What are the disadvantages of metal roof shingles?
The main disadvantages of metal roof shingles are a high upfront cost (roughly $6 to $14 per square foot installed, against $5 to $8 for architectural asphalt), rain and hail noise, denting on softer metals, oil canning on flat profiles, fastener loosening from thermal movement, corrosion at cut edges, and repairs that are hard to color match once a profile is discontinued. Most of these are manageable with the right product and installer, but they are real trade-offs against asphalt.
Reviewed by The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: October 2026.
- Cost: $6 to $14 per square foot installed for metal shingles and $7 to $13 for stone-coated steel, per HomeGuide (November 2025), versus $5 to $8 for architectural asphalt in our 2026 roofing cost report. For a breakdown by type and brand, see our guide to metal shingle roof cost.
- Noise: louder in heavy rain and hail without solid decking and underlayment.
- Denting: aluminum and thinner-gauge steel show hail and branch impacts.
- Oil canning: visible waviness, mostly on flat metal panels rather than textured shingles.
- Repairs: matching a faded or discontinued shingle profile years later is difficult.
- Corrosion: cut edges, scratches, and contact with dissimilar metals can rust.
The upfront cost runs well above asphalt
Cost is the disadvantage most homeowners hit first. HomeGuide’s Metal Roof Cost guide (updated November 2025) puts metal shingles at $6 to $14 per square foot installed and stone-coated steel at $700 to $1,300 per square, or $7 to $13 per square foot. Our 2026 roofing cost report puts architectural asphalt at $5 to $8. On a 1,700 square foot roof, stone-coated steel at those ranges costs about $11,900 to $22,100 against $8,500 to $13,600 for asphalt, a gap of roughly $3,400 to $8,500 before any tear-off or deck work (Roofing Brief arithmetic, low end against low end and high end against high end).
The premium comes from the material, the specialized labor, and the trim and accessory package a metal system needs. On a 1,700 square foot roof the premium is roughly $3,400 to $8,500, and payback depends on how long you keep the house, because the extra lifespan only pays off if you stay past the point where a second asphalt roof would have been due. For a short-term owner in a mild climate, the math often favors asphalt.
| Roof type | Installed cost per sq ft | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt | $5 to $8 | 20 to 30 years |
| Stone-coated steel shingles | $7 to $13 | 40 to 50 years |
| Stamped steel or aluminum shingles | $6 to $14 (all metal shingles) | 40 to 50 years |
| Standing seam metal | $9 to $16 | 40 to 60 years |
Sources: HomeGuide Metal Roof Cost (November 2025) for the metal rows; our 2026 roofing cost report for architectural asphalt. Lifespans are general ranges, not warranty terms. See our full breakdown of what a metal roof costs and how the numbers move with pitch and gauge.
Metal roofs are louder in rain and hail
Metal roof shingles can be noisier than asphalt during heavy rain, hail, or falling debris. The sound is loudest when metal is installed over open framing or thin decking with only felt beneath it. A shingle profile over solid plywood or OSB decking, plus a synthetic underlayment and an insulated, ventilated attic, dampens most of the drumming. Stone-coated lines such as DECRA Shingle XD use a granular surface for this reason.
Stone-coated steel shingles are quieter than bare stamped metal because the granules break up impact sound, and the fix is specified at install, not after (see ESR-1754 below):
- Use the deck the maker specifies. ICC-ES report ESR-1754 calls for solid sheathing under DECRA’s direct-to-deck panels, with gaps in old spaced sheathing filled, while DECRA’s Tile and Shake batten guide allows counter battens and battens over spaced sheathing; HomeGuide says that batten air space also helps dampen sound.
- Add a synthetic or peel-and-stick underlayment layer.
- Choose a granule-coated or textured shingle profile over a flat panel.
- Keep attic insulation at the code R-value for your climate zone.
Softer metals dent from hail and branches
Denting is a genuine drawback, and it is worse on softer or thinner metal. Aluminum shingles and 29-gauge steel show hail dimples and branch impacts more readily than 26-gauge steel or stone-coated products, whose granular surface hides minor marks. Everyday hail rarely penetrates a metal roof, but a severe storm with large stones can leave cosmetic dents that do not leak yet still bother owners.
