What is the best metal roofing panel profile for commercial applications?
Deciding which profile to use on a metal roofing project can be complicated, and even more so when it comes to commercial projects. Commercial projects often require engineering, product approvals, specific installation methods, and sometimes weathertight warranties. Choosing the correct panel is essential to meet the project’s complex requirements.
And since commercial projects are often big jobs that may be serving vital functions — such as schools or hospitals — choosing the right profile ensures that everyone, from the architects to the general contractor to the owner of the building, can be confident in its functionality.
Sheffield Metals International (SMI) is a leading provider of metal coils, sheets, and accessories for the metal roofing industry. Our CAT (Commercial, Architectural, and Technical) team offers a comprehensive range of support throughout an entire project, from initial designs to final installation. We also offer full engineering and testing on various panel profiles for commercial applications. With years of experience working with commercial contractors, we understand which panels get the job done.
Sheffield Metals offers engineering on all three panel profiles listed in this article based on our sister company — New Tech Machinery’s — specific profiles. Keep in mind that these three profiles have comparative engineering and can be run on machines other than New Tech Machinery’s.
Here are three best panel profiles for commercial metal roofing applications.
1.5” Mechanical Seam
Advantages
- Great entry-level commercial profile for contractors
- Suitable for low-slope roofs
- Weathertight warranty availability
Limitations
- Not suitable for heavier commercial work
- Labor-intensive
The 1.5” Mechanical Seam panel profile is considered one of the best for commercial applications — especially for those just starting out in the commercial roofing industry.
Many contractors working in the residential space may already be working with a 1.5” SnapLock panel profile, which means they already have the machine and partial tooling needed for the 1.5” Mechanical Seam profile. Many rollforming machines — even residential rollforming machines — will be able to run a 1.5” Mechanical Seam panel.
Plus, if you already have the tooling for a 1.5” 450 SnapLock in your New Tech Machinery rollformer, you can utilize existing rollers and will only need to buy half of the tooling to run the 1.5” mechanical seam profile.
The 1.5” Mechanical Seam panel profile is best suited for lighter commercial jobs, including utility buildings, banks, churches, pavilions, and car washes. When you want to start bidding larger jobs such as schools or government facilities, then you will most likely need to upgrade to the 1.75” SnapLock or 2.0” Mechanical Seam profiles.
The 1.5” Mechanical Seam profile is also contractor-friendly due to its engineering and testing availability, particularly with aluminum. Using this panel profile with .032 aluminum instead of .040, for example, could help keep costs down.
1.75” SnapLock
Advantages
- Easier to install than a mechanical seam panel
- Weathertight warranty availability
- Popular panel in the metal roofing industry
Limitations
- Testing performance not as good as mechanical seam for wind uplifts
- Not adequate for roof pitches of 2/12 or below
The 1.75” SnapLock offers a more labor-friendly option for commercial applications, as there is no seaming required — the male and female legs simply snap together after being rollformed. Its durability, ease of installation and available testing and engineering make it one of the most architecturally specified panel profiles in the commercial metal roofing industry.
The 1.75” SnapLock is also cheaper to install versus mechanical seam due to the reduced labor costs and the ability to use fixed clips rather than the more expensive floating clips that are required for mechanical seam panels.
Though this system may be easier to install, it does not offer the enhanced protection against wind uplifts that other panels may offer.
The 1.75” SnapLock is also not suitable for roof pitches with a 2/12 or below. This is a hydrokinetic panel, which means it relies on gravity to shed rainwater off the roof. Hydrostatic panel profiles are mechanically seamed and use sealant to ensure that they’re watertight, so they can be used on lower roof pitches. Since the 1.75” SnapLock simply snaps together, it does not offer the water protection that other profiles — such as the 2.0” Mechanical Seam, may provide.
2.0” Mechanical Seam
Advantages
- Extremely durable
- Promotes proper drainage
- Compatible with low-slope roofs
- Weathertight warranty availability
Limitation
- Labor intensive
The 2.0” Mechanical Seam, because of its superior durbaility, is often used on the largest commercial projects, such as schools and military facilities. Instead of snapping together as the 1.75” SnapLock does, a mechanical seamer runs up and down the length of the panel over the seam to bend it 180 degrees.
The 2.0” height of the seam also helps channel water off the roof, so it works well on low-slope roof applications, too. Just keep in mind that additional installation requirements may be needed on lower roof pitches, including sealant in the seams to ensure that the panel is watertight.

