Roofing for wood shed rows

[Ashful]

So, without going to the effort to get a screen shot of the design concept, I’m building wood racks that are each 8 feet wide x 4 feet deep x 7 feet high. These will be arranged in long continuous rows, to facilitate easily unloading into the wagon I use to haul wood up to the house.

I’m trying to decide on the best roofing material. It is visible from mine and my neighbors houses, so cosmetics are important. I’ve done cedar shake for my other sheds, and it has several advantages, namely weight (these racks are tall and narrow) and cosmetics. But, it’s not the quickest or cheapest roofing to apply.

I’d been thinking about going metal, but all panels I’m familiar with are only 2’ - 3’ wide, and at least 8 feet long. That means tons of cutting, to fit my roofs that are 8 feet wide and 2.25’ long.

Advice? Ideas? I’m pretty set on the concept of sticking with long rows of racks, like this, I’ve tried other ways of arranging the wood and none of them to seem to play as well with my method of moving them up to the house. It would be nice to just build a big honkin shed, and make part of that available for parking my trailer(s), but I haven’t come up with such a shed that wouldn’t be a nightmare to load/unload from my tractor and wagon. I’m moving 6 - 10 cords of wood per year, well 2x per year, given I’m hauling that up to the house while replacing it with freshly split stuff each year.

 

[Highbeam]

Cutting metal is really easy. You cut many sheets at one time in a stack or you just order them all cut to the length you need. All of my metal was ordered cut to any length I wanted. Many color options too.

 

[Dobish]

i vote for slate... its super easy to work with, not heavy at all, and its always regular shaped :D

what about some sort of wavy edge cedar siding? http://www.buffalo-lumber.com/wavy-edge-cedar-siding/

 

[Montanalocal]

Would it work to take your 8 ft long metal panels and instead of running them up and down as normal, run them cross-wise?

 

[Ashful]

Thanks, guys. I don't think I'd get away with running the metal the wrong direction, ribbing would impede drainage.

Don't knock slate, I've done more roofing in slate, than I have in 3-tab or architectural asphalt. But I agree it's not the best choice for this application.

I've not done enough metal myself to know it could be cut in a stack. I was worried about destroying the factory finish.

Of course, that $1/sq.ft. pricing of architectural asphalt is getting hard to ignore, as the costs of this project start to come into focus. I'm looking at building about 20 of these racks, we'd be looking around $4500 to do that in cedar shake. Yikes!

 

[Dobish]

I know you like slate, it's a beautiful material. What about sheets sheet metal without grooves? Or rolled roofing?

 

[gzecc]

Wow, moving all that wood, have you considered using the metal cage containers and using forks on your tractor to move around. You could make some aesthetically pleasing removable roof for each one.

 

[brenndatomu]

I'd do the metal roof...cutting is no big deal. As was mentioned, you can order it cut to length, or rent a panel cutter...takes seconds to make a cut.

What ever you do, cut the panels with some type of shears...do not cut with any type of saw or abrasive wheel. I tried it this summer...the saw cut rusted overnight. Did some research...found out the shearing action smears galvanizing over the cut end...that's why they tell you to do it that way!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Thanks, guys. I don't think I'd get away with running the metal the wrong direction, ribbing would impede drainage.

Don't knock slate, I've done more roofing in slate, than I have in 3-tab or architectural asphalt. But I agree it's not the best choice for this application.

I've not done enough metal myself to know it could be cut in a stack. I was worried about destroying the factory finish.

Of course, that $1/sq.ft. pricing of architectural asphalt is getting hard to ignore, as the costs of this project start to come into focus. I'm looking at building about 20 of these racks, we'd be looking around $4500 to do that in cedar shake. Yikes!

The current architectural asphalt is attractive and practical. Not cedar shingle aesthetic, but far more practical in every way.