A dented metal roof is often functional, so carriers may treat 26-gauge or 29-gauge dents as cosmetic and decline a full replacement. Our guide to metal roof hail damage covers where the cosmetic versus functional line usually falls and how claims tend to play out.
Oil canning shows waviness on flat profiles
Oil canning is the visible waviness or oil-slick look that appears across broad flat areas of metal, mostly 29-gauge pans. It is a cosmetic issue, not a structural failure, and it shows up far more on flat standing seam pans than on textured or stamped shingles. Metal roof shingles with a shake, tile, or slate profile break the surface into small facets, so oil canning is one metal drawback that shingle products largely sidestep. Standing seam buyers can compare striated vs flat metal panels for oil canning control.
Oil canning is driven by tight fastening, thin gauge (29-gauge steel shows it more than 26-gauge), and long uninterrupted panels; striations, tension-leveled metal, and heavier gauge reduce it but rarely remove it.
Thermal movement can loosen fasteners
Metal expands and contracts with temperature swings, and over years that movement can back out exposed fasteners or fatigue sealant, which is why exposed-fastener panels typically need re-screwing around the 15 to 20 year mark. Exposed-fastener systems, where screws pass through the metal face into the deck, are the most exposed to this because every washer is a potential leak point once it loosens or the rubber gasket ages. Hidden-fastener and clip-fastened shingle systems that let the metal float largely avoid this risk.
The practical consequence is a maintenance rhythm asphalt does not have: periodic checks of fasteners, sealant, and penetrations, and a re-screwing or re-sealing job somewhere around the 15 to 20 year mark on exposed-fastener panels.
Repairs and color matching are the hidden headache
Metal roof shingles are made of many small interlocking pieces, and matching one years after install is harder than swapping an asphalt shingle. Finishes fade slowly in UV, so a new piece rarely matches the weathered 40 to 50 year field. If the maker discontinues a profile or color, a clean repair may require salvage or replacing a whole slope for appearance.
Removing and reinstalling interlocked metal shingles is also more labor than lifting a few asphalt tabs on a 20 to 30 year roof, because pieces lock into neighbors on multiple edges. Book a metal specialist rather than a handyman, and ask the installer to leave a few spare pieces at the original install. Before counting on a warranty to pay for repairs, check what stone-coated steel warranties exclude.
Corrosion at cut edges and dissimilar metals
Coated metal resists rust, but the protection is thinnest at cut edges, scratches, and drill points. Coastal salt air accelerates rust on exposed steel edges, which is why aluminum or heavily coated products are specified near the ocean (26-gauge steel included). Galvanic corrosion is a second, quieter risk: when dissimilar metals touch, such as copper flashing against steel or the wrong fastener metal, one corrodes faster.
Sealed and hemmed edges, compatible fasteners and flashings, and touch-up on field cuts keep corrosion from starting, so this drawback depends on the installer.
Finding a qualified installer is harder
Fewer crews install metal shingles well than install asphalt, so vetting matters more and the labor costs more on a $6 to $14 per square foot job. A poor metal install shows up as oil canning, leaks at fasteners and flashings, or corrosion at botched cuts, and those defects are expensive to unwind.
Ask for 3 metal-specific references, manufacturer certification for the exact product, and photos of finished valleys, hips, and penetrations on roofs 5 or more years old. For the full picture of how metal stacks up against the alternative most homeowners weigh it against, see our metal versus asphalt shingle roof comparison.
Which disadvantages are overblown?
Metal does not attract lightning and is non-combustible (a point DECRA’s metal roofing myths page also makes), and reflective, cool-rated finishes usually run cooler than dark asphalt. Separate these myths from the real trade-offs of $6 to $14 per square foot cost, noise, denting, and repairs.
