Our standard panel comes with striations formed lengthwise into the panel. These striations help to control distortion and oil-canning appearance.

Easy...just snap in place and then place screws or nails in hidden fastener flange.

Neat, clean image without screws to mar the appearance, and no screw holes to create future problems after a few seasons of expansion and contraction of panels.

Slotted fastener holes allow for up to 3/8" of expansion up or down on the panels. For lengths longer than 28 ft in steel panels, it is recommended to go to our add-on clip panels (Snap n  Clip) where the panels are allowed to flex even greater distances with our sliding clips. In most cases though these Snap-Lock panels with integral fastener flange will work, which allows for faster and less expensive installation.

Ensure safe work site practices, safe site conditions, and safety gear is worn at all times. 

Also many sharp edges are involved with metal roofing, and the danger of getting seriously cut must not be ignored. Handle any metal edges with care.

Do not even think of getting on a metal roof with snow or ice present. There is nothing more slippery than a metal roof, except maybe a wet metal roof. You will be on the ground in blink of the eye, and serious or life threatening injury is highly likely.

Metal panels require special handling. Always carry them with side edges down to avoid distorting or kinking the panels. Always lay them down so that they cannot slide off the roof, and keep them on level flat surfaces.

Care and attention must be given to not scratching the panels before, during and after their installation. Although not entirely avoidable, and usually not a serious panel quality issue, try to work on panels in such a way to not mark up the finished work.

Installation guideline:

1. Ensure roof deck is built strong enough to support the roof weight in your area, plus that it is level, free of distortion and sags, and has no debris or nails sticking up.

2. Install underlayment using good roofing practice. On re-roofing install the underlayment with greater overlaps to protect your building better while you are waiting for the completion of the metal panel installation. We suggest either a synthetic underlay such as Feltex, a self adhered membrane such as Winterguard HT( an SBS modified ice and water barrier), or the more traditional Malarkey #501UDL Right-Start SBS base sheet. Apply with "big top" roofing nails.

3. Apply drip edge using "T" shaped 1" to 1.5" overhang in colour matched material. Install with Wafer-head 1" #8 screws or Hot Dipped Galvanized Roofing Nails.

4. Install "J-Trim" up gables unless it's a prowed gable in which case treat as either a built-in gutter or as an additional eave edge. The J-trim will provide the base support for a gable trim metal to follow later, plus it provides additional flashing benefits.

5. Option - install j-trims up hips on both sides, that you will cut the panels into as you lay out the roofing. These j-trims provide a weather block as well as the support for the ridge caps installed on the hips. You can also install the j-trims in front of head walls, skylites, and chimneys.

6. Option - install j-trims along both sides of ridges, as an alternative to "z-bar" metal method. For ridge vent installations install this j-trim prior to installing panels, and make sure they are placed so that they will fit the 11.25" Trimline Rigid Vent, plus provide an attachment base for the ridge caps as well. Measure and check prior to fastening the j-trim.

7. Option - In some cases it is better to complete most of the hip and ridge details first, as well as the headwall flashings. If you are planning on boxing up the ends of the Weather-Lock panels, this is an acceptable method. this will allow other trades to proceed with their work prior to the panels all being laid. The benefit on steep roofs of doing the details first is obvious, plus the mess that other trades make of your completed roof panel installation can be avoided.

8. Where applicable install valleys first (except where valleys need to lay on lower panels first. Install built in gutters, prowed gable details at this time, except for those that need to flow out onto lower panels not yet installed.

9. If you are using a "male-male" starter panel and wish to start not on one side or the other, now is the time to use it. Decide where best to square up the first starter panel on a particular roof plane. Using the 3,4,5 principle check that you are starting the first panel square to the eave. A good location for a male-male starter panel is beside a valley or directly below the top position of a hip, or beside a dormer.

10. Once you have checked for a square perpendicular start location, begin the panel installing. If using a t-shaped drip edge and you have ordered Pre-notched panels, install the panel exactly 1" beyond the outside of the "T" edge of the drip-edge eave metal. The ribs will finish flush once the 1" is "folded" under using your onsite tools.  If you are not using Pre-Notched panels, then overhang the "T" shaped drip edge about 1/2" to 1". Once selecting an overhang dimension ensure you keep it consistent on the whole job as much as possible.

11. Using 1" #8 Wafer Head screws, or 1.5" Hot Dipped Galvanized Roofing Nails 11 or 12ga, apply the fasteners along the nail flange into the center of the pre-notched slots. You can install these fasteners at about 18" to 24" apart, but ensure they are not torqued or driven "home". The panels need to be able to expand and contract just like vinyl siding, so cinching them down is not our goal. Drive the nail or screw until it just "touches" the panel, no more. If you fasten it too tight oil-canning and distortion will frequently occur. One screw per panel is to be installed tightly, normally at the top of the panel through the nail flange but not through a slotted hole (or through the "Z-Bar" through the panel). Each panel is permanently affixed to the building from this position and allowed to expand and contract around each of the other fasteners below.

