"Sure, they held up great against corrosion, but we had issues with dents and scratches during installation—stuff I never saw with steel."
Yeah, aluminum can be pretty unforgiving during installation. Had a similar experience a few years back—panels looked great at first, but after a windy storm, those small dents became really noticeable. Makes me wonder if a thicker gauge aluminum might help offset that issue, or would that just drive costs up even more without enough benefit? Curious if anyone's tried that route...
"Makes me wonder if a thicker gauge aluminum might help offset that issue, or would that just drive costs up even more without enough benefit?"
Thicker gauge aluminum could definitely help with the denting issue, but yeah, cost is always the kicker. A few years back, we did a coastal roof replacement using heavier gauge aluminum panels—client insisted on it after previous storm damage. It held up noticeably better against dents and scratches during installation, and even after a couple of rough storms, it still looked pretty decent. But the price difference was significant enough that it made me question if it was really worth it in the long run.
One thing I noticed though—while thicker aluminum resisted dents better, it was still prone to scratching. Even minor handling mistakes left visible marks. Steel seems more forgiving in that regard, but then again, steel near saltwater... corrosion city.
Has anyone experimented with coatings or protective films during installation to minimize scratches and handling damage? Seems like there might be some middle ground there without jumping straight to thicker (and pricier) materials.
We tried a protective film once, and honestly, it was more hassle than it was worth—kept peeling off mid-installation. Maybe a spray-on coating would hold up better? Curious if anyone's had luck with something like that.
"Maybe a spray-on coating would hold up better? Curious if anyone's had luck with something like that."
Tried spray-on coatings a couple years back—honestly, wasn't impressed. Salt air near the coast is relentless, and even the best sprays wore thin quicker than expected. Ended up switching to aluminum roofing with a factory-applied marine-grade finish. Bit pricier upfront, but zero headaches since. Might be worth considering if you're tired of constant touch-ups...
Yeah, the spray-on stuff can be hit or miss. Had a similar experience at a beachside property a while back—thought we'd save cash by spraying instead of going for a full replacement. Looked good at first, but after one winter storm season, rust spots started popping right back up. Salt air doesn't mess around... it's like it finds any tiny weak spot and just goes to town.
Ended up biting the bullet and getting a marine-grade aluminum roof too. Honestly, best decision we made. Couple neighbors went with galvanized steel thinking it'd hold up, but they're already spotting corrosion again after just two years. Aluminum's pricier upfront for sure, but in the long run, saves you money (and sanity) from constant maintenance headaches.
If you're set on trying sprays first, maybe go with something really heavy-duty and marine-specific—but just keep expectations realistic. Coastal living has its perks, but easy roofing maintenance isn't usually one of them.
