metal roofing.

[VroomVroom]

Anyone think doing a 24 by 40 roof with metal roofing is too much by yourself? Any experience putting it on? doesn't sound to be too bad if the roof is square. The roof is sheeted in. Just sounds like a lot of fasterners, and maybe handling the large sheets of metal . I have a 27 foot truss, with a 6 x 12 pitch. so their about 15 or 16 feet long metal sheets, about 3 feet wide. sounds a lot faster then shingling. I've done a good few houses with shingles, but never metal roofing.

 

[Shaneard]

You can do it by yourself but it would be much easier and less work with 1 or 2 more people who can help. Once you get the first piece down and get it square the rest goes on quick. If you don't get that first piece square then your bottoms won't line up and will look awful. Don't ask how I know this

The last metal roof some friends and I did I laid down tar paper over the wood then a layer of red rosin paper for a moisture barrier, so far so good.

 

[ArlyA]

Call me overly conservative if you like, but i'd not touch that job without help. I'd pick the 1st piece up and a little breeze would come up, and blow me over the side. Finding a 2nd person to help is easier than a drive to the hospital. Least if someone actually finds me laying there......

 

[747driver]

I wouldn't do it without help ! First thing is getting the roof square. You need one person at the top and one at the bottom at the least. You have to find a way to push those long sheets up so the guy on the top can grab them and finish pulling them up. Nice if you could rent a man lift....makes it so much more manageable !! Good luck !!

 

[oosik]

I've put galvanized steel roofing on two of my sheds. One with help - the other without. With help is so much nicer - goes faster - less chance of an "OOPS". If you have the choice - little to no wind - overcast.

 

[M5farms]

I done several right by myself , It is easier with a helper.

 

[mykleh]

I agree with the others.. one helper minimum two would be awesome.. having done my house and garage having 1 on top 1 on bottom and one handing up sheets is the best.. its not like bundles of shingles you can just stack on the roof once in awhile.. one thing I learned when the Mennonites put up my pole building (don't do that level of heights and pitches on trusses) is they pre-drilled the sheets on the ground and MAN did that go fast on the roof as well as look smashingly professional.. I just look at my work and shake my head my OCD comes out looking at their uniform spacing sheet to sheet to sheet and I just go DUH! other thing is keep a tape measure with the guy on the bottom.. you would be AMAZED how a "square roof" zig zags.. we spent a good deal lining up the first sheet with understanding of then its game on just throw the next sheet on.. not so much.. now thinking about it if a guy pre-drilled the sheets and did a chalk line on the paper to line up with a screw hole top and bottom I bet that would be the *****...

 

[nyone]

A roofing supplier should beable to supply you with metal roofing cut to length. Go from ridge to eve with no seam. Its really just a matter of screwing it on and everything being square.

Alternate screwing from top to bottom and bottom to top. Its best to lay out where every 2nd or 3rd sheet will land too so you come out square.

6/12 is a prety steep roof to walk on.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm 52 years old, in fair shape, but not what I used to be. Over the weekend, I installed 8 sheets of metal roofing that was 16ft 2in long. It was hot out and very humid. I started early in the morning, but it was already in the 80's with over 50% humidity. The porch has a 2:12 pitch. It wore me out. That metal was a lot heavier then I remember it being, and a lot harder to handle. I wore gloves and the edges still hurt. This was 26 gauge metal.

Longer the panels, the harder they are to get to the building, and then up into position. Having a helper, or pallet forks and a way to lift them up there would be a huge help. When I do my addition, I'm going to have something to carry them to the building, and to lift them up there.

 

[PILOON]

Your best helper will be a pair of vice grips + cord + a pulley.
We did a 60ft X 200ft barn that way.
Took 2 days with 3 men and lots of screws, all done with 2 cordless drills and 4 batteries.*
We'd clamp a sheet with v grips and haul away.
That was a 4/12 pitch and I seem to recall sheets were about 12 ft long.
To assure accurate spacing we'd pre drill a pilot hole** in batches of 5 sheets while on the ground.

* that was back when 9 volts was the standard cordless drill (and not lithium either) however it was rather cold so batteries loved it. (still have one of those drills c/w an original battery that still takes a charge)

That was over 20 yrs ago and I revisited the site recently and that roof is still pretty with all the screws lined up like a marching army in perfect formation.

**Mainly due to fact that at arm's length it was easy to misjudge accurate spacing and miss a purlin, also prevented screw slippage.
We always did screw on top of the ridges and not on flats as per mfg's recommendations.
(They recommended on flat for siding.)

