Anyone ever put on a metal roof?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

We are just about finished with our barn and are going to tackle the roof today. My father who has pretty much designed and built the whole thing is away for a while and we need to get the roof on before it snows. Sooo anyone have any advice for us? It is a gambrel roof barn, 30 x 40. Thanks in advance!! cara

-- cara lewis (moomaine@hotmail.com), December 02, 2001

Answers

start at the bottom, work up.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 02, 2001.

There are many kinds of metal shaped roof material, are you using 5 - v, or corrigated, or standard standing seam, we need to know in that there are tips unique to each type. Most important is to put the nails only in the raised area of 5-v and corrigated, not in the flats or valleys; you puncture the nail area with a drill or ding the raised area and then puncture with a very sharp punch. Also, start placing the metal at the edge that will be seen the most often so that if you have a partial sheet at the end it will not be an eyesore. Do repost with the type of metal so we can be more helpfull.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), December 02, 2001.

Mitch - How much do you overlap the sections, up and down and left to right? What do you do at the top, when covering an "A" frame roof?

What is 5-v?

-- Rick (Rick_122@hotmail.com), December 02, 2001.


Cara

I have roofed a gambrel barn with metal roofing.

Firstly you do not I repeat do not start at bottom and work up. Start at the highest roof pitch. Roof from one end fully across to other. I assume that you have placed the 2x purlins all ready on the roof framing. This should be in place on the entire roof prior to commencing. Be sure and utilize nails of sufficeint length with gaskets. You should not have to drill but can drive them thru the roofing. Some people prefer to nail in the top of the roofing ridges, I prefer to nail arrox 2" to the side in the roofing ridges in the flat area. THe roofing flexes and expands or contracs quite a bit and nailing in the flat provides a more secure roof. Once the upper portion is in place on one side the lower steeper pitch can be placed. This allow you to slide the lower roof panels under the overhang of the upper previous roofing. The two will not touch but this small overhang of upper sheets provides a drip on to the lower. Be sure to leave enough on upper sheets for this purpose.

Then move to other side and repeat except place the Ridge cap on as you go across otherwise you will then have to climb to the peak and slide by straddling ridge and nailing as you go which is not a fun way to do it.

Like anything it seems impossible until you start and finish then you wonder why you were so concerned.

Please note the placement of the roof purlins should be 2'-0" on center perpendiculr to the roof framing. These are what you nail to and also use as your ladder to work off of.

Good Luck.

Rutter

-- William Rutter (wrutter@aecllc.com), December 02, 2001.


This is to correct my email address which was given in area to my previous submitted response

wrutter@northnet.net

Sorry to many email addresses to remember

-- William A. Rutter (wrutter@northnet.net), December 02, 2001.



Cara. make sure you use the appropriate nails for a metal roof, the kind with ridges on the nail part and a small rubber gasket by the head, otherwise you'll have a leaky roof!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 02, 2001.

I have to see someone roof from the top down,, that would be too funny,,, better after a rain

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 02, 2001.

Stan

You must relize that a Gambrel roof is a two pitched roof. It is not a barrel style or a gable. Since the upper pitch is typically 6/12 and the lower is generally 15/12 or greater. This provides two roof faces rather then one on each side so you really are roofing the upper first from its bottom then the steeper lower roof from its bottom. So see you can roof from top down. Wish I had your phone number a few years ago I'd have charged you admission and made money and still had a roof done correctly.

-- William Rutter (wrutter@northnet.net), December 02, 2001.


Just keep in mind, water runs down hill.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), December 02, 2001.

Ive done gambels before,, never even thought of roofing them from the top down,, if I hired anyone to roof my place, ,and they started from the top,,, they would be paying me BIG TIME

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 02, 2001.


Rick, you ask what is 5-v, this metal has two raised v shaped mounds at either edge with one v in the middle, is about 26 and change inches width and comes in lengths of 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 feet. As for the over lap, minimun of 8 inches. Purchase your metal to fit the application, example a 20 foot run would use a 10 as the first sheet with a 12 as the upper over lapping sheet. With 5-v a tip to prevent capaillary (sp) action is to bend a bit of an angle downward on the overlapping tail so that there is not a seal between the lower sheet, this bend is only about 1/8 inch high and about 1/4 inch deep, just enought to keep the sheets from "spooning". The side lap is two mounds over two mounds, in corrigated it is one raise over one raise; both metal shapes give you 24 inches of coverage per sheet. This type of metal might not be common in your area, any roofing supply house should have at least pictures.

