How stone-coated steel is made
Every stone-coated steel roof starts as a steel sheet run through a bath of molten aluminum-zinc alloy. DECRA's layer list is a good example of what comes next.
- An acrylic primer on both sides of the sheet.
- An acrylic base coat that works as the glue for the granules.
- Ceramic-coated stone granules pressed into that base coat.
- A clear acrylic overglaze that seals the granules in.
The other makers describe the same recipe in their own words. Erie Home says its stone chips are bonded with an acrylic resin binder. QueenTile describes Aluzinc-coated steel with natural stone under an acrylic glaze.
The granules carry the color. DECRA buys its granules from 3M, where pigment is baked onto crushed stone in a ceramic process.
Stone-coated steel makers
Four brands show up on the sites of Orlando roofers on our list. Warranty terms below are in each maker's own words, so read the full document before you sign.
| Maker | Profiles | Warranty (maker's wording) | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| DECRA (by IKO) | Tile, Villa Tile, Shake, Shake XD, Shingle XD | Lifetime Limited Warranty; winds warrantied to 120 mph | Says every product is approved for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone |
| Unified Steel (Westlake Royal) | Barrel-Vault Tile, Pacific Tile, Pine-Crest Shake, Cottage Shingle, Granite-Ridge Shingle | 50-year limited, transferable | Made in the USA; Class 4 impact rated |
| QueenTile | Classic, Standard, Verona, Shake, Slate | 50-year warranty | Made in Ukraine; Aluzinc steel core |
| Erie Home | Dimensional shingle, shake, Spanish tile | Limited lifetime, transferable | Sells only its own brand, installed by local partners |
DECRA and Unified Steel both cite Class 4 impact ratings, which DECRA notes is UL's highest. DECRA also says its products are tested to the TAS-100 wind-driven rain standard.
Battens vs direct-to-deck installation
Stone-coated panels go on one of two ways, and the profile usually decides which. DECRA installs its Tile and Shake on battens, and its Villa Tile, Shingle XD and Shake XD direct to the deck.
A batten install lays a grid of wood strips over the deck and fastens the panels to it. DECRA says the grid leaves a continuous 1½-inch air space, and that battens are usually preferred when going over an old roof.
Direct-to-deck panels fasten straight to the plywood. DECRA calls this the better fit for complex roofs with dormers, valleys and cupolas, because there is no raised grid to work around.
HomeGuide notes that battens usually cost more, for the extra labor and lumber. Unified Steel's FAQ says its profile shape creates above-sheathing ventilation that helps keep the house cooler in summer.
Weight compared with tile
Weight is where stone-coated steel beats the tile it imitates. DECRA lists its panels at 150 to 160 pounds per 100 square feet installed, or 1.4 to 1.6 pounds per square foot.
By DECRA's math, a typical roof of its panels weighs 3,700 to 4,500 pounds. The same roof in clay or concrete tile weighs 18,000 to 45,000 pounds.
If you're choosing between the real thing and the steel version, our metal roof vs tile comparison for Florida walks through wind, weight and price.
Granule shedding
Granule loss is the main knock on stone-coated steel. EDCO, which makes painted steel shingles, argues that the stone coat washes off over time and ends up in gutters.
DECRA's answer is the stone itself. It says brittle stone such as limestone or slate can break down and shed early. So it specifies hard, round, cubical granules set in an acrylic base coat.
Care matters too. DECRA tells owners to clean the roof at least once a year, keep water pressure under 500 psi and never force granules off. If you see bare metal showing, call the installer while the roof is under warranty.
Rain noise
A stone-coated steel roof is one of the quieter metal roofs in a downpour, by its makers' account. DECRA credits the textured surface and the cushion of granules for breaking up the sound of rain. QueenTile says its stone coating mutes hail.
The layers underneath matter as much. Universal Roof & Contracting (a sponsor of this site) blames rain noise on a missing layer. It says a solid deck, underlayment and attic insulation keep it down.
Stone-coated steel cost in Orlando
JA Edwards, an Orlando roofer, publishes $12,000 to $22,000 for a stone-coated steel roof or metal shingles on a typical home. HomeGuide's metal roof guide, dated November 21, 2025, puts stone-coated steel at $700 to $1,300 per 100 square feet installed.
Battens and tear-off of the old roof both add cost, per HomeGuide. For more local numbers, see metal roof cost in Orlando.
Orlando roofers that install stone-coated steel
Eight of the 18 roofers on our Orlando list install stone-coated steel, per their own websites.
- Universal Roof & Contracting (sponsor): installs stone-coated steel with a tile or shake look over a galvanized steel core.
- Gravity Roofing: offers Unified Steel in five profiles, with Unified's 50-year limited transferable warranty.
- Fiddler's Roofing: installs QueenTile in Verona barrel tile, Shake and Slate.
- Erie Home: sells only its own stone-coated steel, installed by local partners.
- GMR Metal Roofs Florida: shows DECRA work next to its standing seam.
- Roof Bear: lists stone-coated steel among its metal systems.
- JA Edwards of America: installs it and publishes the price range above.
- Direct Metal Roofing: installs tile, shake and shingle profiles with a stone-granule finish.
Metlok, our other sponsor, is smooth Galvalume steel, not stone-coated; its profiles are in our metal shingles guide. All four systems are side by side on metal roof types. Full profiles of each roofer are on our list of the best metal roofers in Orlando.
Stone-coated steel compared
Sources: DECRA, Functional Components; DECRA, Home; DECRA, Battens vs. Direct-to-Deck; DECRA, Metal Roofing Myths; DECRA, Commercial Brochure (2023); DECRA, Roofing Granules; DECRA, Yearly Maintenance for DECRA Metal Roofs (RoofersCoffeeShop); Westlake Royal, Unified Steel; Unified Steel, FAQs; QueenTile (manufacturer); QueenTile USA; Erie Home, Metal Roofing; EDCO, Metal Roofing vs Stone Coated Metal Roofing; HomeGuide, Metal Roof Cost (Nov 21, 2025); HomeGuide, Stone-Coated Steel Roofing Cost; JA Edwards of America, Metal Roofing Orlando; Universal Roof & Contracting, Metal Roofing Orlando; Gravity Roofing, Stone-Coated Steel; Fiddler's Roofing, Residential Metal Roofing; GMR Metal Roofs Florida; Roof Bear; Direct Metal Roofing, Stone-Coated Steel; Metlok, Products
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