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I did my 30x48 myself. 6/12 makes it a little harder, its tough doing 4/12, that stuff gets slick.

 

[LouNY]

One thing to watch for by yourself or with help is that you can V steel roofing as you are screwing it down if you apply weight to a rib while reaching and screwing the sheet down you can actually widen the sheet as you work on it. Resulting in a sheet like this l \ instead of l l not enjoyable.

 

[FTG-05]

I've done four metal roofs: 2 woodsheds, one chicken coop and one deer blind. I'm getting ready to do another deer blind plus my dog house.

I've always had help (except the chicken coop). One on the roof deck (I don't do roofs) and I'm on the ground getting the steel up to them.

Like others have siad, getting the first one installed square is critical, don't fudge on this one.

This is the video I always watch to make sure I put the right edge on top vs. bottom. See 0:30 in this video: Installing Metal Roofing Panels - YouTube Remember: Fat Lip under the Skinny Lip.

Other hints:

When putting the steel sheet up on the roof and you climb the ladder to the roof, DO NOT let go of the panel! If it slides down while you're climbing up, guess where that steel sheet is pointing right at? Yea, your neck. Not good.

We always snap a blue line for every 2x4 that we screw to. This keeps the screw line straight and worse case, doesn't miss the 2x4.

We would get the panel down with a couple screws - vertically, see video) - and then move onto the next panel. Then we would go into "screw mode" screwing down all the panels completely. Roof guy does the majority of screwing, the ground guy keeps him supplied with screws and does the panels near the ground. Be careful to not burn up your cordless driver (BTDT).

Good luck!

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Your job is at least a two man, three would be better, for getting the panels onto the roof and properly aligned. A 6-12 is pretty steep for footing on metal. Mine is a 5-12 and I don't like to get on it. Once you start sliding, it's hard to avoid falling off. Better get some belts and ropes, or roof jacks. Sticky shoes too, like climbing shoes. Proper screw guns are a must also, or you will be pre-drilling the holes.

 

[Big Barn]

Lots of good advise here already.

When I built my daughters tree house many years ago I hired a couple of guys who installed metal roofing for a living. So many angles and cuts I NEVER would have had it done right.

 

[52wej]

Lots of good advice here. The key as repeatedly noted is to get that first sheet perfectly aligned. And DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE SCREWS!!! You can do it by yourself, but it will take 3 times as long as if you had a helper.

Eddie W is right, the metal has gotten heavier in the past 30 or so years. I think the gravity is increasing. :laughing: Good Luck with your project. W.Jones

 

[Mike Madison]

I used to install steel roofing professionally, and I always worked alone. You will have a choice of various patterns, some come 26 inches wide, and some 37 inches. The narrower ones are easier to work with. The resemblance to large razor blades is relevant. You can get 29 gauge, 26 gauge, or 24 gauge. If you're going over solid decking you can get away with the lighter (and cheaper) 29 gauge. Over skip sheathing use the 26. The 24 is very heavy and hard to get a screw through. Use self-tapping TEK screws with metal-backed neoprene washers--these go on the flat part of the steel, not on a rib. Even though they are self tapping, it is helpful to make a little dimple with a punch.
Where you have solid decking, lay tar paper, and then the steel. As others have mentioned, it is possible to deform a sheet by over-driving screws, especially if you are using a corrugated pattern. Finally, 6:12 is very steep for this work, and consequently dangerous. You need a safety harness and rope to keep you from sliding off the eaves. Scaffolding would be both a convenience and a safety feature. Don't do this on a windy day. Good luck!

 

[Barnbuilder]

That stuff gets hot out in the sun! Just did one last week. Will Fall ever get here?!

 

[Deere Dude]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it or not, but 2 people minimum to handle and pull those sheets. Pre-drill the holes for the nice straight look. An important think for me is to put the screws into solid wood although some would say into OSB is good enough. The OP said decking is on already so is screwing into rafters important? That could be interesting getting all of them in right.

I would have just skipped the decking and put an insulation barrier down over the horizontal purlins (I think that is the correct term) and tin on the top and screwed into the purlins. I just did a 10/12 pitch roof that way and crawling up the purlins was easy and somewhat safe. Like crawling up a ladder. Easy to lean over the sheet and screw in the pre-drilled holes is a plus.

After I saw how fast a screw-gun picks up speed going down a roof, I got a harness.

 

[JPB7745]

Make sure up place the screws on the flat part of the metal roof and not the raised ribs. The ribs will be pulled down and flatten out, by placing them on the flat surface you get a better seal with the rubber washer. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN and squeeze the washer flat!!!