Hi all …. any help you can give would be appreciated!
I own a house which has a wrap-a-round porch with a tin roof (soldered and painted). Years ago it was covered with what i assume was a hot mop tar or something similar.
Well as you might have guessed the roof has now rusted through in countless spots and has begun to leak. I am not sure of the exact pitch of the roof (guessing about 2:12) but I believe it is too shallow for shingles. The roof also has built-in gutters.
Increasing the pitch of the roof is not an option due to the presence of a window. So I guess my question is what can I use to roof this porch that will meet the following criteria:
1) It has to look good from the street
2) It has to be less expensive (nice way of saying cheaper) than a soldered metal roof
3) Would like to do it myself but am not against hiring it done if the preferred solution is not diy friendly
This is a rental property so cost is a factor …. on the other hand I live only a couple blocks away …. and one of my pet peeves is the disastorous and ugly repairs done on the once grand porches of older homes. The normal repair method on countless houses I see in the area is to get rid of the wrap-around porch and replace with small individual entry porches.
Thanks,
Dan
Replies
anything will look better from the street than hot mopped tar, just replace with new metal roof, many profiles are available ..
You didn't read his info properly. He's got a roof with basically no slope and built in gutters. There's a lot more to this than "put a new metal roof on it".http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Probably the only alternatives at the price point you want to hit are membranes - EPDM or TPO. If the roof is indeed 2/12 and not less, it can be shingles with dimensional shingles underlayed with ice and water shield.
There are some raised seam metal products that go below 2/12, but they'd be tough to make work on a round roof.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Seeyou,
thanks for the response. To clarify one point when I said a wrap-around porch I should have noted that although the roof extends around two sides of the house it does so using a hip roof ..... not a round roof. Sorry for any confusion.
I am familiar with installing epdm roofs (have done two so far though not as complex) but am not sure I like the look.
Not sure what a TPO roof is ... will look it up today.
Once had a torch down rubber roof done in a similar situation and the results were unsatisfactory to say the least. Probably a result of the quality of the installer than the quality of the product.
Anyway thanks for the help and if my new description of the roof changes your recommendations i look forward to hearing your response.
Dan
Not sure what a TPO roof is ...
thermoplastic polyolefin
It's similar to EPDM except the seams are heat welded. It's not quite as DIY friendly since you need a heat weld gun, but on an odd shaped or cut up roof, it's easier to make the membrane conform since seams are not as susceptable to failure as EPDM (not that EPDM seams are a great concern to me anyway). It's available in several light colors and is not susceptable to failure from grease as EPDM is, so it often gets used on resturant roofs.
Torch down is a bad choice when used in conjuntion with box gutters, IMHO. In fact, torch down has been antiquated by the new Modified roll products. Most of them can be detailed with a heat welding tool like TPO, making an open flame on the roof unneccessary. These products are available in colors to match shingle products. I've never used them, but have seen some nice looking installations.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
What Grant said. EPDM is probably gonna be your best bet if the slope is less than 2, but it's not really DIY-friendly. Why not give Buck a shout and see if he'd wanna do it for ya.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Everything fits, until you put glue on it.
Mike,
If I decide to go the epdm route I may end up hiring it out ... I have installed two epdm roofs in the past (so far so good) but this would be a little more complex.
I will keep Jeff in mind ... I believe I read in a previous post he lives on Mt. Washington ... this house is in Crafton ... so definitely in his travel range.
Dan
Sounds like a job for Seal-O-flex, which was designed expressly for this purpose (reroofing metal roofs).
http://www.sealoflex.com
Tint it to match your house if you don't want a bright white roof (which will be cooler, I'm nearly blinded every time I go up on my SF roof it's so reflective.... 10x more than the aluminum mopped neighbors roof).
If the roof is dead flat, you'll need to use their rubber system (CT) and not the acrylic system.
Z
How well does that work over rusted metal with holes that has been covered with bitumen that is now aligatored and flaking?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Dunno, I read his description as that the roof was basically whole, but has been reroofed with some asphalt coating, and now it's leaking in places. I guess if there are large holes in the roof, or large exposed rusted out metal holes in it, it'd not be the system of choice ;)Z
I've tried that stuff on a terne roof that had been patched a few times with tar-like stuff. It worked pretty well for a couple of years before it opened up again. Which was cool, 'cause that's all I needed at the time. It was pretty expensive tho' IIRC.Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.
I covered a low pitch shed roof recently with metal. I put a layer of ice shield under it.
Where the sheets of steel overlap there is a seal that goes down. It is a roll of sticky sealant that you put down.
It was difficult at first to figure out how all the pieces fit togehter but after some head scratching I got it.
Will Rogers
But as CU pointed out, that will not work with an internal gutter system.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Does the internal gutter need to stay? I don't understand why a rental has an internal gutter system?"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
Popawheelie,
Just composed a nice reponse to you .... but for some reason it wouldn't post and was lost .... so I'll keep this shorter.
