38 mm rib
285 or 485 mm pans- Seam
- Taller rib
The deeper rib reads as a firm shadow line across the roof, and pairs with the narrower pan modules.
System 05Roofing · Wall cladding · Soffits
Snaplock
Thin ribs and wide pans, in 25 mm and 38 mm modules, snapped closed by hand.
38mm
Rib height
Also made as a 25 mm module
2°
Roof pitch from
Roof and wall
400mm
Maximum clip centres
Stainless steel, min. 0.4 mm
520mm
Maximum pan width
485 mm with the 38 mm rib
The profile
One pan,
a seam that snaps.
Snap lock panels clip over concealed clips and snap together along the seam, so no fixings pass through the sheet and no seaming machine is needed on site.
It reads like a standing seam, with a wide flat tray and a thin raised rib, and it installs faster. Two modules: a 25 mm rib in 320 or 520 mm pans, and a 38 mm rib in 285 or 485 mm pans, with custom widths made to suit the job.
SectionSnap lock, 38 mm rib on plywood deckNot to scale
SectionSnap lock, 25 mm rib on plywood deckNot to scale
- 01Snap seam38 mm or 25 mm rib, closed by hand with no seaming machine
- 02Pan285 or 485 mm with the 38 mm rib, 320 or 520 mm with the 25 mm rib
- 03Concealed clipStainless steel, min. 0.4 mm, countersunk to the substrate at max. 400 mm centres
25 mm rib
320 or 520 mm pans- Seam
- Finer rib
A slimmer line with wider pans, so the face reads flatter. It suits walls and roofs where the rib should be a detail rather than a feature.
Why specify it
Five reasons architects
choose snaplock.
From the setting out on the drawings to the warranty at handover, this is what the system gives a project.
01Faster to install, and cheaper
The seam closes by hand, so there is no seaming machine and no seaming crew. Fewer hours and less plant on site means a shorter roofing program and a lower install cost than a mechanically seamed roof.
02Nothing pierces the sheet
Every fixing sits under the seam on a concealed clip. There are no exposed screws and no sealed penetrations across the field of the roof, which removes the most common source of leaks.
03The metal is free to move
The pan sits on the clip rather than being pinned to it, so it expands and contracts with the weather without loading the fixings. Long runs do not need expansion steps across the roof.
04Flatter trays, less oil canning
Nothing is stressed closing the seam, so the tray keeps its shape. It is the difference you see across a wide pan in zinc or copper, where a folded seam can pull waviness into the face.
05Wide pans, thin ribs
Pans run to 520 mm with a rib only 25 mm high, so the roof reads as broad flat planes rather than a run of ribs. Widths are made to order where a module has to land on something.
Technical details
The layers
Snap lock pans sit on clips screwed to a plywood deck over a breathable waterproof membrane. These are our standard layers, from the outside in.
- 01Snap lock panZinc 0.7 mm, copper 0.7 mm, aluminium 0.7 or 0.8 mm, Colorbond 0.55 or 0.7 mm
- 02Concealed clipsStainless steel, min. 0.4 mm, countersunk at max. 400 mm centres
- 03Waterproof sarkingFully breathable and waterproof
- 04Structural plywood18 mm for roofing, 15 mm for cladding
- 05Ventilated supportRigid and continuous, by others
Structure and insulation are by others. Clip spacing is confirmed for each project against the site’s wind loads.
Section through the wall layers. Not to scale.
Specification
by metal.
- Zinc runs to its own widths: 390 mm with the 38 mm rib and 420 mm with the 25 mm rib.
- Custom widths are made to order for new work and for matching an existing roof.
- Panels run 1 to 8 m, and longer where site access allows.
- Panels run vertically or horizontally.
- Dimensions carry a ±10 mm tolerance.
- Aluminium is 3005 alloy, minimum H42 temper, PVDF coated over a primer with at least two paint layers.
| Metal | Thickness | Standard panel width |
|---|---|---|
 Zinc (VMZINC) | 0.7 mm | 38 mm rib390mm25 mm rib420mm |
 Copper (Aurubis) | 0.7 mm | 38 mm rib285485mm25 mm rib320520mm |
 Aluminium (VESTIS, PVDF) | 0.7 or 0.8 mm | 38 mm rib285485mm25 mm rib320520mm |
 Colorbond and UniCote steel | 0.55 or 0.7 mm | 38 mm rib285485mm25 mm rib320520mm |
 Corten | 0.7 mm | 38 mm rib285485mm25 mm rib320520mm |
- Rib height
- 25 mm or 38 mm
- Module sizes
- 25 × 320, 25 × 520, 38 × 285 and 38 × 485 mm. Zinc 38 × 390 and 25 × 420 mm. Custom widths on request
- Panel length
- 1 to 8 m, longer subject to site access
- Fixing
- Concealed stainless steel clips, min. 0.4 mm, at max. 400 mm centres
- Substrate
- Ventilated, rigid and continuous: 15 mm plywood for cladding, 18 mm for roofing
- Tolerance
- Dimensions ±10 mm
- Orientation
- Vertical and horizontal
- Applications
- Roofing, Wall cladding, Soffits
Concealed
clips.
