If the days of the eponymous barrel rolled roofing technique have been left in the past, how do I accurately restore a heritage listed building to its former glory?
There is a solution, there is a modern technique that can achieve the same look.
Known for our heritage work, the team at Glegg Manufacturing on Brisbane’s northside, can recreate highly accurate corrugated roof profiles – such as Heritage Custom Orb roofing – using roll forming technique.
Roll forming produces a custom orb profile that closely matches the original barrel roll depth of 19mm. Even with modern techniques, you can still successfully maintain the building’s authentic look and most importantly, meet Queensland’s heritage department specifications.
In our blog, below, we explore the outdated barrel rolled roofing technique and why it’s superseded by its contemporary successor.
Custom orb roofing technique comparison
Barrel Rolled Roofing Technique
Barrel rolling was once a mainstream technique used to create corrugated roofing.
The process involved a set of rollers with deep grooves, that would bend the sheet metal into a fluted corrugated profile when fed through the rollers.
This technique created deep 19mm ridges, which aren’t always achieved using modern methods.
A major drawback of barrel rolling is the limitation of the sheet length that can be corrugated, which is where roll forming comes in.
Roll Forming Roofing Technique
In the 1970s roll forming machine became the new standard for manufacturing corrugated roofing.
This technique has several advantages over its predecessor because of its ability to fabricate longer sheets. In fact, roll forming machines can create lengths up to 12 metres (although most houses only require sheets between 5 and 6 metres).
The benefits of longer sheet fabrication include:
- Fewer sheets required: this translates into less corrosion hot spots (aka end laps joins).
- Optimal efficiency: larger sheets are a real time and money saver. Fastening a few large sheets is significantly more efficient than numerous smaller sheets.
Gospel Oak: different profile, same heritage look
Curious about a different option for heritage roofing? Take a look at our Gospel Oak roofing blog here.
This classic profile has graced numerous Brisbane landmarks, churches, and even residential homes.
With Gospel Oak roofing, you can achieve the same extensive 762mm coverage as custom orb roofing by using three round ribs and two trays (see below).
Moreover, you have the freedom to opt for parallel sheets or tapered roofing, to form a stunning fan effect shown here.
Heritage Roofing Specialists in Brisbane
Custom orb roofing uses new-school techniques to achieve old-fashioned results whilst still maintaining a standard cover of 762mm. The Z600 coating combined with a TCT (total coated thickness) of 0.6mm will give years of reassuring service.
With roll forming roofing technique, we recreate the original beauty of heritage listed buildings and protect them against the elements.
If you’re looking for high-quality, standard, or custom metal designs for your project, being a heritage listed building or a new construction that requires the old-style flavour, contact Glegg Manufacturing – the specialists in heritage roofing and accessories in Queensland since 1969.
Glegg Manufacturing is a high quality producer of Custom fabrication, General Sheet metal work or Heritage listed matching or fabrication.
Offering friendly service, quality materials, great rates and industry knowledge like no others – we’re a fabrication team that cares about our product who goes above and beyond on every job.
With hundreds of satisfied clients, our expert experience, advice, and quality source materials to get your project produced as effectively and cost efficiently as possible. Call Glegg Manufacturing on 07 3205 1022 or enquire online here.
