# 5 rib metal roofing and curves.



## kendallt (Feb 21, 2007)

Anyone know what the minimum radius you can cover with 5 rib metal roofing?

Have a project in the planning stage with a barrel roof that has with an 18ft radius. They want the panels to go side to side, and I'm not certain how tight a radius off the shelf roofing can follow without flattening out or kinking.
Right now it's just on paper so can be changed if needed, and currently do not have time or funds to dummy something up and experiment. 
Tried some searching but the only results I get are the advantages of it and howto's.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds like fun.....maybe. Width of roof panels?? Height of ribs?? Metal thickness (ga)?? The ribs will add some rigidity to the roof panels.....may have to fabricate a roller to do that radius. I've bent metal but only black-iron.


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## kendallt (Feb 21, 2007)

Not exact specs, but checked a few and they were all in the 25-30 gauge range with ribs of 3/4 to 1". 36 inch coverage. 5 main ribs per panel with two 3/4 wide by maybe 1/4 high minor ribs between them.

edit:
yeah it should be fun! Building the radius itself won't be a problem, but I thinking it might be too tight for the panels they want to use. 
May try to talk them into metal shingle or something similar.


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## Confounded Also (Aug 19, 2015)

kendallt said:


> Anyone know what the minimum radius you can cover with 5 rib metal roofing?
> 
> Have a project in the planning stage with a barrel roof that has with an 18ft radius. They want the panels to go side to side,



Barrel roof ... you mean like a Quonset Hut?

A standard 5 rib 3' wide panel will bend around to form a single tube, though it would take something to help hold it that way. The other way - length wise, they won't bend at all.


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## kendallt (Feb 21, 2007)

Yeah, quonset hut stye
Looks like I'll be convincing them to go with metal shingles instead, or bidding real high. Wasn't really looking for work when it showed up, but figured I could look it over


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