Sometimes, the roofing requirement is so unique that it requires a new way of thinking about roof panel design. When faced with a big problem, our National Recover Manager, Charlie Smith, came up with a big new solution - Trap-Tee. Read our interview with Charlie below, where we dig into the origin of this new panel style.
Why Was the Trap-Tee Panel Designed/Engineered?
A couple of years ago, I went on a site visit to a very large warehouse building that was 860,000 square feet. The building was so big you couldn’t see from one end of the ridge to the other, and it was 360 feet from the eave to the ridge coming up the sides. The building was older and had an existing 3-inch by 24-inch trapezoidal standing seam.
There were at least 10,000 end lap joints on the roof of this building. As I looked at this roof, I thought what this building really needs is a site-formed, 3” tall, industrial standing seam that has no lap joints to leak, with improved wind uplift resistance, and is easy to fix or alter after installation. So, that is how I came up with the idea for the Trap-Tee panel.
What Niche Does Trap-Tee Fill in the Marketplace?
This roof system is specifically designed to go on lower slope rectangular, open-frame metal buildings or tilt-up warehouses. Ideally, it is attached to purlins, bar joists, or a steel deck on slopes down to ¼” per foot.
The Trap-Tee panel is an ideal fit when the building owner sees the value in having a roof that should last 50 or 60 years, and that is easy to repair, with a minimum chance of leaking or blowing off. This can be new construction, recover, or remove and replace. When paired with an insulation product called R Seal rigid installed on open framing, the value of the system dramatically increases.
Why Is Trap-Tee Different or Better Than Existing Panels?
The existing roof systems for the building styles that the Trap-Tee targets usually require lap joints because the eave-to-ridge dimension is too long to ship. Since the Trap Tee is site-formed in full-length panels, it requires no lap joints and consequently offers a better roofing system.
The Trap-Tee also offers easier single-panel repair or replacement than the other similar panel styles in the marketplace. The existing roof systems with double lock seams are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to repair or alter after installation. Since building additions, modifications, and new curbs are common occurrences in industrial buildings, it just makes sense to use a panel, like the Trap-Tee, that allows for easy modifications.
The Trap-Tee was also designed to offer an extremely high wind uplift capacity using both individual and continuous clips. In contrast, double lock standing seam panels offer limited wind uplift capacity on purlins at 5' OC.
The symmetrical T-shaped design of the Trap-Tee also makes the panel more watertight because there is no interruption of the seam sealant at the clip location like there is with a double lock or standing seam system.
What Buildings/Applications Are Ideal for Using It?
Rectangular metal buildings and tilt-up warehousing new construction are perfect candidates for the Trap-Tee panel in both remove and replace or recover situations.
Is There a Cost Difference Compared to Other Similar Panels?
It depends on the panel length from eave to ridge. The Trap-Tee will cost more in low wind speed areas where the eave to ridge length or shippable panel length is less than 50’.
If the eave-to-ridge length is greater than 50’, which results in lap joints, then the Trap-Tee will probably be less expensive.
What Should Contractors Know About Installation?
These panels will be site-formed onto the building. The best way to use this roof system is to own a New Tech SSQ portable roll former with the Trap-Tee tooling installed. owning equipment allows the panels to be formed and installed at the same time. This saves a tremendous amount of time and effort and eliminates the need to roof load the panels. However, McElroy Metal will also produce the panel onsite for contractors who don't own their own equipment.
Anything Else a Contractor Should Know About Trap-Tee?
The Trap-Tee provides numerous advantages during installation. The symmetrical shape allows for center starts as well as jumping penetrations and backfilling later.
- Choose between 6 clip options depending on project specifics
- Standard clips that are 16 gauge x 8” long in 3/8” and 1¾” offset.
- Super clips that are 16 gauge x 16” long in 3/8” and 1¾” offset.
- Continuous clips that are 24 and 22 gauge up to 30’ long in 3/8” and 1¾” offset.
- No end laps greatly reduce installation labor.
Summary: The Advantages of Trap-Tee Metal Roofing
There are three main ways Trap-Tee panels offer an improvement over other trapezoidal panels:
1. No End Laps: Onsite panel production for lengths up to 250’, allows most projects to be completed without endlaps. Every end lap on a project represents installation time, an opportunity for install errors leading to immediate leaks, and end laps that start leaking after 10-20 years of service life.
2. Outstanding Wind Uplift: We’ve specially designed this panel with an oversized seam and special clips, which dramatically increase the wind uplift capacity compared to most other panels in the market.
3. Easy Repairability: Since standing seam roofs last 60 + years, it’s likely any roof will require some sort of modification during its life expectancy. Whether adding curbs, replacing a few panels, or facing building additions, building owners and contractors benefit from the panel replaceability our Trap-Tee panel offers.
Bonus: Offered with Sherwin-Williams PVDF Fluropon coating, the Trap-Tee has a life expectancy approaching 60 years, allowing for the ability to add curbs, vents, single-panel replacement, and even building additions.
If you have a customer that needs a metal roofing solution like Trap-Tee please contact us, and we will connect you with our roofing specialists.
About Charlie Smith
Throughout Charlie Smith’s career in the metal roofing industry, he has been on a passionate mission to expand the use of metal roofing in non-conventional methods. Charlie has the unique ability to problem solve, turning napkin sketches into viable metal roofing solutions.
Charlie’s efforts have made him one of the industry’s foremost authorities on recover systems utilizing metal roofing. Charlie holds several patents in the recover field including both metal-over-metal and metal-over-shingle solutions. As an industry leader, Charlie recently co-wrote the new RCI Metal Roofing course and is a frequent presenter at RCI symposiums and other roofing industry events.
About McElroy Metal
Since 1963, McElroy Metal has served the construction industry with quality products and excellent customer service. The employee-owned components manufacturer is headquartered in Bossier City, La., and has 14 manufacturing facilities across the United States. Quality, service and performance have been the cornerstone of McElroy Metal’s business philosophy and have contributed to the success of the company through the years. As a preferred service provider, these values will continue to be at the forefront of McElroy Metal’s model along with a strong focus on the customer.
Topics: Standing Seam Systems, Commercial, Trap Tee
%20(002).png)