Barn Roof repair...looking for some tips

[EddieWalker]

Never use caulk or silicone on a roof for anything. If you have screws and the cause of the leak is the rubber gasket, it's best to replace the screw. Having said that, there are plenty of roofs out there where you just cant tell what screw is the cause of the leak. In those cases, using roofing flashing sealant designed for a roof works well. It's very important that it's specifically designated for metal roof flashing. Everything else will fail. It doesn't take very much, and it's important to work it in with your finger all around the screw head to make 100% sure that you sealed the leak.

This does not work for nails. Nails are failing because they are working their way out. Hammering them back in just prolongs the problem. Covering them with roofing sealant will only last a short amount of time because it does not stop the movement happening with the roof.

 

[xring]

The nails or screw do go in the valley, or flat spot, not on the ridges. Maybe I am not understanding you. Did you want to put them through the 1" or whatever ridge? That is the wrong way to do it.

To be clear when I was building barns it was over 40 years ago and was helping my father as a teenager. The fasteners we used were nails that had a thick lead coating on the head. We called them lead heads. The lead was suppose to help with several issues. 1 prevent the nail head from rusting out, I live on the coast and everything rusts here. 2 increase the size of the head to help keep the corrugated metal from pulling through and keep water from entering nail hole. 3. Seal the nail hole I don't think the seal was very good. To keep water from entering the hole the nails were placed on the ridge, water runs down hill and gravity works 100% of the time. We uses pliers to hold the nails when we drove them in, to save fingers, it is much harder to drive in the top because the metal flexes and absorbs some of the energy and the nail wants to deflect we also wore safety glasses since the nails would try to get away. My Dad was a project engineer for Chicago Bridge and Iron so I will defer to him for the construction practices of the day. This was way before rechargeable screw guns even sheetrock was still nailed up. I am sure some practices have changed but water still runs down hill and my barn doesn't leak.

 

[Oldpath05]

I'd probably plan on replacing all out dated nails with screws, those rubber washers are most likely deteriorated.
When I put my 16' metal roof on, I had 2 short 8' wooden ladders, secured them together, fasten a 2x6 on top of the ladder to hook on the roof, also had rope secured tight with turn-buckle, from one peak to the other, had another rope with quick connect link to hook on the top rope, that rope is going down the roof and had 3 small loops to hook into with another quick connector link that was on another rope around me, plan B was to have the rope around my wife.

Side note, my roof is screwed on the high part, pre-drilled, 2' on center-ish, My theory was, metal roof moves, movement on something sealed causes breaking seal, constantly breaking seals causes leaks, and leaks causes car to be used to get stuff to fix leaking problem, car being used burns gas, burning gas causes global warming, and global warming creates more government regulations, and we don't wanna go there........................

 

[Zerk]

Oddly, different metal roofing manufacturers will say to do it each way. The advantage to doing it on top of the ridges is it's out of the valley and less likely to leak. Disadvantage is that it will allow the metal to move more then when it's attached through the valley. Biggest advantage to securing the metal through the flat valley is that it's more secure as it's direct metal roof to purlin contact. If attached properly, the rubber washer will never have any problems keeping water out. When there are leaks from screws through the valley, it's always because the screw was over tightened and the rubber washer breaks or becomes dis formed.

I tend to think you people in TX just do things funny. Maybe intellectual incest.

Ice coming down the valley is going to be coming down the ridges too. Both are flat surfaces.



I have seen a few buildings, and read up a bunch before doing my first. None of them said to it on the ridge. I suppose there may be some put there that do. Seems you would have to be real careful screwing into a hollow, and having good fit with gasket. Especially with a hammer. As opposed to metal laying directly on a perlin.

 

[Zerk]

To keep water from entering the hole the nails were placed on the ridge, water runs down hill and gravity works 100% of the time. .

Don't you pitch your roofs? The ridge and flat, are at the same angle. The only difference is it is hollow under ridge.

 

[PILOON]

I have always screwed into the TOP of the ridges as suggested by my supplier for a roof.
With cordless drills and adjustable clutches it is a a snap.

For siding always on the flat.

We once roofed 2ea 60' X 200' barns with Makita 9 volt drills, 4 batteries and 2 chargers.
That was about 16 years ago and no leaks.
Pitches were 4/12. Very long sheets as each side was done one piece.
We would clamp the metal with a pair of vice grips and haul each sheet up one by one.

 

[Zerk]

Does any have links to a supplier that recommends this? I am curious why they would. I would think getting proper compression would be am issue, especially with a hammer.

 

[mbohuntr]

I second the nail replacement with screw choice. You put a glob of sealant on the nail, it snows and pushes the metal down and breaks the seal, the snow slides off, the weather gets warmer, the roof leaks. just my 2cents.

 

[xring]

Although I will defer to the northerners as to how to build barn roofs for snow and ice, I can guarantee that you haven't seen the the wind and rainfall we have here. I came home after the last hurricane and the "tin" was still on the barn so I guess the funny way we do things in Texas works well or us. As for those states directly to the north of us although your cyclones are a little smaller I doubt where or how many nails or screws you use in your barns would matter much in a direct hit.

 

[Zerk]

Side note, my roof is screwed on the high part, pre-drilled, 2' on center-ish, My theory was, metal roof moves, movement on something sealed causes breaking seal, constantly breaking seals causes leaks,

and leaks causes car to be used to get stuff to fix leaking problem, car being used burns gas, burning gas causes global warming, and global warming creates more government regulations, and we don't wanna go there........................

I am confused, what did you do to stop the movement from effecting the washer? Any where there is metal there will be movement. I believe as long as the washer isn't stuck to the metal, you are probably ok. Otherwise they would all be leaking.

Though if you are serious about believing in global warming, you may not be someone to ask. Burning gas is my joy in life.

I can really hear the roof move, it is annoying. More insulation might help, block the sound. If they sheeted it, would have helped too. Would have added weight, and we get a few feet of snow. But I think they did to save money.