.”
The last few comments should be a wake up call to the installer — a high priority should be to make sure the metal roofing system is being applied to an acceptable substrate, and that everything under that substrate is put together correctly, right down to and including the foundation.
“I tell the customer up front about the possibility of oil canning,” says Darius Hart of H&H Sheet Metal in St. Louis. “We try to put it on right, which entails putting the clips on right so it can slide.
“I’ve only had a couple problems with oil canning. One was on siding and the other was on a curved roof barrel. The architect wanted it put on over metal decking and I told him it would oil can, and that we needed to use some smooth plywood. He insisted we use metal decking, so we put it on metal decking and he came back to tell us we were right. It oil canned.”
Experience goes a long way toward minimizing the effects of oil canning created during the installation process. The SMACNA paper advises specifiers to use metal gauges and panel widths they know have demonstrated an ability to minimize oil canning.
“We try to use lengths and gauges that won’t permit it to happen,” says Laraway. “Or we try to use other types of corrugation between the standing legs.”
Laraway says in most cases, his company is laying metal panels over plywood, a flat surface that supports the entire panel better than a panel attached to purlins. Laraway Roofing installs metal roofing systems on its own substrates or substrates constructed by a general contractor.
“You can go by jobs and not see oil canning,” says Ken Gieseke, vice president of marketing at McElroy Metals. “Is there luck involved? Sure, sometimes. There are so many factors that affect the metal — the sun, the substrate. That’s one of the biggest keys, the substrate has to be straight, plumb, square, however you want to say it. An uneven surface will cause oil canning.”
“It would be desirable to have an industry standard, but it would be very tough to do.”
Maybe, but the MCA is considering establishing some sort of standard. That would narrow the field of who can be blamed for oil canning. Then, those held accountable, will have to deal with oil canning issues and they won’t be able to deny it, avoid it, or ignore it — if they want to get paid.

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Building it the Wright way

by Sue Marquette Poremba
Good communication from the beginning of a project to the end is one of the keys to the Wright Building Systems’ success.

“A lot of people may not want to hear about every little detail,” says Jim Wright, company president.

Often those “little” details involve things like doors or windows or particular bolts, things that a customer may take for granted. “But we want to be very thorough when we provide a quote. We want to make sure the customer understands the details so he’s getting what he needs. It’s a lot easier to change things on a contract than it is out in the field.”

Wright’s father, Yates, founded Wright Building Systems, based in Henderson, Tenn., in 1992. Jim joined the business in 1999 and took over as president in 2002.

Yates Wright began in the business as a supplier and opened his company as a metal building distributor. Jim Wright grew up around the construction industry but took his first job in 1981 with a contractor in Arkansas. Over the years, Wright worked for different types of companies and eventually ended up working in sales. Today, along with his executive position in the company, he is one of Wright Building Systems’ three salesmen. The company has six employees.

The company works with two metal building manufacturers, USA Buildings and A&S Building Systems, and produces about 100 buildings per year.

“Each manufacturer has particular strengths,” Wright explains. “Which one we turn to depends on the complexities of the job. We use only manufacturers that are members of the Metal Building Manufacturers Association and are also certified under the American Institute of Steel Construction’s Certification Program in Class MB, Metal Buildings.”

Wright Building Systems provides commercial buildings, mostly retail and offices, church buildings and some industrial buildings.

Wright and his staff work only as distributors. Wright says they don’t do any of the general contracting or work with one designated crew. “We have a number of contractors and erectors we can refer, however.”

They do remain involved throughout the entire building project. “There are always a lot of questions,” Wright says. “We need to be there for the customer to make sure everything is to their satisfaction.”

Because it is such a competitive business, Wright says that customers need to be aware of all the details of the building process.

“If all you’re trying to do is provide the very best price in the bid, you risk ruining the quality of the product,” he says. “We tell the customer that they need to compare products and the presentations to make sure that each manufacturer is giving them the same building system. Things like insulation can be included or excluded.”

Also, he adds, the customer needs to be aware of things like wind loads and snow loads. “All those things can vary from product to product,” he says. “The price of the building is really in the details.”

Wright’s job is mostly to be the coordinator. He meets with a potential client to discuss the building and come up with what the customer wants and needs. He makes sure that the client knows exactly what is included in the price and what would be extra.

“Surprises end up costing someone in the long run,” Wright says.

The building is then designed with one of the two metal building manufacturers who draft and engineer the project.

Wright Building Systems has won a number of awards over the years. One award-winning project that Wright is particularly proud of is a riding arena/equine facility designed for handicapped children.

