Removing bottom row of cement roof tiles, to repair felt.

[AL_n]

I want to remove the bottom row of cement ties on my pitched roof, in order to lay a strip of damp proof membrane under the lower edge of the felt which has disintegrated where it projects from under the tiles.

The tiles are fairly larhge (I guess about 40cm x 50 cm or so). Each tile is nailed, at the top, to a betten. How do I extract the nail, when it is covered by the tile above? And how do I replace the nail when restoring the tile to its original position, after the felt work is done?

Many thanks,

Al

[John Rumm]

This job varies is difficulty depending how windy the location, and how the roofers did it... modern practice quite often nails the first course or couple of courses, and then does some of the others. See if the course above can be lifted a bit and then slid up under the tiles above. This will expose the nail on the tile on the bottom row. You may find that you need to go up a couple of rows to find an un-nailed one, then then work back down. If they are all nailed, then its a bit harder! You may be able to prise the nail free by lifting the bottom edge (then again it might snap the tile - so have a spare handy). Alternatively you may be able to cut the nail with a slater's "rip" slid up an hooked over the nail.

[Kevin Poole]

Had you looked at a purpose-made "felt support", e.g.

faffed about with dpm, and wonder whether this stuff might make a better job, and be easier.

[Bob Minchin]

These are exactly what you need. Lift the edge of a few tiles at a time with a batten, slide in the soffit protector/felt support UNDER the felt. Fit the next one along with a 100mm or so overlap. The short angled edge folds over into the gutter, normally not needing any fixings but the odd well aimed felt nail can help.

Bob

[Newshound]

How true! We're only in a moderately windy location and not nailed at all. Generally agree and I was going to suggest the slater's ripper as well, but then I thought these are really aimed at the much softer copper nails used for slates. I suspect they won't touch steel ones, unless they are short and only just nipped into the batten. Other posters have already mentioned the felt protectors, which are definitely on the list for my next roof (if there is one).

[Kipper at sea]

usesless in removing nails in concrete tiles. Its sole use is for slates.

[AL_n]

Kevin Poole wrote in news:j54sdu$qsm $ [e-mail]:

Yes, I've seen this product. Thanks for the link. I can now see the advantage of it, especially the regidity factor which I can see would help prevent sagging. Can this stuff can be inserted without the need to actually remove the bottom row of tiles, by lifting the tiles and inserting it under the remains of the felt?

Al

[AL_n]

Bob Minchin wrote in news:j550ii $ksf$ [e-mail]:

You've answered the question I was going to ask: can this stuff be inserted without actually removing the bottom row of tiles. So my question now is: Since the product comes in 1.5m lenths (for example), what is the best way to lift four or five (or so) heavy tiles at a time in order to insert the strip? I was hoping to do this job from a ladder. Is that feasable?

Al

[AL_n]

Bob Minchin wrote in news:j550ii $ksf$ [e-mail]:

Unfortunately, the tiles on my roof are the large concrete type which interlock (the right edge of each tile overlaps the left edge of the adjacent tile. So, it seems to me that I only have one option: lift the entire row, in order to insert the strip!

I suppose one could prop up the entire row of tiles with wooden blocks, and then manually support a few at a time, while removing the supporting blocks and inserting the fascia protector strip, then replace the blcoks and move on to the next section. Does that sound like the way to attempt it?

Hiring a scaffold is more than I want to fork out for, but I can probably enlist a helping hand with a second ladder.

Al

[Tim Lamb]

In message , AL_n writes

Hmm.. sky hooks?

Might not be the end of the world if you halved the tray and lapped the join using a suitable mastic.

My other thought was to make up a rectangular frame with two extended sides to act a levers. Top side rests on softening on roof, bottom side is L shaped to hook under bottom row. Long sides go over the shoulders of two idiots on ladders. Might work but I wouldn't care to try:-)

regards