Metal Roofing

Metal roofing has moved from farm buildings to the most-requested premium roof in Arizona — and for reasons that map exactly onto this state's climate. CraftBuilt installs standing-seam and exposed-fastener metal systems statewide, and services the older metal roofs that decades of sun have loosened.

Why Metal Fits Arizona

In the high country, metal sheds snow before load builds, shrugs off the freeze-thaw cycling that cracks asphalt, and resists wildfire embers — the reason it's become the default recommendation for forest-edge homes in Flagstaff, Pinetop-Lakeside, and Prescott. In the low desert, metal reflects solar heat that asphalt absorbs, cutting attic temperatures and cooling loads through summers that destroy lesser materials. Everywhere, its service life runs 40–70 years — two to three times a shingle roof — with minimal maintenance.

Standing Seam vs. Exposed Fastener

Standing-seam systems clip panels together with concealed fasteners, letting the metal expand and contract freely — the premium choice for homes, with clean lines and no penetrations through the panel face. Exposed-fastener panels (the classic screw-down metal on barns, shops, and ag buildings across the Gila Valley) cost less but need periodic fastener service: thermal cycling backs screws out over the years, and re-screwing and re-sealing an older metal roof is a service we perform constantly. We install and service both, and we'll tell you plainly which your building justifies.

Signs Your Existing Metal Roof Needs Service

• Fasteners visibly backed out, missing, or rusted
• Sealant failures at ridges, penetrations, and end laps
• Panels lifted or creased after wind events
• Rust blooms at cut edges and fastener points

Our Metal Process

1. Assessment of your structure — metal's weight is rarely an issue, but attachment and substrate always deserve verification.
2. System and gauge recommendation with samples, matched to your climate and architecture.
3. Installation by crews that do metal regularly — panel roofing punishes improvisation.
4. Full documentation, from underlayment to finished seams.

Is metal loud in the rain?

Over a solid deck with underlayment — how every CraftBuilt metal roof is built — rain noise is comparable to any other roof. The tin-roof drum effect comes from open-framed buildings without decking.

Does hail ruin metal?

Metal resists hail puncture far better than asphalt, though severe hail can cosmetically dent panels. If a storm has been through, our hail team can assess whether damage is cosmetic or functional — and document it for insurance when it matters.

Gauge, Coatings, and What Quality Metal Means

Not all metal roofs are equal, and the differences hide in the spec sheet. Panel gauge matters — thicker panels resist oil-canning and hail better. Coating systems matter more: PVDF (Kynar-class) finishes hold color under Arizona UV for decades, where cheaper polyester coatings chalk and fade in years — a distinction you can't see at installation and can't miss at year ten. Substrate matters too: galvalume under the paint resists the corrosion that eventually finds bare-edged budget panels. When we quote metal, the spec is in writing — gauge, coating system, substrate, fastener type — so you're comparing roofs, not just prices, when you shop the bid.

Can metal be installed over my existing shingles?

Sometimes code allows it, and we still usually advise against it: tear-off lets us verify decking, correct problems, and give the metal system the flat, sound substrate that 50-year service life assumes. A metal roof over hidden problems is an expensive lid on a cheap pot.

Does a metal roof help with insurance or energy bills?

Often both. Reflective metal measurably cuts summer attic temperatures and cooling load, and some insurers offer consideration for Class A fire-rated metal in wildfire-exposed areas — worth asking your agent, and increasingly relevant in the forest communities we serve. Metal also pairs cleanly with solar racking when panels are in your future — worth coordinating with our solar detach-and-reset team before racking is chosen.