Corrugated Roofing Techniques

[enggass]

I plan on roofing my run. 6'x10'. Does anyone have advice or pictures on the best way to roof it? I want to use plastic corrugated, maybe metal. Should I lay the panels the short dimension? or longer dimension? or does it matter? Also, what is the best way to frame out the walls?
Thanks, I'm no builder but a quick learner.
Steve

 

[cherylcohen]

check out our page, you need to think about rain run off

 

[enggass]

Thanks.
Looks like in some of those pics your rain would run right into the run area... That must have gotten messy.

 

[medtec113]

This is what Im doing. This is the tufftex building panels.

 

[clayhill]

Wow!

 

[pacetruckguy]

For someone who claims he's not a builder, you're sure doing a mighty fine job!

 

[enggass]

Quote:
How did you go about creating the roof? Attach it to the small length wise pieces and then mount on the structure? Also, how much do the Tufftex panels go for an in what sizes?
Steve

 

[medtec113]

The front of the coop is 8' hight and the rear is 7'. It is 5' wide. For the main truss, I used full length 8' 2x4's spaced 2' on center. ( you could go 3' if you like) On this I used 1x2's running parallel to the run. I attached the roof panels to the 1x2's using roofing screws with washers.
The roof panels are about 21.00 each and are 2'x8'

 

[medtec113]

Here is a pic from the rear

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
The roof will need some slope to it, I would not go with less than 1' in 12' under any circumstances and in your case because snow load is a significant issue you'd be much better off with more like 3-4' in 12' (and will still need it strongly supported). You may find that it would be much easier to run that slope in one orientation than the other, in which case that answers your question for you

All other things being equal, it usually makes more sense to run panels across the shortest dimension though, because it requires a bit less strength from your rafters. In your case, that would mean buying 8' roofing panels (8' and 12' are the stock sizes) and using them along the 6' dimension -- if you use panels that give you a 2' working width you would need at least 5, probably 6 of them.

Basically you are building the roof of a shed, if that clarifies the structural issues for you. So you need to make sure that the construction holding the roof UP (purlin size and spacing, rafter size and spacing, post size and spacing, beam size) is sufficient to hold the weight of the roof plus wind and/or snow load. There are books and tables for these things, or (much simpler) just copy from a Known Adequate Design that is sufficient for your local snowload.

Here is the most important thing -- very VERY important -- for installing corrugated roofing, especially the plastic corrugated roofing: get the manufacturer's instruction sheet and follow their directions to the letter. Oh my goodness I can't tell you how many people install this stuff radically-wrong, especially the plastic roofing, with the result that it will leak and/or blow off and/or collapse from insufficient support. Which is not the material's fault, it is the installer's error. So, don't do that

Also, what is the best way to frame out the walls?

Of the run, you mean? IMO the best arrangement is usually 4x4 p.t. posts sunk 2.5-3' into the ground (no concrete), in your case it woudl probably be easiest and best to use four corner posts (two might be substituted by the corners of your coop of course) plus another 'run' post in the middle of the 10' sides. You COULD go clear-span but with the roof going on you'd end up having to use much bigger beams and it would not make economic or practical sense IMHO. For beam size, see above re: find shed plans you can copy. In a high-wind area, or for really high snow loads, it is worth adding some extra diagonal bracing because the run fencing does not really stabilize the structure much at all against racking/twisting/sideways-collapse.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​