In the world of metal roofing, choosing the right materials for a project is essential. Architects, designers and homeowners alike want to know that the coatings they pick will be functional as well as elegant, and contractors are looking for products that they know they can trust. Textured metal roofing materials have been a topic of debate in recent years because of some common misconceptions that surround them.
Sheffield Metals International (SMI) is a leading provider of bare and coated metal coils and sheets in the metal roofing industry. It’s our job to make sure the materials we’re providing are quality grade and reliable, so that contractors can have confidence in the products they’re using. We also create content to help inform our customers about certain products and help them make educated buying decisions. And, in some cases, we debunk common myths about those products.
Recently, we decided to test out some of those common myths surrounding textured materials ourselves. We identified five of the most common myths about textured materials and put them to the test. Here are the five misconceptions we focused on:
- Textured paint finishes crack or craze when bent or seamed
- Textured materials hold more dirt than smoother coatings
- Textured materials are only available in SMP and 26-gauge steel
- All textured materials improve walkability
- Textured materials scratch easier than other coating systems
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know if these misconceptions have any truth to them.
1. Textured Finishes Crack When Bent or Seamed
One of the myths we’ve heard at Sheffield Metals about textured finishes is that they crack when bent or seamed. The only way to truly know for sure if this was the case was to try it out ourselves.
We built two mock-ups with 1 ½” mechanical seam panels – one with Sheffield Metals’ 24-Gauge CoreLine Textured Low Gloss Black and one with a standard Textured SMP coating, also in black.
Then, we used hand seamers and robotic seamers to create 180° bends on both panels. To make our test as thorough as possible, we also fitted a probe lens to our camera, which allowed us to get extreme close-ups of the seams to see if there was any paint cracking.
The result?
We didn’t identify any cracking on the bends for either CoreLine or the Textured SMP. There was no cracking or flaking of particulate when we ran a pencil along the surface, and the texture remained fully intact.
This finding brings up another key point: if your paint is cracking, it likely has more to do with the quality of the paint system you’re using and who is supplying the paint. It’s not because you’re using textured materials; it’s probably because it wasn’t a sound paint system in the first place, or because the application was poor.
2. Textured Materials Hold More Dirt Than Smoother Coatings
Another common misconception about textured materials is that you shouldn’t choose lighter colors because the texture collects and holds more dirt, which will affect the appearance of a roof.
This one heavily depends on the specific type of texture of your coatings. CoreLine and common Textured SMP coatings have less texture and grit than embossed panels, for instance. Our probe lens also allowed us to get extreme close-ups of the texture of both CoreLine and Textured SMP, which revealed a gritty finish that resembles fine sand.
Rather than texture, color choice will heavily dictate how much dirt shows on a metal roof. White roofs will show many more imperfections than black. Also, any debris in the surrounding area can contribute to this – homes or buildings with many nearby trees can collect dirt, pollen, leaves, and sticks, which may affect the overall appearance. Flatter roofs also tend to hold these debris, which can contribute to a dirtier appearance.
Ultimately, how much dirt your coating holds will depend on the type of unique texture it has. It will also depend on other aspects of your roof, including the slope, the color, and the region in which it’s located.
3. Textured Materials Are Only Available in SMP and 26-Gauge Steel
The idea that textured materials were only available in SMP options and 26-gauge steel was valid for a long while. This turned some contractors away in favor of the more superior PVDF coatings, which offer better durability, as well as 24-gauge steel, which is the sturdier, thicker option compared to 26-gauge.
Recently, however, Sheffield Metals released their new Textured, Low-Gloss PVDF coatings for 24-gauge steel, known as CoreLine. CoreLine offers five new textured coatings, including Moonstone ™, a novel finish that appears to change shades in different lights.
This new product put another commonly talked about drawback of textured materials to rest and also opened a whole new market for contractors to begin utilizing for metal roofing projects.
4. All Textured Materials Improve Walkability
The walkability of textured materials is a common selling point – one we’ve likely mentioned before in our content. And while this is a commonly held belief, it’s important to know that there is no documentation yet proving this, and while it may sometimes be true, it might not always be the case.
Just because a material is textured, don’t assume that the walkability will be exceptional. Be sure to treat it as you would with any other metal roofing surface and take the necessary precautions, following safety best practices and guidelines.
5. Textured Materials Scratch Easier Than Other Coating Systems
Again, this will likely depend on which type of textured coating you use. Typically, scratches have been seen on Textured SMP paints with 26-gauge steel.
Textured coatings using superior paint systems, however, such as CoreLine, are formulated with a hard coat, which means they are chemically designed to be scratch-resistant. Many contractors that have been using CoreLine on projects are surprised with how little it scratches compared to other textured paints.
Where Can I Learn More About Textured Metal Roofing Materials?
Many of the misconceptions about textured materials turn out to be untrue – especially with newer products hitting the market that offer better durability. By now, you should have a better idea of what assumptions about textured materials are actually true.
Your next step might be looking into the different options of textured materials or learning more about metal roofing materials in general. If you’re looking for a high-performing textured material with impressive aesthetics to match, you can check out Sheffield Metals’ selection of CoreLine colors.
Whatever you’re looking for next, Sheffield Metals can help. We provide bare and coated metal coils and sheets and a variety of educational resources in our Metal Roofing Learning Center, along with our YouTube channel. Reach out to our expert team today for guidance in your next project.
