A New Garage Roof Wanted.

[Jaydug]

I'm looking for some garage roofing opinions here.

I have a combined garage and shed which together measures around 3. 5mtrs by 10mtrs. It has a slightly sloping corrugated asbestos roof which is leaking quite badly. I've been repairing and patching it for years but now I'm looking for something a bit more permanent. Getting the old roof off, double wrapped and sealed as the rules specify, then taken away is more than I want to be bothered with. What I thought about doing is to is to lay several lengths of treated timber in the corrugations, fixed with J-hooks onto the original angle iron roof supports, then purlin cross members from one side to the other, screwed to the strips in the corrugations.

It seems there's a choice between corrugated bitumen sheets and clear corrugated PVC. Looking at bitumen sheets in the stores, they appear to be very pliable and some users have noted on forums that they sag in hot sunshine whilst the PVC sheets are reported as being brittle and difficult to drill and cut. Having said that my caravan carport has a corrugated PVC roof which must be at least 20 years old and is still in reasonable condition.

So there is my dilemma. What to use as an overlay and is it feasible to cover the existing asbestos. Any input would be most appreciated.

[WispMan]

I don't think you should, or even can, drill through asbestos. I think you should bite the bullet and remove it.

[zen]

The problem you have is disturbing the asbestos in any way without the wrath of the H&S brigade being upset. You can't scrape it clean to stick anything to it. You can't drill it and you can't remove it, or you will be fined.

If it is possible to suspend a roof over it by putting supports for your purlins then new roof, or have it removed by a specified company (expensive) are probably your only two solutions.

Are you sure it is asbestos? there is a substitute which has been used in the building industry for years, which is almost asbestos free.

If you work on it at all make sure it is wet to stop any dust particles flying around. You would probably need a permit to dispose of it at your local council tip. If it is asbestos.

[WispMan]

Some councils will allow you to take small quantities of asbestos to your local tip. Our council does. Your council may but below is your councils advice on it. You may need to ask at your local tip.

 

http://www. epsom-ewell. gov. uk/EEBC/Environment/Pollution/Asbestos/default. htm

[KNARF]

A householder can remove cement asbestos sheets there is no law to prevent them provided they adhere to the recommendations for the safe removal and disposal.

knarf

[Alan Stanley]

First of all. Get a sample checked. As has been stated there are a lot of products that look like Asbestos but are not. There are labs scattered all around the country that will test a small sample for you for not very much money. 10 years ago in that game I used to pay £25 for a sample test. There are some excellent kits and instructions available with all the overalls mask etc you need. I've no knowledge of this company but this is what you need and includes a test result.

 

http://www. diyasbestostesting. co. uk/product/diy-asbestos-testing-kit/

 

A postage stamp sized bit and seal the exposed edge left on the roof with a sealant is good enough, get your own test done - Do not trust others who are offering to remove it their were some right shysters a few years back.

 

If not Asbestos then you can remove and dispose as you wish. If is is then get professional advice and if you can afford it have it removed and disposed of professionally. If you follow the rules then it can be a DIY proposition. As stated your local council is a good start, some used to run excellent schemes. No idea these days though.

 

If you can't then your idea of over roofing with Bitumen sheets would work. I used them supported on a boarded roof on my log cabin 7 years ago and they are as good as new.

 

Best way of looking at is that Asbestos is like a sheet of glass. Its no problem if left alone but you would not want to breath ground up bits into your lungs.

[Jaydug]

You may need to ask at your local tip.

 

[url=http://www. epsom-ewell. gov. uk

 

A long time ago our Borough Council handed over all aspects of rubbish collection and recycling to Surrey County Council who in turn farmed it out to SITA - who now run it as a business. Just at the beginning of April they brought in new rules about what could and could not be taken to the tip. DIY building rubbish, old concrete posts, surplus soil and old plumbing and removed tiles may still be taken but only up to a maximum of 25Kgs. Any more and its weighed and your charged. Trailers are not allowed in unless they are registered and proof of address is required by the 'guards' on the gate.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Jaydug

[Guest]

To avoid all those problems I would suggest that removing the original fasteners buying extended fasteners, then screwing them back in through overlaid battens, the new roofing material then attached to the battens, or it may be possible to purchase a corrugated material that could fit over the existing roof with the same pitch of the existing corrugations and using the existing fastening positions.

[Guest]

Our garage roof is combined with an extension forming a car port, and the whole roof comprises several fibreglass and resin layers on top of a sheet marine ply base. This GRP was not he cheapest option, but it was completed some 15 years ago and after its annual jetwash cleaning, it still looks as good as new and remains perfectly waterproof.

Ideally you should get your "asbestos" roofing checked and if necessary removed professionally. However should it not be asbestos, then I wonder if after appropriate cleaning, a fibreglass layer may be adhered to the outer surface to reproof the existing roof?

Gordon.

[PaulR]

Had a corrugated bitumen sheet roof above my caravan at my last house for about 15 years, during one storm a ridge tile was blown onto the roof and on inspection - no damage. very impressed.

[CommanderDave]

Had a corrugated bitumen sheet roof above my caravan at my last house for about 15 years, during one storm a ridge tile was blown onto the roof and on inspection - no damage. very impressed.

I found bitumen corrugated sheets unless very well supported they sag with the sun then puddle with the rain and then the puddle and the weight of water stretches to allow a bigger sag . I have changed to OSB and felt .

