On-Site Roll Forming for Los Angeles Standing Seam Metal Roofs
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Are Standing Seam Panels Made on Site or in a Factory?
Standing seam panels can be made on site or in a factory, but we form ours on site.
Our portable roll-former allows us to produce panels directly at your property. Each panel is formed specifically for the roof, with its required length established before the forming process begins.
The process gives our crew direct control over the panel dimensions during installation and eliminates the need to transport finished panels to your home.
For the complete installation process, see our standing seam roof installation guide.
What Is On-Site Roll Forming?
A machine parked at the curb turns a roll of steel into a finished standing seam panel cut to your roof. On-site roll forming means we form each standing seam panel on your roof to its exact required length.
Every panel is formed to 1/8 inch, because every panel on your roof has its own required length. A portable roll-former sits at the job site while our crew produces the panels specifically for your roof.
The machine has a coil of sheet metal on one end which is run through the machine to form the standing seam panels. We enter specific dimensions for each panel into the computer and a panel with those exact specifications comes out the other end. “It’s kind of like a pasta machine, but for metal,” says Karen Wagner, co-owner.
This process gives us exact-length panels without transporting finished panels from a factory to your property. It also allows us to produce long continuous runs without unnecessary end laps.
Is Roll Forming Better Than Ordering from a Factory? If So, Why?
Yes. On-site roll forming gives us three practical advantages: exact panel lengths, no shipping damage, and immediate replacement.
We cut every panel to the exact size required for the location where it will be installed, so each panel matches the actual dimensions of that particular roof run. That matters most on a roof where the panel lengths change throughout the project, which describes most of the homes we work on.
Because we form the panels at the job site, they never travel as finished panels.
If a panel is damaged for any reason, we do not wait for another to be manufactured and delivered. We set it aside and form another one on the spot.
What Happens to Panels That Are Formed Off Site?
Panels formed off site must be transported to your home before installation.
Transport adds another handling stage between forming and installation. Our panels are formed at the job site, so they arrive without transport dents, bends, scratches or edge damage.
The result is a panel that moves directly from the forming process into the installation process without finished panels having to travel by truck.
How Long Can a Single Standing Seam Panel Be?
A single standing seam panel can run about 40 feet without an end lap.
We form long, continuous runs specifically for the dimensions of your roof.
Longer continuous runs reduce the number of seams across the roof and create a cleaner panel layout.
Who Forms the Panels on Our Crew?
The C-43 sheet-metal specialist handles the sheet-metal work required to form the panels on site.
We hold C-39 roofing, C-43 sheet metal, Class B, and C-10 electrical licenses.
We are the contractor other roofing companies hire. Going direct means you work with the crew performing the work without the markup added by another contractor.
Does On-Site Roll Forming Reduce Oil Canning?
Yes, on-site roll forming helps reduce oil canning because precise panel dimensions and fewer seams reduce conditions that contribute to visible waviness in standing seam panels.
Oil canning is visible waviness across broad, flat areas of standing seam metal panels. One contributor is panel stress created when the metal is forced to accommodate dimensions that do not match the roof precisely.
Our on-site forming process produces each panel to the roof’s exact dimensions, accurate to 1/8 inch. That precise fit means the panel is not being forced into an incorrect length or altered to compensate for a dimensional mismatch.
Long continuous runs also reduce the number of seams across the roof. Fewer seams mean fewer points where adjoining panels have to meet across the roof surface.
The combination of accurate panel dimensions, properly formed panels, and fewer seams produces a cleaner, more consistent standing seam surface.
What Gauge and Finish Do We Form?
We form standing seam panels in 22 or 24-gauge steel and .032 or .040 inch aluminum, with a 70% Kynar 500 PVDF finish.
Our steel panels are available in 22-gauge and 24-gauge. We do not use 26-gauge steel, and we do not warranty 26-gauge material.
For a detailed comparison of the steel gauges we use, see our 24-gauge versus 26-gauge guide.
Aluminum is specified by thickness in inches, never gauge. Our aluminum options are .032 inch and .040 inch.
Both steel and aluminum receive a 70% Kynar 500 PVDF finish. We offer the system with Taylor Metals and Sheffield Metals, the two manufacturers covered by our 8-year workmanship warranty.
For more about standing seam panel profiles and seam types, see our panel profiles guide.
Our standing seam roofs also use heavy-duty clips with two fasteners each, spaced 12 inches in the field and 9 inches at the perimeter.
What Other Questions Should I Ask?
Does on-site forming cost more than factory panels?
No. On-site forming does not cost more than factory panels because the machine comes with the crew, so there is no separate charge for forming and no freight bill for hauling finished panels to the property. The forming equipment is part of how our crew performs the work. You pay for the roofing project without a separate forming charge.
Can I watch the panels being made?
Yes. You can watch the panels being made because the machine sits at the curb in plain view. Homeowners are welcome to come out and watch. A panel takes 10 to 15 seconds. Most people watch at least one.
Does forming on site add days to the job?
No. On-site forming does not add days to the job because forming happens alongside the installation rather than before it. Panels are made as the crew needs them. There is no waiting on a factory order or delivery date.
Can you form panels for a roof that is not a simple rectangle?
Yes. We can form panels for complex roofs because hips, valleys, dormers, and changing roof runs are normal work. Every panel is produced for its own length. A complex roof is where on-site forming helps most because no two panels need to be the same.
What happens if a panel comes out wrong?
It rarely does, because the required length is entered into the machine's control panel and the machine forms to that number rather than to a person's eye. The two things that can go wrong are a jam in the equipment or an incorrect measurement being entered, and both are caught before the panel goes up. The cost of either one is the few seconds it takes to run a replacement.
Does the roll-former sit on my driveway, and how much room does it need?
No. It stays on the street because the machine is a trailer towed behind our truck and we park it at the curb, usually in front of your driveway. Your driveway stays clear while the machine is operating. We account for equipment access when we quote the job.
Does my HOA need to approve equipment being on the property?
Possibly, and you should check with your HOA before the job starts because its requirements determine whether approval is needed. The machine is at the curb rather than on the lot. It is there only for the days we are forming, and we can supply whatever details the HOA asks for.
What if my street is too narrow for the truck?
We have options for a street that is too narrow for the truck, and we work them out with you before you sign anything. We can park on a nearby wider street and carry panels to the property. Access is one of the things we look at when we quote the job.
Is on-site forming noisier than a normal roof install?
Yes, on-site forming is noisier than a normal roof install, but only while a panel is actually being formed. The machine is off between panels, and each panel takes 10 to 15 seconds.
How do you get a 40-foot panel onto a roof without bending it?
A 40-foot panel is carried by several crew members spaced along its length so it stays supported the whole way up. The panel remains supported along its length rather than being handled from only the ends. This is routine work for a crew that only does metal.
Reach Us
If you want a standing seam roof formed to the exact dimensions of your home, our C-43 sheet-metal crew handles the forming and installation.
We serve Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, and Riverside counties. Call (818) 937-4500(818) 937-4500 for a free satellite quote, emailed directly to you with no salesperson.
For more about how we install standing seam metal roofs, visit our installation and components guide.