The Beauty of Exotic Metal Shines Through

As metal roofing becomes more popular, its aesthetic appeal is better appreciated and receives more attention. The need for a better quality, and a better looking, metal roofing product and accompanying advances in metal processing methods, have pushed the popularity of metal roofing far beyond the industrial plants, barns and tobacco sheds of yesterday.

Advances in color palettes and finishes have allowed this time-tested material to take on the look of more traditional products while still boasting all of its own desirable characteristics. Metal shingles designed to have the look of cedar shakes and any color imaginable, including those custom designed to be consistent with a corporate brand, have advanced metal roofing’s aesthetics. Those products are amazing and can help any project achieve a desired aesthetic while offering all of the benefits of metal.

But, what if the product you need isn’t a copy cat. What if you want a roof that stands up proudly as natural, unpainted metal and easily moves past the sea of disguised products? An exotic metal roof makes an incomparable aesthetic statement.

An exotic metal in its true form is striking. Metals such as zinc, stainless steel, titanium and copper demand and deserve the attention they receive for being themselves and for being different. These materials are often referred to as exotic because the appearance of a well-executed natural metal is magnificent, and the metal itself exudes a mystique.

And while the material remains true to itself, a finish is often necessary to allow the most functionality and performance while still delivering exotic beauty. Finishes can be rolled in, abrasive, colorized or embossed and offer many different, subtle appearances.

In addition the material’s aesthetics at the time of installation, long-term performance is also essential. Corrosion resistance and durability are important for both performance and aesthetics, as is the resistance to mold. When exotic metals are properly specified and installed they can last the life of the building with little maintenance. In going the distance, these materials not only provide an environmentally sensible solution, they are cheaper in the long run as compared to materials that require replacement.

A rusted, dented or algae covered metal roof panel is not visually appealing and means many problems for the building’s architect, owner and facility manager. Specifying a metal and finish that will perform for at least the useful life of the building is critical.

A finish, such as those we produce at Contrarian Metal Resources, creates an interesting visual and a high level of functionality. That translates into the ability to make an aesthetic statement while achieving the necessary level of performance to ensure those aesthetics remain intact.

Architectural metal finishes eliminate the need to compromise beauty for performance.

For example, an architect might desire the beauty and sleek nature of exotic metal for the roof of a technology center along a major interstate. The aesthetic of stainless steel might be just right for a high tech look but a highly reflective material isn’t appropriate in a high traffic area. A solution is to specify the exotic metal but with a low glare finish. The reduced reflectivity is suitable for the location and the stunning metal crowns the building just as the architect desired.