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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 08:48am - Edited by: xinull
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Winter's coming pretty fast. I'm just about to finish sheathing the roof. And i'm almost out of money. ​I have no experience installing metal roofing, so i've been looking around for estimates. Either people are not available or crazy expensive.
I'm starting to have that sick feeling in my stomach, that i wont be able to finish off my roof before winter.
I'm not too fond of heights, ,meaning i could probably get the job done. But considering it's a 9/12 pitch, 20 feet high and it's starting to get cold, doing it myself at this time of year is starting to not be an option at all. Maybe if it was the middle of the summer and i had a full month to work on it, it would be a different story.
Also, i live in the Atlantic provinces in Canada. Winter's are not mild over here.
So I'm coming to your expertise and asking for your advice.
oh, i know i could probably go with asphalt roofing instead, would be a lot cheaper, but i really dont want to have to redo my roof. I know i wont be happy with asphalt.
Can i somehow safely tarp the roof for the winter, and how?
should i just suck-it-up and dish out the money to get it done?
anything else i'm not thinking of to protect the roof for the winter so i can finish it off next summer?
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 08:50am
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Title is supposed to say
Saving my roof for the winter
can't edit titles 
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:44am - Edited by: Tim_Ohio
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Xinull,
Since you sheathed the roof, you should be able to cover it with 30lb felt or equivalent and it should make it through the winter. Since it's new construction, there really isn't anything inside that will be damaged or destroyed it if leaks a little. I know the 30 lb felt I put down was pretty damn tough. I used tab top nails to secure it and had to try to pull a couple of them out. They held tough and were not easy to pull. I know there are new alternatives to 30lb felt that might be more durable, but it worked for me. I did not leave mine set over the winter, though. If you install the drip edge down the rake of the roof, that will secure it well for wind. Although there is an argument for how to install drip edge at the eaves on the sides, I put it over the top of the felt, but also ran a bead of black roof tar from a caulking gun underneath. That edging also secured it from the wind.
Tarps in my opinion, are just going to be money that's thrown away. For premium ones, you will spend a lot on them. For cheap ones, they deteriorate quickly from sun exposure.
Tim_Ohio
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:53am
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I probably broke some rules installing my metal over the sheathing without an air space, but it was fast and it is just a cabin. So, I went for it.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:02am - Edited by: gcrank1
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I ended up with a similar issue some years back when my old cabin roof had damage and had to be re-roofed late in the fall.
We tore the roofing off, replaced some decking and had a sudden turn to an early winter.
On the recommendation of a friend who did carpentry, roofing and siding on the side we bought a roll of a membrane material (wish I knew the name) at Menards, very heavy duty, waterproof and far better than tar paper. It went down quickly like tar paper, lasted all a Wisconsin, USA winter (not mild!) and was the perfect layer for under the asphalt shingles we used; would work for metal too.
I would absolutely use it again!
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:23am
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Quoting: gcrank1 we bought a roll of a membrane material
If that works, then that's pretty comforting. I'm assuming it's this synthetic roof underlayment that's replacing tar paper. It's much tougher, and weather proof (not waterproof). It's good to know that it could survive the winter.
I bought 2 rolls at HD. I could use that instead of a tarp.
Quoting: Tim_Ohio Tarps in my opinion, are just going to be money that's thrown away
I have a tarp on the roof right now because it's raining heavy this month, and it's getting pretty used up. It's starting a few rips here and there from pulling it up over the ridge/rafter tips. It's a pretty heavy duty one too. I wouldn't be sad to loose it if i had to use it and it would get destroyed. 200$ is a small price to pay for saving my roof and interior
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travellerw
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:28am
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I will second what everyone said here. Underlayment should be able to get you through the winter no problem. We used Bigfoot 30 synthetic under our metal and I'm sure it would easily stand up to a winter. Enough to do our whole cabin cost $100cdn.
Note-I would probably tear it off and put new underlayment down in the spring though. I wouldn't just go over it again as it would leave 2 impermeable barriers where moisture could get caught.
As to your roof. I was in a very similar situation just a month ago. Turns out I have a pretty healthy fear of heights and our roof is 24ft to the peak. I also priced out companies and was shocked at the quotes. In the end, I rented a towable man lift and bought the materials myself. I had no experience with metal roofing but researched and watched some great videos (it turned out to be pretty easy). The man lift was AMAZING. Total cost of the materials and lift was like 1/3 my cheapest quote.
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:32am
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Here is what Menards has:
https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/roofing/roofing-underlayment/c-13250. htm
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:37am
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Metal roofing is all about getting it square and maintaining that throughout the installation. It's not easy, but attainable if you are patient and don't rush the job. Keep squaring it up or have reference points that maintain it. That was my lesson.
