Roofing ?

K80Shooter · Oct 31, 2017

Question for those in the know.

I'm building a small 4'x4' wishing well, well house. All the exposed wood is cedar and I'm going to put a roof on it that's 60"x33-1/2" (each half). I'm thinking about putting a metal roof on it but I don't want the underside of the metal visible therefore I'm going to deck it with 3/4" bcx plywood with the visible side (b) stained and sealed. My question is what's the best way to do this?

Do I install 30wt felt paper then attach the metal or do I need to install 1x4 battens for the metal? I can do either and a job this small the cost ain't a factor. I just want it to last the longest.

I am also considering shingles and cedar shakes as well. No matter which I go with the plywood decking remains the same.

gobbleinwoods · Oct 31, 2017

If you go with the metal it needs to breathe to get the moisture out or it will rust. So battens are necessary IMO.

WayneB · Oct 31, 2017

you could frame the rafters for the roof, attach metal directly to rafters, then add thinner plywood to bottom of rafters and solve any moisture issue in one step.
Would also obscure any fasteners from showing on the underside.

1gr8bldr · Oct 31, 2017

gobbleinwoods said:
If you go with the metal it needs to breathe to get the moisture out or it will rust. So battens are necessary IMO.

I can't agree here. The air cavity's cause condensation. Although.... the ridges in the metal would be a cavity even if it were laid flat on plywood.

K80Shooter · Nov 1, 2017

WayneB said:
you could frame the rafters for the roof, attach metal directly to rafters, then add thinner plywood to bottom of rafters and solve any moisture issue in one step.
Would also obscure any fasteners from showing on the underside.

I should have mentioned that the eaves and rafter are cedar as well and will be exposed also.

K80Shooter · Nov 1, 2017

gobbleinwoods said:
If you go with the metal it needs to breathe to get the moisture out or it will rust. So battens are necessary IMO.

1gr8bldr said:
I can't agree here. The air cavity's cause condensation. Although.... the ridges in the metal would be a cavity even if it were laid flat on plywood.

Here's where I get conflicting info. I know what I did on the roof on my house, battens screwed into the rafters. I have also saw a lot of roofs where the metal was laid straight on the existing roof without battens.

In the end it's just a well house and I'm approaching 60 years old. I don't need it to last forever, just long enough so "I" wont have to mess with it again.

1gr8bldr · Nov 1, 2017

K80Shooter said:
Here's where I get conflicting info. I know what I did on the roof on my house, battens screwed into the rafters. I have also saw a lot of roofs where the metal was laid straight on the existing roof without battens.

In the end it's just a well house and I'm approaching 60 years old. I don't need it to last forever, just long enough so "I" wont have to mess with it again.

Condensation happens when hot air turns cooler. Like an air conditioner does, it produces water. I have seen it done both ways without problems using today's metal.

GA native · Nov 1, 2017

I'd go with the cedar shakes. It would look better.

greg_n_clayton · Nov 1, 2017

K80Shooter said:
Here's where I get conflicting info. I know what I did on the roof on my house, battens screwed into the rafters. I have also saw a lot of roofs where the metal was laid straight on the existing roof without battens.

In the end it's just a well house and I'm approaching 60 years old. I don't need it to last forever, just long enough so "I" wont have to mess with it again.

IMO...metal now adays can be screwed down flat with no batton. Call your local building supply and ask what the metal supply people say and let us know please sir.

WayneB · Nov 1, 2017

GA native said:
I'd go with the cedar shakes. It would look better.

was thinking the same thing, got beat to it.

K80Shooter · Nov 2, 2017

GA native said:
I'd go with the cedar shakes. It would look better.

WayneB said:
was thinking the same thing, got beat to it.

My concern with the cedar shakes is mold or algae. Wouldn't they hold a little water and therefore mold or grow algae? Not sure myself but the well house will get very little sun to dry things off after a dew or rain. Just don't want something I'll have to keep washed off.
Maybe I'm wrong though :huh:

I am/have considered them though.

I do have another storage/trash can container which has a cross piece with cedar laid on it and I can see some green on it. It is due for a re-stain/seal though.

K80Shooter · Nov 2, 2017

Anyone have any real experience with cedar shakes?

What's the maintenance and upkeep involved with them? How do they look say 5-10 years down the road?

gobbleinwoods · Nov 2, 2017

K80Shooter said:
Anyone have any real experience with cedar shakes?

What's the maintenance and upkeep involved with them? How do they look say 5-10 years down the road?

I did several houses with them but never went back to those houses in 5-10. No longer in the business.

WayneB · Nov 2, 2017

shakes are supposed to weather, and will shrink, crack, split and grow algae over time. Most shake roofs have an ice and water membrane underneath the shakes to prevent water intrusion.

At some point you may have to perform maintenance, but they should last a good while. Last repair I recall doing was when a limb fell and broke some.

K80Shooter · Nov 6, 2017

Drove up to Clayton yesterday to look at some cedar shakes.......... and leaves (very nice colors between home and Clayton going across Stumphouse Mtn). Not sure what I expected but the shakes I saw was not what I had in mind nor did they look like what was advertised online. No one around me carries them.

I'll be going 2 miles down the road to Green Tree Metals and talk to them this morning. Only question now is asking them their opinion on the correct way to install it. (with or without battens) I have decided to go with battens either way as to keep the screws from being exposed on the underside of the decking. Also deciding between green or brown metal.

K80Shooter · Nov 6, 2017

greg_n_clayton said:
IMO...metal now adays can be screwed down flat with no batton. Call your local building supply and ask what the metal supply people say and let us know please sir.

Went to the metal roofing mfg. Asked about the batten, they say if you're using plywood there is no need for the batten unless as in my case where you do not want the screws going through the plywood. Also do not use pt lumber for batten as it reacts with the metal & voids warranty.

Metal, trim & screws cut & formed to my specs was a little under 100.00

sinclair1 · Nov 6, 2017

K80Shooter said:
Anyone have any real experience with cedar shakes?

What's the maintenance and upkeep involved with them? How do they look say 5-10 years down the road?

My father built me one with a cedar shake roof. I actually allowed it to get moss and considered that the look I wanted.
It is 20 years in now and can be brought back with a pressure washer if I wanted to give up the moss look I consider desirable.

Roofing ?

K80Shooter

Senior Member

gobbleinwoods

Keeper of the Magic Word

WayneB

Senior Member

1gr8bldr

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

1gr8bldr

Senior Member

GA native

Senior Member

greg_n_clayton

Senior Member

WayneB

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

gobbleinwoods

Keeper of the Magic Word

WayneB

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

K80Shooter

Senior Member

sinclair1

Senior Member

Similar threads

Latest posts

Share this page