BlueScope Steel supplies COLORBOND® steel coil to rollforming companies who manufacture it into different fencing panel styles. The dimensions of a panel will depend upon these manufacturers recommendations. You can find manufacturers from our supplier locator.

Temperature variations can cause pierce fixed metal roof sheeting to expand and contract, sometimes resulting in roof noise. This is more likely during rapid changes in the temperature caused by such things as heat from the morning sun, afternoon cooling, passing clouds or gusts of wind.

What's the technical explanation?

When movement is suppressed the stress in the sheet builds up and may exceed the frictional restraint. Energy is then released as noise associated with sheet movement. The level of noise depends on the frictional restraint. For most roofs there may be some minor creaking. However, when there is excessive thermal movement and poor installation practice, frictional forces can build up to create loud, sharp cracking noises. Although noise problems are rare, they are usually associated with dark coloured roofs fastened directly to timber. This is due to the friction characteristics of the steel timber interface (increased noise if the timber is wet) and the fact that darker coloured sheeting is subject to greater expansion.

It's been found that the risk of this type of noise can be reduced by:

• using an insulation blanket with sarking between the sheeting and timber supports (this also provides heat insulation, a vapour barrier and reduces rain noise.);
• using steel battens to support the sheeting;
• using a reflective foil laminate between the sheeting and timber supports (this also provides heat insulation and a vapour barrier).

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel is available in one colour, Whitehaven™.

The thickness of sheeting is normally measured as its BMT (base metal thickness). For steel of the same grade and profile, a higher BMT generally means the sheet can span further between supports.

Care should be taken when referencing thickness because some manufacturers will quote Total Coated Thickness (TCT). This is the thickness of the total sheet and will be higher than its BMT (which measures only the thickness of the steel beneath any coatings). eg. 0.42mm BMT is the same as 0.47mm TCT.

Increased thickness will not increase the life of a product, and direct comparisons of BMT between profiles or steel grades cannot be made. The profile manufacturer should be able to provide you with spanning information for the profile and BMT you are using.

Soft (or lower strength) steels will generally be thicker than hard, high strength (or hi tensile) steels, and are commonly used in applications where tight curving is required.

When sheets need to be cut on site the most suitable technique is with nibblers or power saws with metal cutting blades (tin snips can be used although they are difficult to use on profiled sheeting). The use of cutting discs and grinding wheels is not recommended as they generate very hot particles which can damage the coating.

BlueScope Steel recommends the use of cold cutting saw with appropriate blades.

Don't forget to clean up each day. Offcuts and other metal scraps, such as pop rivet stems and fasteners, if left on COLORBOND® steel, may cause rust stains which detract from the finished appearance. Swarf (steel debris produced by drilling and cutting etc) should be swept or hosed from the job each day.

Care should be taken if hosing off a roof into gutters already installed. The swarf should not be left to sit in the gutters. Maximum care should be taken when attempting to detach swarf which has become stuck. This can be done, but no action which is likely to remove the paint or metal coatings should be attempted. For critical applications, inspection of the job should be made after two weeks when rain or condensation will have caused any remaining swarf to rust, and will highlight affected areas for a more thorough cleanup.

Sheets should not be dragged across others as scratching will result. Spray packs should not be used to repair any scratches. The paint fades differently. Small scratches are best left alone. If the damage is severe it is best to replace the panel.

Never use black lead pencils for marking galvanised, ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel. Black lead pencils are made from graphite which will react with the coating on these products resulting in corrosion of the coating. The answer is to use any colour pencil but black and clean off any markings as soon as possible.

This information is intended as a guide only. For detailed assistance with your particular application, please contact us.

Cooling energy savings will vary considerably as each building is unique in its construction and operation. Factors that will influence potential savings can include building shape, building function, the amount, quality and installation of roof insulation. The type and efficiency of HVAC equipment and the presence of ducting within or near the roofspace.

Appropriate fasteners matched to Whitehaven® are available in the market. If you require further assistance refer to SteelDirect 1800 022 999.

For details of which fasteners to use in which location please view Technical Bulletin TB 16 - Fasteners for Roofing and Walling Products - Selection Guide.

Cladding is a collective term for any sheeting that covers a building, whether it be on the roof of the building, or on the walls. Roof cladding is made from thicker steel and is rolled to a profile capable of supporting roof traffic*. In most cases, these roof claddings can also be used for walling as well. Wall cladding is made from thinner steel, rolled to a less rigid profile. They are generally not capable of supporting roof traffic, prohibiting their use as roofing.

*Some roofing is designed to be non-trafficable. Please consult the span and capacity tables of the cladding for further details.

COLORBOND® steel combines the corrosion resistance of a ZINCALUME® steel base with a durable, oven baked paint finish.

