Metal Roofing Calculator

How to Estimate Metal Roofing Sheets and Panels

A metal roof is one of the most durable material options for your home. Metal roofs come in many different styles and materials.

Common types include standing seam roofs, metal shingles, tiles, and metal sheet roofing. Aluminum roofs are the most common, but roofing is also available in terne (tin), copper, steel, and zinc. Each type of metal may be available in a set type or types of roofing.

For example, copper and zinc may be available as rolled roofing, while steel can be found in sheets as well as stone-coated shakes and tiles. Regardless of the type of metal or style of roofing, all metal roofs are sold and installed by the square, which is equal to 100 sq. ft. When ordering supplies, it is important to estimate materials correctly to allow for an efficient installation process.

Steps to Estimate Metal Roofing

Measure the length and width of each roof section in feet, then multiply together to get the square footage. For some roofs, this can be simple, but for complex roofs, you may want to hire a roofer to give you a more accurate estimate. Keep in mind that the square footage of your home and of your roof have no correlation.

The more sections a roof has, the more square footage there will be. For example, a hipped roof, which has four sides, will need twice as much material as a gable roof, which has two sides, even if both roofs are installed on identical houses with the same footprint.

If you are unable to crawl on the roof, you can estimate a simple roof by measuring the roof’s footprint and finding its square footage. Multiply the footprint square footage by the multiplier for your roof pitch to find the actual square footage of the roof. Use our roof pitch calculator to find the pitch of your roof.