Reroof flat roofed one car garage -- Metal?

Posted by Dan Musicant on October 7, 2009, 11:50 am

I'm in Berkeley, CA. The winters are mild, no snow, but there are nights
when there's ice on outside surfaces in the morning.

The garage roof (typical) is totally wasted. For the last several years
I've been keeping water out of the single car garage (manual door, I
don't keep a car in it, use it for storage) by putting on a fresh tarp
(19' x 29') yearly. Of course, this entails buying a ~$50 tarp every
year and taking 1/2 a day to replace last year's tarp. I tie down the
corners and hang bricks every 8 feet or so from the grommets, to secure
the tarp from the ravages of the winds. One wall of the garage needs a
total rebuild, and I may try to do that myself, maybe hire somebody,
maybe work with them.

When I had the house reroofed with 50 year asphalt shingles (total
tearoff) around 3-4 years ago I didn't think to ask the roofing company
how much they'd charge to replace the roof on my garage. Even then, I
had it in mind that I could maybe install metal roofing on it myself.
I'd never think of doing a tar job myself, but metal I figure "why not?"

The roof is flat (about 10' x 24') but I think there's a slight slope to
it, being 1/4 inch height for every 2 feet of run (I'm going to measure
the slope more carefully using a line level). On the low side right now
is a rusted out old gutter, which I figure I could replace myself after
installing the metal panels. The rafters are every 2 feet, 2x6's, and
look to be in good shape. But the plywood (there's some 1x6 boards too!)
is basically trashed, so I'd have to replace that stuff, or maybe not if
I nail on nailing strips for metal roofing, no big deal either way. I
have basic tools like a circle saw, saw horses, ladders, etc. and a
concrete courtyard to work in.

1. Is it feasible for me to do this myself, and

2. How much would the materials cost?

Dan

Email: dmusicant at pacbell dot net

Posted by Clot on October 7, 2009, 1:03 pm

Dan Musicant wrote:

> I'm in Berkeley, CA. The winters are mild, no snow, but there are
> nights when there's ice on outside surfaces in the morning.
> The garage roof (typical) is totally wasted. For the last several
> years I've been keeping water out of the single car garage (manual
> door, I don't keep a car in it, use it for storage) by putting on a
> fresh tarp (19' x 29') yearly. Of course, this entails buying a ~$50
> tarp every year and taking 1/2 a day to replace last year's tarp. I
> tie down the corners and hang bricks every 8 feet or so from the
> grommets, to secure the tarp from the ravages of the winds. One wall
> of the garage needs a total rebuild, and I may try to do that myself,
> maybe hire somebody, maybe work with them.
> When I had the house reroofed with 50 year asphalt shingles (total
> tearoff) around 3-4 years ago I didn't think to ask the roofing
> company how much they'd charge to replace the roof on my garage. Even
> then, I had it in mind that I could maybe install metal roofing on it
> myself. I'd never think of doing a tar job myself, but metal I figure
> "why not?"
> The roof is flat (about 10' x 24') but I think there's a slight slope
> to it, being 1/4 inch height for every 2 feet of run (I'm going to
> measure the slope more carefully using a line level). On the low side
> right now is a rusted out old gutter, which I figure I could replace
> myself after installing the metal panels. The rafters are every 2
> feet, 2x6's, and look to be in good shape. But the plywood (there's
> some 1x6 boards too!) is basically trashed, so I'd have to replace
> that stuff, or maybe not if I nail on nailing strips for metal
> roofing, no big deal either way. I have basic tools like a circle
> saw, saw horses, ladders, etc. and a concrete courtyard to work in.
> 1. Is it feasible for me to do this myself, and

Yes

> 2. How much would the materials cost?

If you are going to rebuild one wall, why not make use of the opportunity to
remove the roof, rebuild the wall - I know not which - and at the same time
put a greater fall to the roof.