“It’s called Saddle Up,” Wright says. “It is a large clear-span riding arena with horse barn areas and offices. We provided multiple buildings for the project.”

Another outstanding project is Grace Chapel. “It’s got a real pretty red roof with lots of twists and turns. It’s got some hips and valleys, as well as different roof pitches in different areas of the building,” Wright explains. The project also included some retro roofing. “It was built over an existing building, so we had to work around the existing roof.”

The roof, he adds, is what makes this project stand out, because it was more complex than a traditional church building roof. “It had multiple roof lines, and we had to match existing construction. We had to match wall design as well as roof materials.”

Wright Building Systems is currently wrapping up the largest project in the company’s 16-year history, a correctional facility in Tennessee.

“It’s two different buildings,” he says. “One is 80,000 square feet for an adult facility and the other is a 40,000-square foot facility for juveniles.”

Because the building was commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Corrections, it has a lot of complexities not found in other buildings. For example, it has an interior metal panel that is used for security purposes. “All the screws were hidden fasteners.”

The entire project came to $20 million, with the building system itself costing $1.4 million.

“There are a lot of companies out there building the buildings, and a lot of companies out there selling the buildings,” Wright says. “What we have to offer that makes us stand out in the market is our service level and our experience. Our customers work with one contact source throughout the project.”

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Metal Roofing Magazine's Idea Book 2007

Here at Metal Roofing Magazine, we attempt to learn as we compile each and every issue. Then we pass on what we learn to our readers, to help them expand their knowledge and understanding of the metal roofing industry. We cover everything from historical restoration to new products, from aluminum to zinc, from eaves to ridge.

So far, we’ve been successful, meaning we’re learning all the time. For our special annual issue, the idea book, learning has always been the easy part. We hope the projects featured within these pages will present you with ideas for future projects. Because of the projects metal roofing manufacturers have submitted for us to publish in our three editions of the idea book, we are convinced there is a metal roofing system for almost any roof.

According to survey results found on “FacilityBlog from Today’s Facility Manager,” more than 60 percent of architects are specifying metal, more than any other roofing material. The survey, conducted by Accountability Information Management, also revealed manufacturers have some work to do if they expect architects to look specifically for their product.

The survey asked architects to provide a brand name or manufacturer of their favored brand. After the top five manufacturers listed, a large list pulled down 1 to 3 percent of the votes. “Roofing manufacturers are not effectively reaching architects who could specify their products,” says John Nowakowski, president of AIM. “As a result, many manufacturers and brands are lost in a crowded field of hopefuls.”

Not surprisingly, those top five manufacturers on the list have appeared in the idea book.
If you’re an architect who has worked with metal, you already know about metal’s durability and environmentally friendly qualities. We’re sure these projects will reconfirm your belief and knowledge of the design possibilities with metal.

We’re guessing you may learn something as well.

If you haven’t worked with metal, these projects will almost certainly dazzle you. Every year, the metal roofing manufacturers of vertical panels, exotic metal products, and metal shingles impress our staff with their favorite projects. Metal’s versatility allows you to complete a project with an endless spectrum of color, in a variety of shapes. These projects show what metal roofing products are capable of when pushed by creative minds.

Click the links below to download .pdf files of the projects featured in the idea book.

ABC - American Building Components
ATAS International
Berridge Manufacturing
Classic Metal Roofing Systems
Curveline
Custom-Bilt Metals
Decra Roofing Systems
Drexel Metals
Englert
Everlast Roofing
Fabral
Follansbee Steel
Gerard Roofing Technologies
Ideal Roofing
Kassel & Irons
McElroy Metal
Metal Sales Manufacturing
Metalworks by TAMKO
MeTecno-Morin
Metl-Span
Metro Roof Products
Met-Tile
Paradigm Shingles
Petersen Aluminum
Rare Manufacturing
Revere Copper
RHEINZINK
Roof Hugger
Sheffield Metals
The Garland Company
Vicwest
Whirlwind Building Components
Zappone Manufacturing

Source constructionmagnet.com

Monday, July 14, 2008

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Photo Contest (Apr-May 2008)

Metal roofing contractor Brian Page of Mad Cow Roofing in Croydon, N.H., recently built a new office and decided to install Englert Series 1300, 1-1/2-inch single-lock standing seam panels — as ceiling material in his 3-story post-and-beam office.

PC-Englert_Roofing_Day_2_003.jpgPhoto contest judges haven’t seen anything like this before. It was an easy pick to go with the photographs submitted by Tom McNeill of Image Quest Photography of Vermont.

