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Taking Charge Of Your Company Manufacturing

When it comes to manufacturing a product, you can either let your vendors and suppliers take advantage of you, or you can take control of the situation. I realized a few years ago that our vendors were going to continually charge us more and more unless I put a stop to it. We boycotted using them for a few months, and their tune changed, which was a welcome relief. This blog is all about taking charge of your company's manufacturing processes, making them better, improving your profits, and avoiding problems along the way; it might make a bigger difference than you think.

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Taking Charge Of Your Company Manufacturing

Time To Roof Your Log Cabin? Why Metal Is Your Best Choice

by Pauline Coleman

Part of the enduring charm of a log cabin is that it is both beautiful and something that will last for generations—which is also one of the reasons that metal roofs are such popular choices for log cabins. If you have a log cabin and it's time to put on a new roof, this is why you should choose metal.

Metal roofing will far outlast asphalt.

Asphalt shingles are popular for almost all types of housing, primarily because they're easy to install and they're relatively inexpensive. Given a gently sloped, one-story house with no more than 2,100 square feet to cover, a new asphalt roof will average between $1,700 and $8,400. That's a lot cheaper than steel, which would run $5,100-$16,500 for the same coverage. A copper roof of the same size starts out at about $25,500. That kind of difference in price is enough to give a lot of homeowners pause. The availability of asphalt shingles that are prefabricated to look like cedar shakes is often enough to overcome any aesthetic issues.

However, there's a very good reason for metal roofing's cost: durability. Typical asphalt shingles last about 20 years, while high-quality architectural versions will only last about 30 years. By comparison, a metal roof (depending on its composition) can last 40-80 years. A copper roof can last 70 years or longer. It isn't uncommon to receive a lifetime warranty on some metal and copper roofs when they're professionally installed. Log cabins can easily last over a hundred years with proper care—and modern coatings can extend the life of a log cabin almost indefinitely. That makes choosing a material for the roof with proven durability a wiser choice—you can roof it and forget about it for a lifetime.

Metal is far safer than cedar shake roofing.

Cedar shake roofing is often considered for log cabin homes because of aesthetics. The quaint, classic appeal of a shake roof is timeless, and it tends to evoke a sense of craftsmanship that's attractive. Unfortunately, they're also dangerous—log cabins are frequently located in rural areas, which makes them more prone to wildfire and lightning strikes. While you can treat cedar shake roofing with flame-retardant materials, metal is the far safer option because you don't have to worry about it catching fire from either dropping embers or lightning. Using cedar shake shingles is essentially adding kindling to the top of your log cabin home—a problem that's neatly avoided by using metal roofing instead.

Metal can appeal to your sense of aesthetics.

Metal can also appeal to your sense of aesthetics. You probably wouldn't be interested in a log cabin if you didn't like the authenticity of its look. Unlike modern homes, which are made from a lot of composite materials, log cabins are exactly what they seem to be. A metal roof shares that authenticity—it's a timeless material that goes well with the wood logs that make your home. 

Steel roofing can be made in a variety of shapes and styles to further compliment the look of your log cabin, and it also comes in a wide range of colors. Copper takes on a unique hue over time. Initially bright, it will darken with age and develop a patina with a color that's based on the weather and air conditions in your area.

For more information on what roofing will work best for your log cabin, talk to a roofer like JD Metals.

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