Installing Your Metal Roofing

Posted on 16. Apr, 2009 by Mark Coleman in Roofing

Let’s start with one simple rule for people who want to install metal roofing. If you can’t easily walk on the roof because it’s too steep, call a professional contractor. With that rule in mind if you have a building that needs a metal roof but the professional bids are too high, here’s how to tackle it.

The proper tools are needed. These include a measuring tape, a chalk line with plenty of chalk, a good drill, a good extension ladder and a safe step ladder, pound of inch roofing nails, metal roofing screws, metal snips, and a cloth nail bag to hold the nails and screws.

Using the tape measure the roof’s height adding the desired overhang, generally two to four inches. Make multiple measurements keeping in mind the handy man’s mantra “measure twice, cut once.” Next measure the roof’s length and height on both sides to figure out how much metal edging is needed. Take these measurements to a local roofing supply company. They will tell you how much roofing to purchase. Keep in mind that 3 to 6 inches of unblocked air flow is needed between layers.

Although it isn’t necessary to remove the old roof before laying down a metal roof, it is best. Remove old shingles with a pitch fork, roofing shovel, or roofing pliers . Then lay down 30 pound tar paper as the base for the new roof. If there’s only one layer of shingles on the old roof, lay down 1″x4″x building length pine wood boards screwed onto the old shingles. Once the roof is prepared the metal roof edging can be applied.

Now it’s time to place the metal sheets running from top to bottom rather than side to side. Screw them into the wood slats, using a screw every two feet on both sides of the sheet. Each sheet should overlap the last. At the edge cut the last metal sheet so it’s just past the edge of the roof.

Once the sheets are applied to both sides of the roof it’s time to apply the metal trim along the edges at the sides of the roof. Also apply it at the peak, first scoring it in the middle so it can be bent over the peak.

Of course these instructions are useful only for installing the standard type of tin barn roof seen in industrial buildings, garages and the like. Other types of metal roofs require different methods for installation. But those can be tackled equally as well by a do it yourself person who wants to install metal roofing.

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