Metal tile roofing in Batumi: sheet, installation and prices

Metal tile roofing in Batumi: which sheet to choose

Metal tile is galvanised steel sheet with a polymer coating, pressed to look like rows of tiles. Metal tile roofing in Batumi lasts a long time if the sheet is chosen for the coastal environment rather than by price per square metre. For houses we use steel from 0.45–0.5 mm thick, a zinc coating no lower than the manufacturer specifies for aggressive environments, and a finish with a warranty valid at the distance from the sea where the house stands.

Coatings differ in thickness and durability. Gloss polyester is the cheapest and thinnest, matt polyester is thicker and scratches less during installation, and polyurethane-based coatings are thicker still and resist salt and ultraviolet better. For houses in the first blocks from the shore we offer the latter, and we check the manufacturer's warranty terms before ordering.

Profile, cutting and trimming

Sheets are ordered to the measured slope length so that the slope has no horizontal laps, or as few as possible. Profile height affects the look of the roof and the stiffness of the sheet: a tall profile holds its shape better in wind but costs more and is harder to work in valleys. On a hipped roof with hips and valleys there is more waste than on a simple gable roof, and that shows straight away in the estimate.

We cut sheets with metal shears or nibblers, never with an angle grinder: it burns off the zinc and coating along the edge, and the cut rusts first. Every cut edge is sealed with touch-up paint in the same colour, and swarf is swept off the roof the same day.

Underlay and ventilation

At night condensation forms under the sheet, especially in winter with high humidity. So metal tile is never laid straight onto battens on the rafters. First comes a breathable membrane, then counter-battens that give an air gap from eaves to ridge, and only then battens at the profile spacing. The ridge is ventilated, and the eaves have vents with mesh against birds and insects.

Fixings and wind

Sheets are fixed with roofing screws with a sealing washer, coated or stainless by the sea, in the colour of the sheet. We usually use 6–8 screws per m² in the middle of the slope and more at the eaves, gables and ridge, where wind off the sea presses harder. The screw goes into the trough of the profile and is tightened until the washer seals without being crushed: an overtightened screw leaks as badly as a loose one.

Details and trims

Valleys, wall and chimney junctions, verge and eaves trims are made of the same metal with the same coating. Under the bottom valley we lay a strip of continuous deck with underlay, and the top valley piece is set so that water does not run under it in a side wind. If the roof will have roof windows, we install them before the covering, in flashing kits for metal tile. Snow and water slide off smooth metal fast, so we fit snow guards over the entrance and paths and size the gutters with a margin.

Metal tile is cheaper than standing seam and simpler to install, but on low slopes and complex shapes standing seam is more reliable; see the standing seam roof page. How metal differs from bitumen shingles in noise and upkeep is covered in metal roof vs asphalt shingles.

How much a metal tile roof costs

A metal tile roof with materials on existing rafters costs from 200 ₾ per m²: membrane, counter-battens, battens, sheet, ridges, valleys and junctions. If you supply the material, metal tile installation starts from 34 ₾ per m², and removing the old covering with disposal from 19 ₾. Snow guards start from 81 ₾ per linear metre, a steel gutter system from 110 ₾ per linear metre of eaves. The final price is set after measuring the roof, once the estimate is agreed.