Thoughts on Metal or Shingle Barn Roof

[coco10]

I’m in the beginnings of building the barn on our 9.5 acre farmette near Raleigh NC.

I will probably go with a pole barn with center aisle, and I’m trying to decide between a metal and shingle roof for the barn. Due to the noise of metal, I’m leaning toward a shingle roof, but the shingle roof seems to be adding a good bit of cost. I’m ok with replacing the shingle roof in 15 yrs or so (and doing periodic repairs), but I’m a bit tight on money for the initial build.

For those that have metal roofs, is there a way to insulate to reduce the noise? Or do you just get used to the noise? Also, do you have condensation issues?

Thanks for any insights!

[AKB]

We had a metal roof on our first barn. It was miserably hot. Our current barn has a shingle roof and is much cooler. I don’t know if good design will help keep a barn with a metal roof cool. Ours was not well designed.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

We have a barn with metal roof, center aisle. There is some kind of insulation under the metal (foamboard?) that keeps the heat down.

The only time the noise is an issue is when a heavy rain first starts falling - the horses don’t like the random pops hitting the roof around them. But once the rain or hail gets going they calm right down, no matter how loud.

David

[enjoytheride]

They make this plastic type stuff that looks like metal but it’s much quieter. Very easy to apply with self sealing screws. Comes in lots of colors.

[yaya]

I have a metal roof, and did have problems with noise, heat, and condensation. Then I insulated with spray foam insulation with painted plywood over that (because the spray foam turned an ugly yellow color), and all three problems have been greatly reduced! In fact, just the other day, the man inspecting my flyspray system commented how cool my barn was, and he was up under the roof on top of my tackroom!

[ryansgirl]

I was about to say that snow slides right off of metal roofs which is a big issue in New England but probably not something to worry about in NC where you are.

[2DogsFarm]

I have a metal roof on my center aisle pole barn.
Roof is insulated with foam board, walls are not.

No problem with condensation (which is why I insulated the roof) even in the godawful humidity we’ve been having lately.

It is noticeably cooler in my barn and I have gotten used to the magnified sound of rain - what sounds like a downpour inside, may be just so-so rain out.

[brody]

We’ve had both. Went with shingles here mainly for cool and lack of condensation

Eta. First reason was shingles were cheaper too all in and matched house and garage perfectly

[msj]

If you do decide to do shingles, please make sure you use the architectural shingles as they are much better than regular shingles. When I had my barn and indoor built (25 yrs ago) the original builder used regular shingles and I had them coming off the first year on the west side (prevailing winds). Then I had a huge amount come off and put in a claim with my insurance. The insurance covered the repair. Several yrs later another big loss on west side and insurance company said pull all the shingles on west side and redo completely. I’m not sure how long ago that was (maybe 15 yrs now) but the roofer that did the job used architectural shingles and I’ve not lost one yet.

Believe me, it’s well worth the cost.

[CLB15]

For those who have done metal, what types of panels have you used (brands)?
I’ve been looking at metal roofing and have seen a few different types of insulation that make the panels between 2 & 4 inches thick. Even with the insulation, a couple of the manufacturers also suggest a type of thin barrier underneath to help further reduce condensation.
Looking at an old barn with a roof that was nothing more then plywood & tarps made me look at barn roofing material- the metal panels are apparently 1/3 lighter then shingles, and in new England I see the standing seam as a bonus for the snow, but the metal is also more expensive.

[Bluey]

Everyone here has been replacing shingles with metal roofs for decades now.

Shingles here, with our weather and winds, is guaranteed to sooner or later have leaks and so damage to the house.
The upkeep is terrible and for a barn, not worth it.

We have in our house standing seam metal roof, the standard for that kind of roof.
The barns all are regular Galvalume metal roof.

The old shingles barn built in the 60s was torn down long ago, after many re-roofings and repairs.
We still have in perfect shape and never needed any repairs done to it metal roof barns built in the 40s.

Now, wherever you are shingles may have a longer life than they do here and be ok, you have to ask those there about regional roofing differences.

We have never had horses scared because of rain, but then, it doesn’t rain that much here for that to be a problem.

[ElementFarm]

Our current barn has shingles, which match the house and in general, looks very nice.

I boarded for years at a barn with a metal roof. It was insulated, and that did prevent condensation and kept it cooler in the summer. I’m sure it did muffle the sound of rain, but it was still pretty loud in there.

