Wood shed roofs

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stevemak

New Member
For roofing for you wood sheds, is it better to have asphalt shingles or a metal roof? Is one better than the other for helping with drying the wood? Not sure if you think a different type of roofing can help with retaining more heat or dry heat, especially on sunny days. Being a contractor who usually works on commercial properties and home roofing repairs, I haven't don't much work on wood sheds. My roofing contracting company is in ontario. I am looking into offering to build out wood sheds and would like to know if you guys have a preference.
 
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Most folks here use their woodsheds simply to keep the seasoned wood dry . . . most seasoning is done before the firewood gets stacked in the woodshed.

Folks seem to use just about any material for roofing . . . I went with asphalt shingles simply because I had some left over shingles and could save money by going with shingles instead of metal roofing. If I had my druthers, I would prefer metal roofing simply because it would shed snow more easily which can be a concern in areas with heavy snow loads.
 
For roofing for you wood sheds, is it better to have asphalt shingles or a metal roof? Is one better than the other for helping with drying the wood? Not sure if you think a different type of roofing can help with retaining more heat or dry heat, especially on sunny days. Being a contractor who usually works on commercial properties and home roofing repairs, I haven't don't much work on wood sheds. My roofing contracting company, http://www.roofersrichmondhill.com/ is in ontario. I am looking into offering to build out wood sheds and would like to know if you guys have a preference.
Neither. Use Ondura asphalt roofing panels instead. I costed out MDF (hardboard panels) with shingles and found it was actually a little cheaper to just use purlins and beams with Ondura sheets on top of them. Easier to install as well as lasts longer than normal corrugated panels which become brittle and crack under years of uv rays or metal which rusts and has sharp dangerous edges. Looks darn good too.

http://ondura.com/
 
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I'm debating options for my shed roof now. It will be either agricultural exposed-fastener (pseudo) raised-seam metal to match my barn, or cedar shake. I don't see any up-side to an asphalt roof.
 
I think it comes down to cost and availability. Like the other posters I don't think the roofing makes things season any quicker. I do believe in putting in plenty of overhang and not putting walls around a woodshed. I have a UV resistant tarp on the upwind side but the other three sides are open until winter where I put a tarp over the front but leave the side opposite the prevailing winds open as well as the back. My shed butts up to fir trees, if it was in the open I would probably cover the back in winter.
 
Neither. Use Ondura asphalt roofing panels instead. I costed out MDF (hardboard panels) with shingles and found it was actually a little cheaper to just use purlins and beams with Ondura sheets on top of them. Easier to install as well as lasts longer than normal corrugated panels which become brittle and crack under years of uv rays or metal which rusts and has sharp dangerous edges. Looks darn good too.

http://ondura.com/
Ondura isn't a durable product, sorry. Metal will outlast it by a long way! Most metal has a 50 year warranty on the finish, the metal will out last that even. There have been many lawsuits involving ondura already.
 
How about galvanized corrugated metal roofing. Fairly cheap, easy to apply, long lasting and doesn't need much slope. If you go with asphalt shingles you need as least a 3 or 4 in 12 slope. Course I am thinking a shed roof type wood shed. Doubt whether roofing materials have much to do with drying of the wood, more to do with shed design itself.
 
How about galvanized corrugated metal roofing. Fairly cheap, easy to apply, long lasting and doesn't need much slope. If you go with asphalt shingles you need as least a 3 or 4 in 12 slope. Course I am thinking a shed roof type wood shed. Doubt whether roofing materials have much to do with drying of the wood, more to do with shed design itself.
Yup, 4/12 is the minimum. Galvanized sheets will hold up for many decades.
 
Ondura isn't a durable product, sorry. Metal will outlast it by a long way! Most metal has a 50 year warranty on the finish, the metal will out last that even. There have been many lawsuits involving ondura already.

Not a fan of Ondura . . . at least the stuff I used on my camp back in the early 1990s. It was crappy and did not work well as roofing as it was leaking within 15 or so years. When I tore down my camp that stuff came apart like cardboard. Maybe they changed the "recipe" and improved it, but the stuff I used was crap.
 
Not a fan of Ondura . . . at least the stuff I used on my camp back in the early 1990s. It was crappy and did not work well as roofing as it was leaking within 15 or so years. When I tore down my camp that stuff came apart like cardboard. Maybe they changed the "recipe" and improved it, but the stuff I used was crap.
Same stuff that's still made.
 