The porch is part of the character of the house (1920 all brick veneer) and destroying old porches is a pet-peeve of mine.
I would consider reworking the porch roof ... but only if it didn't destroy the character of the house. I live only a couple of blocks away and want to maintain the feel of the neighborhood.
Might not make sense from an investment standpoint (at least in the short-run) probably doesn't increase the rents I recieve .... arguably makes it easier to rent because of the look.
Thanks for your response.
Dan
How about replacing it with aluminum pan roof? You can get it with a 2.5" - 3" foam core in factory panels or you can get it as a 3 piece system (bottom pan, foam, cap) you put together with a screw gun. The home stores sell this in 12' sticks or you can order just about anything you want from an aluminum supplier.
They also make a single layer system but that is really only good for a car port since there is no insulating capability.
I'd strip all the old roofing off and re nail the deck boards , replacing any if required .
I'd use .060 EPDM over 1/2" high density fiberboard - then have a good sheet metal mechanic line the old gutters and act as metal edge for the EPDM .
You could do the membrane if you felt confident and hire out the metal work .
Slateman,
Seems like the consensus is to go with epdm .... would be nice if it came in a red color to simulate tinners red paint (that is what all of the old soldered tin roofs have around here).
All of the posters have given me something to think about .... this week I'll climb up and accurately measure the roof pitch and thoroughly inspect the roof structure.
Dan
You can paint EPDM any colour you want it.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Or colored gravel.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
View Image
I didn't know that. What kind of paint to use?
Piffin,
I didn't know that. What kind of paint and do you have any idea how long it would last?
Dan
latex.The EPDM companies also sell specially formulated paints that can be tinted.I spilled some Ben Moore white on an EPDM ten years ago that is still there after sopping most of it up. Other than that, I can't say how long. UV, water ponding and freezing, and local air pollution probably all have something to do with it.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Yes you can paint EPDM. And it looks like painted EPDM.
If it were mine and had a slope of 2/12 or greater, I'd shingle it with dimensional shingles with I&WS underlayment. If you can see it very well from the street, I'm suspecting it might be 2/12 or more, but then I wonder why they used soldered seams instead of standing seams if that's the case.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Down south far enough there would be no snow and ice build up, I might go that way on a 2/12 or better.But I can't remember now where this is or if he even knew what pitch it was for sure. Up here, I'd be doing like Walter speced probably. This is one of those iffy ones that you need to be standing on to see all the variables.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
And it looks like painted EPDM.
I had the same thought; but I was also thinking if he can't afford standing or soldered seam, he could lay screw-down metal over Blueskin and get close to the look he wants. That's a DIY-capable project; his savings in labour might pay for the metal.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
What's Blueskin?Another one of your quaint colloquialisms?Or have you been shooting aliens and saving the hide?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Speedo cloth.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
View Image
http://www.bakor.com/index.asp
http://www.bakor.com/roofing_roofingunderlayments.aspHad to prowl their site a while to see it. Is it available in this area?BTW, I saw your picture in the BDN yesterday. I was flip[ping pages and had to stop for a second look, "Hey, that guy looks a lot like Walter!" Then I saw that Limo in the background, and started reading...
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Beacon Sales from Lewiston carries it .
The gist of the limo ride caper is in " Out to lunch " in the business folder .
I saw the start of that, then lost track of it.
Gotta get your autograph now, eh?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Nope , just a little contractor fun on a Friday afternoon !
What's Blueskin?
View Imagehttp://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
I like your answer better !!
Beatcha.
Poor Snort, he looks terrified.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
View Image
I was looking for a pic when you were typing.
Poor Snort, he looks terrified.
He's feeling little pricks on the back of his neck................http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
I've heard those alien skins really shrink when you get them wet.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Seeyou,
Don't know why they did it but virtually all of the porch roofs of houses built around the turn of the century (1900-1930) in the Pittsburgh area are soldered tin painted tinners red. Don't know if I've ever seen a standing seam roof in the Pittsburgh area from that time period. Pittsburgh had an incredible amount of wealth around that time period and I think it was reflected in the houses.
I haven't had a chance to ascertain the roof pitch yet .... so I'll get back to everyone on Monday or Tuesday ... then we can end the speculation. :) I can only hope it is at least a 2:12 then I think I'll go the I&W with shingles route. That is what was done on my own house.
Dan
Funny thing aboit flat/ish roofs..You can spend twice as long building them and making them work as that of a "normal" pitched roof and it seems that they are always four times uglier when they're done...I love flat roofs... What about sod.. Lay up some EPMD(which we all know will work) and cover it with soil and native grasses and wildflowers...You'll have to do some intensive flashing details and probably rework some trim, but it would look better than black rubber, and mowing it would be cooler than repainting it..that is, assuming that your framing could take the weight.
All I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...