 

[Ashful]

I'd do the metal roof...cutting is no big deal. As was mentioned, you can order it cut to length, or rent a panel cutter...takes seconds to make a cut.
View attachment 232028
What ever you do, cut the panels with some type of shears...do not cut with any type of saw or abrasive wheel. I tried it this summer...the saw cut rusted overnight. Did some research...found out the shearing action smears galvanizing over the cut end...that's why they tell you to do it that way!

Awesome info. I’d have to buy the panel cutter, tho. I’ll be building these 20 proposed racks a few at a time, as I use up wood that’s already stacked, I won’t be doing them all in one shot. That’s not out of the question, I could even resell the cutter when the job is done.

 

[Ashful]

Wow, moving all that wood, have you considered using the metal cage containers and using forks on your tractor to move around. You could make some aesthetically pleasing removable roof for each one.

Yes. This has been on my mind for years, and I still wonder if I shouldn’t be going this way. But a few things have stood in my way.

1. I’m not sure my tractor is quite heavy enough. It’s rated 1000 lb. at the 3-point ends, and only 785 lb. at 2 feet off the rear links, where the COG of a cage container would sit.

2. The terrain between the wood lot and my house storage is hilly, and sometimes soggy in places.

3. Where I set it has an overhang that won’t clear my ROPs. That means I’d have to set it down just barely under cover, and maybe turn around and push it home with the FEL.

4. I purchased a farm wagon that can handle the weight and volume of 1 cord of wood, and I’ve been using that to haul and store the wood on my patio:

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Yes. This has been on my mind for years, and I still wonder if I shouldn’t be going this way. But a few things have stood in my way.

1. I’m not sure my tractor is quite heavy enough. It’s rated 1000 lb. at the 3-point ends, and only 785 lb. at 2 feet off the rear links, where the COG of a cage container would sit.

2. The terrain between the wood lot and my house storage is hilly, and sometimes soggy in places.

3. Where I set it has an overhang that won’t clear my ROPs. That means I’d have to set it down just barely under cover, and maybe turn around and push it home with the FEL.

4. I purchased a farm wagon that can handle the weight and volume of 1 cord of wood, and I’ve been using that to haul and store the wood on my patio:

View attachment 232050

Your system is all aces. No need to convert now. You are maximizing the utility of your set up.

Stay focused on the roofing of your stacks. You're almost home with it.

 

[Hogwildz]

There are slate shaped/looking architectural shingles available also. The ends of galv metal roofing will still rust. Galv smearing is a load of BS. Just not as exposed as cutting with a carborundum blade in a saw. You can touch up the ends with matching paint, let it be, or put the cut end up top and cover it with a custom made angled header trim you can make out of the metal roofing also. Depends on how creative or how much energy you want to put into it.
Stay away from roll roofing, it is complete garbage.

 

[brenndatomu]

Galv smearing is a load of BS.

I dunno...the saw cut stuff rusted overnight...but the sheared stuff is still fine after a couple months now...I looked.
When I was researching all this stuff back in the summer, I was surprised to learn that the cut ends of metal roofing commonly do begin some light rusting on the cut ends after 5-7 years...I would have been pizzed to learn this after I spent big money to have a metal roof put on the house! (I just used a few pieces to make metal awnings of sorts)

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I dunno...the saw cut stuff rusted overnight...but the sheared stuff is still fine after a couple months now...I looked.
When I was researching all this stuff back in the summer, I was surprised to learn that the cut ends of metal roofing commonly do begin some light rusting on the cut ends after 5-7 years...I would have been pizzed to learn this after I spent big money to have a metal roof put on the house! (I just used a few pieces to make metal awnings of sorts)

At first, I liked the idea of smeared rust preventer. But, after further reflection, it does sound like something that someone who is trying to sell me something would say.

I think galvanization is deposited zinc. I think zinc is what the sacrificial rods are made of in my water heater. Seems like there is some connection there.

Just some rambling thoughts. Sorry.

 

[brenndatomu]

it does sound like something that someone who is trying to sell me something would say.