Find out more on How It Is Made.

On standard COLORBOND® steel it's called Shadow Grey; on COLORBOND® Ultra steel it's Bass Grey; and on COLORBOND® Metallic steel it's Shadow Grey.

The difference lies in performance requirements. COLORBOND® steel complies with a number of Australian Standards and was designed in Australia for Australian conditions. It is manufactured by BlueScope Steel, with a reputation second to none. COLORBOND® steel is not just powder coated steel. It is one of the most advanced steel products in the world, combining the outstanding anti corrosion performance of a ZINCALUME® steel base with a superior paint system. With imported steels you may not have all of these guarantees of quality.

Standard COLORBOND® steel is the product you're most likely to see on the majority of applications and locations across Australia. However, there are some environments and applications for which it isn't suited, and for these BlueScope Steel has developed specialised products. COLORBOND® Ultra steel is made for more severe environments, such as those exposed to industrial emissions or close to the sea. COLORBOND® Metallic steel has a unique metallic paint finish and is commonly used for prestige projects. You can find out more by viewing our page: Effect of Location.

COLORBOND® steel does not have a Fire Rating.

Information about the Early Fire Hazard ratings for COLORBOND® steel can be found in its Product Datasheet.

Download COLORBOND® steel Datasheet

Download COLORBOND® Ultra steel Datasheet

Boundary Lines

Most disputes between neighbours concern boundary lines. You should be aware of this and always build a new fence on the existing fence line. If there is no existing fence, don't put in a new fence without first checking the accuracy of the boundary line, or check the land title if you are unsure.

Fencing Legislation

Each state and territory has its own fencing legislation and there may be differences between the states and territories. If you need to check the legislation, you can obtain a copy online, by post or in person. The details for each state and territory are given below.

Local Fencing regulations

Fencing regulations may also vary in different local, shire and regional council areas on such issues as materials to be used, maximum height permitted, and so on. If you are in any doubt about the regulations in your area, you should contact the local, regional or shire council. Housing estates may also have specific regulations about fencing.

New South Wales:
Dividing fences act 1991
www.dlg.nsw.gov.au

Victoria:
Fences Act 1968
www.legislation.vic.gov.au

Western Australia:
Fences Act 1968
www.slp.wa.gov.au

ACT:
Common Boundaries Act 1981
www.legislation.act.gov.au

Tasmania:
Boundary Fences Act 1908
www.thelaw.tas.gov.au

South Australia:
Fences Act 1975
www.slsa.sa.gov.au

Queensland:
Dividing Fences Act 1953
www.legislation.qld.gov.au

Northern Territory:
Fences Act 1972
www.nt.gov.au

It is recommended that zinc coatings not be heated above 250°C.

COLORBOND® steel should not be heated continuously above 100°C and intermittently 200°C.

It is recommended that ZINCALUME® steel not be heated above 200°C.

GALVALUME® steel (Zn-Al alloy coated, resin free) should not be heated above 350°C.

This information is also available in the Product Datasheets.

For more information Download Technical Bulletins TB 33 - Guidelines for ZINCALUME® steel and Zinc Coated Steels in High Temperature Applications and Food Contact

Prices will vary depending upon the manufacturer you choose.  BlueScope Steel makes COLORBOND® steel as flat sheet rolled into coils.  It's our rollformer customers who turn this 'raw' material into the various profiles and products you're familiar with. Please use our supplier locator to find a rollformer in your area who will be able to help you with information on pricing of their products.

Prices will vary depending on the manufacturer you choose.  BlueScope Steel makes COLORBOND® steel as flat sheet rolled into coils.  It's our rollformer customers who turn this 'raw' material into the various profiles and products you're familiar with. Please use our supplier locator to find a rollformer in your area who will be able to help you with information on pricing of their products.

The solar absorption value of COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel in Whitehaven™ is 0.23. To see the comparative values and BCA ratings of the complete COLORBOND® steel range, check our colour classification guide.

The Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) value for COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel in the colour Whitehaven® is 77%.

COLORBOND® steel incorporating Thermatech® technology provides a new level of thermal protection for houses & commercial buildings constructed in Australia. This leading edge technology works by absorbing less heat from the sun and therefore providing less heat in the roof space. This provides greater thermal comfort in buildings specified with COLORBOND® steel.

By absorbing less heat from the sun it has a lower surface temperature. For more information view our page on Thermatech® technology.  

Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) is a measure of the ability of a surface to reflect the sun’s energy. Any energy that is not reflected is absorbed by the surface causing it to heat up.

Green Star™ is a voluntary rating system developed to evaluate the environmental design, efficiency and performance of Australian buildings. The system is not used to evaluate individual building materials or products.

For more information, view our page on Sustainability.