If you can, stick with one supplier and get everything from the same batch. It’s a pain to wait, but way less hassle than staring at a patchwork roof for years.
That’s exactly what I ran into—thought I could save a little by grabbing some panels from a local hardware store to finish off the last section. Big mistake. The color was just slightly off at first, but after a year in the sun it looked like two totally different roofs. If you’re picky about how it looks (and honestly, who isn’t when it’s your house?), waiting for the full order is worth it. Learned that lesson the hard way...
- Not sure I totally agree—sometimes you just can’t get everything from one place, especially if you’re in a pinch or live rural.
- I’ve mixed batches before and yeah, there was a tiny color shift, but honestly, after a couple years of dust and sun, it evened out more than I expected.
- If you’re not super picky or your roof isn’t super visible, grabbing what’s available can save a lot of hassle and cash.
- Guess it depends how much the mismatch would bug you. For sheds or garages, I wouldn’t stress about it too much...
Mixing batches is pretty common, especially if you’re out in the sticks or just need to patch something up quick. I’ve had to do it for a couple of barns—honestly, the color difference bugged me at first, but after a year or two, you really don’t notice unless you’re looking for it. For sheds or garages, I wouldn’t lose sleep over a mismatch either.
If you’re trying to match an existing roof on a house, though, I’d be a bit more careful. Have you checked with any local lumber yards or ag supply places? Sometimes they’ll have leftover sheets or odd lots for way less than the big box stores. I’ve also had luck with salvage yards—sometimes you can find decent panels if you’re not too picky about minor dents or scratches.
Are you looking for a specific profile or color, or just whatever fits? That makes a difference. If you’re flexible, you’ll save a lot of hassle and cash. But if you want it to look perfect, might be worth waiting or ordering in. Just depends how much it matters to you.
Mixing batches is something I used to stress over, but honestly, after seeing a patch job on my uncle’s old workshop, the colors faded so evenly after a couple summers it just blended right in. Still, I get being picky if it’s your main house—neighbors notice everything. Did you run into any issues with different gauges or profiles when you mixed panels? I had a weird overlap once where the ribs didn’t line up, and it trapped water until I fixed it. Just curious if anyone else had that headache.
Mixing profiles has definitely bitten me before. I tried patching a barn roof with some leftover panels from two different suppliers—looked close enough at first, but the ribs were just off by a hair. Ended up with a spot that collected water every time it rained. I’m honestly surprised how subtle the differences can be, even with the same supposed gauge. Did you have to swap out any panels, or were you able to make them fit? I’ve always wondered if it’s worth trying to bend the overlap a bit or if that just makes things worse in the long run.
