If you're replacing your roof, you may be wondering whether to choose metal sheets or tiles. To help you reach a decision, consider the following discussion.

Roofing Material Weight

One way in which metal and tile roofing is different is the relative weight of these materials. Metal sheets are quite light, which means they put less pressure on a building. So if your house is large and expansive with a vast roof area, metal will help lessen the overall load.

On the other hand, concrete and terracotta tiles are chunkier than metal sheets, forming a heavier roof. If you swap from lighter metal to heavier tiles, you may be compelled to reinforce the building so it can carry the roof. However, if you switch from tiles to metal, you'll less likely need to bolster the supporting walls or foundation.

Thermal Efficiency

Metal doesn't absorb and hold onto heat or cold. Instead, it lets the outside temperature flow through the roof. This will allow cool evening breezes to freshen a house after a hot day. To deflect the sun's heat, you can cover the sheets with a reflective coat to bounce the radiation away. Thus, your home will be cooler in the daytime also. Plus, you can combine a metal roof with insulation that hinders heat from entering in summer and leaving in winter.

Terracotta and concrete tiles react differently than metal to the sun's heat. They absorb it to grow hot. These materials then release warmth hours later, after the sun has set. Whether this is beneficial depends on your local climate. For example, if you want to keep your home warmer in the evening, tiles will help. On the other hand, if you want your home to cool down in the night air quickly, then metal will typically allow the cold to flow through more freely.

However, similar to metal, you can boost a tiled roof in various ways to make it more functional. For example, roofers can cover tiles in reflective layers to prevent them from absorbing heat in the first place. Additionally, you can pair tiles with insulation that adds another layer to protect your home from outdoor conditions. The insulation will help in all seasons.

Thus, metal and tile roofing differs in practical ways. Metal is lighter than tiles, which can help if you want to coddle the building and not add extra loading. Both roofing materials can be covered in reflective layers to block the sun and be supported with insulation to enhance their thermal efficiency. A roofer can cover these differences with you and help you choose what material will be best for your roof.