A Comparison of Steel and Aluminum Flashings

Various types of sheet metal can be utilized for roof related flashing with the two most common being stainless steel and aluminum. Both materials are known for their durability and are easy to fabricate so how do you make the choice between the two? In today’s blog we will be comparing the pros and cons of aluminum and stainless steel so you can determine which is ideal for your project.

Aluminum

Pros

1. Aluminum is easy to fabricate to meet the necessary conditions needed for sheet metal flashings.
2. Alloys can be anodized to get a variety of colors, or the aluminum can be pre-painted with acrylic linings to get even more colors.
3. Aluminum is extremely light weight and easy to work with.

Cons

1. Large flat surfaces can cause waviness in the aluminum sheets requiring either aluminum or steel fasteners to keep it in place.
2. Aluminum is extremely difficult to solder.
3. Aluminum Flashings cannot come into contact with other kinds of metal or with mortar or concrete.

Stainless Steel

Pros

1. Stainless Steel is extremely durable and corrosion resistant. It also doesn’t require any additional coatings on its surface to maintain this durability.
2. Stainless Steel can be used with other metals or with mortar and concrete without issue.
3. Stainless Steel requires little to no maintenance after installation and lasts a long time.

Cons

1. Steel isn’t quite as easy to work with as aluminum and may require additional effort to get specific shapes.

As you can see both types of flashings have their own properties and their own suitability for various projects though stainless steel has fewer downsides than aluminum overall. If you have any questions about what type of flashing best fits your project, please feel free to contact us.

Since 2004, Klassen Building Supplies has been a leader in sheet metal fabrication, supply, and installation in the Vancouver area. Klassen also does considerable custom metal work.

If you have any questions about this article or any of our sheet metal supplies, please call us at (604) 543-7331 or use the convenient form on our Contact page. Klassen is based in Surrey, BC.