There is something so nostalgic and picturesque to us about an older farm house enveloped in metal roofing; metal roofing with a slight patina even. It evokes memories of growing up in rural America, seeing small homesteads dot the countryside, and the sounds of happy families being thankful for their own little spot of dirt. There is something calming and peaceful about the gentle tickle of rain on the roof when clad in corrugation and mated with metal. It is no surprise then that residential metal roofing has proven to be the fastest growing segment of home construction and improvement – more than quadrupling its market share over the past decade alone.
What most don’t realize though is that the history of metal roofing can be traced back to 970 B.C., when the temple in Jerusalem was outfitted with a copper roof. Their history is more founded in the Virgin Island though around the mid-19th century. Metal roofs were valued for several reasons. They were strong enough to resist earthquakes and the strong winds of tropical hurricanes, while presenting a visually satisfying appearance. When coupled with the Dutch-style peaked roof and a decent drainage system, the metal would purify water which could be stored in a container for household use (early rainwater harvesting, in fact). The metal had the added benefit of being fire-resistant.
Robert L. Merwin & Co., a St. Croix Island based business, was founded in 1892 to import corrugated metal for buildings. They made the product cheaper and much more widely available, which served to increase its use and establish metal roofing as a much more practical and versatile alternative to clay tiles. Popularity for metal as a roofing material has continued to rise rapidly.1
With the steel boom of the early 1900s came a number of advances in the automation of metal manufacturing. Construction projects using metal roofing and siding began to dot the American landscape and further help develop the “machine age.” The latest techniques, including automated roll-forming, coatings, sealants, and fastening systems, have dramatically lowered the cost of steel roofing and only increased its versatility as the variety of colors, textures and styles has multiplied.
In fact, the benefits offered by today’s metal roofs allow homeowners to both build and upgrade their homes with products of lasting value. While other roofs quickly diminish in value as they age, metal roofs provide the following lasting benefits:
- Proven performance expectation of 50+ years
- Beautiful styles to match any home or neighborhood
- Interlocking panels for maximum wind resistance
- Fire resistance
- Energy efficiency by keeping homes cooler
- Low weight to help preserve structural integrity and life
- a 40 year paint warranty
- 40 colors to choose from *
- All products laboratory tested
- Energy Star Partner
- 10 years of customer satisfaction
- Old-fashioned values in high tech business
1 www.buymetalroofing.com/metal_roofing_history.htm
Crystal and Andrew Odom? Normal people with normal ideas! But life for us is one of sustainability and stewardship in the home and around the land. We live it. We write about it. And we always want to talk about it. Read more 
