British Columbia · Metal shingles buyer's guide
Metal shingles in BC: how to choose
Metal shingles are steel or aluminum panels stamped to look like shingles, slate, shake or tile. The base metal is the decision that matters: steel lasts as long as its zinc or aluminum-zinc coating keeps it from rusting, while aluminum doesn't rust and weighs about a third as much. Interlock® metal shingles are aluminum, made in Canada in Delta, BC.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 8, 2026
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Painted steel
Usually the lowest price
Protected by its metallic coating and paint.
Stone-coated steel
A matte, granular look
Steel underneath, with the same coating dependence.
Aluminum
Doesn't rust
About one-third the density of steel (ASM International).
The three kinds of metal shingle
"Metal shingles" covers three different products that look alike from the street and behave differently on a roof for decades. The difference is the metal underneath the paint.
| Type | What it is | What protects it | Weight | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painted steel shingles | Steel sheet with a metallic coating and baked paint, stamped to a shingle, tile or slate look | A zinc (galvanized) or aluminum-zinc (Galvalume) coating under the paint | Heaviest of the bare metals for the same thickness | Rust can start where the coating is cut, scratched or worn through, and at cut edges as the coating is used up |
| Stone-coated steel shingles | Steel shingles with stone granules bonded to the surface for a matte, textured look | The metallic coating, plus the granule layer | Heavier than painted metal | Granules can wear off in valleys and walkways; the steel underneath has the same coating dependence |
| Aluminum shingles | Aluminum sheet with a baked finish, interlocked panel to panel | Aluminum's own oxide film, which blocks further oxidation; there is no steel to rust | About one-third the density of steel | Aluminum can dent under large hail or foot traffic; usually costs more than steel up front |
Steel coating behaviour: ArcelorMittal Dofasco (Galvalume product information) and Gibraltar Building Products. Aluminum properties: ASM International. Full references at the end of the page.
Interlock® metal shingles on BC homes
Recent Interlock® roofs installed by our own BC company. Tap a roof to see all of its photos.
Musket Grey Shake · Summerland, BC
Deep Charcoal Slate · Anglemont, BC
Black Slate · Sooke, BC · 5 photos
Deep Charcoal Shake · Whistler, BC
Deep Charcoal Slate · Nanoose Bay, BC
Deep Charcoal Slate · Sechelt, BC · 4 photos
Copper Penny Slate · Ladysmith, BC · 4 photos
Colonial Brown Slate · Shawnigan Lake, BC · 6 photos
What matters most on a roof in BC
Wet coastal winters
From Metro Vancouver to the Island and the Sunshine Coast, a roof spends most of the winter wet. Cedar holds that water and softens; asphalt granules trap the debris moss grows in. Aluminum absorbs nothing and cannot rot. Valleys and gutters still collect needles and leaves, so we'll tell you what to clear and how often.
Salt air on the coast and islands
Waterfront homes on the coast, the Island and the Gulf Islands take salt spray all year. Aluminum does not rust, so salt air doesn't do to it what it does to steel.
Concealed fasteners
Exposed screws through the face of a panel depend on rubber washers that age in sun, rain and cold. Shingles that interlock with the fasteners hidden under the next course have no exposed screw heads to re-seal.
Who installs it
Interlocking shingles are less forgiving of poor installation than asphalt. Ask who will be on your roof, whether they are the manufacturer's certified installer, and who handles service calls.
Questions to ask any metal shingle contractor
- What is the base metal, steel or aluminum, and what is its thickness?
- Who is the warrantor of the material warranty, the manufacturer or the contractor, and does coverage reduce over time?
- Is the finish warranty separate from the material warranty, and what does it cover (chalking, fading, peeling)?
- Are the fasteners exposed or concealed?
- Will my old roof come off? If you plan to roof over it, what does your inspection check first?
- Will you give me a WorkSafeBC clearance letter and your liability insurance certificate?
- Is the price in writing, and what happens if you find rot once the old roof is open?
Interlock® metal shingles
We install one metal shingle system: the Interlock® aluminum roof, made in Canada by Interlock Roofing in Delta, BC. Panels interlock on all four sides with the fasteners concealed, in Slate, Cedar Shingle, Shake and Mediterranean Tile, plus Standing Seam.
The manufacturer's specification: aluminum alloy per ASTM B209 at 0.019 in (0.483 mm) nominal base thickness, a five-layer Alunar® fluorocarbon finish with a 30 Year Alunar® Coating Warranty, and the Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty on material and finish. Wind resistance is warranted to 193 km/h (120 mph) installed to manufacturer specification.
Across British Columbia we have completed 2,244 Interlock® roofs, all installed by our own company.
Questions, answered
What are metal shingles?
Metal shingles are roofing panels stamped from painted steel, stone-coated steel or aluminum to look like asphalt shingles, slate, cedar shake or tile. They install in overlapping or interlocking courses, like shingles, rather than as long vertical sheets.
Are metal shingles good for BC?
For a house you plan to keep, they suit BC well: they shed rain and snow, absorb no water for moss or rot to work on, and outlast asphalt. The choice that matters most is the base metal. Steel depends on its coating to keep from rusting; aluminum doesn't rust, which counts near salt water.
Steel or aluminum metal shingles?
Steel usually costs less up front. Aluminum doesn't rust, weighs about a third as much for the same thickness, and suits roofs near the ocean, under trees that keep them damp, or anywhere you want the longest-lived option. Aluminum can dent under large hail; so can thin steel.
Do metal shingles cost more than asphalt shingles?
Yes, up front. Over the years you own the house the comparison usually turns, because an asphalt roof is torn off and replaced. Our metal roof cost guide shows real prices from our own BC contracts; compare them with an asphalt quote over the same years.
Can metal shingles go over existing asphalt shingles?
Sometimes. A single layer of asphalt can be roofed over only if an inspection finds it suitable and local code permits. Cedar shakes, concrete tile and natural slate always come off first.
Are metal shingles noisy in the rain?
Over a solid roof deck and underlayment, which is how residential metal shingles are installed, they are not the drumming of a bare metal barn roof.
Who installs metal shingles in BC?
Interlock Metal Roofing (BC) Ltd. installs Interlock® aluminum metal shingles across British Columbia from its office in Delta. Call (604) 210-3850 or book a free consultation on Zoom or at home.
Sources
- ArcelorMittal Dofasco: Galvalume™ steel sheet, product information
- Gibraltar Building Products: why are the edges of my painted galvanized roof rusting?
- J.R. Davis, "Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys", Alloying: Understanding the Basics, ASM International (2001)
- Interlock Roofing: aluminum shingles, technical specifications
- Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty (full terms)
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 8, 2026.
Get Interlock® metal shingles priced.
A fixed price in writing after one visit, on Zoom or at your home. Most BC homeowners choose Zoom. Interlock Metal Roofing (BC) Ltd. · 9969 River Way, Delta, BC V4G 1M8
