Coop roof design in PA

[morf2540]

Hi Folks,
Newbie here, ready to built first coop. I am in Pennsylvania. My plan is to use a corrugated roofing panel for the roof (have not yet decided on which material, that is a topic for another post). The question is: do I need to insulate under the roofing? All the panels I have seen (metal, poly, ondura) seem pretty flimsy, like they would probably have zero insulation value. Plus I plan to overhang the eaves for ventilation. So if I need to insulate, I could use plywood beneath the roofing. But once I construct a plywood roof, I might as well just shingle it... why bother with the corrugated panel? Otherwise, I suppose I could use the panel with open framing, and fit in rigid foam insulation between the framing, but then I have all the open edges of the corrugation to deal with. So I am undecided at the moment. So: Insulate the roof or not? If yes, then what manner of insulation? Thanks for your advice!!!

 

[yogifink]

If your in the snow belt, I'd go with the plywood for additional load and metal roofing for ease. The metal is really not that much more costly than shingle and IMO it looks better, lasts longer and is easier to put up. If your not in the snow belt, I might just go with furring strips on top of the rafters and then metal roofing, skipping the osb. If you make it tall enough, the edges don't matter, it is after all only a chicken coop!

I insulated my non-plywood, metal roofed coop with ridged foam board. I only insulated the roof and did it to control heat not cool. I live in south eastern north carolina, and it gets very hot and humid here, so heat generated from the sun contacting the roof was a concern. Probably not that big of a deal for you. But, I dont think a bit of insulation on the roof ever hurt anyone, and at a few bucks a sheet, why not.

If you decide to insulate, definitely go with ridged foam and skip on the standard roll stuff.

 

[24dogs1cat]

I live in central Minnesota and plan to have chickens. While I already have a hobby barn, I prefer to have a separate chicken coop.
My hobby barn, built by my father decades ago, has 2x4 boards running perpendicular to the roof trusses in the barn. They are fastened to the sky side of the trusses. Metal sheeting was then put on and fastened to the 2x4's. No insulation was ever put in between the trusses.
I have noticed that this lack of insulation allows the barn to get very, very, very hot in the summer. We keep the door to the hay loft area open all year long. It is a pain in the butt to raise and lower it. We even keep the large doors on the east and west ends open all summer. Still, too much heat flows down from the loft.
We are now the owners of my family hobby farm. We will be putting new metal on the hobby barn. However, we WILL be putting OSB beneath the new metal and we WILL be putting rigid insulation between the trusses.
We also plan to put metal siding on the barn and WILL be insulating between the siding and the current cement block walls. We will either put rigid foam sheets between the furring strips, or put the spray in foam that turns rigid, after we secure the siding.
It is my preference to provide a living environment for my animals, chickens included, that will not subject them to such extremes in temperature as occur without insulation. Our chicken coop will be made similar to how we plan to re do the hobby barn.
I would never, ever use an insulation that is of the batting variety.
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