The one issue, and it might have been due to the type of insulatation used, but the birds really destroyed the insulation. It looked great the first few years, but within 5 years, the birds were just ripping shreds out to make nests with. Recently I boarded at a different barn in the midwest with the same problem. There were litterally shreds of insulation hanging down, falling in chunks, from all the bird damage. And it’s an expensive repair, as you need someone with the equipment to get up there to work, as well as all new insulation.

I’m not a contractor. How hard would it be to install a metal roof for a few years and then put in a shingle roof later? I think for long-term, a shingle roof is better. But I understand how expensive farm start-up costs are, and if metal (with insulation) is significantly cheaper, it might make sense to use that initially.

[The_Crone_of_Cottonmouth_Count]

In this neck of the woods shingles are now considered outré. Every structure here at Dreadful Acres, from wellhouse to shed to residence, has either a standing seam or screw-down galvalume roof. No maintenance! We did insulate the roof in the horse barn with some kind of foil-lined foam board stuff; in summer the temperature difference between it and the uninsulated hay barn is dramatic. No condensation, either.

As for the rain noise, I quite like it myself. The horses don’t appear to notice it whatsoever. They doze under their uninsulated metal-roofed sheds in torrential downpours as well, happy as clams.

As far as birds ripping up the insulation, I have had some problems with that in my well house with that puffy pink stuff, but they don’t mess with the foam board elsewhere.

Beyond the no-maintenance thing, metal roofing is such a part of the rural Texas architectural vernacular I would never consider anything else. But maybe N.C. has other aesthetic requirements?

[Marla_100]

Here in sunny and rainy Florida most all barns have a metal roof. They are relatively maintenance free if built properly. I have 2 barns and a large open air bldg. w/ metal roofs and my horses are not bothered at all when it rains.
And we get hard driving windy rain storms. If you design the barn for good ventilation heat should not be a problem. I also have no condensation.

There are various gauges and qualities of metal roofing so shop around. In my area there is a metal roofing mfgr. where you order the panels to your specs. The quality and price is much better that the big box stores.

[caper]

A shingle roof have a short lifespan in comparison to metal. Metal roof is durable and lasts the test of time.
We have a metal ceiling in our barn with lights. The upstairs has insulation too. This makes the barn quiet when it is raining.

Our hay area in the barn is not insulated and has no ceiling. It is very noisy. I have two horses stabled in there. They don’t seem to mind.

[HPFarmette]

I have a metal roof on my house and an Ondura roof on my barn. Metal is holding up better. Did the Ondura myself. It tends to hold on to leaves accumulating, and develop mold.

[horsepoor]

Surprised that OP said shingles were more expensive than metal – when we built, we found the opposite to be true. We went with architectural shingles that match our house and I’ve been happy with them. The metal roofed barns that I have been in have always been so loud, I’m thankful we went with what we did every time it rains here (which is often, being the northwest!). Ours is a 30 year roof so that seems sufficient in lifespan to me – we’ve been here 14 years now and the only roof issue we’ve had was not related to the type but the installation (bad flashing around house chimney, now fixed). But I do like the looks of metal, long as I don’t have to be under it when it hails.

[Tony]

In Aiken SC I am also told that shingled roof is more $$$ then metal roof, although the builders I have spoken with have not said how much more.

[msj]

Back when I built, the shingled roof was more expensive than metal but with an indoor in the winter, I didn’t need the loud, loud, loud, noise of snow sliding off when I was riding. Especially since most of the time I rode alone.

Quite often it’s not a good idea to cut some corners.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Shingles cost more here, but I can do it myself, it matches the other buildings, I actually kind of enjoy it when I don’t have to tear shingles off, and haven’t learned how to install metal roofs, so…

To the poster who asked about switching, it’s not that simple. You don’t build a roof deck for metal like you do with shingles (which sit on top of an underlayment over either OSB or plywood).

All the major agricultural buildings around here are metal roofs. They last forever with minimal maintenance. That said, I like shingles. A shingle roof is still noisy under a hail storm (rain is fine)–the horse ran out of her shingled run-in into the hail during the last storm, because the roof noise scared her. sigh

There are different styles of metal roof. Some look better than others (if that matters)–also watch the gauge of metal quoted.