Diamonds on the Roof: The European Story of Interlocking Metal Shingles

Written By Patrick Leinhard

A short history of the diamond-shaped metal shingle, from 19th-century Central Europe to roofs here in the Fraser Valley.

Look closely at an older building in Central Europe and you may spot walls or roofs covered in neat, overlapping metal diamonds. Roofers there call them Rauten, the German word for diamonds. The idea behind them is older than most people think, and it is the same idea behind the interlocking diamond shingles we install today.

Metal on the roof is nothing new

Roman builders were already roofing with small lead sheets or tiles by 27 BC. Copper was used too, but it was costly, so it was saved for important buildings. For a very long time, a metal roof meant a roof for somebody with money.

Zinc makes metal roofs affordable

That changed in the 1800s. Zinc was only recognised as a metal in its own right in the mid-1500s, but by the middle of the 19th century new production in Belgium and Germany made it cheap enough to roof with. The Belgian company Vieille Montagne was founded in 1837. When Baron Haussmann began rebuilding Paris in the 1850s, zinc became the go-to material for the city's mansard roofs, because lead was too heavy and copper too expensive. Paris's skyline is still full of zinc today.

Enter the diamond

Around 1840, metal diamonds began to appear in Central Europe. At first they were a practical answer to rough weather. In the wet, windy low-mountain regions, farm buildings were wrapped in them on all four sides. In towns, they protected the gable ends, the exposed side walls of a house. Later they moved up onto roofs, especially steeper ones.

Sizes and shapes varied from region to region, but the most common diamond was cut at about 400 mm. That is roughly 16 inches across.

How the interlock works

Each diamond has a small upturned fold along its top edge and a folded-back edge underneath. The diamonds hook into one another, fold in fold, and each one is held to the roof by a clip on either side. Those built-in folds are what give the system its strong resistance to rain.

Small diamonds can also follow curves, which is why they are still a favourite for dormers, chimney heads and rounded details.

A pause, then a comeback

Use of metal diamonds largely came to a halt with the Second World War. But the idea never really went away. In 1946, Alfred Gödl in Salzburg developed the first aluminium roof tile, the beginning of what is now PREFA. Rhomboid (diamond) aluminium roof tiles went into production there in 1998, and zinc diamonds are still made today by manufacturers such as Rheinzink.

Diamond Steel, here at home

Diamond Steel is a modern steel take on the same tradition: interlocking diamonds with the profile of a classic shingle and the strength of metal. It comes in six finishes: Ebony, Slate Grey, Graphite Grey, Sepia Brown, Oxide Red and Chrome Green. Its 16-inch diamond is very close to the size European roofers settled on almost two centuries ago.

Our founder, Patrick Leinhard, trained in Germany at Engels Bedachungen, so we bring that European attention to detail to every roof we install, whether it is Diamond Steel, standing seam, copper or slate.

Thinking about a metal roof?

We will walk your roof, measure it and give you an honest price. Call us on 778-987-4054, email info@eurolockmetalroofing.ca, or request a quote. You can also see the Diamond Steel finishes.

We serve Maple Ridge, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

Sources and further reading

Patrick Leinhard https://www.eurolockmetalroofing.ca