The top covering is called "ridge cap", it has a round upper shape with equal size skirts; in 5-v it is notched to fit the raises both sides before nailing and the flaps between the notches are turned down to contact the flat of the 5-v, ridge cap is nailed at the points where the raises disappear under it.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), December 02, 2001.


Cara, I have only a couple things to offer given the advice above. First, I drilled my holes in the metal roofing instead of using a punch. It saved wear and tear on my hammering arm! Also, make sure it isn't going to rain when you are roofing. I was on the peak of my barn putting in the last piece when it started to rain. Now, try getting off a steeply pitched metal roof in the rain! I got off without falling, but I'm not sure how!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), December 02, 2001.

cara, howdy and a big be careful! Metal roofing isn't too complicated a procedure. I'd say to definitely take your time putting up the first piece. Keep in mind if it is out of line you'll be shifting and adjusting alot of pieces in a row, but if it is lined up square you will roll along without a hitch. This isn't something that will matter asthetically, but it just makes for easier installation. If I'm roofing a long roof I'll use a string line to check if the top of the first piece is lined up parallel to the ridge. I've never roofed a gambrel, but I'd still check that first piece a few times before nailing it. Good luck and BE CAREFUL!!!

-- gilly (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), December 02, 2001.

SCREWS NOT NAILS! First off, after roofing 15 different metal roofs, starting fron the top and working down does work, though it can be a little tricky sliding the tin under the other sheet. I really really recomend you do one thing: DONT USE NAILS. Every darn metal roofed barn in the county has chunks that have blown off durning the last windstorm or two (except mine!), and its really not a good thing for hay to get wet. Screws with gaskets, called 'polebarn screws' or 'tin roofing screws' are THE way to go. Yes, they are a little pricy. But shop around, and you will get a good deal. Prices greatly vary, so good homework on these yeilds lower prices: one local store charges a whopping 14.99 a pound for them, where as Tractor supply charges 5.99 to 6.99 per pound depending upon length. I have seen them for a low a 3.99 a lb at ace hardware. I recomend 1 and a half inchers- they have a 1/4 inch head and drive quick and easy with a regular drill. For your bar, you might expect to use 6 to 10 lbs. These screws are handy for all kinds of projects, too. Use more screws at the edges of the roof than in the center- I use 1 screw per foot and about 1 screw pewr 2 feet in center portions (again edges of tin). Driving 2 into the end of the piece at the boxed eaves and a couple into and rafter joiners also helps. I use 5 v galvanized tin which sells for about 5 bucks a sheet (12'). If you use galvanized, you may have to spread fibercoat in a few years to help protect. I have heard it recomended, though I have always been too cheap to do so, to apply plywood below the tin- I just use alot of rafter joiners of 2X4 scraps and box the eaves and the ridge area. PS i have never had tin come off or even loosen up off the roof of my barns since using screws- even during a sever storm that brought 80 mph winds, though that storm blew the windmill up!

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), December 02, 2001.

CARA...WHAT EVER METAL ROOFING MATERIAL YOU USE.BE SURE TO USE THE SAME TYPE NAILS.OTHERWISE YOU GET GALVONIC CORROSION HAPPENING.THEY REACT AND THE ROOFING CORRODES AT THE FASTENED AREAS.[IE:THEY PUT A COPPER ROOF ON A RINK NEAR ME AND USED COPPER PLATED STEEL NAILS. WITHIN A YEAR THEY CORRODED AND THE ROOF PEELED OFF.] NOW SOME WILL SAY THAT THE RUBBER GASKETS FITTED TO THE NAILS WILL PREVENT THIS.NOT SO,AS LONG AS THE WATER CONNECTS THE TWO THE CHEMICAL REACTION WILL BRIDGE THE GASKET.IT WILL JUST TAKE LONGER. MY INSURANCE COMPANY ADVISED ME AGAINST GOING WITH A METAL ROOF.[PLUS I`VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CONDENSATION PROBLEMS.FREEZE THAW SITUATIONS LOOSENING THE ROOF.]THEY RECOMMENDED A FIRE RATED ASPHALT SHINGLE INSTEAD.

CORDially YOURS CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 03, 2001.



Screws or nails should be placed on the ridges, not on the flats or valleys. If you nail use a pliers to hold the shank of the nail. This allows more pressure at contact point and will eliminate most of the bounce when you hit the nail and sore thumbs are not a problem.

-- Ed (Esdc425@aol.com), December 03, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