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Met-Tile Roofs Provide Spanish Tile Look, Economical Performance for La Quinta Inn & Suites

At the new La Quinta Inn & Suites hotels in Houston and Maryland Heights, Mo., guests enjoy a choice of accommodations including two-room suites and executive king rooms for extended stays, as well as large standard guest rooms with enhanced amenities unique to the mid-priced lodging segment. To provide an optimum price/value experience for guests at its new hotels, management at La Quinta Inns, Inc. (San Antonio, Tex.) looked for ways to achieve construction economies without compromising quality or performance. One of their many solutions was to adopt metal tile facsimile roofing.

La Quinta had previously used concrete tile roofing on new properties and was pleased with the look and performance.
"Several years ago, however, we successfully used a Met-Tile ® tile facsimile roofing system on a conversion project that couldn't withstand the heavy load of concrete," says Wayne Huddleston, manager of architectural services for La Quinta Inn & Suites. "In reviewing construction plans for our new properties last year, we realized that a switch to lighter-weight metal tile roofing would make it possible to reduce substructure requirements and thereby save costs."

Made by Met-Tile, Inc. (Ontario, Calif.), Met-Tile consists of large steel panels (20 ft. long by 3-ft wide) into which a pattern is stamped to create the appearance of Spanish tile. Despite the tile look, it weighs only 125 lb. per square (1.25 lb. per sq. ft.), just a fraction the weight of most tiles.

Unlike some metal tile facsimile products, which come in smaller pieces, Met-Tile's long-length panels are applied vertically from eave to ridge directly over a wood deck and felt underlayment. Since there is no need for a batten grid or other support system beneath the panels, an extra construction step is eliminated. Panels are attached with screw fasteners, creating the strongest adhesion to the subsurface. These features result in a 230+ mph wind rating. A long-lasting, environmentally friendly paint finish is also used.
Met-Tile was specified to top the hotels largely because of its installation ease and superior wind resistance. The "Morocco Red" color also blends well with La Quinta's Mission-style architectural motif and an overall design concept that emphasizes an upscale residential feel. The architect of record for both hotels was BSW Architects (Tulsa, Okla.).

The new Inn & Suites property in Houston is a 330,000 sq. ft., four-story building that utilizes nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of Met-Tile roofing installed with a steep slope to show off the tile panels to their best advantage. The 131-unit hotel in Maryland Heights is also a large four-story structure using about 30,000 sq. ft. of Met-Tile.