Arkansas and Michigan are not gentle climates. Arkansas sits in the heart of Tornado Alley — the state averages 40+ tornadoes per year, and central Arkansas including the Bryant and Little Rock metro has experienced multiple direct and near-miss tornado events in the past decade. Michigan faces severe Great Lakes storm systems, significant hail activity in spring and summer, and winter ice loads that stress roofing systems every single year. In both states, the gap between a roof that handles severe weather and one that fails is measured in thousands of dollars and months of disruption.
Stone coated steel roofing achieves the highest available ratings in every performance category relevant to severe weather. This post explains what those ratings mean, how they are tested, and why they matter for homeowners in our markets.
For broader context on stone coated steel products, see our complete guide. For storm damage repair services, see our roof storm damage repair page.
Understanding UL 2218 Class 4 Impact Rating
What the Test Actually Measures
UL 2218 is the Underwriters Laboratories standard for impact resistance of roof coverings. The test simulates hail impact using a steel ball bearing dropped from specified heights onto the roofing material. The four-class system works as follows:
- Class 1: 1.25″ steel ball, 12-foot drop — both impacts at the same location, no cracking or fracture
- Class 2: 1.5″ steel ball, 15-foot drop
- Class 3: 1.75″ steel ball, 17-foot drop
- Class 4: 2.0″ steel ball, 20-foot drop — both impacts at the same location, no cracking, fracturing, splitting, tearing, or structural failure
Class 4 is the highest rating available. All stone coated steel products we install — including DECRA Shingle XD, DECRA Shake XD, DECRA Villa Tile, TILCOR CF Shingle, TILCOR CF Shake, TILCOR Bond Tile, Westlake Royal Granite-Ridge Shingle, Westlake Royal Pine-Crest Shake, Westlake Royal Pacific Tile, and Westlake Royal Barrel Vault Tile — achieve Class 4 rating.
What Class 4 Means in Practice
For context on what Class 4 means against competing materials:
- Standard 3-tab asphalt shingles: Class 1
- Standard dimensional asphalt shingles: Class 1-2
- Impact-resistant asphalt shingles (e.g., Atlas Pinnacle Pristine): Class 3
- Stone coated steel: Class 4
- Standing seam metal: Class 4
Arkansas and Michigan are both active hail states — large hail events occur multiple times per year across both markets. A Class 4 roof eliminates the most common mechanism of storm damage that triggers insurance claims: hail impact cracking through asphalt granule coating and exposing the organic mat beneath, leading to accelerated UV degradation and eventual leaking.
For homeowners who have made multiple insurance claims for hail damage in the past 10 years, upgrading to Class 4 stone coated steel often stops that cycle entirely. The steel substrate does not crack or fracture under hail — it may show minor surface dimpling on extreme impact, but structural integrity is preserved.
Wind Uplift Ratings
How Wind Uplift Is Measured
Wind uplift ratings are expressed in miles per hour (mph) and reflect the sustained wind speed a roofing system can withstand without panels being torn from the substrate. The ratings assume proper installation per manufacturer specifications — a correct installation with correct fastener type, count, and placement is required for the rated performance.
Stone coated steel systems typically achieve wind uplift ratings between 120 and 170 mph depending on product, profile, and installation method. The interlocking panel design — where each panel mechanically locks to adjacent panels on multiple edges — creates a continuous diaphragm effect. This dramatically reduces the uplift force any individual fastener must resist compared to individual shingles or tiles.
Comparing Wind Ratings Across Roofing Types
- Standard 3-tab asphalt: 60-70 mph
- Standard dimensional asphalt shingles: 110-130 mph
- Atlas Pinnacle Pristine (our premium asphalt product): 130 mph
- Stone coated steel (interlocking systems): 120-170 mph
- Standing seam metal (continuous seam): 110-170 mph depending on gauge and attachment method
What This Means in Arkansas and Michigan
Arkansas tornadoes regularly produce wind speeds exceeding 110 mph (EF1 and above). EF2 tornadoes — which cause significant structural damage — produce winds of 111-135 mph. A stone coated steel roof rated to 160+ mph provides meaningful survivability margin in near-miss tornado events where wind speeds approach but do not exceed the roof’s rated performance.
