Stone coated steel vs standing seam at a glance
Both start as coated steel. DECRA uses an aluminum-zinc hot-dip coat, and Florida's code accepts Galvalume (AZ50) or G-90 galvanized steel under standing seam. What goes on top, and how the panels attach, is where they part ways.
| Feature | Stone-coated steel | Standing seam |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Stone granules set in acrylic, under a clear glaze | Factory paint, often PVDF |
| Looks like | Tile, shake or shingle | Metal, with raised vertical seams |
| How it attaches | Wood battens or direct to the deck, by profile | Hidden clips or a nail strip under each seam |
| Lowest slope | 3:12 for most DECRA profiles, 4:12 for Shingle XD | 1/4 in. per foot in Florida's code |
| Weight | 150 to 160 lb per 100 sq ft (DECRA) | 150 to 200 lb per 100 sq ft for steel (Englert) |
| Orlando price (JA Edwards) | $12,000 to $22,000 | $18,000 to $35,000 |
Englert lists standard steel panels at 1.5 to 2 pounds per square foot, which is where the standing seam weight comes from. Neither one comes close to the load of real tile.
How each one looks on a house
Stone-coated steel is made to pass for something else. From the street it reads as clay tile, cedar shake or dimensional shingle, with the granules giving it a matte, gritty surface.
Standing seam makes no attempt to hide. It has smooth pans and sharp vertical seams, and the paint has a slight sheen.
Our view: in a neighborhood of barrel tile roofs, stone-coated tile is the quieter choice. On a modern or farmhouse design, standing seam looks like it belongs.
How each one is attached
Stone-coated panels go on one of two ways. DECRA's spec sheet lists battens for its Tile and Shake, and direct-to-deck installs for its Villa Tile, Shake XD and Shingle XD.
Standing seam panels are held under the seams by clips or a slotted nail strip. The metal can move with heat while the fasteners stay hidden.
Roof pitch decides some houses
DECRA lists a 3:12 minimum pitch for most profiles and 4:12 for Shingle XD. Florida's code lets standing seam go to 1/4 inch of rise per foot.
A low lanai or porch roof below those pitches can't take stone-coated steel. The usual fix is standing seam on that section only.
Weight is close between the two. DECRA lists 150 to 160 pounds per 100 square feet installed, and steel standing seam lands in a similar range. Our metal roof vs tile comparison covers the much heavier real thing.
Florida wind ratings and code
DECRA's spec sheet lists UL 580 and UL 1897 uplift testing at Class 90, a Florida product approval and a Miami-Dade NOA. Its home page says every DECRA product is approved for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. It also says every product meets the TAS-100 wind-driven rain standard.
Standing seam must pass UL 580, ASTM E1592 or TAS 125 under Florida's code. Tri County Metals' 2023 approval rates its standing seam from -75 to -176 psf, depending on panel and clip spacing.
Watch the difference between a wind warranty and a wind rating. DECRA's warranty covers winds up to 120 mph, while Gulf Coast Supply's aluminum panel warranty excludes wind damage. The approval's design pressure, in psf, is what tells you the roof meets code for your house.
DECRA's spec sheet lists approval revision 9759-R9. Approval numbers get revised, so check the current one on the Florida Building Commission's product approval site before you sign.
Heat, finish and noise
The granules carry the color on stone-coated steel. DECRA says infrared-blocking pigments in its granules block heat from the sun. It adds that its roofs are installed with airspace between the deck and the panel, letting hot air vent out at the ridge.
Standing seam relies on paint, so color choice drives heat. The EPA says cool roofs can cut peak cooling demand 11% to 27%. With a 92.0°F average July high in Orlando (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), lighter colors earn their keep on either roof.
On noise, DECRA says its roofs are not noisy in rain because texture and granules absorb sound. That's the maker's claim; none of the sources we read published sound tests for either system.
Maintenance and wear
Stone-coated steel's wear surface is the granules. Shedding is the usual knock, and makers argue both sides; our stone-coated steel roof guide walks through the claims.
Standing seam's weak spots are flashing, penetrations and the look of the flat pans. Gulf Coast Supply says oil canning, a waviness in flat areas, is cosmetic. It also says thicker gauges and striated panels lower the risk.
The Galvalume service-life study behind standing seam assumed at least yearly maintenance: clearing debris and inspecting the roof. Plan the same yearly look for either system.
Lifespan and warranty
DECRA offers a Lifetime Limited Warranty on single-family detached homes in the U.S. and Canada. It covers wind to 120 mph and hailstones up to 2.5 inches. Owners can transfer it within 20 years of installation.