Oh, another nice tip I'd add is that if you need to cut it length-wise, you don't have to invest in expensive cutting tools. You can score it, then bend it back and forth and it will break at that score mark. Another lesson I learned, which I love because it save money.
Tim_Ohio
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:39am
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This is the one i bought at HD a few weeks ago
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/gaf-feltbuster-1000-sq-ft-synthetic-roofing-underlay ment-roll/1000800427
they have so many synthetics out there, it's really hard to know which ones are best. They're probably mostly all the same at the end of the day.
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ICC
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:40am
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#30 felt has lasted over a northern NM winter for me. Windy, snow, melt, repeat till spring when it is just windy. The button-top nails help hold it down a lot, closely spaced at the edges. If you have 1x2's you can use as battens screw them down or the seams.
Nice thing about felt is one person can handle rolling it out in many cases, whereas the synthetics are usually a wider roll, harder to handle for a solo job. I like the synthetics a lot but worked with a crew of 3 or more most often. There are synthetics that are made special for roofs that have a texturized top surface. Those are nice to move around on.
Sometimes the underlayment will need to be replaced for warranty coverage if they are left exposed to weather for too long. The synthetics all have exposure limits. Felt's durability is variable; depends a lot on sun exposure as well.
But as I stated at the beginning I have personally had #30 felt last over a winter with no problems if properly secured.
I think tarps are a wasted effort for long time (over-winter) use unless it is an emergency and you are there to handle problems as they crop up.
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:43am
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Quoting: travellerw In the end, I rented a towable man lift and bought the materials myself
that was my plan all along
Quoting: Tim_Ohio if you are patient and don't rush the job
sorta why i dont want to do it myself at this point in the season. with winter rushing, i dont want to have to rush it. If I wait till next summer, i may just push my fear deep down and do it myself and save the money.
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ICC
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:43am
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Quoting: Tim_Ohio I probably broke some rules installing my metal over the sheathing without an air space,
No. What did is done all the time. Sheath the roof, roll out the underlayment, screw down the metal roofing. Perfectly acceptable and every metal roofing we ever used was covered by the manufacturer's warranty when done like that.
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:50am
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Quoting: ICC If you have 1x2's you can use as battens screw them down or the seams.
that's a pretty good idea. I have a bunch of true 2x6 from my uncles mill left over, i could rip them to make 1x2
And this is just a wild guess, but I assume i should NOT tape the seams of my roof underlayment, correct? I think i read that somewhere, that this was a no-no
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WILL1E
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:58am
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xinull did you copy my post from a couple weeks ago?! Sounds like a copy cat of my situation! travellerw and i both building almost identical places..my walls are 10ft and the gambrel pick is another 8ft up, plus the cabin is post and beam style which add's 2' on one side and about 3' on the other. 7 of the 9 days i was building it rained and i was out of steam at the end and couldn't bring myself to even sheath the roof. I found dead ends everywhere i called and finally found a pretty well known local builder that had 2 guys available for a day and likely felt bad for me. Charged me $1000 cash to sheath the gambrel roof on a 16x32, put down ice/water barrier and the 30# felt. Took them maybe 2/3rds of a day.
They will be coming back in the next few weeks to put the steel roof and associated trims on as well...price for that is $700. Both situations i have all the materials, they just need to install.
Like the others have said, finish sheathing it, get the paper or underlayment down and call it quits and walk away for awhile. Worse case you have to replace a couple hundred bucks of felt in spring but at least you can take your time with the steel then.
I know how you feel though, nothing worse than knowing you can't or don't want to do it and not have options without paying through the nose. It was especially tough for me as i've never ever paid anyone to do any repairs or construction for me in my life before.
Can't wait to see pictures!
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WILL1E
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 10:59am
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Quoting: ICC No. What did is done all the time. Sheath the roof, roll out the underlayment, screw down the metal roofing. Perfectly acceptable and every metal roofing we ever used was covered by the manufacturer's warranty when done like that.
This is what i heard in my research as well.
Quoting: xinull And this is just a wild guess, but I assume i should NOT tape the seams of my roof underlayment, correct? I think i read that somewhere, that this was a no-no
Correct, do not tape it.
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:29am
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Here is how it finished off. I hope it's not thought that I'm showing off or anything, but some of the details I faced I thought were worth mentioning.
For instance, if you notice most pole barns, the rake end of the metal is left open. I decided to close it up by creating flaps that folded down over the opening to keep the larger critters out.
Also, at the end of the ridge cap, most will just run it out there and call it done. It's a little nicer to fold it down and fit it perfectly over the edge. Once again, more time, but it keeps the critters and weather out.