I've built two woodsheds on my property plus on chicken shak.

The only two possible roofing material that I looked at are:

- Metal
- Fork you, I'm not doing it!

I did my first woodshed never havind done a metal roof before. A couple youtube videos and i was ready to rock! Betwwen my daughter and her boyfriend, we go the roof up and done in about 2 hours. This was a 10' x 21' or so roof. See pics below.

Then I did my chicken shak with the exact same metal roofing from the same exact roofing suppl;ier (Discount Metals, Park City, TN) and I was able to do it all myself (i.e. no climbing up on the roof itself).

Woodshed #2 was done pretty much the same as Woodshed #1, except it was longer (30' vs. 21'). Enlisted the now-ex-boyfriend and it ws done in less than one hour! Burned up my Ridgid impact driver doing it (lifetime warranty to the rescue!), but it got done.

I used roofing material and shingles for my dog house but only because they were left over in my house's attic. Never again, what a POS.

Fork it, here's pics of the woodsheds:

Woodshed #1:

[Hearth.com] Wood shed roofs

Woodshed#2:

[Hearth.com] Wood shed roofs

Both woodsheds, #1 on the right, #2 on the left, pole barn in the middle:

[Hearth.com] Wood shed roofs
 
Ondura isn't a durable product, sorry. Metal will outlast it by a long way! Most metal has a 50 year warranty on the finish, the metal will out last that even. There have been many lawsuits involving ondura already.
Ondura has a warranty also (limited lifetime). And as far as law suits, people sue for any and every reason these days, some valid, some not. Hard to say what is valid on the surface. Any product on the market gets lawsuits it seems. Even a cup of hot coffee. Just ask McDonalds about that. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Time will tell.
 
Ondura has a warranty also (limited lifetime). And as far as law suits, people sue for any and every reason these days, some valid, some not. Hard to say what is valid on the surface. Any product on the market gets lawsuits it seems. Even a cup of hot coffee. Just ask McDonalds about that. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Time will tell.
I'm all too familiar with the product. The stuff doesn't hold up well to Snow load, hail, any foot traffic, or falling trees limbs. Everything you'd expect a roof to be somewhat resistant to.
 
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got a 20yr old plus metal roof on my woodshed and it's fine as is the 10 old plus on the barn. They also let the snow slide off when the temp goes up.

Previously used asphalt roll roofing on the barn to save money, PITA to install and only lasted 5-6 yrs
 
I'm all too familiar with the product. The stuff doesn't hold up well to Snow load, hail, any foot traffic, or falling trees limbs. Everything you'd expect a roof to be somewhat resistant to.
Foot traffic? We are talking about roofs, aren't we?
 
Foot traffic? We are talking about roofs, aren't we?
Yes, I work on people's roofs every single day. People do actually need to walk on their roof periodically.
 
Yes, I work on people's roofs every single day. People do actually need to walk on their roof periodically.
Well lucky for me I won't be using mine as a walkway. I only need mine to keep off rain and snow. Fortunately, I installed beams and purlins beneath the sheets so that it is sufficient for any snowload. In fact, if I really wanted to walk on it and turn it into a patio it would probably hold my weight if I was real careful. But since I won't ever be doing that, it is not a factor for me. I require very minimal from my wood shed roof. If I was going to need to walk on my wood shed roof and go sunbathing up there I am sure I would install plywood or MDF board beneath. But I won't be, so I didn't. Sounds like you had a less than satisfactory experience with your Ondura. I am glad my experience has not been what yours was.
 
Ondura has a warranty also (limited lifetime). And as far as law suits, people sue for any and every reason these days, some valid, some not. Hard to say what is valid on the surface. Any product on the market gets lawsuits it seems. Even a cup of hot coffee. Just ask McDonalds about that. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Time will tell.

Do some research, that coffee was served WAY too hot and McDs was warned multiple times, the lady almost died from the burns... Sorry off topic but these replies sound like someone trying to sell a product, not giving advice
 
..Sorry off topic but these replies sound like someone trying to sell a product, not giving advice
First of all you missed the point entirely...But really? Seriously? Give me a break. I like the product a lot. For me it has worked perfectly. You are welcome to have a different view or opinion. And you can state it. But just because you don't like the product doesn't mean I don't....and no, I don't work for the company.
 
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