Metal Roofing in OcalaFrom horse barns to historic homes.

Metal Roofing in Silver Springs Shores, Marion Oaks, On Top of the World, Oak Run, Ocala Historic District, the SR 200 corridor, Golden Ocala and the NW horse farm country.

Metal is part of the Ocala landscape. The barns and outbuildings on the horse farms northwest of town carry long metal roofs, and the 1890s to 1930s homes around Fort King Street in the Ocala Historic District wear standing seam and V-crimp. That familiarity is why so many Ocala homeowners ask about metal for the house, and on some homes it is the right answer: a historic roof due for replacement, a farmhouse that should match its barn, a Golden Ocala custom home whose design calls for it. On the low block ranches of Silver Springs Shores and Marion Oaks, pitch and budget decide more than appearance, and the answer is often different.

A house roof is not a barn roof, and the difference is the spec. Barns typically use exposed fastener panels screwed to open purlins. On a house, 5V crimp, commonly 26 gauge, is also an exposed fastener panel, screwed through the face with gasketed screws whose washers age in the Marion County sun and need checking. Many 5V panels call for a slope of about 3 in 12 or steeper, which rules them out on some Shores ranches and porches. Standing seam, commonly 24 gauge, where the lower number means thicker steel, hides its fasteners under the seam and rides on clips. The gauge, finish and Florida Product Approval number go on the written scope.

Ocala's open country raises three myths. Noise: the drumming people remember is a barn with panels over open purlins; a house roof over solid decking, peel-and-stick underlayment and attic insulation sounds much like shingle in a summer storm. Lightning: Marion County sees frequent summer strikes, and metal does not make one more likely. Heat: a light or reflective finish turns back more afternoon sun than dark shingle, a real gain on unshaded lots along SR 200 and in Marion Oaks. The ticking some roofs make as the sun comes up is exposed fasteners fighting thermal movement, which standing seam clips allow. Most standing seam installs take two to four days.

Approvals follow the parcel. City of Ocala addresses, including the historic district, permit through the City of Ocala Building Department, and a profile change on a historic home may need review before materials are ordered. Silver Springs Shores, Marion Oaks, On Top of the World, Oak Run and most of the SR 200 corridor permit through Marion County Building Safety. On Top of the World and Oak Run have architectural standards that cover roof profile and color, and a switch from shingle to metal gets a close look; Golden Ocala has its own review. We prepare those submittals with drawings and color chips, and after the final we hand you the photo record your wind mitigation inspector needs.

The honest version: metal is a strong choice for a historic Fort King Street roof, a farmhouse on acreage, and an owner who plans to stay. On a 1990s On Top of the World home where the standards favor shingle, or a Silver Springs Shores ranch with sections too flat for 5V, an Owens Corning Duration architectural shingle over a re-nailed deck and peel-and-stick underlayment usually serves better and earns the same wind mitigation credits. Insurance discounts come from the form, which rates deck attachment and the secondary water barrier, not from the word metal. We quote what the house calls for.

Homes we work on in Ocala: 1890s to 1930s frame homes in the Ocala Historic District, 1960s to 1980s concrete block ranches across Silver Springs Shores and Marion Oaks, 1990s to 2010s homes in the SR 200 corridor communities including On Top of the World and Oak Run, and barns and outbuildings on the horse farms northwest of town.