Posted by Dan Musicant on October 7, 2009, 2:06 pm

:Dan Musicant wrote:

:> I'm in Berkeley, CA. The winters are mild, no snow, but there are
:> nights when there's ice on outside surfaces in the morning.
:>
:> The garage roof (typical) is totally wasted. For the last several
:> years I've been keeping water out of the single car garage (manual
:> door, I don't keep a car in it, use it for storage) by putting on a
:> fresh tarp (19' x 29') yearly. Of course, this entails buying a ~$50
:> tarp every year and taking 1/2 a day to replace last year's tarp. I
:> tie down the corners and hang bricks every 8 feet or so from the
:> grommets, to secure the tarp from the ravages of the winds. One wall
:> of the garage needs a total rebuild, and I may try to do that myself,
:> maybe hire somebody, maybe work with them.
:>
:> When I had the house reroofed with 50 year asphalt shingles (total
:> tearoff) around 3-4 years ago I didn't think to ask the roofing
:> company how much they'd charge to replace the roof on my garage. Even
:> then, I had it in mind that I could maybe install metal roofing on it
:> myself. I'd never think of doing a tar job myself, but metal I figure
:> "why not?"
:>
:> The roof is flat (about 10' x 24') but I think there's a slight slope
:> to it, being 1/4 inch height for every 2 feet of run (I'm going to
:> measure the slope more carefully using a line level). On the low side
:> right now is a rusted out old gutter, which I figure I could replace
:> myself after installing the metal panels. The rafters are every 2
:> feet, 2x6's, and look to be in good shape. But the plywood (there's
:> some 1x6 boards too!) is basically trashed, so I'd have to replace
:> that stuff, or maybe not if I nail on nailing strips for metal
:> roofing, no big deal either way. I have basic tools like a circle
:> saw, saw horses, ladders, etc. and a concrete courtyard to work in.
:>
:> 1. Is it feasible for me to do this myself, and

:
:Yes

:>
:> 2. How much would the materials cost?

:
:If you are going to rebuild one wall, why not make use of the opportunity to
:remove the roof, rebuild the wall - I know not which - and at the same time
:put a greater fall to the roof.

Interesting idea. The wall is the side wall, the one at the low end of
the slight slope, so it has the rusted out gutter at the top.

To make the slope greater I'd have to shim the rafters, gradually, more
and more toward the other wall before attaching he nailing strips for
the metal panels.

Dan

Email: dmusicant at pacbell dot net

Posted by Clot on October 7, 2009, 5:52 pm

Dan Musicant wrote:

> wrote:

>> Dan Musicant wrote:

>>> I'm in Berkeley, CA. The winters are mild, no snow, but there are
>>> nights when there's ice on outside surfaces in the morning.
>>> The garage roof (typical) is totally wasted. For the last several
>>> years I've been keeping water out of the single car garage (manual
>>> door, I don't keep a car in it, use it for storage) by putting on a
>>> fresh tarp (19' x 29') yearly. Of course, this entails buying a ~$50
>>> tarp every year and taking 1/2 a day to replace last year's tarp. I
>>> tie down the corners and hang bricks every 8 feet or so from the
>>> grommets, to secure the tarp from the ravages of the winds. One wall
>>> of the garage needs a total rebuild, and I may try to do that
>>> myself, maybe hire somebody, maybe work with them.
>>> When I had the house reroofed with 50 year asphalt shingles (total
>>> tearoff) around 3-4 years ago I didn't think to ask the roofing
>>> company how much they'd charge to replace the roof on my garage.
>>> Even then, I had it in mind that I could maybe install metal
>>> roofing on it myself. I'd never think of doing a tar job myself,
>>> but metal I figure "why not?"
>>> The roof is flat (about 10' x 24') but I think there's a slight
>>> slope to it, being 1/4 inch height for every 2 feet of run (I'm
>>> going to measure the slope more carefully using a line level). On
>>> the low side right now is a rusted out old gutter, which I figure I
>>> could replace myself after installing the metal panels. The rafters
>>> are every 2 feet, 2x6's, and look to be in good shape. But the
>>> plywood (there's some 1x6 boards too!) is basically trashed, so I'd
>>> have to replace that stuff, or maybe not if I nail on nailing
>>> strips for metal roofing, no big deal either way. I have basic
>>> tools like a circle saw, saw horses, ladders, etc. and a concrete
>>> courtyard to work in.
>>> 1. Is it feasible for me to do this myself, and

>> Yes

>>> 2. How much would the materials cost?