Michigan’s most damaging severe weather events are typically derechos (straight-line wind events) and mesoscale convective systems that produce widespread 80-100 mph gusts, plus localized tornadoes in southern Michigan. Standard dimensional asphalt shingles at 130 mph are frequently damaged in 80-100 mph derechos due to the cumulative effect of wind direction cycling — the roof is attacked from multiple angles as the storm system passes. Stone coated steel’s interlocking geometry is less directionally dependent, providing more consistent protection across all wind directions.
Fire Resistance
All stone coated steel products carry a Class A fire rating under ASTM E108 — the highest available. The test measures flame spread, fire penetration through the roof assembly, and resistance to burning brand (airborne ember) ignition.
Class A fire rating is significant in two scenarios that affect our markets:
- Arkansas wildfire-adjacent areas: Rural and semi-rural Arkansas properties near forested areas are exposed to airborne ember risk from neighboring wildfires. Class A roofing resists ignition from embers landing on the roof surface.
- Michigan rural properties: Similar WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) exposure for properties near forested areas in western and northern Michigan.
By comparison, wood shake is Class C — the lowest residential fire rating. Homeowners replacing wood shake with stone coated steel shake profiles (like DECRA Shake XD or TILCOR CF Shake) gain two full fire rating tiers while maintaining the visual character that made them choose shake in the first place.
Insurance Discount Potential
Class 4 Discounts in Arkansas
Arkansas is a highly active hail state, and many insurance carriers operating in the market offer “hail-resistant” or “impact-resistant” roof discounts for homes with Class 4-rated roofing. Discount amounts vary by carrier, but ranges of 10-30% on the wind/hail portion of your premium are commonly available. Over a 40-year roof lifespan, this compounds into thousands of dollars in cumulative savings — and that is before factoring in the reduced frequency of hail damage claims that drives claim history surcharges.
Class 4 Discounts in Michigan
Michigan insurers also recognize Class 4 rating in their premium calculations, particularly in the southern counties that experience the highest hail frequency. Additionally, Michigan’s mandatory hail deductible structure in many policies means a Class 4 roof that avoids claims entirely eliminates the out-of-pocket deductible exposure that a standard asphalt roof faces every few years.
How to Claim the Discount
After installation, request the product’s UL 2218 Class 4 rating documentation from us — we can provide the manufacturer’s certification for any product we install. Submit this to your insurance carrier with your installation documentation. Some carriers require the contractor’s license number and insurance coverage confirmation. Our team provides all required documentation as part of the post-installation package. See our roof insurance claim assistance service for help navigating insurance processes.
Ice Dam Resistance (Michigan)
Michigan homeowners face an additional weather stress not relevant in Arkansas: ice damming. Ice dams form when heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, the meltwater runs down to the cold eave overhang, and refreezes — creating an ice buildup that forces water under the roofing material and into the attic.
Stone coated steel does not solve the root cause of ice damming (inadequate attic insulation and ventilation), but its waterproofing characteristics help. Specifically:
- The interlocking panel joints are more ice-resistant than the lap joints of asphalt shingles
- Ice and water shield membrane installed at the eaves provides a secondary water barrier if dam water does penetrate the panel layer
- The lower absorption coefficient of steel panels means they do not hold ice formation in the surface texture the way granular asphalt shingles can
For our Michigan installations, we extend ice barrier coverage further up the slope than minimum code requires — typically 24-36 inches above the exterior wall line — to provide additional protection during harsh winters.
If you have experienced repeated storm damage, hail damage, or ice dam issues with your current roof, a stone coated steel upgrade from Lifetime Construction Builders addresses all of these vulnerabilities simultaneously. Call us at (501) 307-1440 or reach out online to discuss whether your home and market qualify for insurance premium benefits after installation.
Related: stone coated steel installation process | brand comparison | storm damage repair | complete stone coated steel guide