Popular Roofing Profiles Used in South America

The dominant profiles are trapezoidal and corrugated, with regional variations.

Popular Profiles in South America

Complete Regional Roofing & Market Guide

South America’s roofing market is influenced by:

✔ Strong agricultural sector
✔ Expanding logistics & warehousing
✔ Mining infrastructure
✔ High rainfall zones
✔ Coastal corrosion exposure
✔ Price-sensitive residential markets

The dominant profiles are trapezoidal and corrugated, with regional variations.

1️⃣ Trapezoidal / Box Profiles (Most Common)

The most dominant profile type across:

Brazil
Argentina
Colombia
Peru
Chile
Ecuador

Typical characteristics:

25–40 mm rib height
1000 mm effective cover common
5-rib trapezoidal design

Used for:

✔ Industrial warehouses
✔ Agricultural buildings
✔ Commercial structures
✔ Manufacturing facilities

This profile family dominates industrial roofing.

2️⃣ Corrugated Roofing Sheets

Extremely common across the continent.

Typical:

76 mm pitch (3")
18 mm depth
762 mm to 1000 mm cover depending on design

Used in:

✔ Rural housing
✔ Agricultural structures
✔ Informal housing
✔ Coastal regions

Corrugated is often the most affordable option.

3️⃣ Tile Effect Profiles (Residential Market)

Popular in:

Brazil
Colombia
Peru

Characteristics:

Pressed tile look
Prepainted steel
Lightweight
Usually 0.3–0.5 mm

Used for:

✔ Residential housing
✔ Urban developments
✔ Middle-income housing projects

Very strong residential segment.

4️⃣ Standing Seam (Growing in Premium Markets)

Common in:

Chile
Brazil
High-end residential
Commercial buildings

Seam heights:

25–38 mm typical

Often aluminum or AZ-coated steel in coastal areas.

Still smaller market share compared to trapezoidal.

5️⃣ Structural Deck Profiles

Used in:

✔ Multi-storey commercial buildings
✔ Shopping centers
✔ Industrial complexes
✔ Logistics centers

Common deck depths:

38 mm
50 mm
75 mm

Brazil and Chile have strong structural steel markets.

6️⃣ Sandwich Panel Roofing

Growing across:

Brazil
Chile
Colombia

Used for:

✔ Cold storage
✔ Industrial facilities
✔ Food processing
✔ Logistics

Insulated panels increasingly replacing single-skin roofing in commercial sector.

7️⃣ Common Thickness in South America

Typical roofing BMT:

Thickness	Application
0.30 mm	Low-cost residential
0.40 mm	Standard residential
0.50 mm	Industrial
0.60 mm	Heavy industrial
0.75 mm+	Structural deck

0.40–0.50 mm extremely common.

8️⃣ Steel Grade Preferences

Common grades:

G250
G300
G350

High tensile G550 used in some industrial and export-driven markets.

Grade varies by local mill production.

9️⃣ Coating Preferences

South America widely uses:

Zinc coated (Z275 equivalent)
Al-Zn (Galvalume/Zincalume equivalent)

In coastal regions (Chile, Peru):

Al-Zn often preferred due to corrosion resistance.

Prepainted steel widely used for residential and visible roofing.

🔟 Climate Influence

South America includes:

✔ Tropical high humidity zones
✔ Coastal salt exposure
✔ High rainfall regions
✔ Andean high-altitude cold climates

Material selection must reflect:

Corrosion class
UV exposure
Rain intensity

1️⃣1️⃣ Regional Breakdown

Brazil

Largest market
Trapezoidal dominant
Strong tile-effect residential demand

Chile

Coastal exposure
Strong use of Al-Zn coating
Growing standing seam market

Colombia

Agricultural + industrial
Trapezoidal + corrugated

Argentina

Industrial trapezoidal
Agricultural roofing

Peru & Ecuador

Corrugated + trapezoidal
Growing industrial sector

1️⃣2️⃣ Machine Implications

If targeting South America:

Machines should support:

✔ 1000 mm trapezoidal profiles
✔ Corrugated profiles
✔ Tile effect lines
✔ 0.3–0.6 mm thickness
✔ Moderate tensile grades

Tile effect lines are strong residential opportunity.

1️⃣3️⃣ Common Fastening Systems

Mostly:

Exposed fastener systems

Standing seam used in premium segment only.

Wind loads significant in coastal regions.

1️⃣4️⃣ Common Market Mistakes

❌ Using insufficient coating in coastal Chile
❌ Over-specifying high tensile unnecessarily
❌ Copying US 36" cover without demand
❌ Ignoring metric standardization
❌ Underestimating rainfall intensity

Profile depth must match climate.

1️⃣5️⃣ Engineering Summary

FAQ Section

What is the most common roofing profile in South America?

Trapezoidal box profile around 1000 mm cover.

Is corrugated still popular?

Yes, especially in rural and low-cost housing.

Is tile effect roofing common?

Yes, particularly in Brazil and Colombia.

What coating is preferred in coastal areas?

Al-Zn (Galvalume/Zincalume equivalent).

What thickness is typical?

0.4–0.5 mm common for roofing.

Is standing seam widely used?

Growing, but still smaller segment compared to trapezoidal.