Metrotile: The No Drama Roof

Metrotile Lightweight Roofing originated in New Zealand over 40 years ago, demonstrating that you should expect so much more from a product as established as the traditional roof tile.

The concept is deceptively simple – press roof tiles from a highly durable, modern material (in this case, the highest quality steel), galvanise with an aluminium, magnesium and zinc (ZAM) compound and cover with a stone-chip coating. The result is a roof tile that, to this day, exceeds the expectations of a traditional modern roof tile by a significant margin and can be seen on rooftops all over the world.

The use of steel is the masterstroke of Metrotile’s design. By using steel as the base material, it means the profiles can be pressed much thinner than a traditional slate or clay tile and therefore weigh just one seventh of those products. The sheer strength of steel means that a Metrotile roof is far more durable and incredibly secure, whether held up against petty vandalism or the most extreme weather conditions. And yes, you read that correctly -  Metrotile profiles are thinner and lighter, but much stronger than traditional tiles!
Steel is fully recyclable and Metrotile ensures their tile profiles are pressed with a minimum of 25% recycled materials, yet the sustainability benefits don’t stop there. Each of our profiles is pressed at their state of the art facility in Tongerun, Belgium that has achieved ISO 14001 for its wastewater recycling system. Due to the low-weight factor, Metrotile can transport our tiles to site with just one seventh of the transport requirements, and of course less trucks on the road means less pollution.

An installed Metrotile roof offers exceptional insulation benefits, helping you keep on top of those ever-rising pesky home energy bills. In recent years, Metrotile has also become the roofing material of choice for conservatory manufacturers and solid roof conversions – thanks to Metrotile’s low weight, the average conservatory can have a fully insulated roof space on it instead of leaking all of your expensive heating into the outside world.

And if you want your roof to work for you? Well, Metrotile is ideal for rainwater harvesting and also offers a fully integrated photovoltaic system that generates energy from sunlight for use within your home.

It’s safe to say that, in the UK, we take our weather for granted. Other continents aren’t so lucky, with annual extreme weather occurrences from hurricanes to intense heat or snow storms being
a fact of life.

Metrotile is a global product and was created with these climates in mind,  subjected to a series of extreme weather tests ensuring your roof is safe against extreme wind uplift, cyclical freeze/thaw conditions and even desert heat. Metrotile profiles have also achieved the highest fire rating in the UK - EXT.S.AA –  under BS 476-3: 2004.

At the turn of the Millennium, Metrotile opened its UK warehouse in Chippenham, Wiltshire and has enjoyed year on year growth ever since as more and more specifiers, contractors, architects and end-users learn of the benefits a Metrotile roof has over traditional roofing materials.

Furthermore, Metrotile has grown to be as much a service as a product in the UK, with their warehouse able to offer a complete rooftop from rafters to tiles, accessories and even Velux windows, while the office is able to offer a full specification service and assistance before, during and after installation while offering peace of mind with a 40 year Weatherproof Guarantee.

Metrotile also back up their products and services with BBA certification, LABC Registration and specification services backed by RIBA/NBS including ensuring all products are available for free download on the National BIM Library.

Since its inception in the UK, Metrotile has been involved with a significant number of Housing Association and Local Authority projects - the Metrotile Shingle system has found great success as a replacement roof covering for Cornish Units for example, and Metrotile has proven itself as a replacement roof for Cornish Units and other ‘non-traditional’ homes time and time again. Many of these homes, such as BISFs, Cornish Units and Hawksley Bungalows have been subjected to frequent maintenance in an effort to maintain Government housing standards.

Metrotile Lightweight Roofing is swiftly installed and offers stunning aesthetics and incredible security benefits, while also contributing to the U-value of each home, reducing utility bills and keeping residents happy in the process.

The low weight of each profiles also a winner here, as Metrotile roofing puts much less strain on the supporting structure and foundations – a must for homes such as BISFs, that were erected as temporary housing with the framework to match.

Metrotile’s not only suitable for Housing Association refurbishment work - Metrotile’s benefits are every bit as useful for new-build projects. The low weight has lead to the specification of Metrotile roofing on modular factory-built homes, and Metrotile is very proud to be involved within the forward-thinking modular housing industry with such innovative fabricators as Ilke Homes and Cygnus Homes.

Modular housing has significant potential to alleviate the affordable housing shortage. Because modular homes are made in a factory, they take a lot less time than other types of homes. In fact, a standard property can be built in as little as 1-2 weeks. Ilke Homes can install up to six houses per day - much faster than traditionally built properties.  Another big advantage is that the weather doesn’t stop the work – it can be raining or snowing, and the factory can continue to produce the home, while work on site would have to stop.

Once the home is constructed, it usually takes another 2-4 weeks for the builder to put everything together once it reaches the site. It’s during this part that the low weight of Metrotile really comes into its own, helping to keep the weight of the building down during transportation before offering all of the benefits Metrotile is known for once the houses are fully installed. Continuing along the theme of constantly improving our services, Metrotile also recently became a member of the MPBA (Modular & Portable Building Association) to ensure further peace of mind for factory-build specifiers.

Metrotile is constantly improving their product line too, recently releasing a wide selection of new profile designs including the iPanel range. With extra lead time, they are able to offer you a Metrotile roof in any colour that you require. They’re also working on 3D CAD and animated renders of roof installations, continuing in our efforts to ensure Metrotile is as user and specifier-friendly as possible.

Metrotile offers an expansive range of tile profile styles and colours, with a full range of accessories to ensure they have the right roof for your project. This is all backed up by the know-how of their highly experienced customer care team. For more information about Metrotile Lightweight Roofing, or to get in touch for a free no-obligation quote or discussion, visit www.metrotile.co.uk or follow them on Twitter via @metrotileuk