How do you know what kind of roof to build?

[lalyswishytail]

How do you decide between a metal roof and a shingled roof. BTW, where do you get metal for roofs?

Is there something besides shingles you can put over a 1/2" wooden roof to make it water proof that doesn't involve nails sticking out?

Do you have other roof ideas or advice?

 

[Teach97]

You decide by asthetics, cost, and your ability...

Nails and screws are pretty much the best fasteners. Your hardware / lumbaryard will have the metal (several varieties to choose from on that...you could use tile (not flat tile for flooring) think mediterainian or Spanish look...shingles are an option or slate...

Hope that helps

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Frankly, most people it's either what they happen to have already available, or the one they don't hate the looks of

A metal roof (with no plywood or insulation under it, just nailers/rafters and then the inside of the coop) will heat the coop up more than a light-colored shingled roof in a hot sunny climate. Also it will develop condensation (drips and perhaps frost) during the winter unless your coop is SERIOUSLY majorly ventilated or in a year-round warm climate. Insulating the underside of a metal roof, or even just plywood under it, will reduce both problems to nearly nil.

You need plywood sheathing under a shingled roof; a metal roof can have just nailers every 2' or whatever.

A shingled roof typically has nail points protruding slightly from the underside of the plywood, which can be an issue for a tall person in a short or reach-in coop. They can also cause condensation drips/icicles (although much less so than an uninsulated all-metal roof), whcih can be fixed with insulation if desired.

BTW, where do you get metal for roofs?

Hardware store, farm supply store. Sometimes they have it in stock (usually just in galvanized or maybe 1-2 colors), sometimes it's a special order item (and there is sometimes a minimum size for special-orders). It is usually 2-3' working width and comes stock in 8' and 12' lengths (tho if you're special ordering a decent amount you may be able to get custom lengths).

Is there something besides shingles you can put over a 1/2" wooden roof to make it water proof that doesn't involve nails sticking out?

I use a shower curtain stapled over the plywood on my tractor, does that count?

(I actually do. It has survived a total of 8 months of use out in the sun, plus two winters of storage, and is still going strong, but I have no idea how long it will remain so).

You could use tarpaper, but there is a limit to how waterproof it is and for how long it'll stay that way with no shingles on it, especially if it's a flattish roof.

You could just prime and paint the cr*p out of the plywood, that'd last a few years before the paint needed replacing... you might get 5+ yrs out of the plywood before the plywood needed replacing. I'd caulk real well over whatever screws/nails hold the roof on (where they penetrate the plywood)

Most satisfying solution might be to install battens every 2' (or maybe further apart, since you have the plywood there - depends partly on your site's windyness) and put on metal or corrugated plastic roofing. (e.t.a. - by preference I'd put the battens on the *inside*, not on top of the plywood, so's not to create places where water getting under the roofing could pool and start rot)

If you use proper, gasketed roofing screws, of an appropriate length to hold the roof panels on securely but not penetrate thru the battens (and of course you have to locate your screws in the right place so they DO bury themselves inthe battens

), it will be quite waterproof and pretty long-lasting. I'd paint the plywood underneath it for water-resistance, and leave the lower end open at the corrugations so that any water/condensate getting under there can drain/evaporate on out.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[lalyswishytail]

patandchickens...you always give good, detailed suggestions, but you use words that are not in my vocabulary!

gasket, batten, huh? Don't bother with definitions, I'll figure it out somehow!

Does this sound like it would work? The 5' x 7' roof would slope to be a foot higher in the front than in the back. Prime it and paint it a lot and caulk the nail holes. Cover it with tarpaper, (just regular heavy-duty tarp, right?).

When you gave your idea about using corrugated metal or plastic you said paint the underside of it. Am I understanding right that you mean literally to paint the underside of the roof?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Sorry

Gasketed roofing screws have a special neoprene or rubber washer (think flat o-ring), about 1/8" thick, so that when you screw 'em in the washer seals the screwhole against water.

Batten just means narrowish thinnish strip of wood.

Does this sound like it would work? The 5' x 7' roof would slope to be a foot higher in the front than in the back. Prime it and paint it a lot and caulk the nail holes. Cover it with tarpaper, (just regular heavy-duty tarp, right?).

I think as long as you use paintable caulk on the raw wood then paint *over it*, your proposed roof would last at least 5 yrs if it were all one sheet of plywood.

However for a 5x7 roof it would need a seam. You would need to put some sort of sealer strip or batten to cover the seam and caulk the heck out of *that* too (and it will probably need remedial caulking every few years).

That said, it sounds to me alike a reasonable design for a not-overly-long-lifespan fairly-easy-to-construct roof.

When you gave your idea about using corrugated metal or plastic you said paint the underside of it. Am I understanding right that you mean literally to paint the underside of the roof?

Oh, sorry, sometimes my fingers go faster than my brain

No, I meant paint the plywood surface that you'll be putting the roof onto

To seal the plywood somewhat against moisture, you know?

Pat​

 

[namreknat]

On both of my coops I put down OSB, 30 lb. felt and then corrugated sheet metal. Not too much more expensive,and the coops stay good and dry.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Good paint.