FLORIDA'S BEST METAL ROOFING SUPPLY.

Plan on about 80 screws per roofing square (100 sq ft) of roof, plus about 1 per linear foot of trim. Hex screws come in 250-piece bags. Use 1-1/2" metal-to-wood screws over plywood or lumber, 1" self-drillers into metal purlins, and 2" metal-to-metal screws for side laps (stitch screws) and end laps.

Drive them in the top of the rib or in the flat beside it, not both in the same spot, with the neoprene washer snug and never crushed. Screws pass at least 1/2" below the underside of the deck or purlin, and panels get screws on both sides of the ribs at the eave and ridge. End laps are 12" minimum with two rows of butyl tape; trim laps are 6" (eave drip 4").

Butyl tape goes under the closures: one row along the eaves, two along ridges and hips, two along valleys and one along walls. One 10.1 oz tube of APS 500 sealant lays about 30 LF of bead for trim laps, trim ends and boot edges. High-wind / HVHZ zones may need about 100 screws per square or the pattern in the product approval (NOA).

Exposed-fastener panels need 3:12 minimum without side-lap sealant. They can go down to 1/2:12 (Florida Building Code) with continuous butyl tape down every side lap plus lap screws at the spacing in the panel's Florida Product Approval, no more than 30" apart. Under 3:12, call us before you order. It is a detail question, not a price question.

Standing seam goes lower. Snap-lock panels (1.5" and 1.75") need 2:12, going lower only on the manufacturer's written approval, and the nail-strip panels need 3:12, or as low as 1/4:12 with a continuous 1/4" bead of adhesive sealant at the base of the male rib. Snap-lock panels also need a flat, uniform 15/32" CDX plywood deck.

Exposed-fastener panels install over solid decking with approved underlayment, over 1x4 battens, or over open purlins. Underlayment is fastened the way its maker instructs (commonly cap nails or cap staples, which are not part of a panel order). A reroof over one layer of shingles is allowed only if the panel approval says so, with new underlayment between. Our synthetic rolls are 195 sq ft gross, about 175 sq ft of roof covered per roll over a solid deck.

Gauge sets the span, and span decides how far apart your purlins or rafters sit: 26ga and 24ga PBR and R Panel carry further between supports than 29ga Tuff Rib, and a wood-framed building usually needs closer spacing than a steel one. Florida wind zones close it up further.

The span, fastener pattern and clip spacing for your building come from the panel's Florida Product Approval and your engineer's plan, not from a rule of thumb. We stock Florida Product Approved panels and send the approval documentation with your order; call (813) 410-7427 if your permit needs it before you buy.

Standing seam clips land 24" on center along every seam, one clip per 2 LF of panel plus 10% extra, with 2 pancake screws per clip (boxes of 250). Nail-strip panels take about 1 pancake screw per LF of panel along the nailed flange, plus 1 per LF of trim. HVHZ perimeter / corner zones may require 12" or 6" clip spacing per the product approval, which means more clips and screws.

Cut panels with hand shears or a nibbler. A circular saw or abrasive blade burns the coating off the cut edge, and that is where rust starts first. If a saw is the only option, use a metal-cutting blade and touch up the cut.

Brush metal shavings off the roof and out of the gutters the same day, because they rust and stain the finish. Carry panels on edge instead of flat so they do not kink, wear gloves, and store them flat and off the ground until install.

Order about 10% over the measured roof area for cuts, laps and waste, and remember panels are billed in whole feet of length. Ready in 1–2 business days on cut-to-length orders, and we review your cut list with you before cutting (we call or text if anything needs confirming). Panels and trim cut to your lengths are final sale.