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Metal roof restores beauty of Wichita's Hillcrest Apartments

Aug. 11, 2010
2 min read

When passersby look up at the historic Hillcrest Apartments in Wichita, Kan., these days, many notice how the building's steep-tile roof has been restored to a rich, clean, and stately grandeur. What most don't notice, however, is that the old, deteriorating red-clay terra cotta tiles that top the 10-story building have actually been replaced with durable metal tiles that will withstand decades of exposure without losing their aesthetic appeal.

The new roof is composed of Armor Tile stone-coated metal panels manufactured to match the patina and character of the original stone tile. Armor Tile is lighter than terra cotta (just 1.32 pounds per sf), and it will never crack, chip, or break. The tile is also Class A fire rated, and provides resistance to rain, hail, and snow, as well as prolonged exposure to solar radiation.

Altogether, 20,000 sf of Armor Tile in deep red “Cypress” color was installed by M&N Watertite Metal Roofing, Hutchinson, Kan.

The tile panels are formed from 26-gauge Galvalume steel alloy panels, which are coated with a specially formulated ceramic stone surface that is baked onto the substrate. The 15x45-inch panels overlap to form a seamless pattern that also provides resistance to wind uplift.

Custom-Bilt Metals Input No. 312 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

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