Why Are Roofing Materials Corrugated or Ribbed?

Strength

• The corrugations in roofing materials are created by a process known as roll-forming, which creates a material that is stronger and more rigid than a flat sheet of the same thickness. Corrugated metal roofing, in particular, has a high strength to weight ratio.

Protection

• Provided the pitch, or slope, of a corrugated roof is sufficient, the corrugations provide more effective channeling for the runoff of rainwater than a plain roof. There is a minimum pitch for corrugated sheeting, often around 5 degrees, but this is much lower than the requirement for other roofing materials, such as tiles.

Weight

• Corrugated roofing materials are relatively lightweight and easy to handle when compared with other roofing materials. This means that they provide a cheaper, more convenient method of roofing and reduce the weight of material above your head; this can be a consideration if you live in an area prone to earth tremors.