The office has high walls leading up to the lofty standing-seam cathedral ceiling. The floor level is split in half by a towering spiral staircase that rises from the center of the room up through the roof into a cupola with a view of the surrounding New Hampshire countryside. Track lighting installed across the standing seam brings light to the room. Unlike a wood-beamed ceiling, the standing seam is much less expensive to install and adds light and dimension to the room. The panels range in width from 16 to 20 inches (406 to 508 mm). When mechanically seamed into place, the panels’ seams create vertical lines that give an illusion of much greater height and length than wood or gypsum.

PC-Englert_Roofing_Day_2_069.jpgAnd there are economic advantages to using standing seam, as well. It’s less expensive than a wood ceiling and takes about a day to install. “You can do any ceiling just by adding layers to the scaffolding,” Page says, noting the biggest challenge is holding the standing seam up while it is seamed into place.

Otherwise, the installation process for a peak ceiling is identical to an exterior roof — except it is installed upside down. There is an inverted ridge cap where the standing seam comes together at the ceiling peak. And the “crown molding” is made of panel either cut flush to the gypsum wall panel or folded like a bread box around it.


Metal Roofing Magazine will publish a winning photo every issue and pay the winner $100. Runners-up will be automatically eligible for future issues. Send a slide, hard copy, or a high-resolution digital image to: Metal Roofing Magazine, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI, 54990, or by e-mail to jim.austin@fwpubs.com. Photographs must be free of copyright restriction. Photographs will be assumed to show appropriate safety practices.
Source constructionmagnet.com

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Roofing Expo launches New Products Pavilion

The New Product Pavilion made a highly-successful debut at the 2008 Expo.

IRE-New Products.jpgLocated on the show floor, attendees were able to browse this new area highlighting the latest, most innovative products and hottest industry trends, in a direct, non-selling environment.

Show attendees were invited to cast their votes to determine the “Best New Product” with prizes awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners.
First place went to Luma Resources’ solar roofing kit that contains everything needed to install on a roof and connect it to the electrical meter in the home. Using photovoltaic cells that provide electricity throughout the day, the solar kits can be applied to any roof system. The solar kit is about 400 square feet, fully U.L. tested and guaranteed not to leak.

The Wayneflex TPO flexible gray roofing membrane, second place winner, is an innovative underlayment for clay tile, cement tile, metal and other low slope roofing applications. Wayne County Rubber’s patent pending membrane utilizes a state-of-the-art custom UV stabilization package containing the antiblocks and antioxidants necessary for maximum protection.

Capturing third place was Tuff Toe’s super durable epoxy boot protection formula. Applied as a thick liquid, the durable yet flexible protective layer forms a permanent bond to any footwear, new or used, including work, safety, hunting, hiking and riding boots.

“Winners of the Best New Product award represent the best of the best as determined solely by International Roofing Expo attendees with their personal votes,” said Donna Bellantone, director of the IRE. “What made them stand out is that they are truly innovative. Our congratulations go out to all three winners.”

Among the companies participating in the New Product Pavilion were ABC Supply, Air Vent, All Style Industries, Alpha Protech Engineered Products, C.H. Hanson, Gutter Roof, Insul Roof Tile, Level Rite Ladder Safety Tools, Luma Resources, McElroy Metal, Metal Sales, Perma “R” Products, Polyglass USA, Simpson Strong-Tie, Sno Shield, Tally Systems, Trimline Building Products, Tuff Toe and Wayne County Rubber.

Attendees voted during the first day and a half of the show, after which voting was closed and votes were tabulated. The winners were announced Friday afternoon by show management.

Created as an additional option for exhibitors to draw attendees to their booths, the New Product Pavilion was enthusiastically received by attendees and exhibitors alike. Initially designed as 316 net square feet, the Pavilion easily sold out and an additional 20 percent more space was added.
Source constructionmagnet.com

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Roofing Expo a hit in Vegas

If you want to learn about all kinds of roofing, there may be no better educational opportunity than the International Roofing Expo.

IRE-Uni-Solar.jpgThe 2008 Expo, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas on February 21-23 featured 1,060 booths and 442 exhibiting companies covering 106,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

The exhibit hall once again was filled with the industry’s top suppliers, manufacturers and leaders displaying an incredible array of roofing materials and related products, including gutters, insulation, ladders, coatings & adhesives, built up, fasteners, machinery equipment & tools, metal roofing, modified bitumen, roof & decking materials, roof pavers, walkways & ballast, shingles, skylights, slate, spray polyurethane foam, tile, vapor retarders, ventilation, waterproofing, and much more.