>> If you are going to rebuild one wall, why not make use of the
>> opportunity to remove the roof, rebuild the wall - I know not which
>> - and at the same time put a greater fall to the roof.

> Interesting idea. The wall is the side wall, the one at the low end of
> the slight slope, so it has the rusted out gutter at the top.
> To make the slope greater I'd have to shim the rafters, gradually,
> more and more toward the other wall before attaching he nailing
> strips for the metal panels.

Could you lower that wall without losing too much height inside, or would
that cause other problems with two other walls?

Posted by Dan Musicant on October 8, 2009, 3:24 pm

:Dan Musicant wrote:

:> wrote:
:>

:>> Dan Musicant wrote:

:>>> I'm in Berkeley, CA. The winters are mild, no snow, but there are
:>>> nights when there's ice on outside surfaces in the morning.
:>>>
:>>> The garage roof (typical) is totally wasted. For the last several
:>>> years I've been keeping water out of the single car garage (manual
:>>> door, I don't keep a car in it, use it for storage) by putting on a
:>>> fresh tarp (19' x 29') yearly. Of course, this entails buying a ~$50
:>>> tarp every year and taking 1/2 a day to replace last year's tarp. I
:>>> tie down the corners and hang bricks every 8 feet or so from the
:>>> grommets, to secure the tarp from the ravages of the winds. One wall
:>>> of the garage needs a total rebuild, and I may try to do that
:>>> myself, maybe hire somebody, maybe work with them.
:>>>
:>>> When I had the house reroofed with 50 year asphalt shingles (total
:>>> tearoff) around 3-4 years ago I didn't think to ask the roofing
:>>> company how much they'd charge to replace the roof on my garage.
:>>> Even then, I had it in mind that I could maybe install metal
:>>> roofing on it myself. I'd never think of doing a tar job myself,
:>>> but metal I figure "why not?"
:>>>
:>>> The roof is flat (about 10' x 24') but I think there's a slight
:>>> slope to it, being 1/4 inch height for every 2 feet of run (I'm
:>>> going to measure the slope more carefully using a line level). On
:>>> the low side right now is a rusted out old gutter, which I figure I
:>>> could replace myself after installing the metal panels. The rafters
:>>> are every 2 feet, 2x6's, and look to be in good shape. But the
:>>> plywood (there's some 1x6 boards too!) is basically trashed, so I'd
:>>> have to replace that stuff, or maybe not if I nail on nailing
:>>> strips for metal roofing, no big deal either way. I have basic
:>>> tools like a circle saw, saw horses, ladders, etc. and a concrete
:>>> courtyard to work in.
:>>>
:>>> 1. Is it feasible for me to do this myself, and

:>>
:>> Yes

:>>>
:>>> 2. How much would the materials cost?

:>>
:>> If you are going to rebuild one wall, why not make use of the
:>> opportunity to remove the roof, rebuild the wall - I know not which
:>> - and at the same time put a greater fall to the roof.

:>
:> Interesting idea. The wall is the side wall, the one at the low end of
:> the slight slope, so it has the rusted out gutter at the top.
:>
:> To make the slope greater I'd have to shim the rafters, gradually,
:> more and more toward the other wall before attaching he nailing
:> strips for the metal panels.

:
:Could you lower that wall without losing too much height inside, or would
:that cause other problems with two other walls?

Don't know. What I see is that I think I'd need to attach strips to the
tops of the rafters (there are 14 of them that run the width of the 10
foot wide garage), and those strips should vary continuously from 0
thickness at one end to at least 1.5 inches at the other. If I go to the
trouble to make (or order) them, I should probably go for more than 1.5
inches and get additional slope to the minimal. The strips would be the
width of the 2x6 rafters and I'd attach the new plywood or OSB to the
tops of them.

Dan
:

Email: dmusicant at pacbell dot net

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