Each pan is held by stainless steel clips screwed to the deck under the seam. The next pan snaps over them, so nothing shows on the face and the metal is free to move.
Clips
Stainless steel, countersunk into a rigid, continuous substrate under the seam.
Min. 0.4 mm, max. 400 mm centres
Substrate
Ventilated plywood, thicker on roofs than on walls.
18 mm roofing, 15 mm cladding
Seam
Snapped closed by hand as each pan is laid, with no seaming machine.
38 mm or 25 mm rib
Details and
drawings.
Typical details for documentation. Select a drawing to view it full size, or download the full detail set.
Roof layers
Snap lock over a ventilated cavity, with steel sheeting strips behind the seams and a minimum 40 mm airflow gap.
Roofing Group detail, for illustration only
Literature
3 documents
Full detail sets
Eaves, ridge, valley, parapet, corner, window and penetration details as PDF, with the manufacturer data behind them.
Browse the libraryHow we deliver snaplock
- 01
Review
We check the drawings, exposure and buildability, and recommend the metal and gauge.
- 02
Shop drawings
Our drafters set out every pan, clip and junction for architect approval.
- 03
Fabrication
Panels are folded in our 2,000 m² Sydney workshop and QA checked before dispatch.
- 04
Installation
Our own crews install under a dedicated project manager, then hand over warranties.
Questions
11 answered
Snaplock questions
The questions estimators and drafters answer most often. If yours is not here, send the drawings and we will answer it against your project.
Ask about your projectWhat is a snap lock roof?
Snap lock is a concealed fix metal roof. Each pan is folded with a male and a female edge; the pan is laid over stainless steel clips and the next pan snaps down over the seam by hand. No fixings pass through the sheet and no seaming machine is used.
What is the difference between snap lock and standing seam?
A standing seam is folded closed on site with a seaming machine, which lets it go to very low pitches and follow curves and complex junctions. A snap lock seam snaps closed by hand, which is faster and leaves the tray flatter, so it shows less oil canning. Snap lock suits long, straightforward roofs and walls.
What is the minimum pitch for a snap lock roof?
Two degrees, with either rib. Below that we would move you to a double lock standing seam, which is folded closed on site and rated for lower pitches.
What rib heights does snap lock come in?
Two: 25 mm and 38 mm. The rib height sets the pan widths that go with it, so a 25 mm rib comes in 320 or 520 mm pans and a 38 mm rib in 285 or 485 mm pans.
How wide are snap lock pans?
Four standard modules: 25 × 320, 25 × 520, 38 × 285 and 38 × 485 mm. Zinc is the exception and runs at 390 mm with the 38 mm rib and 420 mm with the 25 mm rib. Custom widths are made to order, which is how we land a module on a ridge, a parapet or an existing roof. Dimensions carry a ±10 mm tolerance.
How is snap lock fixed?
On stainless steel clips at maximum 400 mm centres, a minimum 0.4 mm thick, countersunk into a rigid, continuous and ventilated plywood substrate over waterproof sarking. The substrate is 18 mm on roofs and 15 mm on walls. The clips sit inside the seam, so nothing shows on the face.
How long can snap lock panels be?
From 1 to 8 m as standard, and longer where the site can take the delivery and the lift. Single lengths avoid end laps across the roof.
Can snap lock be used on walls?
Yes. It runs vertically or horizontally as wall cladding, and the seam can carry on from the roof onto the wall as one continuous line.
Which metals can be used for snap lock?
Titanium zinc at 0.7 mm, copper at 0.7 mm, aluminium at 0.7 or 0.8 mm, Colorbond at 0.55 or 0.7 mm including the matt and metallic finishes, plus Zincalume, stainless steel, Corten and the UniCote LUX range. Aluminium must be 3005 alloy, minimum H42 temper, with a PVDF coating.
Does snap lock oil can?
Less than a folded standing seam, because the seam closes without stressing the tray. Oil canning also depends on pan width, metal thickness and how flat the deck is, so we set out the widths to suit the metal.
Can snap lock panels be curved?
Gentle curves are possible, but tight curves, tapers and complex junctions are better in standing seam, which is folded on site rather than snapped.
Further reading
Snaplock guides.
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