Shingle roof repair

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
guest5234

guest5234

New Member
Aug 31, 2008
214
Stratford Upon Avon, England.
Hi Guys, I have an unusual house in the UK as it is completly wooden even with shingle cedar roof tiles...problem is that at the bottom of the roof tiles where it overlaps the guttering the lath board has gone rotton, it is about one inch by one inch..I am going to replace it but should I coat the recess with creosote before I put the lath back or leave it as it is and just coat the exteriour of the new lath when I put it back.
Thanks.
 
Creosote is becoming restricted/illegal in a lot of places in North America especially in places where water contacts. Which is a place where creosote excels. Not a big deal for you but something to think about.
What about a rain/ice shield underlay (goes on the bottom 3' of your roof and can wrap around)? It is kind of like heavy duty tar paper.
Have also seen people take the last 1-3' of the shingles out and replace with steel. More of a snow country thing so probably not good for your application. Plus it looks weird.

What kind of wood? Cedar shakes/shingles are very popular in the rainy N. West of Canada/US and they last a long time (20-30+ years). Pine shakes were in Alberta for awhile and that was a disaster. Roofs lasted less than 10 years. Pine and water, what were they thinking?

Wooden roof is a dumb idea for anywhere near a forest fire area (again probably doesn't apply to you), and requires a screened chimney cap so your roof doesn't catch on fire from embers.

I doubt that answered the question.
 
First off, I'd suggest that you might want to look for a UK based construction advice site as well as whatever we say - most of us are Americans, and I suspect we may do things differently in the States...

That said, my first concern is where is the moisture that rotted out the board coming from? Wood generally doesn't rot unless it's kept pretty steadily damp, and a properly built / maintained house should either keep the wood dry or allow it to dry rapidly when it gets wet...

That said, I would look at what sort of underlaying tarpaper, felt, or other sealing material might be around that lath, and what sort of shape it's in - does it need replacing? After that's taken care of, I would apply a good coat of whatever sort of water-proofing / wood preserving agent is appropriate for the are (which might be creosote) and make the replacement parts out of pressure treated material.

Gooserider
 
Cedar is meant to breathe. If you seal it or coat it, you trap moisture inside, it doesn't breathe worth a crap and will prematurely rot.
The old ways are sometimes the best ways.
 
Neil,

What are you calling the lath?

Do you mean the sheathing? The part the shingles are nailed to.

Or, are you refering to the fascia. The trim board that is nailed to the ends of the rafters?

If it is the sheathing then slip a new piece in there. Maybe use some spanish cedar or white oak to help with the weather resistence.

Or you could pull up the last five or six courses and install a metal drip cap and flashing then re-install those shingles.

Lead and lead coated copper flashing is pretty common where you are. Not cheap, but effective.

J.P.
 
d.n.f. said:
Creosote is becoming restricted/illegal in a lot of places in North America especially in places where water contacts. Which is a place where creosote excels. Not a big deal for you but something to think about.
What about a rain/ice shield underlay (goes on the bottom 3' of your roof and can wrap around)? It is kind of like heavy duty tar paper.
Have also seen people take the last 1-3' of the shingles out and replace with steel. More of a snow country thing so probably not good for your application. Plus it looks weird.

What kind of wood? Cedar shakes/shingles are very popular in the rainy N. West of Canada/US and they last a long time (20-30+ years). Pine shakes were in Alberta for awhile and that was a disaster. Roofs lasted less than 10 years. Pine and water, what were they thinking?

Wooden roof is a dumb idea for anywhere near a forest fire area (again probably doesn't apply to you), and requires a screened chimney cap so your roof doesn't catch on fire from embers.

I doubt that answered the question.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the answer, it was very helpfull and yes I think bitumen roofing felt overlapping and protecting the lathe is a great idea.
 
Gooserider said:
First off, I'd suggest that you might want to look for a UK based construction advice site as well as whatever we say - most of us are Americans, and I suspect we may do things differently in the States...

That said, my first concern is where is the moisture that rotted out the board coming from? Wood generally doesn't rot unless it's kept pretty steadily damp, and a properly built / maintained house should either keep the wood dry or allow it to dry rapidly when it gets wet...

That said, I would look at what sort of underlaying tarpaper, felt, or other sealing material might be around that lath, and what sort of shape it's in - does it need replacing? After that's taken care of, I would apply a good coat of whatever sort of water-proofing / wood preserving agent is appropriate for the are (which might be creosote) and make the replacement parts out of pressure treated material.

Gooserider
Click to expand...

I have more in common with you guys than those in the UK belive it or not..I am one of very few who have a completly wooden house with a cedar shingled roof and the advise I have always got about the house was on American and Candaian web sites.
 
SmokinJoe said:
Neil,

What are you calling the lath?

Do you mean the sheathing? The part the shingles are nailed to.

Or, are you refering to the fascia. The trim board that is nailed to the ends of the rafters?

If it is the sheathing then slip a new piece in there. Maybe use some spanish cedar or white oak to help with the weather resistence.

Or you could pull up the last five or six courses and install a metal drip cap and flashing then re-install those shingles.

Lead and lead coated copper flashing is pretty common where you are. Not cheap, but effective.

J.P.
Click to expand...

Thanks Joe, I am going to use some roofing felt to cover the lathe as I replace the rootton lathe, this was obviously not done some years back for whatever reason as the resat of the roof I have noticed has felt protecting the roof.
 
Hogwildz said:
Cedar is meant to breathe. If you seal it or coat it, you trap moisture inside, it doesn't breathe worth a crap and will prematurely rot.
The old ways are sometimes the best ways.
Click to expand...

I was advised to pressure wash and treat my cedar roof that has been on for 40 years and in what looks in fair good condition, glad I left them as they are as they have done 40 years with no problem.
Scaffold was to install my flexable liner and repoint chimney

Picture065.jpg
 
That's nice scaffolding. I notice that the shingles are mossy except for under the chimney, presumably from the runoff of the chimney flashing (galvanized steel or lead I assume). Zinc strip is commonly placed partly under the highest course of shingles so that it slowly leaches with rain to kill moss below it. It works well.

Here we have the wood preservative Copper Napthenate, it comes dissolved in kerosene and is painted on wood to protect it. I've used it and it seems good. I've also seen Zinc Napthenate preservative for sale here. I like the former since it has a nice green colour.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Isaac Carlson
New roof on 160+ year old house
Replies
8
Views
1K
DIY and General non-hearth advice
Ashful
Ashful
B
Install advice?
Replies
6
Views
961
Jotul
begreen
begreen
P
Is our wood shed roof too steep?
Replies
16
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
stoveliker
stoveliker
K
Liner Insulation
Replies
3
Views
1K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
bholler
B
H
Resources for 1840s/earlier Fireplace and Brick Oven Construction?
Replies
13
Views
513
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
bholler
B
Top Bottom
Back