Coop Roof Question

[wxdude99]

Hi. I'm almost finished my coop, and I was going to put the roof on next. I'm going to use asphalt roof shingles to cover it. My question is, is it necessary/required to use the felt material under the shingles? It costs $50 a roll at Lowes, and I really don't want to use it unless I have to. Thanks.

 

[Omran]

Quote:
No it is asolutly not necessary, look at my coop in my page below Idon't have any paper and it is perfect.
Omran.

 

[Verboten]

If you decide to use it you should be able to find it cheaper - they carry it in smaller rolls at other hardware stores - I think that the 15 pound felt at lowes is four hundred square feet (big coop?).

I have heard that felt can help stop water from wind driven rain and ice dams - which does not make sense to me because if water is getting under the shingles it will find a nail hole somewhere to get in. I have also read that the felt lets vapor from the inside through where it condenses on the underside of the shingles, so for it not to rot the roof the paper needs to be there - that doesn't make sense to me either because a portion of the water would be condensing under the felt and the water under the shingles would find its way in.

Reasons that I think felt is used are: 1 shingle manufacturers require it for proper installation or the warranty is voided (they usually require a certified professional installer too) , 2. It is probably in the building code to install the shingles following the manufacturers requirements. 3. It helps to even out the surface a bit, 4. It is usually lined, which can help with keeping your shingles even.

So my reasons 1 & 2 are probably not considerations (they are huge if you are building a house) and you can probably do a good enough job on 3 & 4 without. I have always used it, but I usually have it around anyway. Whatever you decide you will have a more than acceptable roof for a chicken coop.

Best of luck!

 

[ChickenTender63]

On a coop, you will be fine without it, although I would still use it. I don't see why it is so expensive in your area though. A 15# roll of felt that is 400 sq. ft. usually runs about $15 for me at Lowes or Home Depot.

Are you sure you weren't looking at "ice & water" membrane?

Good luck to ya!

 

[hinkjc]

It is only about $15 here as well. We used roll roofing over the top on some of our coops and found it much easily than shingles...and cheaper too.

Jody

 

[ncCHICKS]

That's a lot! I don't think you need to. My coop just has tin as the roof. It's a dollar for every foot (26"wide) and it is easy to put up! Corr. tin that is

 

[jubylives]

You do not need it under the shingles. If it were a house I'd say to use it but not in this case. I didn't use it on my coop but I did seal all of the joints in the roof sheathing with a liberal amount of tar. Oh and add a drip edge on the lower edge of the slope. Trust me it's worth the couple bucks.

Here it is a Lowes: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=11688-18591-WHA1F45TSRE&lpage=none

Oh and Lowes has felt for $20. They have a cheaper brand too.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=10308-69899-10308


jeremy

 

[psrumors]

I am like everyone else it shouldn't be as expensive as you state. I used 30lb and got the roll for $22 at Lowes.

The shingles will last much longer and it is a water barrier backup. I would not put the shingles down without it. While yes it is a chicken coop I am sure you do not want to be replacing decking when it leaks.

 

[patandchickens]

I'll put in another vote for Jeremy's suggestion of a drip edge. Especially if your roof is not highly pitched and you want your coop to last a good while without leaking or requiring fussing at. Cheap insurance against water soaking the edge of your plywood and rotting it.

I am particularly obsessing on the value of a proper drip edge *today*, because the gutters on the back of our garage came down in a wet snow a coupla days ago and I had to replace them yesterday *in the dark*. The already aggravating process was greatly complicated by it turned out that the idjits who did the roof (long before we moved here) did not use anything like that at all (not even a proper starter strip of shingles) and the fascia board and rafter tails are considerably rotting away, making it EXTRA jolly trying to attach new gutters, in, did I mention, THE DARK. Harrumph! Even if this is not going to be such an issue on your coop, it is a good reminder of what water trickling along the edge of the roof, instead of dripping freely away, can do.


Pat, who DID get the gutters up (with new drip-edge stuffed in there, too) but invented some new words along the way

 

[Chicken Woman]

Where did you get drip edge ?