Aluminum Roofing Systems
Aluminum turns up in three places on a roof: the main panels, pressed shingles, and the trim and fasteners that hold everything together. The first two are a choice. The third matters on every metal roof near salt water.
Aluminum Standing Seam
This is the usual aluminum roof on a Hollywood house near the water. The code minimum for aluminum panels in Broward is 0.025 inch, but an approved panel can be thicker than that. One current Miami-Dade approval for an aluminum standing seam panel specifies 0.032 inch metal, 16 to 24 inches of coverage, a 1.5-inch seam, and stainless steel clips. Thicker aluminum resists dents from falling palm fronds and debris better, and it shows less waviness across the flat of the panel.
The same approval allows that panel on slopes as low as 1:12, because the system passed the ASTM E2140 water leakage test. That's useful on a waterfront house with a low-pitch addition or a covered porch tied into the main roof, where an exposed-fastener panel wouldn't be allowed (between 1:12 and 2:12).
Ask for the thickness in decimal inches, not gauge. Aluminum and steel gauges don't line up, and a quote that says "26 gauge aluminum" hasn't told you much. See standing seam metal roofs for seam types and clip spacing.
Aluminum Shingles and Shakes
Aluminum shingles are small pressed pieces that interlock, often embossed to look like shake or slate, with a paint or granular finish. They suit a house with a lot of hips and dormers, or an owner who wants aluminum without the look of long seams.
Two code points affect them in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Table 1515.2 of the Florida Building Code sets a 4:12 minimum slope for metal shingles, steeper than for panels, so they're out for a low-pitch roof. And section 1518.9 allows metal shingles to go over a single existing layer of asphalt shingles if the deck is solid sheathing. That can save a tear-off, but it hides the deck, so we'd still ask for a tear-off on most Hollywood houses (see metal roof installation). Any shingle product used here needs its own HVHZ approval.
Aluminum Trim, Flashing and Fasteners
Here's where coastal roofs fail early. Put a plain steel screw into aluminum in salt air, and the two metals set up a small battery: one corrodes to protect the other. The stain shows up around the screw head, then the hole loosens.
An aluminum roof should have aluminum trim, flashing and gutters, with stainless steel or other compatible fasteners and clips. Copper is the one to keep away entirely, including runoff from a copper cupola or flashing uphill of the aluminum. A quote that names the panel metal but not the fastener metal is incomplete. Ask for both in writing.
The same logic applies to anything bolted on later. Satellite mounts, solar brackets and lightning protection that land on the roof should be aluminum or stainless too. The roofer can get the metal right and a later trade can undo it with a handful of zinc-plated screws.
Why Hollywood homeowners call Hollywood Metal Roofing
- Free written estimate
- Panel, gauge and product approval listed in writing
- City of Hollywood permit and inspections
- One local metal roofing contractor, not a call list
- No charge to homeowners for the referral
Aluminum vs Galvalume Steel Near Salt Water
Most steel roofing is coated with Galvalume, about 55% aluminum and 43% zinc, with a little silicon. It protects steel well inland. The weak points are cut edges, scratches and constant salt spray, where the steel underneath can start to rust.
The warranty tells the story. One major panel maker's Galvalume warranty excludes "areas within 1500 feet of salt water, marine atmospheres or salt spray." Other manufacturers draw the line at different distances, so the number that counts is the one in the warranty for the exact panel on your quote. If your house is close to salt water, check where it falls against that distance before you choose steel.
Our view: if your house is inside the exclusion zone, a coated-steel roof may fall outside that panel's corrosion warranty from day one, and aluminum is worth the extra money. If you're well west of the water, steel is the better value and the stiffer panel.
A quick comparison:
Rust
Aluminum doesn't form red rust. Coated steel can rust at cuts and scratches.Dents
Aluminum dents more easily. Steel holds up better to debris.Code minimum
Aluminum 0.025 inch. Steel G-90 coated and at least 26 gage.Warranty near salt water
Coated-steel warranties often exclude a set distance from salt water. Aluminum warranties have their own terms, so read those too.Price
Aluminum costs more, for material and installed.
Aluminum Roofing Cost
HomeGuide puts aluminum standing seam at about $9.50 to $17 per square foot installed, against $8 to $13 for steel standing seam. For material alone, aluminum panels run about $4.50 to $9 a square foot and steel $3 to $5 (HomeGuide). Treat them as national guides; a Hollywood quote will differ.
The material ranges differ by about as much as the installed ranges do, so the gap is the metal, not the labor. What pushes an aluminum quote up in Hollywood:
Thickness
A 0.032 inch panel costs more than one at the 0.025 minimum.Finish
A PVDF paint system or a custom color adds to the price.Fasteners and trim
Stainless screws and aluminum trim throughout add a little, and they're not optional near the water.Tear-off and deck repairs
Same as any reroof, and often the biggest unknown.
We ask the contractor to list the panel thickness, paint finish, fastener metal and approval number on the estimate, so you can compare aluminum quotes side by side.