IRE-Custom-Bilt.jpg“The International Roofing Expo continues to be the ultimate gathering for the industry,” said Donna Bellantone, Director of the IRE. “The show is a great venue for the most influential players to help drive the future direction of our industry.”

Of the 442 exhibiting companies, almost 100 were first-time exhibitors or exhibitors who haven’t exhibited in several years. Among the new exhibitors were Advanced Green Technologies, AirTight Insulation, Brandguard Vents, C.H. Hanson, Cut Technologies Metal, DiBenedetto Tile, Fasco America, Gutter Roof, Hunter Warfield, Insul Roof Tile, Ladder Port, LiveRoof, Luma Resources, NewTech, PermaDri, Quick Mount PV, RKW US, Sheffield Metals, Simpson Strong-Tie, Temple-Inland, Truco, Tuff Toe, Wayne County Rubber, Xactware and Zimmerman Metals, just to name a few.

IRE-Metals USA.jpg“I attend this show for the seminars and new products which are really beneficial to my business,” said Chris Underwood of Formation Roofing & Sheet Metal.

A full array of professionals representing the roofing industry visited the show, including commercial and residential contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, building owners, facility managers, manufacturers, distributors, foremen, superintendents, project managers and other ancillary industry professionals.

At press time, final verified attendance numbers were not available, but preliminary numbers indicate attendance was flat from last year’s record-breaking number of 9,020.

Exhibitors noted the show’s success as they benefited from steady traffic and solid attendance. “We were so pleased with the attendance,” said Berle Blehm of Level Rite Ladder Safety Tools. “Orders for our products exceeded our expectations.”

Educational Conference
IRE-Swenson Shear.jpgIn addition to the show floor’s buying and selling activity, the Expo’s educational conference featured 48 educational sessions addressing a myriad of industry issues, including 17 technical and 5 workplace safety classes, as well as 26 business-related sessions including leadership/management, legal/HR, money matters, sales & service and general business.

Conference attendees grew by more than 10 percent and totaled an impressive 5,200 sessions sold. Especially packed were the 9 sessions addressing the green/eco-friendly topics, reinforcing the industry’s efforts to increase global awareness, resulting in a cleaner and safer environment.

“It was impressive show and conference,” said Bob Kulp, Kulp’s of Stratford. “I always learn a lot at the seminars and enjoy immensely the cross pollination of ideas with other roofing professionals from all over the world.”

Special Events
IRE-New Products.jpgSpeaking to a standing room only crowd of over 1,100 attendees and exhibitors, the show’s opening day featured an inspirational Keynote Address by former NFL quarterback, Archie Manning. Sharing personal anecdotes from his 15-year career, he discussed the principles he used throughout his career for success, including developing an attitude of leadership, depending on others, being flexible and playing the game. Manning, who concluded his speech by tossing footballs into the audience, is the father of back-to-back Super Bowl champion sons, Peyton and Eli. “Manning provided a humorous, yet serious presentation that was well received by the audience,” said Kim Rogers, marketing manager. “It really set the tone for an energy-filled opening day.”

Attendees sharpened their skills at live demonstrations, providing hands-on training, techniques and tips from APOC/Gardner-Gibson, Gaco Western, Ashland, Johns Manville and Duro-Last. Covering topics from roof restoration procedures, cold applied waterproofing, solar power, attic ventilation, weather resistive barriers, automated insulation fastening system, each demo was 45 minutes in length.

Through the Exhibitor Product Clinics, DCI Products, DuPont, Eternabond, Grace, OMG and USG demonstrated their equipment and materials, covering attic ventilation, attic wrap and roof liners, roof repairs, weather resistive barriers, roof boards and green roofing.
Source constructionmagnet.com

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Metal Manipulation: Any way you slice it, metal works

by Kevin Corcoran, Englert

SummaryFeature Story
By Kevin Corcoran, Englert, Inc.
It took almost five decades, but Kevork Hovnanian carried out a promise, made when he came to this country in 1958, to build a church in honor of his mother, who died in Iraq in 1949.

CS-EnglertChurch4.jpgThe Hovnanians were among 30,000 New Jerseyans of Armenian descent who fled their homeland in 1959 after a revolt led by Abdul Carim Kassem, whose government placed the road-building concern of Hovnanian’s father under national rule.

When Hovnanian arrived in New Jersey, he cobbled together family funds to restart his business with a $20,000 loan. He eventually started a home construction company with his three brothers, committed to building affordable townhouses and condominiums for first-time buyers. Under the leadership of Kevork and his son, Ara, Hovnanian Enterprises has expanded its portfolio to include single-family homes ranging from $70,000 to nearly $1 million. The company has extended its original Northeast market to include California, Washington D.C., North and South Carolina, Texas and Florida. During the past 40 years, Hovnanian Enterprises has helped thousands of families enjoy new homes and currently employs 3,500 people.

