Tin roofs were groundbreaking in the mid-19th century. Tin roofs were America’s middle class response to decorative plaster ceilings that were heavily used by wealthy Europeans. At the time, tin roofs were very easy to mass-produce, superior to plaster in many ways, extremely detailed, and lightweight and easy to work with. These embossed metal panels were found covering countless ceilings in businesses, homes, and hotels. Interest in tin roofs was especially sparked alongside the popularity of renovation architecture in the late 20th century, resulting in many modern pressed tin roofing reproductions.

Decorative plaster ceilings, such as those that had gained so much popularity and envy in the homes of wealthy Europeans, were quite beautiful, but not very practical as a whole, as they took a long time to mold and were heavy to transport. Also, it was very difficult to apply them to an unfinished ceiling. Instead, using tin panels resulted in much easier installation, finer detail work, and much less expense. These sheets also absorbed sound well, resisted moisture and mold, and seemed to last much longer than the player or drywall. It was easy for the installers to just nail them into the wood, and the square panels were very easy to handle.

The tin ceiling peaked in the 1890s, and then much of the ornamentation was eventually covered with drywall or acoustic false ceiling tiles. Thus, preserved tin was discovered when restoration experts stepped in to restore homes to the grandeur they knew before the turn of the century. Although tin roofs often need a bit of tender loving care in the form of repairing, stripping, or repainting, much of it has stood the test of time better than expected.

Now, companies have begun recreating pressed tin panels in patterns that were used in the past with revitalized interest. Nostalgia for that American era gives us the possibility of finishes in silver, copper and antiques of the original metal, as well as custom designs to complement the most modern architecture. Many designers still paint tin ceilings white to give the appearance of plaster, but the original tin look is still quite popular, especially when it comes to emulating the true 19th century tin roof style.