Two Ways to Save an Aging Metal Roof in
Krebs, Oklahoma
An industrial building with seam separation, corroded fasteners, and spreading rust. We priced both honest paths forward, and the one with the longer warranty turned out to be the lower number.
Inspection and estimates by Cole Corvin
Decor Roofing & Restoration · Oklahoma Licensed Roofing Contractor #80000473 · March 6, 2026
Location
Krebs, OK
Property Type
Industrial building
Existing Roof
Exposed fastener metal
Inspection Date
March 2026
In March of 2026, we drove down to Krebs, Oklahoma to look at the metal roof on an industrial building. The owner was dealing with the things that eventually catch up with every exposed fastener metal roof: seams starting to separate, fasteners working loose and corroding, and rust getting a foothold in more places than he was comfortable with.
A roof in that condition sits at a real fork in the road. It is not failed, so a full tear-off would be premature and wasteful. But it is not going to quietly hold on for another twenty years either. So rather than hand him one number and a recommendation, we walked the roof, documented what we found, and priced both legitimate paths forward so he could weigh them side by side.
The system carrying twice the warranty came in about $1,472 under the other one.
What We Found on the Roof
Exposed fastener metal roofs age in a predictable way. The panels themselves often have plenty of life left, while the things holding them together and sealing them give out first. That is very much what was happening here.
Documented on March 6, 2026
Seam separation along the panel laps, which is where wind driven rain gets in first
Loose and corroded fasteners across the field, several no longer drawing the panel down tight
Rust developing on panels and at fastener heads, with staining at the eave edge
Detail work needing attention at the vent curbs and along the perimeter edge
The Two Options We Priced
Both of these are good, well established ways to get many more years out of a metal roof. They simply do different things, and they suit different owners. Here is what each one included.
Elastomeric Roof Coating
Total contract price
- Clean and prep the existing metal
- Tighten or replace loose and defective fasteners
- Primer coat throughout
- Flashing grade coating at seams, penetrations, laps and details
- Fiber roll reinforcement at those same details
- Spot prime rusted sections
- Elastomeric coating at 20 to 24 mils, per manufacturer coverage rates
10 year material
1 year labor
Flute Fill and 60-mil TPO
Total contract price
- Wood blocking at the perimeter edge
- Flute fill EPS foam insulation between the ribs
- Fan fold insulation layer
- Mechanically attached 60-mil TPO membrane
- Flashing around both vent curbs
- Termination bar at the perimeter edge
- Picture framed perimeter with fasteners and seam tape
20 year material, 5 year labor
36 months no cost maintenance, plus annual and post-storm inspections
An optional add-on was quoted as well: seam tape along the perimeter edge on the front building after gutter strapping, at $1,051.22.
How the Two Compare
| Coating | Flute fill and TPO | |
|---|---|---|
| Contract price | $18,993.41 | $17,521.06 |
| Material warranty | 10 years | 20 years |
| Labor warranty | 1 year | 5 years |
| Included maintenance | None | 36 months at no cost |
| Scheduled inspections | None | Annual for 3 years, plus after major storms |
| Adds insulation value | No | Yes, EPS flute fill and fan fold |
| Keeps the metal exposed | Yes | No, metal is covered by the membrane |
One simple way to look at it. Spread across the material warranty, the coating works out to roughly $1,899 for every warranted year and the flute fill and TPO system to roughly $876. Warranty length is not the same thing as service life, so this is a rough comparison rather than a promise. It does show why the lower sticker price and the longer coverage landing on the same option is worth pausing over.
What This Means If You Own a Metal Roof
Three things from this inspection apply to most aging metal roofs around southeastern Oklahoma:
Fasteners and seams usually fail long before the panels do.
If your metal roof is leaking, that does not automatically mean it needs replacing. It often means the details need attention, and there is a good deal of life left in the metal.
Ask for more than one path, priced out.
Coating and membrane retrofit are both valid answers for the same roof. Seeing them side by side, with the warranties spelled out, is what lets you make the call rather than just accepting one.
Compare the warranty, not only the price.
A lower number with a shorter warranty and no maintenance included can cost more over the life of the roof. Look at what each option covers, for how long, and what happens after a storm.
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Documented Condition Reports
Section by section, photo verified
BBB A+ Since 2000
Over 50 million sq ft installed
Headquartered in Bixby
Commercial roofing since 1987
We Would Be Glad to Price Both Options
We travel throughout Oklahoma for commercial work, including Krebs, McAlester, and the rest of Pittsburg County. If your metal roof is showing rust, loose fasteners, or seams letting go, we will come look at it and show you what each realistic option would cost and cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Flute fill is rigid insulation, usually EPS foam, cut to sit down inside the ribs of a metal roof panel so the surface becomes flat instead of corrugated. Once the flutes are filled and a fan fold layer goes over the top, a single ply membrane like TPO can be mechanically attached across the whole roof. It is how you put a flat membrane roof over a ribbed metal one without tearing the metal off.
Both are good options and the right answer depends on the roof. Coating keeps the existing metal in service, goes on quickly, and works well when the panels are sound. A flute fill and TPO retrofit covers the metal with a new membrane, adds insulation value, and generally carries a longer manufacturer warranty. The only reliable way to choose is to have both priced for your specific building, because the numbers do not always fall the way people expect.
Yes. That is exactly what a flute fill retrofit does. The ribs are filled with insulation to create a flat surface, a fan fold layer is added, and the membrane is mechanically attached over the top. The existing metal stays in place, which avoids tear-off cost, disposal, and leaving the building open to weather during the work.
On this Krebs project, the elastomeric coating system was quoted at $18,993.41 and the flute fill with 60-mil TPO at $17,521.06. Pricing on any given roof depends on square footage, the condition of the existing panels and fasteners, roof access, and how much detail work the penetrations and perimeter require. The only way to know your number is to have the roof walked and measured.
Explore More
This assessment was performed as part of Decor’s commercial roofing services across the Tulsa metro.