If you have soffits, you might appreciate using the vented stuff. I have a cathedral/vaulted ceiling that's insulated, but has a 2" air space above the insulation to let air pass from the soffit all the way to the ridge vent, which has a mesh or filter media under it.
Also, another thing I can say before I shut up, is that they make closure strips for under the ribs. At the bottom edge of the roof, install these between the felt or membrane and the underside of the tin. They fit the rib profile and stick into place before you place the tin. That will help keep critters out as well.
Okay, I talk too much. I'm finished. Sorry.
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WILL1E
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:33am
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All good stuff to call out Tim_Ohio!
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xinull
Member
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 12:32pm
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nice Tim, looking good.
Here's where i'm at as of last week, like WILL1E, i'm running out of steam after working on this all summer
eventually when it's more complete, i'll post a bunch more pictures to show all the progres
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xinull
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 12:33pm - Edited by: xinull
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this screenshot didn't display on last post
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WILL1E
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 12:39pm
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Very nice!!
If you did the sheathing and paper yourself, you should be able to handle the steel without a problem. Therefore i would just call it quits for the season and attack it in spring when you're roaring to get out of the house after being all couped up all winter. Don't be afraid to use some adjustable roof jacks or nail some temporary boards into that roof to give yourself a decent place to stand/work.
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 01:06pm
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Xinull,
That's awesome!
It looks to me like you will be able to place an extension ladder on the backside that will lay against
the roof to finish off the tin. It does not look like
fun. Good luck with it and be safe.
Tim_Ohio
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jsahara24
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 01:55pm
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I would agree with the underlayment as your best option, but just an FYI for the future. Used billboard tarps are really heavy duty, and very reasonably priced.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 03:09pm
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How do we get those?
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willywilly2020
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 03:50pm
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If cost savings is your game - just put down tar paper or another protectant layer.
If you're worried about installing metal roofing - don't be. It's really easy. I did it on my cabin over the course of a day + without any experience.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2021 06:49pm
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You have great advice on the materials..
One thing I will mention about the metal roof. There are couple of videos that show how to "steer" the panels (shorten or lengthen to keep them square). Pay attention to those videos. They are how the professionals always get a straight line without any "stairstepping".
Another topic that comes up all the time is where to screw (on the ridge or in the flats). There are so many opinions on this that I don't think there is a real answer. However, the 2 manufacturers up here will not warrant a roof that has been screwed on the ridges. So the decision was easy for me.
Good luck and it will be worth it in the end.
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Grizzlyman
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:13am - Edited by: Grizzlyman
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Maybe not the popular opinion here but if you did all that yourself you can finish it! I did my entire steel roof in one day. Honestly… it was one of the easier parts of the build.
To get the correct overhang on the downward edge I built a jig that I tacked horizontally to the edge of the roof. It was just a 2x4 w/OSB screwed to it. The OSB was higher than the 2x4. This created a 1 1/2 “ spacer with a backstop that was perfectly square with the downward edge of the roof. Just cut the length of steel, let the jig hold it, and screw down. After I did a few rows I just moved the jig.
The key to doing the steel roof is to square with the DOWNWARD side of the roof… or maybe a better way to say is the drip edge. Don’t worry about the gable sides since you’ll have gable trim to cover anywhere from 1-3 inches. If you’re roof is reasonably square then if the downward side is the gable sides should be close enough.
Also- just cut it with a backward circular saw. Take your circular saw, and turn the blade around. Use an old blade if you have one. Super easy and farmers have been doing that for decades.
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WILL1E
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:35am
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Quoting: travellerw Another topic that comes up all the time is where to screw (on the ridge or in the flats). There are so many opinions on this that I don't think there is a real answer. However, the 2 manufacturers up here will not warrant a roof that has been screwed on the ridges. So the decision was easy for me.
Pro-Rib which is sold locally by Menards and i think also made locally, say it can be installed either way. Where trim goes over the edge of a panel, you can save fasteners by having that fasteners do double duty vs. installing a short screw to hold the edge of the panel in the flat, then installing the trim like a ridge cap and using a long screw through the cap and ridge of the panel.
I've used this stuff before and it can be fun or a nightmare to work with...just wish i could stomach the heights to put it on the roof myself
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jsahara24
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:24am
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Quoting: gcrank1 How do we get those?
Do a search for used billboard tarps and there are many sellers.....I got a 12x24 advertising a hospital, so I always joked I have 2 doctors always looking over me! I was very impressed with how it held up over last winter....
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2021 09:51am
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Those tarps are a great idea! Just having one around for when you need it might be a good idea.
Thanks.
Tim_Ohio
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