Gull Lake Cabin — Standing Seam Metal

Gull Lake is one of the larger lakes in the Brainerd Lakes chain — ten miles of shoreline, most of it developed with cabins ranging from 1960s A-frames to contemporary lake homes built in the last decade. This cabin sits on a northwest-facing lot, which means it catches the full force of the northwest wind that builds across the lake in November and the ice and snow load that comes with it from December through February.

The owners bought the property in 2019 and knew from the inspection that the asphalt shingle roof had maybe five years left. They decided to skip a like-for-like replacement and move straight to standing seam metal — the calculation being that they'd rather spend more once than replace shingles again in 25 years. That math makes sense on a lake property where you're not always there to catch problems early.

The material is 24-gauge Galvalume steel with a matte dark bronze PVDF coating. Panel width is 16 inches with 1.5-inch mechanical seams — no exposed fasteners anywhere on the field. The 6/12 pitch and deep overhangs mean snow load is well within the panel system's design range, and the smooth metal surface sheds snow without the ice dam risk that comes with shingle systems at this latitude.

The install ran four days for a crew of three. The original OSB deck was in good condition — only two replacement panels needed. We ran a full continuous cleat at the eaves, mechanical seamed every panel lap, and soldered the valley transitions. Ridge cap is snap-lock with foam closure strips to block wind-driven moisture. Forty-year finish warranty on the coating, manufacturer's structural warranty on the Galvalume substrate. The cabin has been through two full winters since install with no reported issues.