The 2.0” Mechanical Seam panel profile has the most testing on the widest variety of materials and substrates of any Sheffield Metals profile. This means it can be used on many different types of projects in various regions, whether that be coastal or inland, from smaller projects such as picnic pavilions to those larger in scope like government facilities.
Considerations for Choosing the Right Commercial Profile
When you’re just getting started in the commercial metal roofing industry, choosing the right panel profile to start with is essential so that you can serve the markets you want. Here are some considerations to help narrow your options and decide which profile is right for you.
Region

Where your customers are located will in part dictate what panel profiles you use. This is especially important for those located on the coasts near saltwater. For these projects, you’ll want to find projects that have testing and engineering for aluminum materials, as aluminum does not corrode like steel does in coastal conditions.
Remember that certain regions will also have their own codes to follow. Building codes in Miami-Dade County, for example, will be very stringent, while projects located in the Midwest may not be as strict.
Be sure to conduct market research in your region to see which profiles are being used on commercial buildings. Note what type of structures are common in the area — are there a lot of warehouses? Government facilities? In that case, the 2.0” Mechanical Seam might be the right choice.
Is your region filled with doctor’s offices, park facilities, or banks? Then the 1.5” Mechanical Seam profile may be suitable. It just depends on the type of structures found in your region and what projects you’re looking to target.
Project Scope

What projects will you be targeting in the commercial industry?
If you’re new to commercial projects, you’ll probably be targeting smaller, simpler projects to get experience and understand how commercial jobs work. This is why the 1.5” Mechanical Seam is a great option for metal roofing contractors looking to get started in the commercial space — it’s suited for lighter commercial work and offers an easier transition to commercial profiles from residential.
Larger commercial projects such as schools or government facilities will require hardier profiles such as the 2.0” Mechanical Seam. In some cases, even smaller projects might require the 2.0” Mechanical Seam — it just depends on the project.
If you do think you’ll be working on larger projects soon, it might be worth it to start with a durable profile such as the 2.0” Mechanical Seam and use that on small projects so you can get comfortable working with it. Just keep in mind that buying a second commercial tooling set is a significant investment, so it’s important to weigh your options.
Weathertight Warranty Requirements

One of the biggest differences between residential and commercial metal roofing work is the weathertight warranty. For commercial projects, weathertight warranties will often be required. This means that your entire roofing assembly, from underlayment to clips to sealant, will need to be single-sourced and adhere to the weathertight warranty standards of the issuer.
Commercial projects will also need proper testing and calculations for things like wind uplifts, fire ratings, and any local codes in your region.
Need More Help Getting into the Commercial Metal Roofing Industry?
In this article, we outlined the three best panel profiles in the commercial metal roofing industry. Any of these three profiles may be the right fit for you — it just depends on your unique project and what you’re looking accomplish. Be sure to refer to your metal roofing supplier account representative for advice on which profile to use in your region.
If you’re looking for more information on how to break into the commercial metal roofing industry, check out our additional articles on the topic below:
How to Break into and Succeed in the Commercial Metal Roofing Industry – Sheffield Metals
How to Get a Metal Roof Weathertight Warranty: Procedure & Process
Sheffield Metals offers complete engineering and testing on various panel profiles, including the 1.5” Mechanical Seam, 1.75” SnapLock, and 2.0” Mechanical seam. Check out our full engineering and testing on panel profiles below:
Engineered & Non-Engineered Metal Roof & Wall Panel Profiles – Sheffield Metals
