Written by Rocky Mountain Metal · Reviewed by Micah Hostetler, Owner · Based in Penrose, CO, serving Colorado.
Yes. Steel-framed metal buildings handle heavy snow and high wind very well when they're engineered for your site's actual loads. The ones that struggle in Colorado storms are usually built to a generic spec instead of the county's design loads.
Key takeaways
- Metal roofs shed snow well; the frame underneath still has to carry the design load.
- Snow load generally rises with elevation; wind exposure rises with open terrain.
- Framing, bracing, anchoring and fastening are what hold a building in wind.
- Engineering for your parcel is the difference between a metal building and one that makes it through spring storms.
- Snow sliding off the roof is a design consideration for doors, walkways and lean-tos.
What does the building have to do in snow?
Every county sets a design snow load for buildings. The roof load is figured from it, adjusted for roof slope, exposure and whether the building is heated. Across our service area the loads vary a lot:
- Lower sites in the Arkansas Valley and out on the eastern plains, like Pueblo, La Junta and Lamar, generally carry lighter snow loads.
- Higher country, like Salida, Alamosa and parts of the Western Slope, generally carries heavier ones.
Your county sets the value for your parcel, and the building is engineered to it. A frame designed for a low-elevation load and set up in high country is the classic failure.
As the snow load rises, the design changes:
- Heavier steel framing or closer frame spacing
- Stronger purlins and connections
- Attention to drifting, where snow piles against taller walls or where a lean-to meets the main roof
What does the building have to do in wind?
Design wind loads come from code maps and are adjusted for exposure, meaning how open the terrain is. An open parcel near Limon or a hilltop site sees far more wind than a sheltered lot in town. Wind tries to do three things:
- Push the walls over. Resisted by the steel frame, wall bracing and anchoring to the foundation.
- Lift the roof off. Resisted by the fastener pattern and the frame connections.
- Rack the frame. Resisted by bracing and by the properly fastened steel skin.
The details that matter are unglamorous but decisive: how the frame is anchored, how many screws go in each panel, how the connections are made and whether the end walls are braced.
Why are steel panels an advantage?
- Snow slides off a smooth steel roof, which keeps the sustained load down.
- The steel skin stiffens the building when it's properly fastened.
- Steel doesn't absorb water and add weight the way saturated roofing can.
How do you plan for snow slide?
Because metal roofs shed, the snow lands somewhere. Plan for it:
- Keep overhead doors, walk doors and walkways off the eave drop line, or add snow retention above them.
- Give lean-tos and porches a roof that can take snow sliding off the main roof.
- Don't park equipment or stack hay under the eave in winter.
See do I need to shovel snow off a metal roof?
What should you ask before you buy?
- What snow and wind loads is this building engineered for, and are they written on the drawings?
- Are the drawings specific to my site?
- How is the frame anchored to the foundation?
- What's the fastener pattern for roof and wall panels?
- What's the panel gauge?
If the answers are vague, keep looking.
How does Rocky Mountain Metal handle it?
Every steel-framed building we sell through 1st Choice Metal Buildings and Carports is engineered to the design loads for its site, whether it's a garage near Pueblo or an ag building in high country. We look at your site, plan the building, place the order and oversee the project; the manufacturer's crew from Texas installs it. Request a free quote anywhere in our service area.
Frequently asked questions
Will a metal roof collapse under heavy snow?
Not if the building is engineered for the site's snow load. Failures come from under-designed framing, not from the roofing material. Metal is one of the best roofs for snow.
Do I need a steeper roof in snow country?
A steeper roof sheds more readily, but engineering is what carries the load. We'll walk you through the roof style options for your site.
Can a steel building handle Front Range and plains wind?
Yes. Correct framing, anchoring, bracing and fastening for your exposure are routine parts of the engineering.
What about hail?
Heavier-gauge panels resist denting better, and the paint system matters. See what to do after hail or wind damage.
