Westfield, MA Warehouse Re-Skin: New Black PBR Metal Wall Panels

Quick summary: An 8,500 square foot Westfield, MA commercial building with a sound structure and worn-out walls got a fresh look with new black Commercial PBR metal wall panels and black trim. Hometown Metal Roofing manufactured the panels and trim. A local contractor handled the installation.

“It looks awesome.” — Nate, owner of A Plus HVAC, Inc.

Nate, owner of A Plus HVAC, Inc. in Westfield, rented his building for 16 years. Then he decided it was time to buy a place of his own.

The building he bought is an existing 8,500 square foot Westfield structure, roughly 30 to 40 years old. The structure was in good condition. The exterior skin was another story. The original blue PBR wall panels were rough, and the building needed a facelift.

That is a common situation with older warehouses and commercial buildings. The frame and the roof can have plenty of life left while the siding looks tired. In this case the roof was in good shape, so there was no reason to touch it. The job was sidewalls only, and it came together in late October and early November 2026.

Before

After

Nate chose to replace the siding rather than start over. The original blue PBR panels came off, and new black Commercial PBR panels went on.

Here is what Hometown Metal Roofing manufactured for the project:

• Black 26 gauge Commercial PBR wall panels, 12 ft at the longest, to replace the original blue panels
• New black trim in the places that make a metal building look finished:
  • Around the doors
  • At the corners
  • Base angle trim
  • Soffit trim

Because the sidewalls on this building are short, no panel ran longer than 12 feet, and some were cut to custom lengths. Panels and trim were made to order at our shop in Westfield, MA, in black, which is one of our stock colors.

A quick note on who did what: Hometown Metal Roofing manufactures panels and trim. We do not install. For this project we recommended a local contractor that we know and trust, and that contractor handled the installation. Nate was very happy with the contractor we recommended, too. If you are planning a similar project, we are happy to point you toward a qualified installer.

Commercial PBR is a screw-down, exposed-fastener metal panel. It is a common choice for warehouses, shops, and other commercial and industrial buildings. Here is the plain-English version of why it fits a job like this:

• 36-inch coverage per panel. Each panel covers exactly 36 inches, measured from the center of one rib to the center of the next. The panel itself is wider than 36 inches to allow for the overlap. That means fewer panels to hang than a narrow-coverage profile.
• Built for wider framing. The purlin-bearing leg lets PBR work with wider support spacing. Sidewalls can typically go up to 72 inches on center (6 feet). Always confirm against the actual framing on your building.
• Same profile as the original. The old panels were also PBR, so the new panels went onto the existing framing as is. No re-framing was needed on this building. Every building is different, so have your contractor check the framing before you order.
• Steel that suits the job. Commercial PBR is Grade 80 steel. Gauge is about thickness, and grade is about hardness. Both matter.

Not sure whether PBR or another profile makes sense for your building? We cover that in our guide PBR vs. Tuff Rib Ag.

If you look closely at the photos, a lot of the "new building" look comes from the details.

Trim does the finishing work. On this building the trim is black to match the panels. Trim around the doors and at the corners hides the cut edges of the panels and gives clean lines. Base angle trim ties the bottom of the wall to the foundation. Soffit trim finishes the transition under the roofline. Trim is made to order in standard and custom profiles, and standard lengths are 10 ft (most common) and 12 ft (used where 10 ft would waste too much material).

Nate finished the look himself. He repainted the concrete foundation battleship gray. Black panels over a fresh gray base look sharp, and it is a reminder that a re-skin is a good time to look at the whole wall, top to bottom.

Nate is thrilled with the result. His take: “It looks awesome.”

Before

After

The long wall and corner show the biggest change. A wide, uninterrupted run of metal makes a rough surface obvious. It also makes a clean one look even better.

Before

After

Here is what we would tell any building owner or facility manager thinking about replacing metal siding.

1. Check the structure first. If the frame is sound and the roof is in good shape, new wall panels can transform the building without a full re-roof. A qualified contractor should inspect the framing and any areas where the old panels were fastened.
2. Decide sidewalls, roof, or both. In this project it was sidewalls only. The roof was fine, so it stayed. Do not pay for work you do not need.
3. Plan the trim along with the panels. Doors, corners, base, and soffits all need trim. Custom trim typically takes up to a week and is not prioritized the same way panels are, so order it with your panels.
4. Confirm color early. Black is a stock color, and this order was turned around in a couple of days from the time it was placed. That speed applies to stock colors. Non-stock colors usually take 7 to 10 days or longer, especially in spring and fall, and custom trim typically takes up to a week.
5. Have your installer verify measurements. We make the panels to the lengths on your order. Your installer should confirm final measurements before you order.
6. Think about the whole wall. A fresh coat of paint on the foundation made a real difference here.

Hometown Metal Roofing is a Western Massachusetts manufacturer of custom metal roofing and siding panels and trim. We have one location, our shop at 627 Southampton Rd., Westfield, MA. You can pick up your order there, or we can deliver across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey. We do not have branch locations or offices in other states.

Delivery is by third-party carrier at $5 per mile with a $150 minimum, and the delivery fee is included in your quote. There is no minimum order, and panels cannot be formed shorter than 36 inches. We make the materials. We do not install, and we are glad to help you find a qualified installer.

Thinking about new metal wall panels for your building? Send us your profile, panel lengths and counts, color, and trim list, and we will put together a quote.

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 413-507-0959
• Price it out: PBR pricing and quote page

Nate said it best: “It looks awesome.” A big thank you to Nate and the team at A Plus HVAC, Inc. for letting us share their project. If you need heating, cooling, or HVAC service in the Westfield area, give them a look.

What is a metal building re-skin?
A re-skin means replacing the old metal wall (or roof) panels on an existing building with new ones, while keeping the structure. In this project, only the sidewalls were replaced.

Does Hometown Metal Roofing install the panels?
No. We manufacture panels and trim. We can recommend qualified installers.

Can a re-skin be done without a new roof?
Yes, if the roof is in good condition. Here the roof was fine, so the job was sidewalls only. Have a qualified contractor assess your specific building.

How fast can I get panels?
It depends on color and trim. This order, in stock black, was turned around in a couple of days. Non-stock colors usually take 7 to 10 days or longer, and custom trim typically takes up to a week. Ask us for the current timeline when you request a quote.