Corrugated plastic roof

[Bantam Jimmy]

Would corrugated plastic sheeting like for a greenhouse be good for a roof material?

 

[grizzley62]

I covered my coop with it. Last year I set up a 275 gallon (1000 liter) IBC tote to collect the rain water to water the chickens. Just half of my 10x10 coop roof kept the container full most of the summer. I did have to top it off once with the hose in August because it was a dry time.

 

[azygous]

That's what I used. Works great and easy to install. I alternated opaque colors with translucent panels to provide both sun and shade. The sun is especially welcome this time of year when it's below freezing. The run warms up so much faster when the sun comes back out.

 

[azygous]

My run roofing is supported by three different sizes of slats from 4"x1", one-inch firring, and 2x 4s over beams of 2" x 8". The slats are all just a few inches apart because it has to support a snow load. Or an occasional bear.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Roofing like this or the stuff from Home Depot? Either works.

 

[Dada Joe]

I am sorry, after 30 some odd years of playing building contractor, I assume that everyone knows how to build. I am learning, not only in this site, that this is not the case. By convention, a rafter runs from the ridge to the roof edge. Typical building codes require them at no more than 24" on center. A purlin crosses the rafters at whatever center the roof panel will span. To minimize sway in plywood, rafter spacing is set to no more than 24" on center. With plywood or OSB as decking, purlins are not required. The roofing material I intend to use has a span rating of 7'-0", but I will add purlins at 4'-0 on center to hold a straighter roof line. Typical building supply store materials have a span rating of 24", so purlins have to be installed to keep the panels from doing what is shown in Nanny's pics

 

[ChickNanny13]

I used it, thought it a great idea until we had a horrible rain/wind storm & a corner caved in. Went back to Home Depot, they apologized and said they'd refund me ... I had taken pictures. I then called the manufactures, they told me our "extreme" summer heat may have been the cause of the material weakening Thought this was of green houses? Anyway we replaced with corrugated material.

After seeing @Brahma Chicken5000 pictures of the rafters, ours may have been too wide, think Hubby did a 14" spacing. Loved that it was light weight & let light in.

 

[Bantam Jimmy]

Thanks everyone. Going to pick it up tomorrow and finish my coup

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok, now I see what our problem was, we should have supported with horizontal rafters as well as vertical ...

 

[Ted Brown]

Is it 2 ft all the way across or at the end are the 2x4s closer together for more support?

@aart I expect that the question is "Are rafters always 2' apart?".

Rafters are typically 24" or 16" on center (apart); these spacings will generally support most loads such as snow. Greater than 24" not advised. Regular spacing makes most sense for nailing etc. Overhangs sometimes require a special "ladder" structure.