Roof over run - uplift wind concern

[yarrowhouse]

We are considering putting a roof over our duck run, or part of it. This is because we have clay soil and intense rains, so the run is easily flooded by a sudden rain.

The area to be roofed is upwards of 200 sq ft. We would probably use corrugated panels, plastic or steel. The run is constructed of pt wood, and completely enclosed in hardware cloth. The top is a mix of 2x6 and 2x4.

Has anyone done something like this, do you have any experience or advice on the impact of wind? We are in central Carolina, so get typical storms, gusts usually no more than 40-60mph.

 

[Fawkes]

I'm in Northeast Florida and I have clear corrugated plastic sheets on my duck aviary roofs. They've been through multiple hurricanes and tropical storms over the last 13+ years. I think I eventually replaced some of the sheets, but they hold up very well and haven't broken during storms.

I'd recommend hardware cloth secured underneath the panels, if you don't have that as a "roof" already. As predators could easily get underneath the plastic sheets.

 

[ruthhope]

We are considering putting a roof over our duck run, or part of it. This is because we have clay soil and intense rains, so the run is easily flooded by a sudden rain.

The area to be roofed is upwards of 200 sq ft. We would probably use corrugated panels, plastic or steel. The run is constructed of pt wood, and completely enclosed in hardware cloth. The top is a mix of 2x6 and 2x4.

Has anyone done something like this, do you have any experience or advice on the impact of wind? We are in central Carolina, so get typical storms, gusts usually no more than 40-60mph.

My son has used corrugated panels over his duck house. He originally had corrugated plastic, but they got brittle in the sun in only 2 years. the most badly sun damaged panel was replaced with corrugated metal. However, he had a design flaw in his duck house that cause the second plastic panel, the least sun-damaged, to crack and become insecure. His roof did not slope and rain pooled. The weight of the rain was enough to crack the roof. I replace the flat roof with a domed roof, chicken wire over metal masons' ladders, with a tarp cover. This is a great improvement

So, from this experience, I suggest that plastic corrugated panels are not good in full sun situations like my son's back yard. And that the roof to your run must sloe so that rain water runs off.

I have shorter corrugated plastic sheets forming a roof over my side door and the walkway to my outside shower. It is well sloped and not in direct sun. There was some storm damage in Hurricane Matthew and some of the panels, but not all, had to be replaced. There was no damage in Hurricane Irma. So the original surviving panels have been there from prior to 2011--put on by the previous owner-- and the replacement panels have lasted 7 years to date and have lots of life.

Photographs of the domed replacement roof I made for my son's duck house in case this is an idea you might like to try. its 32 sq ft

My old duck house also had a domed roof with chicken wire attached to masons' ladders, covered with a tarp. I have just this January had to replace it because the wood has been destroyed by carpenter ants. The domed roof has now been added to my new, all galvanized metal duck house, covered by a tarp. It is 50 sq ft