Weigh the drawbacks against the payoff: the benefits of metal roofing are a 40 to 50 year lifespan versus 20 to 30 for architectural asphalt, fire and wind resistance, and low upkeep.
| If you… | Then |
|---|---|
| Will sell within about 10 to 15 years in a mild climate | Architectural asphalt ($5 to $8 per sq ft); metal’s 40 to 50 year life will not pay back |
| Will stay 20+ years or live in a hail or wildfire region | Stone-coated steel ($7 to $13 per sq ft) or 26-gauge steel |
| Hear rain noise as a deal-breaker | Solid decking plus underlayment, and a granule-coated profile |
| Live within sight of salt water | Aluminum or heavily coated product, with sealed cut edges |
| Want the fewest seams to match or repair | Standing seam ($9 to $16 per sq ft) over small interlocking shingles |
Metal shingles vs standing seam: which has more drawbacks?
Metal roof shingles ($6 to $14 per square foot) and standing seam ($9 to $16) share the metal drawbacks but not evenly. Shingles hide oil canning and dampen noise better because of their broken, textured surface, and stone-coated versions resist visible denting. Standing seam wins on the repair and fastener side, because long clip-fastened panels have fewer seams to fail and a simpler field to match, though a damaged panel can mean replacing a full run.
| Drawback | Metal shingles | Standing seam |
|---|---|---|
| Oil canning | Low (textured profile) | Higher (flat pans) |
| Rain and hail noise | Lower (granule or stamped surface) | Higher (large flat area) |
| Visible denting | Hidden on stone-coated | More visible |
| Repair and color match | Harder (many small pieces) | Easier field, but panel-length swaps |
| Fastener risk | Low (hidden or interlocked) | Low (concealed clips) |
| Installed cost per sq ft | $6 to $14 (HomeGuide, Nov. 2025) | $9 to $16 (HomeGuide, Nov. 2025) |
If the look of shingles or tile is the goal, the profile choices ($7 to $13 per square foot stone-coated, $6 to $14 other metal shingles) are covered in our guide to metal roofs that look like shingles. For the broader picture on materials and how long each actually lasts in the field, our roofing material lifespan report tracks real-world numbers against marketing claims.
Frequently asked questions
What are the disadvantages of metal roof shingles?
The main disadvantages are a high upfront cost of roughly $6 to $14 per square foot installed against $5 to $8 for architectural asphalt, rain and hail noise, denting on softer metals like aluminum and thin-gauge steel, oil canning on flat profiles, fastener loosening from thermal movement, corrosion at cut edges, and repairs that are hard to color match once a profile is discontinued. Most are manageable with the right product and installer.
Are metal roofs noisy in the rain?
Metal roofs can be louder in heavy rain and hail, but the noise is largely controlled by installation. Over solid decking with a synthetic underlayment and an insulated, ventilated attic, the sound drops to a level most owners stop noticing on a roof meant to last 40 to 50 years. Stone-coated or textured shingle profiles are quieter than bare flat metal because the surface breaks up impact sound.
Do metal roof shingles dent from hail?
They can, and softer or thinner metal dents more easily. Aluminum and 29-gauge steel show hail dimples and branch impacts more readily than 26-gauge steel or stone-coated shingles, whose granular surface hides minor marks. Everyday hail rarely penetrates metal, but a severe large-stone storm can leave cosmetic dents that do not leak yet may still be declined as cosmetic by insurers.
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost?
It depends on how long you stay. Metal roof shingles cost about $6 to $14 per square foot installed (HomeGuide, November 2025) versus $5 to $8 for architectural asphalt, so the payback comes only if you keep the house long enough to skip a second asphalt roof. In a mild climate for a short-term owner, asphalt often wins on cost. Longer ownership and severe-weather regions favor metal.
Do metal roofs attract lightning?
No. Metal roofing does not increase the odds of a lightning strike, and because it is non-combustible it is safer if a strike does occur. This is one of the metal roof drawbacks that does not hold up, along with the idea that metal makes a house hotter in summer, which reflective and cool-rated finishes disprove; the real trade-offs start at $6 to $14 per square foot.
Why are metal roof repairs harder than asphalt?
Metal roof shingles are many small interlocking pieces, so a damaged one locks into its neighbors on multiple edges and takes more labor to swap than an asphalt tab. Finishes also fade in UV, so a new piece rarely matches the weathered field, and a discontinued profile or color can force a salvage hunt or a full-slope replacement for appearance. Keeping spare pieces from the original install helps on a 40 to 50 year roof.