Translate

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Nothing worse than a leaky roof.

Nothing worse than a roof that leaks, especially when your house will be parked in a tropical climate. When it rains, it rains hard for 3 - 4 months. With that in mind, the roof is one area where I didn't want to skimp. I did some research and decided on standing seam metal roofing.

Benefits of a metal roof are, but not limited to, it's made with 40-50% recycled material, 100% recyclable, highly reflective to help keep things cool, 35 year guarantee, will likely last 75 years, and easy to install.

I made some calls and found a great deal at Metal Mart here in Colorado. Friday after work I picked up 8 8'x3' panels with galvalume coating. $150. 

I previously picked up a 200 sq. ft. of StormGuard leak barrier as well. Craigslist $40.


First install drip rails along the the roof edge. You only need a few screws holding the drip rail for now. Once you install the StormGaurd you'll use additional screws.



The StormGuard is easy to install. Just cut to proper lengths, position the roll, and lay it down, overlapping about 6" at the seam, then trim the excess. It's optional to put in a few screws under the seams. 

Once all StormGuard is in place, go back and screw down edges. this will also secure the drip rail. The screws embed them selves into the StormGaurd so you don't have to worry about leaks. 





















Once the StormGuard is fully installed, start to layout the roofing panels. I put panels tight to each edge then laid the middle panel on top. It's optional but I used caulk between each overlap, and screwed the panels together. I used 1 1/2" self tapping screws with rubber washers to hold down the panels. I had read that it's best to screw into the highest part of the panels so that water won't run over the screws but the guys at Metal Mart said that it's more important to screw into the studs. As long as I used screws with rubber washes, they assured me it wouldn't leak.

Lastly I caulked in the edge between the roof and the loft.








































I still need to source and install the eave trim flashing that goes around 3 edges. The 4th edge will be where the rain collection gutters go. I'm hoping to find this at ReSource. 

I also need to cover the small roof section in front of the loft.
It rained like crazy last night. The Tiny Casita survived with just a tiny leak, which likely came from one of the edges that will eventually be covered with the flashing.


3 comments:

Joanne Barragan said...

In addition, because 50% of the materials are recycled, it’s environmentally friendly. It also has reflective pigments that can help in the insulation of the house. A metal roof can certainly keep you cool in a tropical climate. Anyway, the tiny casita looks good with the metal roof. You really did a good job installing it!

Rodney Orton said...

There go the practical benefits of metal roofs. Aesthetically speaking, it complements any type of home, which is just like what it did to your Tiny Casita. It’s a fresh sight among many asphalt-shingled houses with its contemporary look and color variation. What more could you ask for from this cost-efficient roof?

Regards,
Rodney Orton

Unknown said...

You’re right about everything that you pointed out about metal roofing! If I may add, did you know that, depending on your geographic location, you can save about 40% from your usual electricity costs with one? Not only that, it’s also versatile in both the material and design. Residential metal roofs come in a variety of colors and designs that will go well with any type of home design!

Sasha Herrick