Metal roofing panels reinvigorate town staple

Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge, Tum-A-Lum Lumber Company has been a part of the small Hood River, Oregon community for more than 100 years. But when the owners realized the rapidly aging building needed a remodel, a new roof was not part of the initial plan.

Designers for the project initially thought patching and repairs would be sufficient for the 35-year-old, 17,000 square foot roof, however upon further inspection it was determined that the building needed a new roof. Early on, an entire tear off and replacement of the old metal roof was considered even though it would have opened up the entire building to the elements.

Business as Usual

Eventually designers discovered a product seemingly designed for projects like this: the EXCEPTIONAL^® Metals EM Retro-R^® metal roofing panel. This panel is made for retrofit applications and can be applied directly over an existing metal roof.

Travis Nelson, owner of Brown Roofing, an authorized Duro-Last Master roofing contractor selected for this project, said this was a roofing solution that worked for both the building owner and the general contractor.

“The designers realized using the EM Retro-R panel would help with the overall cost of the project while also allowing Tum-A-Lum to stay open during construction,” Nelson said.

Staying open during construction was one of the top priorities of the remodel, said Renee Coffman, Consumer Business Development Manager for Tum-A-Lum.

“We have been able to serve our customers and not lose business this entire time,” Coffman said. “If we had to put a new roof on it, it would have drawn out this process a lot longer.”

No Stall in the Install

Since this project had many different phases, the General Contractor on the project, Griffin Construction, L.L.C., appreciated how fast the EM Retro-R panels went down.

“Using this product enabled us to get the roof done in a timely manner and make sure all of the new interior finishes weren’t damaged,” said Matt Hammel, Project Manager for Griffin Construction.

 “EM Retro-R panels are a great option for building owners and contractors. It doesn’t hold up construction and we are able to go on with work on the interior of the building while the roofer is up installing.”

Watertight and Attractive

On top of being a quick and effective roofing solution, the EM Retro-R panels gave the building the fresh look Tum-A-Lum was looking for.

“It looks like a brand new roof. You can’t even tell the old roof is underneath it,” Coffman said. “This remodel is night-and-day different. It doesn’t look like your typical lumber yard anymore.”

Talk of the Town

Tum-A-Lum recently celebrated its 110^th anniversary – making this transformation even more important to the community.

“Our customers have been in awe,” Coffman said. “It’s been fun watching all of the reactions from different people.”

“This renovation doubled the size of our retail space so we can offer twice as much product. This means locals don’t have to drive 20 miles or more to get what they need. It’s great for us and great for the local economy.”