12. Align the next panel, and start "Snapping" them down into place. On heavier gauges you will find it easier to "zip" them down when snapping by starting either at the top or bottom and applying pressure (or a rubber mallet tap) not along the whole length at once but by increasing the amount already snapped in slowly and steadily. On 24 gauge kneeling on a board can help snap them in. It is usually not difficult. Then proceed to fasten each one as earlier described.

13. Work on each plane can only proceed in one direction, except where a male-male starter panel has been used and work can go in two directions at once. Only one male-male can be used per roof plane. Never work towards already installed panels on the same roof plane.

14. When reaching skylites or chimneys, see instructions at right as one pair of methods for working around these "curb" penetrations. There are many ways to get around details such as these, the examples shown are only two methods of many. The important part is to not obstruct water-flow, always divert water well away from corners, and use caulking as a secondary insurance not as a primary waterproofing. Some metalwork can be done with virtually no caulking, while others want to use solder. This is the point where we say use good roofing and metal work practice to properly "flash" these details.

15. When installing panels cut the hips and valleys with "shears" or snips. Do not saw or use abrasive blades unless you further snip off or shear the exposed edges after. A Galvanized Steel edge will sacrifice some of the zinc coating to seal off a sheared edge and protect against rust and weather. A sawn or abrasive edge will not "heal" itself and rust can occur rapidly. Using a compound offset snip is usually best, unless you can get a hold of power shears to speed up some cuts. Take care to cut neatly, remove burrs, and where possible fold under edges.

16. While installing into hips, some ridges,and valleys, measure, cut, and test the fit prior to snapping panel into place. For good roofing practice one can fold up the panels (box up) into J-trims. Our Pre-Notched panel service makes this easier, although we do not pre-notch or pre-cut valleys or hip-tops.

17. At all pipes and penetrations cut out the holes in the panels prior to snapping them down. Allow 1/2" greater diameter so the panel can expand and contract freely. Flash these holes using our colour coordinated rubber boots we call "Deck-Tites". They come in various sizes to fit most pipes and they can be formed up and over the WeatherLock panels ribs because of their flexible base. Once ready these are caulked and screwed down. Please ensure the Flashings, Decktites, and penetrations DO NOT BLOCK the water-flow heading down the panels, and there is room for this water-flow to evacuate freely past the obstruction without causing water damming.

18. At valleys that onto the lower panels, run the panel at least 12" past the valley, remove the ribs that the valley needs to lay on (left or right side) and test fit this junction before affixing the valley metal. The valley metal needs to lay on this lower panel and direct the water-flow effectively onto the panel and on down the roof. Lap the valley metal as far over as possible onto the panel, but allow enough room for the water-flow. Using butyl sealing tape or approved caulking ensure no water can back up under the valley metal through capillary action. Make sure future debris does not block this water-flow or cause damming.

19. At pitch changes install into a j-trim, create flashing trim with suitable overlap and waterproofing, and fasten and seal as required prior to installing upper panels. Alternatively, using a "Z-Bar" flashing trim notch out the bottom and riser of the z-bar to fit this trim into the ribs of the lower panels. The z-bar should fit snugly and is installed with butyl tape sealer or approved caulking prior to affixing down onto the lower panels. Install pitch change flashing either over z-bar or j-trim metal and begin upper panel installations when ready. Boxing up the lower panel ends prior to inserting them into j-trims is good roofing practice.

20. Once all the panels have been installed, if the ridge and hip caps have not yet been installed proceed to making these areas ready for final details.  Always start metal trims and flashing from the bottom of the roof. Starting with gable trims, begin the flashing installation (over the j-trims if used). A second method of completing gables is to have roof specific sizes of gable trims made in our custom sheet metal shop that will have the right size "top" and side measurements for your specific roof and panel ending situations. If using j-trims install the  hip caps followed by the ridge vent details for the ridge, followed by the ridge caps themselves. You will require neoprene-washer colour-matched screws for all these details. We normally use 1.5" long #10 screws. You can pre-drill the ridge cap / j-trim / z-bar fastener locations to make the screw installation and assembly go easier. Caulk any flashing UNDER the overlaps as required. Do not caulk over seams as this will eventually fail. Cut all flashing junctions neatly, test fit before installing, and remember these are critical waterproofing junctions as well as a finished look that should endure for decades and decades. Take the time to do good work and detailing, its worth the effort and it is why metal roof installers get to charge what they do. Installing the panels is easy ...its the details that take the time.