Slate, shake and asphalt looks in metal shingles
Metal shingles come in a few families of profiles:
- Slate: flat, crisp edges, usually in grays, charcoal and black. The most popular choice for older homes.
- Shake: deeper texture with a wood-grain look, in browns and weathered tones. Suits camps, cabins and Adirondack-style homes.
- Asphalt-style: a simple, low-profile shingle that looks like a standard roof from the street.
Most systems interlock on all four sides and hide their fasteners. Coatings and textured finishes vary, so ask for full-size samples and look at them outside.
Metal shingles on Victorian and village homes
This is where metal shingles earn their place. The Victorians along North Broadway and Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, the older homes off Front Street in Ballston Spa, and the Victorian-era cottages in Round Lake share the same traits: steep pitches, turrets, dormers, lots of valleys and short runs.
Long standing seam panels fight a roof like that. Small metal shingles handle the cuts, curves and short runs far better, and a slate profile fits the age of the house. On a street of older homes, a roof that looks right matters as much as one that lasts.
Some older homes still have their original slate. If yours does, have a roofer judge whether repair makes more sense than replacement before anything comes off.
Steel or aluminum metal shingles
Steel is the common choice: stiff, strong and available in the widest range of profiles and colors. Heavier gauges resist dents better.
Aluminum is lighter and doesn't rust, which is why some owners prefer it for lake houses and camps near the water around Lake George. It dents more easily than steel, so it's a trade-off rather than an upgrade.
Your installer will usually work with one or two systems. Ask what they carry and why.
Stone-coated steel is a third option: steel shingles with a granule surface bonded on. Up close it looks more like a traditional roof and has a matte finish, though the texture holds snow a bit longer than smooth metal.
Metal shingles vs standing seam
| Metal shingles | Standing seam | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Slate, shake or asphalt | Clean vertical panels |
| Best roof shape | Steep, cut-up, many valleys | Simple gables, long runs, low slopes |
| Fasteners | Hidden in most interlocking systems | Hidden under the seams |
| Snow | Texture tends to hold snow a little longer | Sheds snow fast |
| Best fit | Victorians, colonials, village homes | Farmhouses, modern homes, porches |
If your roof is simple and you like clean lines, read our page on the standing seam metal roof. If the house has history and a busy roof, shingles usually win. For what moves the price on either style, see the metal roof cost guide.
Shake-profile metal shingles for camps and cabins
Shake-profile metal shingles suit the camps and cabins around Lake George, Lake Luzerne and up toward Warrensburg, where a ribbed barn panel would look out of place and cedar shake needs constant upkeep under the pines. Metal doesn't rot or split the way cedar does, but pine needles still collect in the valleys, so clear them once or twice a year.
For seasonal places, schedule the work before closing up for the winter so nobody has to open the house in the cold.
Installing metal shingles: deck, underlayment and snow guards
The groundwork is the same as any metal roof installation: a sound deck, ice and water barrier along the eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment, and new flashing at chimneys and walls. On older homes, expect some deck repair once the old roof comes off.
Some metal shingle systems can go over a single layer of asphalt. Our page on putting a metal roof over shingles covers when that works. Snow still slides off metal shingles, so plan snow guards above porches, doors and walkways.