oil-canning

Noun.  (context, roofing) A moderate deformation or buckling of sheet material, particularly common with flat sheet metal surfaces. Typically caused by uneven stresses at the fastening points. This terminology also refers to the popping sound made when pressure is applied to the deformed sheet forcing the deformation in the opposite direction.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.