Gravity Roofing installs Unified Steel stone-coated panels, which carry a 50-year limited transferable manufacturer warranty. On standing seam, Gravity gives 10 years of workmanship on its 24-gauge tier.
Standing seam paint and metal warranties come from the panel maker. Gulf Coast Supply offers 50-year PVDF paint coverage, and Mid Florida Exteriors lists 40 years on paint and 25 on corrosion. A study sponsored by the Metal Construction Association projected more than 60 years for unpainted Galvalume standing seam.
Stone coated steel vs standing seam cost
Stone-coated steel costs less in Orlando. JA Edwards publishes $12,000 to $22,000 for stone-coated steel or metal shingles and $18,000 to $35,000 for standing seam on a typical home.
HomeGuide (Nov 21, 2025) shows the same order nationally. It lists stone-coated steel at $700 to $1,300 per 100 square feet installed and standing seam at $900 to $1,600. See metal roof cost in Orlando for more local prices.
Which fits an Orlando house
Pick stone-coated steel if
- Your street or HOA is mostly tile or shake roofs.
- Every roof section is 3:12 or steeper.
- You want a warranty that names a wind speed and a hail size.
Pick standing seam if
- Part of the roof is a low-slope porch, lanai or addition.
- You want a smooth, modern metal look.
- You want more installers bidding and your choice of gauge and paint.
Stuck on stone coated steel vs standing seam because you want a tile or slate look without granules? Painted-steel shingles are a third route, covered in metal shingles vs standing seam. Metlok, one of our sponsors, makes and installs that kind.
Sponsored
Metlok
Best for: A metal roof that looks like shingle, slate, shake or tile
- Metal system
- 26-ga Galvalume steel shingles
- Profiles
- Shingle, Slate; Shake and Barrel coming
- Warranty
- 50-yr limited lifetime, labor + materials
Metlok makes its own steel shingles in its own factory, and its own crews install them, so one company answers for both. Each panel locks to its neighbors on all four sides, so no screws show on the finished roof. Its Shingle and Slate panels carry Florida Product Approval FL47482.
Shingle and Slate profiles are available now, with Shake and Barrel listed as coming soon, in colors such as Carbon Gray, Coastal Drift and Tuscan Clay. November offer: $3,500 off a new Metlok roof signed by Nov 30.
Watch for: Only 6 Google reviews so far, and it's one product line. For standing seam, see the next pick.
Source: metlokroofing.com (products, warranty), Metlok's Google profile and November offer terms, checked Nov 8, 2026
For a deeper look at the panel side, read our standing seam metal roof guide.
Orlando roofers that install both
These roofers on our list install stone-coated steel and standing seam, per their own websites, so one visit can price both.
- Universal Roof & Contracting (sponsor): standing seam, stone-coated steel and metal pressed into tile and shingle profiles.
- Gravity Roofing: Unified Steel in five tile, shake and shingle profiles, plus 24-gauge standing seam.
- Fiddler's Roofing: QueenTile stone-coated steel and Metal Alliance concealed-fastener panels in 24 and 26 gauge.
- JA Edwards of America: both systems, with the published Orlando prices above.
See every installer on our list of the best metal roofers in Orlando.
Sources: DECRA, Specifications Sheet (PDF); DECRA, Home; DECRA, Warranty; DECRA, Metal Roofing Myths; Florida Building Code 2023, Chapter 15; Tri County Metals, FL36904-R11 evaluation report (issued Jun 24, 2024); Florida Building Commission, Product Approval search; Englert, Steel and Aluminum Roofing; Gulf Coast Supply, Oil Canning; Gulf Coast Supply, Product Warranties; Gulf Coast Supply, OceanGuard Aluminum Warranty (sample); Construction Specifier, MCA and ZAC service life study (Dec 9, 2014); Gravity Roofing, Stone-Coated Steel; Gravity Roofing, Metal Roofing in Central Florida; Mid Florida Exteriors, Metal Roofing; JA Edwards of America, Metal Roofing Orlando; HomeGuide, Metal Roof Cost (Nov 21, 2025); EPA, Using Cool Roofs; NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, Orlando International Airport; Universal Roof & Contracting, Metal Roofing Orlando; Fiddler's Roofing, Residential Metal Roofing; Metlok, Products and FAQ. Checked Nov 8, 2026.
Price a metal roof for your house
Tell us which metal roof you're leaning toward. Two sponsored metal roofers will quote it.