CS-EnglertChurch5.jpgHovnanian, one of the largest condominium builders in the country, built the church for a congregation of about 200.

The church features a folded pyramid-shaped dome atop a 12-sided nave — one side for each apostle of the Christian faith. Cutting the proper angles on a project like this is challenging enough — the installation was just as difficult.

A stained-glass mural between the nave entrance and lobby depicts St. Stephen (Stephanos), the first Christian martyr of the New Testament.

Several years ago, for reasons, still unknown, contractors tried to power-wash the 12-sided standing seam metal roof stop the church, destroying the coating with sandblasting and leaving the roof with a mottled gold appearance. Members of the congregation sought to replace the damaged roof and chose an Englert Series 1300 .040-inch aluminum standing seam panel. Aluminum was chosen for corrosion resistance because of the structure’s location — just 600 feet from the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersey. The congregation wanted to take advantage of the Kynar 500 coating and the anodizing qualities of the aluminum that would provide that corrosion resistance. It also chose a custom gold metallic color for the 4,200 square foot roof to replace the old gold roof that served as a landmark along Ocean Avenue in the heart of the Jersey Shore.

CS-EnglertChurch1.jpgADPI of Avenel, N.J., served as fabricator on the project. Excell Metal Roofing of Whiting, N.J., installed the roof that was not without its challenges. The folded pyramid shaped dome had a dozen steep-pitched valleys, completely unwalkable. That required Excell to build a series of 12 “chicken ladders” to gain footholds to aid in the installation of the standing seam from the top of the dome to where it meets the sandstone block walls of the building. The project for Excell was to install standing seam roofing on 12 small roofs with a very steep pitch. The company used a trailer-mounted boom lift to remove the old standing seam material and hoist the new standing seam panels from the ground and to reach the steepest, uppermost segments of the 12-sided roof.

“Your legs can only put up with so much wear and tear on the chicken ladders tucked into the valleys,” says Brian Swarthout, co-partner of Excell. Each roof section had 15 panels ranging in length from 12 feet to less than a foot.

“We’d have to have a single panel of standing seam hoisted to us in the cherry picker, climb to the top of the roof, install the piece and then work back down the chicken ladder to retrieve the next panel,” says Kevin Nann, Excell’s other co-partner.

The work was tedious, but the result was a beautifully cut and completed standing seam gold roof that is a shore landmark, glowing in the sunlight playing off the ocean.

Kevin Corcoran, vice president of business development at Englert, is a 29-year veteran of the metal roofing industry and has been responsible for introducing scores of metal roofing products and programs to builders and architects during his career.

Source constructionmagnet.com

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So easy a homeowner could do it

This project is exactly why you should not be afraid of manipulating metal panels to do what you want them to do.

You know all metal roofing installations present a challenge, no matter how basic.

CS-New Tech4.jpgAt the opposite end of the difficulty spectrum is a Colorado residential roof on a building in the shape of an S. Take a second to think about that — installing standing seam panels on an S-shaped roof. The panels are flat, but the seams are curved as they go up the roof deck.

Now, would you consider taking on the job?

U.S. Metals, LLC, of Denver designed and manufactured the standing seam roofing panels for the roof, varying in lengths up to 15 feet. Some panels were going to have to be wider on top than at the bottom and some wider at the bottom than on top.

“It was a puzzle,” says Eliot Boyle, owner of U.S. Metals. “Designing it — probably took us 3-4 days.”

CS-New Tech2.jpgBoyle says U.S. Metals is well known for producing and installing tapered and curved roofing, but admitted this was a unique project. First of all, there were special considerations to account for expansion and contraction. “Each panel was pushing and shoving against each other,” he says. “It was pretty tricky stuff, but so far, they’re working together.”

One of the bigger challenges was designing and installing a ridge cap that was effective, but that’s worked out as well.

Boyle reports the homeowner says there are no leaks and that’s two years after the installation. The kicker about the installation — the homeowner installed the roofing himself! He built the home and wanted to install the roof, according to Boyle. “So we talked him through the process of installing it, helped him with any problems he had, but that’s the kind of guy he is,” he says.

CS-New Tech3.jpgThe homeowner wanted a unique look and got it to work.

Boyle says U.S. Metals gets the opportunity to take on these types of challenging products on a frequent basis in Colorado — he says people are always looking for something different. U.S. Metals is there to help.
Source constructionmagnet.com