Matter and surface
Corrugated metal sheet
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It is a thin sheet of galvanized steel, corrugated for stiffness, used mainly on roofs. In Costa Rica it is called zinc although it is steel with a zinc coating.
What it solves
It covers large areas with little weight, quickly and at low cost, which helps in earthquakes. On its own it transmits heat and rain noise, so it calls for insulation and ventilation.
Today
Combine it with insulation, a ventilated ceiling and enough slope. Fix it at the crest of the corrugation with a screw and washer and use a light color on the sunny face.
Common mistake
Fixing it in the valley of the corrugation, where the water runs, which causes leaks.
Tomorrow
With stronger winds, good fixing and careful overlaps decide whether the roof withstands a storm. An insulating layer under the sheet calms the roar of downpours and the midday heat.
Where it comes from
- 1London Docks England, 1829
Corrugated metal sheet was patented. - 2Rural settlement Australia and Argentina, since the 19th century
It became the common roof of the countryside because it is light and easy to transport and assemble. - 3National Bamboo Project Costa Rica, 1986 to 2000
The bamboo houses were roofed with corrugated iron sheets.
Masters
- Glenn Murcutt Marie Short House, Kempsey, Australia, 1974
He covered a timber house with a corrugated metal roof inspired by rural sheds. He turned a farm material into precise, demountable architecture. - Diébédo Francis Kéré Gando Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso, 2001
He raised the metal roof on a steel truss, separated from the earth block ceiling, so that air flows and cools the classrooms. He teaches how to use metal sheeting without heating the interior.
Sources
See also
Also in Matter and surface
Diagrams and texts by LDB Arquitectura. They are shared under the CC BY 4.0 license, which allows them to be used and adapted with credit to the source.