Combine your floor AND roof deck packages with TDS!

Since Thru Deck was established in 2003, we have – almost exclusively – installed metal floor deck to thousands of contracts across Scotland, Ireland and the north of England. In 2016 we introduced a range of structural roof deck liner profiles to our catalogue, ranging from 30mm to 200mm deep. Although we offer this service, we still see floor decking taking over 90% of our contracts.

So, why should you choose to include roof deck in your design and building package?

Metal roof deck vs traditional building methods.

Superior design
Many can follow the thinking “we know what we like, and we like what we know”, which means that trying to encourage buyers to change their perception of what a building should look like can be a challenge.

For centuries slate, stone or concrete roof tiles have been used across the world, and for many, this is the norm and becomes the go-to option for most building designs. However, metal roof decking however is seen as predominantly for commercial and industrial buildings due to its speed of installation and lower cost per square meter due to material and installation costs.

In recent years, television celebrity and architect George Clarke has encouraged the drive for using materials for residential builds as they are often far better in quality, and provide a modern aesthetic design and style. MOBIE, founded by George Clarke in 2017, is an organisation that aims to inspire people to revolutionise the way we think about homes and how they are designed and constructed. The intention is to educate people to think differently and try innovative building processes we wouldn’t normally use. We appreciate this puts people outside their comfort zone but making a conscious change will motivate others to think outside the box.

Longevity you can rely on
Across the country, there’s buildings that have been standing for centuries, and most have the classic stone or slate tiled roof – but this doesn’t necessarily mean tiled roofs perform better than their metal counterparts. Over the last 30 years metal roof products and construction methods have developed and now often provide better performance than tiled roofs.

All roofs require a level of maintenance and metal roof products come with very little. The life span of each type of roof is very similar (40 to 70 years, depending on type of product used) so both offer a very similar solution, but neither are bullet proof.

Strength and durability
Due to the way metal sheets are manufactured and installed, they are generally long with large spans which are then fixed to a metal frame. They can withstand winds of up to 140mph, quite handy with the winds in Scotland (especially the highlands) sometimes being close to 70mph! There’s also no need for costly maintenance so once it’s up, aftercare costs won’t come as a nasty shock.

Fantastic resistance
Metal sheeting roofs are hardy and resistant to factors that can be a problem for traditional roofing methods:

Fire-resistant: Lightning or wildfire aren’t an issue as non-combustible, Class A fire-rated, metal roofs won’t ignite if they come into contact with them.
Pest-resistant: With not a hint of wood in sight there’s no need to worry about things like termites or wood worm.
Mould-resistant: Metal is inherently resistant to damp, mildew, algae and mould.
Moisture-resistant: With its smooth, hard surface metal roofing allows rain, sleet, snow and ice to fall away and not soak in. Also, as dark roofing heats up quickly in the sun snow melts away more rapidly too.

Greener and more helpful to the planet
Compared to the other roofing types, metal offers some sustainability positives. In summer when it’s eventually warm, the metal reflects the heat of the midday sun, so cooling costs are lowered.

What’s more, metal roofs can contain nearly a third of recycled material, and once the roof has reached the end of its lifespan, it can be completely recycled and used again.

Ask us about metal roofing
Next time you have a project and come to us for metal floor decking, don’t forget to ask us about our metal roof offering too. We’ll be glad to talk you through any benefits and how you could combine both for single-supplier solution that will be easier and cost-effective for your budget.

Technical info you might need
Our friends at SMD have created a fantastic library of information in their TGN Online section where you can discover pretty much everything that is to know about roof deck design and installation – we hope this can help with any unknown facts you might have for roof deck construction.

SMD Elements Video Tutorial
In addition to the above, we also have access to some great videos, including a tutorial giving guidance how to run Roof deck calculations in the Elements Design Software which is free to download.