Roofing felt

[keith]

Attics aren't air tight (quite the opposite, normally) so the felt adds nothing here.

[keith]

I wouldn't spend more for a warranty. Better shingles (if you can determine "better") certainly, but IMO shingle warranties are worthless. They only cover the value of the product, which is minor compared to labor.

[Jules Richardson]

Yeah, I'm not certain what current thinking is there. I see 25 year warranties, 30, 50, and 'lifetime' - but often the 'lifetime' ones seem to be for shingles that can tolerate a much lower maximum wind speed (and they really do quote that as max speed, not "warranty up to x mph, but we expect they'll handle much more").

I get the impression that the current "sweet spot" is probably 30yr shingles with a high wind speed rating (120mph or so) - they're a reasonable price, reasonable lifespan, but should take a few exceptional storms.

cheers

Jules

[dpb]

innews: [e-mail]:

It appears the Code references the Canadian version of the ASME Standards for asphalt shingles based on a summary of the Code requirements I found which on installation says--

"* Shingles shall be applied according to methods outlined by the National Standards of Canada. Roof slopes 1:3 and steeper shall conform to CAN3-A123-M85. Roof slopes 1:6 to less than 1:3 shall conform to CAN3-A123.52-M85"

So, looking for the applicable Standards, best I came upon was the following to catalog pages from the sales site--

CAN3 A123.51-M85 (R2006) Asphalt Shingle Application on Roof Slopes 1:3 and Steeper Canada National Standard/Canadian Standards / 01-Dec-1999 / 23 pages

1. Scope

1.1

This Standard describes the minimum application requirements for asphalt strip shingles or low slope shingles on roofs with slopes from 1:3...

CAN3 A123.52-M85 (R2006) Asphalt Shingle Application on Roof Slopes 1:6 to Less Than 1:3 Canada National Standard/Canadian Standards / 01-Dec-1999 / 24 pages

1. Scope

1.1

This Standard describes the minimum application requirements for asphalt strip shingles or low slope shingles on roofs with slopes from 1:6 to less than 1:3...

Unfortunately, they're published Standards and not generally available online which is what makes finding the info so tough.

I'd be willing to bet both either include the requirement or rely on following manufacturers' installation procedure for the particular product. Universally afaik, the manufacturers' recommend same.

I'm still betting Code says "do it" even if it is widely ignored and (apparently) not enforced.

--

[aemeijers]

A big, high, but simple roof like that, I would strongly consider skinning in steel panels. That is the application they were invented for. Don't wanna do it more than once, do you?

[krw]

Probably, but don't go by the "30yr" number. It's a marketeering number.

[RicodJour]

[e-mail]:

I followed the same route, and came to the same online dead end. But good job showing your work. ;)

R

[clare]

Just for ioterest - where in Ontario are you? Toronto? or?

[clare]

I'd never shingle a barn roof again. Pre-coated steel, all the way.

[clare]

Generally speaking a 30 year roof needs replacement in about 17.

[jw]

I have never seen any shingle roof put on without felt. I never questioned it, it's added protection for little money.

As far as the metal roof, I have no idea if it's needed or not. In fact I have asked that same question. Now, I have put metal on barn roofs, but there is no plywood under it. The metal just goes over

2x4's spaced about 20" on center apart. You couldn't put felt on that style of roof. Of course thats a barn. If I was to put that same metal on my house, I'd use the felt just for added protection and to help deaden the sound from rain and hail.

I would like to know if it is required when putting metal over plywood or any solid wood roof?????

[Jules Richardson]

Well, ours is a big ol' barrel-top one; it curves, but does have an apex to it right at the top. I'm not sure what the options are there - I've seen plenty of steel on ones with a peaked roof, or ones with a semi- circular roof, but I'm not sure I could get something off-the-shelf that'd fit ours (at least the corrugated steel panels, anyway; flat would curve to fit well enough, but wouldn't be as strong).

Other thing I don't like about steel is that I see so many with huge rusty streaks and patches on them; maybe the steel's better these days, but I think I'd rather see a few curling shingles than rust in 30 years time :-)

cheers

Jules

[Tony]

My steel roof came with a 50 year guarantee on the PAINT! I think it will outlast me. (not sure if that's good or bad?) The one thing we did is measured and drilled all the steel on the ground. It looks great with all the screw heads in line. I've seen ones with screws all over and it looks like crap.

There isn't much to rust anyway. The steel roof comes in sections as long as your roof. (unless you buy it at lows or the depot). A steel ridge vent and what can rust besides the screw holes? And if that happened I'd go and replace that screw. It also bends a good deal. Talk direct to some steel roof companies to see if a single sheet will bend enough for your roof. By the way, I love the look of those barns on the inside. Looks like the hull of an upside down ship.

[Jules Richardson]

Hmm, if it really did 50 years, that would be very good. Ours was built in 1950 (at least that's the date that the builders left engraved in the slab) and I think it's only had the shingles replaced once. The ones on there at the moment are around 15 years past end of life :-) (there's no working farm here any more, so the barn sits in the back yard as a home to the local pigeons)

That's a good idea. Plus the less time I spend on the roof the better (I really hate being up ladders)

Ours is a really short-ass barn; only maybe 40 feet from end to end. The back wall's different to the others, and I recently found out that it was supposed to be twice as long - but for whatever reason they never built the other half, and just 'finished' the back wall with whatever they had on site. Even so, 40' of steel sounds like it might be interesting to get on (particularly 40' above ground level!)

The old ones I see have huge patches on them too - maybe the old steel just wasn't of as good quality as modern stuff, and after x years it's starting to fail (the streaks are probably down to the fixings rather than the sheets, I suspect)

Yeah, I will! I really prefer the look of shingles I think, but if modern steel can work and the cost and lifetime is reasonable then maybe I will end up going for that.

:-) I always think of it like some huge beast's rib cage. Even from the hayloft it's about 30 feet up to the roofline. Part of me wants to eventually insulate it - but part of me doesn't want to cover up those timbers...

cheers

Jules

[Tony]

Sorry, I worded that poorly. The steel roof goes on vertically from the bottom of the roof up to the peak with one sheet, I think less than 24" wide. Each sheet overlaps sideways about 1.5". Length of barn decides how many sheets you need, not how long they are. And yes, even with the ridges that direction, it still bends a lot. I would imagine the steel roof company could make the ridges smaller so it bends even more... but I'm just guessing. The only part of the steel that is not painted is the top and bottom edges where they cut it off the roll.

Big improvements in paint on new roofs. Were the old ones painted? I'm guessing there were not?

Down here in TN the steel roofs are very popular. I like the look of them. They look great even on houses. One local barn is painted with what looks like black whitewash, (blackwash?). And a white steel roof looks great on it! I had a pic but can't find it now.

Yes I completely understand, it's like a work of art.

[aemeijers]

Google for pictures of old northern European/Nordic country barns. The roofs look even more like upside down ships, because that is what the carpenters who built them mostly did when they were not building barns. You build what you know. Same principles apply- you want the wind to flow over the barn as smoothly as possible, just like you want the ship to fight the water as little as possible. And the same structure that lets you beach a ship without wrecking it, is also pretty good at handling snow loads.