Thin Al, Cr, and W films were deposited on monocrystalline (100) Si microbeams fabricated by a SCREAM-like dry etching process. Curvature measurements and three-dimensional finite element method mechanical simulations of the composite microbeams were combined to evaluate the residual mechanical stress in the metallic films. Factors limiting the measurement accuracy are analyzed. It is shown that the measurement accuracy is largely dependent on microloading effects during the Si isotropic etching step necessary to release the microbeams from the substrate.