With a list of requirements that included energy efficiency, sustainability and traditional aesthetics, the design team of a Maine residence took a unique approach, selecting weathering steel for the walls and roofing.

“The homeowners wanted a very energy-efficient new home for aging in place with all the accessible features,” says Paul Bonacci, AIA, LEED AP at ARQ Architects® of Kittery, Maine. “They wanted the home to fit into the existing natural features and take advantage of scenic vistas of the site. They asked that the house have a traditional New England form but perhaps use unconventional exterior materials that would be maintenance free.”

Sheet Metal Supply (SMS), a leading North American metal fabricator and supplier, delivered 11-gauge Corten prefabricated panels for the walls of the home and 22-gauge Corten A606 standing seam panels for the roofing.

“We looked at other options for the exterior cladding and roofing, but weathered steel turned out to be the best choice for both,” Bonacci says. “The weathering steel just fits so nicely in all seasons with the surrounding landscape of native woodland and exposed ledge.

“As architects, we are inspired by the simplicity of the Shakers. Using mostly all standard-width weathered steel panels, we were able to capture this design simplicity. The standard-sized panels worked well with the window and door openings to augment and enhance the simple gabled form. Using weathering steel for the standing seam roof enhanced the design approach. The weathering steel will have great longevity with basically no maintenance.”

Lou Rondeau, owner of Natural Metal Associates in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, was called on to install the Corten A606 roofing for this project and assist Brendan King Construction of Kittery on the installation of the weathering steel wall panels. Rondeau is a fourth-generation roofer who has conducted more than 100 training sessions in the United States and Canada. As the name states, Natural Metal Associates specializes in working with unpainted specialty metals like zinc, copper, aluminum and weathered steel.

“This project was an awesome one to be involved with,” Rondeau says. “I’ve completed several weathered steel projects in the past and this one definitely felt solid when it was completed. The walls were 11-gauge prefabricated Corten panels, so they’re heavy and awkward, but worth the workout when you see the finished project.”

Rondeau says the 22-gauge Corten A606 roofing develops a natural patina quickly, sometimes overnight. He also installed a matching weathered steel snow retention system above the garage and front entrance, attaching the rail with clamps from S-5!.

“The material is a challenge to work with,” he says. “You have to be careful with the panels and have the proper tools. It takes a lot of preplanning and patience, but it was a fun challenge.”

The standing seam roofing panels were seamed with heavy-duty seamers from D.I. Seam Roofers of Corinth, Mississippi.

King, the owner of Brendan King Construction, says the crew of Ian Wilkey, Mitch Allen and Hayden Pate didn’t go through any installation training for this project with weathered steel, but there was a learning curve.

“The panels, though not super heavy at about 200 pounds, were quite awkward to work with because of their size, 4 feet by 10 feet and approximately 1/8-inch thick,” King says. “There was really no place to hold on to them. We initially tried to hoist them with large magnets, but because we were lifting vertically, the magnets wanted to slide. In the end we had the most success with suction cups. We also tried, with some success, using a ledger to set the bottom and edge location of the panels. We then screwed the panels to 1-inch by 4-inch strapping with about 32 screws. We chose a square drive stainless steel bugle-head screw that fit nicely into the countersunk holes made from SMS.”

Packaging of the panels helped keep the installation moving.

“SMS did a really nice job of packaging the material for delivery as well as labeling the location of all the panels. It saved us a lot of time moving all the panels right where we needed them around the building. The architects did a great job of measuring the panels so they needed almost no modifications, except for where we had to cut for vents. It was pretty slow going with a metal cutting jigsaw or a metal bandsaw. We had Lou make two nice flashing details out of a thinner gauge Corten, one for the windowsills and one at the bottom of the walls where the steel panels met the foundation. The windowsills were a little tricky because we had to notch the Corten wall panels around the windowsill flashing. And at the bottom of the walls, we needed more of a z-type flashing to kick the water out beyond the foundation.”

The home was constructed on an energy-efficient insulated slab.

“The home featured a 4-3/4-inch wood fiber continuous exterior wall insulation and a blown-in cellulose insulation in the wall framing,” Bonacci says. “The wide rafter I-joists were also filled with cellulose insulation. This allowed us to avoid using fossil fuel-based insulation materials where possible. The envelope uses an air-tight strategy but still allows the walls to breathe and avoid moisture condensation.

“On the interior, the owners desired an easy-to-clean palette. For raised ceilings, trim and interior doors, we used locally sourced ash to complement the painted walls. For the floor, natural linoleum was installed over the slab on grade in most all rooms.”

Bonacci says the new home meets everyone’s expectations and has drawn a lot of attention from the neighbors.

“We are extremely proud of the finished project and we’re happy to report the owners are thrilled with their house,” he says. “The owners were critical team players in this effort. This includes the natural siting and a floor layout that works perfectly for them. They love the feel of the weathering steel exterior and how seamlessly it fits into the natural environment. It was a great team effort to bring this to fruition.

“Everyone was excited about working with the weathering steel. The biggest surprise is how much all of the local community and passersby have expressed their great appreciation for the house design and the use of weathering steel.”