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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Corrugated polycarbonate roofing questions
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IcutMetl
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 10:17am
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Good morning, everyone-

I finished the outhouse on my property a couple weekends ago, and am having a couple minor issues I wanted to ask about.

1. I used 4" PVC from the seat thru the clear corrugated roof for a vent pipe. I was able to cut & trim the hole fairly close to the OD of the pipe before using clear silicone to seal it, but i notice rain still pools up in the "valley" and will slowly drip in. What would be the best way to seal around the vent pipe thru the clear roof? Use a flashing boot as if it were a steel roof?

2. I used plastic closure strips from the same manufacturer along the purlins. I drilled holes for each screw and used the roofing screws with the rubber washer in the peaks not the valleys. On a few of them, water will slowly drip in during a heavy rain. Is it worse to get the screws too tight or too loose?

I don't have a ton of money into the roof, so if I have to start over on that, it's not a huge deal. Thanks for any input!
Outhouse_inside.jpg
Outhouse_inside.jpg
Outhouse_outside.jpg
Outhouse_outside.jpg


rpe
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 11:51am
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Could you re-work the vent pipe location outside the outhouse to avoid the roof penetration? A couple elbows would do the trick.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 12:34pm
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I would also buy a new piece of roofing and send the pipe up outside of the roof. In the end its going to be cheaper than a proper EPDM roof boot. Your roof boot also needs to be screwed to wood every 1in.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 12:45pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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The screws need a certain amount of pressure to seal, but too much can crack the poly. You might try tightening the leakers a smidge with a hand wrench.
The sili-seal should seal up IF the surfaces are clean, dry and maybe roughed up a bit for the sealer to get some grip on them. And water will puddle up where it doesn't have a path down and out.

Tim_Ohio
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 12:58pm
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Quoting: gcrank1
The screws need a certain amount of pressure to seal,

....this makes so much sense for using the valley on poly-carbonate, especially on a roof. I'd never given much thought to the argument on metal.

IcutMetl
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 09:13pm
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Thanks, all. I think I’m going to end up going out the wall and up on the outside…either keeping the existing outlet on the seat board or going out the back of the box. I tried asking for input on that a month or so ago, but all I got was answers to questions I didn’t ask.

I screwed on the peaks, and not the valleys. I also understand that water will puddle up where it doesn’t have a chance to escape…that’s sort of obvious. It might sound silly, but I wanted to avoid using a flashing boot due to the way it would look on a clear roof. I also did try to tighten up on the problem screws a bit, so we’ll see how that worked the next time I’m up. Remember, as I mentioned, I used closure strips, so those will somewhat limit the additional flex…or so I thought.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 10:01pm
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Quoting: IcutMetl
either keeping the existing outlet on the seat board or going out the back of the box. I tried asking for input on that a month


Fewest bends would be best

IcutMetl
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 11:00pm - Edited by: IcutMetl
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Quoting: ICC
Fewest bends would be best


Thanks for the input!

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 11:17pm
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If ya just gotta go out the wall use two 45 degree bends rather that two 90 degree; the uprise will help keep the air moving whereas a horizontal run will slow it.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 11:26pm
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Quoting: gcrank1
use two 45 degree bends rather that two 90 degree



Brettny
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2024 11:58pm
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Quoting: IcutMetl
I screwed on the peaks, and not the valleys

I think your going to find your self replacing the whole roof. Not even metal manufacturers suggest putting screws in the peak of the rib. It distorts the metal alot and you end up with a wony roof, you also need a fair amount of pressure on the sealing washers in metal too. Plastic moves even more and wont allow for a good seal.

I remember your thread asking about the through the roof vent. You didnt mention it was going to be a poly roof. The issue on how to seal it may have come up if it was.

IcutMetl
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2024 12:17am - Edited by: IcutMetl
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Quoting: Brettny
I think your going to find your self replacing the whole roof. Not even metal manufacturers suggest putting screws in the peak of the rib. It distorts the metal alot and you end up with a wony roof, you also need a fair amount of pressure on the sealing washers in metal too. Plastic moves even more and wont allow for a good seal.

I remember your thread asking about the through the roof vent. You didnt mention it was going to be a poly roof. The issue on how to seal it may have come up if it was.


You referenced my other topic and said I never mentioned it being a poly roof- look at post #9. https://www.small-cabin.com/forum/3_12080_0.html#msg167402

You also mentioned that manufacturers don’t recommend putting screws in the peaks- that is false…plenty do, both metal and polycarbonate and there’s plenty of information to support either option for both materials. See page 8 of the installation instructions for the polycarbonate roofing I purchased.

https://cdn.menardc.com/main/items/media/AMERI294/Install_Instruct/Corrugated_Install _TechGuide.pdf

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2024 01:57am
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Practical observation:
What you have now likely sure beats sitting out in the rain with an umbrella (yes, btdt).

Fanman
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2024 02:15am
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Quoting: IcutMetl
You also mentioned that manufacturers don’t recommend putting screws in the peaks- that is false…plenty do, both metal and polycarbonate and there’s plenty of information to support either option for both materials. See page 8 of the installation instructions for the polycarbonate roofing I purchased.


Yup... I installed metal roofing from Ideal Roofing on the garage around 15 years ago... they recommend putting the screws in the peak, so I did... no problems. Ditto on the house, which we did ~5 years ago. I have no experience with plastic roofing, though.+is

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2024 10:41am - Edited by: Brettny
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They expect you to put a closure strip at every perlin? That's kind of laughable.

I wouldnt put them in the ribs. Theres just really no benefit of it. The water can go around a screw in the flat just like it can roll off the top of the rib.
Screenshot_20240511.jpg
Screenshot_20240511.jpg


IcutMetl
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2024 11:12am
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Quoting: Brettny
They expect you to put a closure strip at every perlin? That's kind of laughable.

I wouldnt put them in the ribs. Theres just really no benefit of it. The water can go around a screw in the flat just like it can roll off the top of the rib.


Noted.

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