 

My garage is GRP over marine ply and comes with a 100 yr warranty but expensive .

 

I have used twin wall bronze polycarbonate sheets on a few roofs as it is easy to cut and work with and comes in large sheets (usually upto 6m x 2m sheets) allows light in .

 

Dave

Edited May 3, 2016 by CommanderDave

[PaulR]

My crossmembers were at 18" centres - never had any problems. would & have used again.

[Jaydug]

Phew! That's been a job and a half. Many thanks to those who offered advice. After much internet reading I decided to leave the original roof in place; fix 17 new purlins across the width of the garage then fix new sheets onto them. The asbestos/cement roof from new had been badly fitted; many sheets were upside down, which helped make the gradient irregular. To obtain a continuous slope it was necessary to raise the front by 150mm, whilst at the back, only 50mm was required. To ensure the 'J' hooks were sufficiently long, I bought a pack of 6mmx300mm threaded rods, then bent the ends to shape. The original roof was drilled with the hooks attaching to the steel garage beams. Once the purlins were bolted down to the correct height on the gradient, the surplus rod was cut off.

 

Next to consider was the choice of roofing sheet. I'd already looked at bitumen and PVC sheets and weighed up the pros and cons of both materials. Then on the internet I saw corrugated steel sheets. There were several companies producing them. The basic sheet was 0. 5mm galvanised which was cheap but I thought would look more appropriate on a farm building. On the next level were galvanised, then painted sheets. They looked much better, but then I saw thicker steel sheets which were galvanised, painted then plastisol coated in a range of colours. I decided to push the boat out and order sufficient to cover the area.

 

After three weeks of hard work, I've now got a water-tight roof which I can walk on if necessary. Except for a few more tek screws to go in, the job is virtually finished.

 

Thanks again to those who offered advice.

[Coriolis]

Nice job, and too late now but another option to cover might have been coated metal sheeting. ...there's a Co in Scotland which supplies by mail order. Sheet length up to 5 or 6 metres if I recall; hiugely reduces the number of joints.

 

Sort of stuff you see on agricultural buildings and it's relatively cheap and very easy to work with.

 

Google is your friend, but offered in case anyone else has a similar project in mind. ...I'm considering it to do similar to your job over my flat felted roof on garage & workshop.

 

DOH! RTFQ Coriolis, it's what the man used in the end. ....! Thought it looked good. ....(slinks away, embarrassed)....

Edited May 21, 2016 by Coriolis

[Pierre19]

Nice job, and too late now but another option to cover might have been coated metal sheeting. ...there's a Co in Scotland which supplies by mail order. Sheet length up to 5 or 6 metres if I recall; hiugely reduces the number of joints.

 

Sort of stuff you see on agricultural buildings and it's relatively cheap and very easy to work with.

 

Google is your friend, but offered in case anyone else has a similar project in mind. ...I'm considering it to do similar to your job over my flat felted roof on garage & workshop.

 

DOH! RTFQ Coriolis, it's what the man used in the end. ....! Thought it looked good. ....(slinks away, embarrassed)....

 

What is this Company you speak of . ...??

 

Pete

[Coriolis]

My Dad pointed me to adverts he'd seen in the Sunday Post, which I don't get in Norwich! But three I found via Google, all mail order and all with lots of info. ..

 

Roofingsheetsbyrhino, around the Borders

Eroofs, uk wide

Cladco, in Okehampton and Glasgow area. ...

 

Have fun

[Jaydug]

another option to cover might have been coated metal sheeting

I don't understand! Coated metal sheets is what I did use. They came delivered from this company. ..http://www. steelroofsheets. co. uk/

 

They also do a variety of lengths but longer they are, the more difficult they are to handle. Especially if there's a bit of wind blowing. Mine were 2. 725 mtrs.

 

Rhino Steel is based in the West Midlands. It's their advertising which makes it sound as though they have depots throughout the Country. And incidentally, I'm still awaiting a reply to my email of three weeks ago.

[Coriolis]

Jaydug, see #14 where I confessed to not reading your original post properly. ....

 

My bad in reading an omission which you didn't make

 

Your solution was exactly what I was advocating, sorry for the confusion. ...

[Leedslad]

 

My garage is GRP over marine ply and comes with a 100 yr warranty but expensive .

 

 

Dave

 

I had the same done to my garage and an extension to the house. It was more expensive than built up felt but it looks great and will certainly last much longer. No worries!

 

John.

[Jaydug]

Jaydug, see #14 where I confessed to not reading your original post properly. ....

 

 

My apologies! Should have spent more time reading.

[Coriolis]

Ich auch. ...

 

Nil desperandum

[Easy T]

Householders can simply follow rules for handling advice for their own safety here in Flintshire and dispose to a special lidded container at one of the household recycling/waste sites

[Guest]

If the roof is felt then GRP can be quite cheap as a DIY project, much depends on the original material under the felt, covering with OSB being the most common method. The quickest way is to purchase the edging mouldings,( available from most fibreglass and resin suppliers, you only need one layer of matt C glass ( this is impregnated with a powder to improve wetting), probably the hardest part is the finish as the gel-coat needs a mixture of MW wax(2%) to aid a non sticky cure. There are pigments to add for your chosen colour finish plus granules to give a textured finish. The advantage of GRP is no seams, no maintenance except for a wash down every year to keep it clear of staining from trees and moss.