suntuf roofing material?

[EHook518]

We have a sun room that is covered with the gray Suntuf material. Originally we had the clear but during the summer it was over 100 degrees in there and it leaked (and cracked in a bad hail storm) so we replaced it with the gray. It is cooler but still hot with the high temps we have had (100+). Here is a picture of our sun room, it looks really nice and things are not bleaching out. Oh and in the winter we learned our lesson by keeping all of our plants out there and our heater tripped the breaker and we lost all but one plant when it was in the negatives. It held the snow with now problem. Such a bummer with the plants, it is not a good insulator. The second time around we put in the wood closure strips and it has stopped the leaking. We also put silicone on every screw because of the leaking problems we had.

 

[sara213]

I can't find the post right now...but there is another member who made a cute little blue coop with the clear panel roof as her whole roof. Right now she is having problems keeping the coop cool in full sun. Some suggestions to her where to paint the clear panels a solid paint color (the underside of the panel) or to just toss a blue tarp over the panels as needed.

In reality it's going to depend on where the sun rises and sets on your coop. In the winter these panels might offer you a passive heat source...but in the summer might be too much unless you have many windows that would be able to catch the breeze from any angle. (or if you used the tarp ect..)

A long time member (patandchickens) is also from Ontario...she has her coop posted in the "coop" section..and also did an excellent post on ventilation vs insulation. Don't over insulate..read her post first.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

Many members do use the panels and love them...again...it's just going to depend on how much you use and the angles you use them. =)

chickent tractor coop by patandchickens

Thanks for that link to that article it was very informative! I will take that information into account with the design of the coop

Yeah I just want to have some light coming in from the top.I could always pick a darker colour instead of the clear for the roof. I'll work it out anyhow LOL. Thanks! nice coop btw. do you have windows on it?

 

[sara213]

We have a sun room that is covered with the gray Suntuf material. Originally we had the clear but during the summer it was over 100 degrees in there and it leaked (and cracked in a bad hail storm) so we replaced it with the gray. It is cooler but still hot with the high temps we have had (100+). Here is a picture of our sun room, it looks really nice and things are not bleaching out. Oh and in the winter we learned our lesson by keeping all of our plants out there and our heater tripped the breaker and we lost all but one plant when it was in the negatives. It held the snow with now problem. Such a bummer with the plants, it is not a good insulator. The second time around we put in the wood closure strips and it has stopped the leaking. We also put silicone on every screw because of the leaking problems we had.

It was almost like being in a greenhouse then >< I don't think the chickens would like it. Nice sun room, btw. So it hasn't leaked on you as of yet then?

 

[EHook518]

It was almost like being in a greenhouse then >< I don't think the chickens would like it. Nice sun room, btw. So it hasn't leaked on you as of yet then?

So far so good!

 

[joan1708]

I have a suntuf roof on my run. 2/3 of it is covered with a reed fence this summer to keep the heat out. the other 1/3 is in constant shade so it doesn't need anything. This isn't the best picture of it, but it's all I have at the moment.

 

[PAChickenChick2]

This is actually "Patandchickens" coop...the Lady who wrote that ventilation post and is also from Ontario. But I'm sure she appreciates the compliment. This is her tractor..and I think she wound up adding some "openings" too it

I posted it so you could see what someone from your area does as well.

I think you'll like the panels if you use something other than totally clear. From your sketchup it looks like you just want the 2 skylights...so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[7 Biddies]

so it stays pretty cool underneath it then?

Yes, it does. I'm originally from S. Fla. where we learned to have a white roof to reflect the sun's heat. If you look at homes throughout the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, you'll see white roofs there, too. I also have a white metal roof on the hen house and, with the vents and 2 windows, it too, stays cool inside.

 

[sara213]

This is actually "Patandchickens" coop...the Lady who wrote that ventilation post and is also from Ontario. But I'm sure she appreciates the compliment. This is her tractor..and I think she wound up adding some "openings" too it

I posted it so you could see what someone from your area does as well.

I think you'll like the panels if you use something other than totally clear. From your sketchup it looks like you just want the 2 skylights...so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Ohhhh I see. lol my bad then. I'm sure she would too

Yeah...that is the design idea that i had. it would just be the sealing part that i would have to worry about. now....because of the curves in the material. I think i have an idea anyhow of how i would install it.

 

[suzyQlou]

You're smart. You're asking these questions BEFORE you bought the sunturf. I wasn't so smart, lol. I bought my materials and THEN thought about the heat factor. I ended up just using plywood for the roof, and the clear panels to protect the roof. Expensive, and not as light-weight as I had hoped, but it did the job. Luckily, my coop gets enough light from a side window.

Anyway, you say you have a good idea about how you're going to attach and seal your panels. If you want some additional thoughts, here are some links that helpful BYC'ers gave me when I was starting out. My Lowes had all the parts I needed, but I was glad to have these diagrams to figure out how to put them together.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infcorroofpanels.html

http://www.palramamericas.com/docs/upload/F409_Suntuf_Install-1-21-11.pdf

 

[sara213]

You're smart. You're asking these questions BEFORE you bought the sunturf. I wasn't so smart, lol. I bought my materials and THEN thought about the heat factor. I ended up just using plywood for the roof, and the clear panels to protect the roof. Expensive, and not as light-weight as I had hoped, but it did the job. Luckily, my coop gets enough light from a side window.

Anyway, you say you have a good idea about how you're going to attach and seal your panels. If you want some additional thoughts, here are some links that helpful BYC'ers gave me when I was starting out. My Lowes had all the parts I needed, but I was glad to have these diagrams to figure out how to put them together.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infcorroofpanels.html

http://www.palramamericas.com/docs/upload/F409_Suntuf_Install-1-21-11.pdf

Thanks for the links! I very much appreciate it

I have an idea but sealing the panel is going to be difficult part I think. I was going to make a frame for the panel to sit on and place it in these plastic closing brackets on the wooden frame and screw the suntuf into place. Th part that will be difficult is putting flashing around the panel so there is zero draft, and leakage.

Unless some one has another suggestion of what could be the sky light in my coop.