A Complete Guide to Your Metal Roof

Metal Roofing Anatomy

We want to give you an idea of the different parts that make up a metal roof. When you are trying to explain what you think is happening to your roof you will know what parts to refer to!

Metal Roofing Terminology

Common roofing terms explained.

Anticon Blanket (Insulation)

Installed over the roof frame directly beneath metal roof sheeting, it consists of a glasswool blanket adhered to an impermeable reinforced reflective foil facing.

Apron

Metal flashing used where roof meets vertical faces such as walls, chimneys etc.

Barge cap

A flashing that is used to fix the gable end of the roof where the sheets start and finish.

Batten

A long strip of squared timber or rolled metal that roof sheets are screwed into.

Box Gutter

A gutter that’s not at an eave. Typically at the base of two opposing roof faces or inside a parapet wall.

BMT

Base metal thickness.

Ceiling batts

Typically made from glasswool, polyester, or wool they are a type of bulk insulation that is designed to fit directly above the home’s ceiling between joists, rafters or studs.

Colorbond

Colorbond is the brand name of a coated steel product manufactured by Bluescope Steel. Colorbond steel is produced with a Zincalume base to provide corrosion resistance and then covered with a chemically applied conversion layer to enhance coating adhesion. On top of this goes a baked on epoxy primer and finally a baked on exterior grade top-coat

Downpipe

A pipe that carries rainwater from the roofs guttering to a drain or to ground level

Eaves

The external ceiling between the fascia and the building’s outside wall.

Edge protection

A temporary safety rail system attached to the perimeter of the building to prevent falls from roofs of certain heights

Face

A portion of the roofing area defined by having four separate edges. A single side of a gable or hipped roof

Fascia

A timber board or rolled metal product of similar dimensions, fixed along the eaves to which gutter is secured

Flashing

Materials used to waterproof a roof around any projections

Gable

Traditional roof style; two peaked roof planes meeting at a ridge line of equal size.

Guttering

A shallow trough fixed under the edge of the roof made to assist in carrying off water

Hip Roof

A roof with four roof planes coming together at a peak and four separate hip legs.

Laps

The area where rolled roofing or insulation overlap one another during installation

Parapet

A wall on the perimeter of building that projects above the line of the eaves

Pitch

The slope of the roof or gutter often expressed in degrees

Ponding

Pooling of undrained water on a roof

R Value

A value given for the resistance to heat transfer of a roof or wall system

Ridge

The horizontal angle on the outer part where two sloped roofs meet

Sarking

A layer of flexible foil insulation typically installed under roof tiles when the roof is being installed

Skillion

A single sloped roof, generally not attached to another roof.

Sump

A roof gutter pit used to connect downpipes to internal roof gutters

Swarf

Fine filings or chips of metal that come off metal when cutting or drilling

Transitions

When a roof plane ties into another roof plane that has a different pitch or slope.

Valley

Area where two adjoining sloped roof planes intersect on a roof creating a “V” shaped depression.

Window Hood

A decorative awning that covers the top of a window to protect from the weather

Zincalume

The brand name given to a coated steel product manufactured by Bluescope Steel. The steel is coated in Zinc/Aluminium alloy to increase its resistance to corrosion

Common Roof Replacement Types

Colorbond®

Colorbond® is one of the most recognised metal roofing options used across Australian homes. Manufactured by BlueScope Steel, it starts with a Zincalume® steel base for corrosion resistance before being finished with a baked-on primer and exterior-grade colour top coat.

For homeowners replacing an older roof, Colorbond® is a popular choice because it gives the roof a clean, finished look while still providing the strength of modern metal roofing. It also gives you more flexibility when choosing a roof colour to suit the style of your home.

When you want a roof that looks sharp, performs well, and uses trusted BlueScope Steel, Colorbond® is often the finish people look to first.

Decramastic Tiles

As possibly one of the most disliked roofing materials in existence, Decramastic roof tiles are pressed metal tile strips that were made to imitate concrete tiles. Produced from light gauge metal, it deforms very easily if walked on – often leading to roof leaks.

Zincalume®

Zincalume® is another BlueScope Steel roofing option commonly used for metal roof replacements. Instead of a painted colour finish, Zincalume® has a distinctive silver appearance and is coated in a zinc/aluminium alloy to help increase its resistance to corrosion.

This makes Zincalume® a practical option for homeowners who want the benefits of metal roofing without choosing a Colorbond® colour. It is simple, durable, and well suited to homes where performance matters more than matching a specific colour scheme.

If you are replacing an older roof and want a straightforward metal roofing finish, Zincalume® is a strong option to consider.

Concrete or Terracotta Tiles

Concrete or Terracotta roof tiles are hung from the framework of a roof by fixing them with nails.

The tiles are usually hung in parallel rows, with each row overlapping the row below it to exclude rainwater and to cover the nails that hold the row below.

There are also roof tiles for special positions, particularly where the planes of the several pitches meet. They include ridge, hip and valley tiles. These can either be bedded and pointed in cement mortar or mechanically fixed.

Common Roof Shapes

Get In Touch!

As a highly-experienced, family-owned company – we provide expert metal roofing services throughout Brisbane and South-East Queensland.

Choose DTM Metal Roofing for a smooth, hassle-free experience because we put our customers first. Our professional team prides itself on a “no excuses” approach to customer service.

We hand pick the roofing industry’s best tradesmen. Our team are professional in their conduct and complete each job to the highest standard. Expert workmanship, paired with our exclusive use of Bluescope Steel, means our jobs are backed by industry-leading written guarantees.

Simply, we are the team you look to when you want it done right.

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