Alberta · Metal shingles buyer's guide

Metal shingles in Alberta: how to choose

Metal shingles are steel or aluminum panels stamped to look like shingles, slate, shake or tile. The base metal is the decision that matters: steel lasts as long as its zinc or aluminum-zinc coating keeps it from rusting, while aluminum doesn't rust and weighs about a third as much. In Alberta, ask about the impact rating too. Interlock® metal shingles are aluminum, made in Canada.

Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 8, 2026

Get a free quote (587) 317-6517

Painted steel

Usually the lowest price

Protected by its metallic coating and paint.

Stone-coated steel

A matte, granular look

Steel underneath, with the same coating dependence.

Aluminum

Doesn't rust

About one-third the density of steel (ASM International).

The three kinds of metal shingle

"Metal shingles" covers three different products that look alike from the street and behave differently on a roof for decades. The difference is the metal underneath the paint.

Painted steel, stone-coated steel and aluminum metal shingles compared
Type	What it is	What protects it	Weight	What to watch
Painted steel shingles	Steel sheet with a metallic coating and baked paint, stamped to a shingle, tile or slate look	A zinc (galvanized) or aluminum-zinc (Galvalume) coating under the paint	Heaviest of the bare metals for the same thickness	Rust can start where the coating is cut, scratched or worn through, and at cut edges as the coating is used up
Stone-coated steel shingles	Steel shingles with stone granules bonded to the surface for a matte, textured look	The metallic coating, plus the granule layer	Heavier than painted metal	Granules can wear off in valleys and walkways, and hail can knock them loose; the steel underneath has the same coating dependence
Aluminum shingles	Aluminum sheet with a baked finish, interlocked panel to panel	Aluminum's own oxide film, which blocks further oxidation; there is no steel to rust	About one-third the density of steel	Aluminum can dent under large hail or foot traffic; usually costs more than steel up front

Steel coating behaviour: ArcelorMittal Dofasco (Galvalume product information) and Gibraltar Building Products. Aluminum properties: ASM International. Full references at the end of the page.

Interlock® metal shingles on Alberta homes

Recent Alberta jobs in the slate, cedar shingle and shake profiles, installed by our own company. Tap a roof to see all of its photos.

See more Alberta roofs in the gallery

What matters most on an Alberta roof

Hail

Alberta's hail season runs through the summer, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada counts at least one major hailstorm a year for two decades. Ask for the impact rating, who lists it, and what the warranty says about hail.

Chinooks, freeze-thaw and snow

A roof here goes through freeze-thaw cycles, chinook thaws and weeks of snow every winter. Metal sheds snow and absorbs no water. Plan snow guards over entries, decks and walkways before the first slide, not after.

Concealed fasteners

Exposed screws through the face of a panel depend on rubber washers that age in sun and cold, and the sun is strong at Alberta's elevation. Shingles that interlock with the fasteners hidden under the next course have no exposed screw heads to re-seal.

Who installs it

Interlocking shingles are less forgiving of poor installation than asphalt. Ask who will be on your roof, whether they are the manufacturer's certified installer, and who handles service calls.

Questions to ask any metal shingle contractor

What is the base metal, steel or aluminum, and what is its thickness?
What impact rating does it carry, who lists it, and for which profiles?
Who is the warrantor of the material warranty, the manufacturer or the contractor, and does coverage reduce over time?
Is the finish warranty separate from the material warranty, and what does it cover (chalking, fading, peeling)?
Are the fasteners exposed or concealed?
Will my old roof come off? If you plan to roof over it, what does your inspection check first?
Do you carry WCB coverage and liability insurance, and will you show me the clearance letter and certificate?
Is the price in writing, and what happens if you find rot once the old roof is open?

Interlock® metal shingles

We install one metal shingle system: the Interlock® aluminum roof, made in Canada by Interlock Roofing. Panels interlock on all four sides with the fasteners concealed, in Slate, Cedar Shingle, Shake and Mediterranean Tile, in nine colours.

Interlock's Slate, Cedar Shingle, Shake and Mediterranean Tile aluminum panels carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, listed by Intertek under Delta Building Products.

The manufacturer's specification: aluminum alloy per ASTM B209 at 0.019 in (0.483 mm) nominal base thickness, a five-layer Alunar® fluorocarbon finish with a 30 Year Alunar® Coating Warranty, and the Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty on material and finish. Wind resistance is warranted to 193 km/h (120 mph) installed to manufacturer specification.

In Alberta we have completed 3,542 Interlock® roofs since 1999, all installed by our own company.

Questions, answered

What are metal shingles?

Metal shingles are roofing panels stamped from painted steel, stone-coated steel or aluminum to look like asphalt shingles, slate, cedar shake or tile. They install in overlapping or interlocking courses, like shingles, rather than as long vertical sheets.

Are metal shingles good for Alberta?

For a house you plan to keep, they suit Alberta well: they shed snow, absorb no water for chinook freeze-thaw to work on, and outlast asphalt. The choice that matters most is the base metal. Steel depends on its coating to keep from rusting; aluminum doesn't rust.

Are metal shingles good in hail?

It depends on the product and its rating. Interlock's Slate, Cedar Shingle, Shake and Mediterranean Tile aluminum panels carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, listed by Intertek under Delta Building Products. No metal shingle is immune: large hail can dent aluminum and thin steel, and many warranties exclude hail above a stated size. The Guardian warranty on Interlock roofs excludes hail larger than 38 mm (1.5 in).

Steel or aluminum metal shingles?

Steel usually costs less up front. Aluminum doesn't rust, weighs about a third as much for the same thickness, and suits a house you want to keep for the long run. Aluminum can dent under large hail; so can thin steel.

Do metal shingles cost more than asphalt shingles?

Yes, up front. Over the years you'll own the home the comparison usually turns, because an asphalt roof is replaced and torn off again, and in Alberta hail often shortens that cycle. Our metal roof cost page shows real ranges from our own recent contracts.

Will metal shingles lower my home insurance?

Ask your insurer. Some Alberta insurers take impact-resistant roofing into account and some don't, and terms differ from policy to policy. We don't promise a discount.

Who installs metal shingles in Calgary and Edmonton?

Interlock Metal Roofing (Alberta) Ltd. installs Interlock® aluminum metal shingles across Alberta from its office in Calgary, which serves both Calgary and Edmonton. Call (587) 317-6517 or book a free consultation on Zoom or at home.

Sources

Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 8, 2026.

Related guides

Where we install in Drumheller and area

Get Interlock® metal shingles priced.

A fixed price in writing after one visit, at your home or on Zoom. Interlock Metal Roofing (Alberta) Ltd. · 210, 3750 46 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2B 0L1

Get a free quote (587) 317-6517