Terne coated and mill finish
Stainless steel roofing
Stainless steel is the metal we reach for when a roof is going to take a beating. Salt air, heavy pollution, a fully exposed coastal elevation: conditions that shorten the life of other coverings barely trouble it.
- Grades
- Terne coated and mill finish
- Appearance
- Matt grey, similar to weathered lead
- Best for
- Coastal, exposed and polluted sites
- Maintenance
- Effectively none
Coastal and exposed sites
Salt is the problem on the coast, and it attacks most metals and most coatings. Stainless steel is the exception. On a seafront property, an estuary site or a fully exposed hilltop, stainless will outlast the alternatives by a wide margin and need almost nothing doing to it in the meantime.
We cover the Sussex and Hampshire coast as well as the Thames estuary side of Kent and Essex, so this comes up regularly.
Terne coated stainless
Terne coated stainless has a tin coating that weathers to a soft matt grey very like weathered zinc or lead. It gives the traditional appearance a conservation officer usually wants, with the durability of stainless underneath. On listed buildings it is often the compromise that gets a scheme approved.
Complex shapes
Stainless holds a shape well, which makes it good for tapered and double curved work: cupolas, ogees, finials and spire coverings. We form these in the workshop where we can work the metal properly rather than trying to do it at height.
What you get
- Terne coated and mill finish stainless
- First choice on exposed coastal sites
- Accepted on many listed and conservation buildings
- Complex curved and tapered panels
- Very long service life
- Almost no maintenance
Stainless Steel Roofing we have fitted
Click any photo to see it full size.
Frequently asked questions
Mill finish is bright when new and dulls down. Terne coated is matt from day one and weathers to a soft grey. On a house we almost always specify terne coated for that reason.
Often yes. Terne coated stainless reads very like weathered lead, which is why conservation officers frequently accept it where they would refuse a bright modern covering. We are happy to talk to yours.
Practically none beyond keeping gutters clear. In a coastal location an occasional rinse of fresh water removes salt build up, but the roof will not fail if that never happens.
Ask about stainless steel roofing
We reply within one working day.
Thinking about a metal roof?
Send over a few details and we will come out, get on the roof and tell you honestly what it needs.
Our work is on
The British Museum
Great Ormond Street Hospital
The British Library