battens Articles

#31 – Should a metal roof be installed over battens?

April 26, 2017

We are frequently asked if a metal roof should be installed on battens or direct to the roof deck. By design, some metal roofs must be installed over battens, some must never be installed over battens, and some can be installed over battens or over solid decking. So first and foremost, it’s critical to choose… ( read more )

Can Metal Roofs Be Installed Direct Over Old Shingles?

March 8, 2017

Q: Is it OK for metal roofing to be screwed down directly on top of asphalt shingles, without any wood or other material between the metal and shingle? A. You may wish to take a look at the videos in our Metal Roofing 101 video series … there may be some topics of interest to you. I… ( read more )

Metal Roof: Battens or No Battens for Installation?

April 27, 2016

Q: Can a metal roof be installed over my existing shingles without the use of battens? This great question comes from Edward C., a homeowner who plans to have a new metal roof installed over the aging, existing shingles on his single story home. Thanks, Edward, for allowing me to share our correspondence on this… ( read more )

Exposed Fastener Metal Roofing: Is It Standing Seam?

April 6, 2013

I get a lot of questions about exposed fastener metal roofing. Also called “screw-through” metal roofing or sometimes “channel drain”, these are rollformed products that are vertically oriented on the roof. They have some sort of corrugated wave or rib pattern formed into the panels. Some common names to the corrugated patterns are “R Panel,”… ( read more )

Battens or no Battens?

November 7, 2011

Greg from Florida recently sent me this question: Q: I am looking to have a metal roof installed over my existing single layer shingle roof. I have had several estimates from companies but the one difference I see is that some companies want to use purlins (battens) and others do not. Are there a advantages… ( read more )

New Metal Roof

August 13, 2009

Q: I’ve got a few questions for you regarding metal roof installs. We’ve currently got a composition shingle roof that is 8 years old. I has some hail damage, but no leak problem at all. There is a local job we looked at that uses U panel on a new construction, and are giving some… ( read more )