Corrugated iron

[Bullshott]

Was corrugated iron used much in the Old West? I'm considering roofing some buildings with it.

It was certainly common in places like Australia and South Africa in the mid to late 1800s.

[Cory]

While corrugated iron existed it appears to have been fairly uncommon until prices fell triggered by the 1893 silver crash. I have looked into the issue for professional issues ass well as it coming up here and even new buildings as late as 1891-92 have wooden shingles, even on 20,000 sq ft mine buildings. By 1900 they are mainly iron.

That being said some locations called for the iron for fire protection reasons, especially along busy rail lines where the risk of fire from cinders was high. In the Midwest it was also more common due to shipping costs of wood versus the iron.

[Dewbakuk]

Not so much from what I could tell when I looked into it. Cost vs convenience is a large part of it. For example, while it was very common in South Africa and other British interests in Africa, that was mostly on the coast line. The further inland you got, the rarer it became, with thatch and wood shingle taking over.

[Bullshott]

Thanks

So maybe one or two buildings at the most to lend a bit of variety

[Cory]

One or two at most unless you are going for a late period ala Butch Cassidy.

There are still plenty of other options for variety of roofs;

wood shakes
batten and board
half log
tarp
sod
board and sand

plus roof details like wood, brick, or metal chimneys, skylights, and dormers.

[Bullshott]

I want to use corrugated on a couple of buildings, in order to double for colonial settings. 2 buildings will be perfect, as that equates the one pack of Wills 'corrugated iron' sheets that I have in my bits drawer.