When did steel roofing start? Early people on Earth were thought to live in caves, but archaeologists found it evident in that era how there was already an old way of roofing using different materials like animal parts, wood, and clay.
So, when did we start using steel as a roofing material?
17th Century
Introduced in the United States by Robert Morris, a revolutionary war financier, and innovator, he produced iron sheets at his rolling mill in Trenton, New Jersey, for the roof on his Philadelphia mansion in 1794.
18th Century
In the early 18th century, specifically in the 1820s, steel material has started to become popular within the Industrial Revolution. Steel roof, first called Corrugated steel – is a manufactured alloy, after mixing the iron and carbon- invented in Britain and patented in England in 1829. The groove of steel roofs was primarily made to reduce the installation and labor costs, as steel roofs can be used over a wide area even with a lighter frame due to their proven strength.
As industrialization arose, more machine and chemical processing started. For example, the Galvanization of steel roofs began in 1837. It was developed in France to treat metals with Zinc to prevent rusting.
It was the 1850’s when steel roofs were used in post offices, train sheds, and factories. It was sought after because steel roofing added a fire-proof feature due to the galvanization process, which is still used up to this day.
19th Century
Competition of Asphalt Shingles and Steel Roof started. Asphalt Shingles is found low-cost compared to Steel Roofs, but due to maintenance costs and fire-proof grade, steel roofing continues to rise and is principally called a 19th-century phenomenon.
Its rise in popularity is attributed to it being extremely resistant to external elements that help protect people inside and their belongings. In addition, it shields the home from the impact of debris and has an improved response from chemical degradation.
20th Century
It is the century of creating more durable steel roofs and developing them for low and steep-slope roofing. It is also the time when roof components like gutters, downspouts, and flashing are introduced to make roofing elegant, sophisticated, and increase its durability.
Present
Nowadays, you will have a lot of options for roofing materials. However, steel roofing will always be the first choice for residential and commercial property owners who are looking for durability, fire resistance, elegance, and sophisticated style roofing.
The abundance of iron is evident in 4000 BC; it is proof that the primary part of the steel roof will remain environmentally friendly since its naturally available and highly recyclable.
In New Zealand, steel roofing quickly becomes a characteristic for buildings and walls. In Jah’s Glory, we commit to providing quality artistry for each steel roofing and wall cladding project. We’ve lined up experienced professionals who value real craft, and we don’t rush, as we take every step to get the job done right. We make sure each steel roof and wall cladding project we do in Auckland lives up to everyone’s expectations.
Let our friendly and experienced professionals help you achieve that dream design without sacrificing durability. If you’re interested in finding out more about steel roofing or wall cladding for any of your properties, you can book a call here or drop us a message via jerome@jahsglory.co.nz.
