Metal Roofing Material and Price Calculator
Estimate how many metal roofing panels you need with our panel calculator. Optionally, enter the cost per panel to estimate material costs.
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Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.
How to Estimate Metal Roofing Panels
A metal roof is one of the most durable material options for your home. When ordering supplies, it is important to estimate materials correctly to allow for an efficient installation process.
Estimating the amount of metal roofing material you need starts with estimating the square footage of the roof itself.
Steps to Estimate Metal Roofing
Measure the length and width of each roof section in feet, then multiply together to get the square footage.
If you are unable to crawl on the roof, you can estimate by measuring the roof’s footprint and finding its square footage. Multiply the footprint square footage by the multiplier for your roof pitch to find the actual square footage of the roof. Use our roof pitch calculator to find the pitch of your roof.
Next, find the square footage of the metal roofing panels you want to use. Measure the length and width in feet, then multiply together to find the square footage. Panels are often measured in inches, so you can use our inches to feet conversion calculator to convert to feet.
Finally, divide the square footage of the roof by the square footage of the metal roofing panel to find the number of panels needed for your roof. It’s a good idea to order an extra 10% to account for cutoffs and waste material.
For more complex roofs with many peaks and sections, find the square footage of each roof section and add them all together to find the total square footage. Consider ordering a few extra panels to account for more cuts and waste.
Common Metal Roof Sheet Sizes
Roofing panels come in many styles and dimensions with different overlap dimensions. The most common lengths are 8′, 10′, 12′, and 16′, however many distributors will cut to length.
The most common widths are 24″ and 36″ exposed, but the actual width of the panel will be larger to accommodate an overlap. Each style of panel is unique and may have a different actual width and exposed width.
Metal roofs are beautiful and very durable. When installed correctly, they can last a very long time with little maintenance. See our other roofing resources for more roofing calculators and tools.