This explanation was on an engineering discussion board...nobody trying to sell anything

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

This explanation was on an engineering discussion board...nobody trying to sell anything

You're right. No salesmen among engineers.
;-)

 

[Hogwildz]

I dunno...the saw cut stuff rusted overnight...but the sheared stuff is still fine after a couple months now...I looked.
When I was researching all this stuff back in the summer, I was surprised to learn that the cut ends of metal roofing commonly do begin some light rusting on the cut ends after 5-7 years...I would have been pizzed to learn this after I spent big money to have a metal roof put on the house! (I just used a few pieces to make metal awnings of sorts)

It will come in time. Not really a big deal. The other option is commercial locking seam aluminum metal roofing. But that's kind of overkill for a wood shed.

 

[Ashful]

Starting to lean more heavily toward just doing in architectural asphalt, given all of the constraints on this project.

If I were to get rid of the ridge, and just slope the entire roof one direction, how would one finish the uphill edge on an asphalt roof? All asphalt roofs I've done have drip edge, skirting on gable edges, and then cut three-tabs covering ridge or ridge vent. Never done a classic "shed roof".

 

[Hogwildz]

Same way, Drip edge underneath, 1" overhang of shingles over top of the drip edge, same as rake sides & eave. Depending on how last 2 courses end, you may or may not need some cap shingle to finish the top edge.
Actually, we never used drip edge unless we were roofing over top an old roof. You don't need the drip edge, just leave 1" or 1-1/4" overhand.

Some really cool designed shingles these days...
https://www.gaf.com/en-us/roofing-products/residential-roofing-products/shingles

A little trick to share: The exposed nails at top, pump a button worth amount of silicone, ureethane or geocel over top the nail head, then take some left over shingle scraps and rub the faces together, collect the granulars that fall off and cover the caulk with the granulars. Helps protect the caulk from sun exposure & blends with the shingles, no shiny exposed nail heads.

 

[rowerwet]

An alternative I've used on a few projects would be simple plywood covered with poor man's fiberglass .
https://www.instructables.com/id/Poor-Mans-Fiberglass-make-nearly-anything-weatherp/
Poor man's fiberglass is simply natural fiber bedded into the plywood with paint, and then the fabric is filled with paint.
Once dry, the paint and fabric become a composite, with the fabric locking the paint in place, and the paint keeping the fabric from rotting.
I used the process to cover my attic roof hatch cover a few years ago, the hatch is still doing fine in spite of being exposed to the elements.
It's bright yellow in case it blows away, to be easier to find.

Any issues are only from wear.

The hatch is 3/8 plywood

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

View attachment 232127 View attachment 232127 View attachment 232128 An alternative I've used on a few projects would be simple plywood covered with poor man's fiberglass .
https://www.instructables.com/id/Poor-Mans-Fiberglass-make-nearly-anything-weatherp/
Poor man's fiberglass is simply natural fiber bedded into the plywood with paint, and then the fabric is filled with paint.
Once dry, the paint and fabric become a composite, with the fabric locking the paint in place, and the paint keeping the fabric from rotting.
I used the process to cover my attic roof hatch cover a few years ago, the hatch is still doing fine in spite of being exposed to the elements.
It's bright yellow in case it blows away, to be easier to find.

Any issues are only from wear.

The hatch is 3/8 plywood

Interesting stuff. Makes sense.

I can totally see Ashful with some smooth, bright yellow woodshed roofs in his yard.

 

[Ashful]

Interesting stuff. Makes sense.

I can totally see Ashful with some smooth, bright yellow woodshed roofs in his yard.

Yeah, definitely a cool trick to remember, but they don’t go with the 18th century motif.

 

[rowerwet]

Any color would work, you could even paint on "shingles"

 

[semipro]

Metal standing seam roofing, pre-cut to length.
Long lasting, recyclable, beautiful, much lighter than the arch. shingles.
I'd install a synthetic underlayment like Grace's Tri-Flex and drip edge all around and hem the edges all around so no cut edges would show.
If you don't want to hem the edges then go with a brown color that would hide any rust that formed at the cuts.