You have several options when choosing materials for your roofing system. Each comes with different properties, service life, and visual aesthetics. One of the most popular options is the corrugated metal roof. The tough physical properties of steel make it the ideal roofing material, providing excellent longevity and service life.
Corrugated metal roofs are easy to install and offer a high degree of customization for any roofing style. Steel can withstand nature’s most demanding extreme weather conditions. Provided the steel is treated properly before and during installation, it’s fire, snow, hail, and hurricane resistant.
Henry Robinson Palmer invented the corrugation process in the 1820s while working at the London Dock Company. The original intention of producing corrugated metal sheets was to improve installation times.
The prefabricated nature of the roofing panels and the affordability of these roofing systems made them a huge hit with all types of roofing installations. They are often a cheaper option than standing seam metal roofs, which features long, flat metal panels with vertical seams (ribs) that stand up above the panel level. Corrugated metal roofing instead uses panels with repeating wavy or ridged patterns (S/U shape).
Curious to learn more about what goes into putting together a metal roof? See how metal roofs are made step by step.
Corrugated Metal Roofing Explained
Manufacturers produce corrugated metal roofing panels by rolling metal sheets into pre-formed designs. The roofing contractor secures the panels to the frame using screws. The “Exposed faster panel” properties of corrugated metal roofs mean each fastener is visible on the panel’s surface.
Traditional corrugated steel sheets have a wavy appearance. However, modern manufacturing techniques allow for a selection of designs with a high degree of customization. You have options for box or square-shaped designs. Corrugated metal roof panels are a great alternative to shingles; they won’t blow off, causing roof leaks.
It’s a low-cost, durable, lightweight, and energy-efficient material that’s easy to install, driving down installation costs for homeowners. Corrugated metal roofs are popular roofing options for commercial and residential properties.
The corrugation of steel sheets for roofing systems increases the strength of the metal surface, creating a roof that can support a decent amount of weight. It’s a great choice for areas of the United States that get heavy snowfall, reducing the chances of collapse under large snow drifts.
Steel has a higher tensile strength than all roofing materials, like asphalt and shake. Manufacturers can take metals with weak tensile properties, such as galvanized steel and aluminum, and corrugate them to increase their structural strength properties.
As a result, corrugated steel panels don’t need heavy gauges to offer excellent structural strength. These panels have high weight-to-strength ratios and withstand the most demanding weather environments.
They’re suitable for all climate conditions and provide excellent thermal regulation inside the home despite steel being a conductor of heat. One of the top benefits of installing a metal roof is improvement of your home’s energy efficiency in hot or cold climates.
How Is Corrugated Metal Roofing Manufactured?
Manufacturers produce metal roofing panels from steel coils. In most cases, the panels feature a galvanized or galvalume® underlayer. They come in a raw, untreated state before being sent to a roofing supplier or manufacturer for corrugation.
The roofing supplier will use a roll-forming process to corrugate the steel panels. The steel sheets pass through a rolling die, forming it into the required shape, wavy, boxy, or any other design style.
After passing through the die, the manufacturer shears the panel to the correct length. Corrugated metal roofing panels are a popular choice for custom roofs as they allow shaping into any style with relative ease at or before sending the materials to the installation site.
What are the Types of Corrugated Metal Roofing?
Corrugated steel is a generic term specifying all types of sheet steel with enhanced structural strength. The roofing industry uses three standard types of corrugated metal panels for roofing systems.
The industry standards include 7/8″, 1/2″, and other thicknesses and designs, including ribbed steel roofing sheets. The 7/8″ size is the most common for use in roof installations. This material features deep corrugations, creating a shadow-like appearance, which creates an impressive visual aesthetic for the roof, adding curb appeal to the property.
The 7/8″ material also offers the highest degree of structural strength, and it’s the most affordable option due to its popularity and mass production with manufacturers. Center to center, the roofing panels feature corrugations of 2.67″, with the 7/8″ measurement referring to its height. These panels are common in flat roof homes where the pitch is a minimum of 3″.
All corrugated metal roof installations must also comply with the 2024 Florida Building Code updates, which require a dual-layer underlayment system using ASTM D8257, ASTM D226 Type II, or ASTM D4869 Type III or IV materials, installed with proper overlapping and fastening as specified in Section R905.1.1.1 and Section 1518.2.1.
More Info About Metal Roofs
Corrugated metal roofs offer an excellent choice for your roofing system. Speak to a metal roofing contractor about the designs on offer, warranties, and pricing compared to other roofing systems available for your project. It’s also wise to understand exactly what protection you’re getting — learn more about what roof warranties actually cover so you can make an informed decision and avoid unexpected costs down the road.
