Roofing question- using corrugated roof?

[katydidit]

I'm in coop planning overhaul right now, and have plans scribbled all over my table

That being said, you all will probably see more questions from me here in the next couple of days.

We live in a pretty warm climate (literally, gets over 100 degrees over 100 days of the year), and if it gets down to 32 degrees once or twice we are shocked! With this in mind, I think rather than worrying about sealing the coop up tight from drafts, we have to be more concerned with ventilation. My husband built our dogs a "log cabin" doghouse-not kidding- and he built the walls and the flooring up, and then just set the corrugated roofing on top of support beams and screwed them in.

(this is the stuff I'm talking about in case you're wondering: http://www.lowes.com/pd_12749-1115-153_0__?productId=3010612&Ntt=corrugated+roof&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dcorrugated%2Broof#BVRRWidgetID)

We live in the city and dont have any real predators other than the neighbors abnoxious outdoor kitties. Would we be able to do the same thing for our chook coop? Or do we need to go the whole 9 yards and install a shingle roof? We were hoping to just install the corrugated roofing at an angle, and have the rain run off that way instead of having to construct trusses for a gable style roof. Any thoughts? Anyone done this or have an example of it in a photo?

I've scoured the BYC coop pages, but would like to know you guys personal experience with preferred (EASY) roofing

Thanks!

 

[gryeyes]

I have white Ondura corrugated panels on my 4 X 8 coop, to relect heat. Hot here, too, not many days below freezing. I did install it over plywood, though. It's at an angle; the front wall of the coop is 4ft tall and the back wall is 6 ft tall.

The people door is at an end wall.

 

[katydidit]

Thank you for the example! I was debating between doing plywood beneath (which would definitely keep rodents out) and just leaving it as an open breezeway.

I think you've convinced me!

 

[jennh]

Thanks for that link. I want to build a roof over their pop doors so they can come out in the rain and snow. The girls won't come out of the coop if there's snow on the ground.
I was thinking of using corrugated material also.

 

[taprock]

My coop has a corrugated metal roof. We do not have anything under it. There is a ridge cap on the peak but open for ventilation. We are in Michigan and I have had a problem with rain and snow blowing in under the cap. If you are in a warm place it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[PapaChaz]

Quote:
how far did you extend the ridge cap past the ends? if rain and snow are blowing in under you may not have gone far enough. when the new roof was put on my house a couple of years ago, the roofers went a good 6 - 8 inches out past the end, i thought it would look horrible, but having a two story house, 3 story on the basement garage end, it really isn't that bad.

also you don't have to put decking under metal roofing. you can run purlins along the rafters or trusses, usually 1x4s every two feet up the roof starting from the bottom. metal roofing will sweat though, you'll need some kind of moisture barrier, but that would still be way less expensive than decking the whole roof first.

 

[elmo]

The reviews of the Ondura product on the Lowes' website make me think you might be better off installing it over a plywood roof. That way you wouldn't have to worry about it sagging or getting a hole punched in it (allowing predators to enter, too). Since you have heat to consider, you might think about using the radiant roof sheathing and kill two birds with one stone. It's not that much more expensive for a small project than plain plywood.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how...ng-aluminum-side-down.aspx?nterms=61678,61866

I also agree with the point about the eaves. That's one thing I regret the design of our second coop, that I made the overhangs too small. 12 inches is not overdoing it, in my opinion.

 

[Judy]

My whole coop is made of corrugated metal, and we are about as hot as you are. It has open areas between all 4 walls and the roof plus two large areas of hardware cloth rather than solid walls; quite breezy in there. In winter I cover the one on the windward side with plastic to keep the wind off the roost, only. Run a box fan in summer.

If your corrugated material is not white, I'd suggest a coating of -- wish I remembered the name, it's for roofs, to reflect heat.

My corrugated stuff is pretty heavy gauge and installed only over 1x4's on 2x4's, no plywood, but I agree, for the thin stuff, some thin plywood would be a good idea.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oh yes, absolutely you can leave the corrugation gaps open. You will need way MORE ventilation than just that, but because you DO, there is no reason whatsoever to close 'em up.

Just make sure you are installing the roofing as per mfr instructions (correct direction, spacing of purlins=nailers, type of fasteners used, am't of unsupported overhang at edges) -- I say this not to cast any aspersions on your husband's construction skills and maybe he already knows all that but I just see SOOOOOO many coops on this forum where it did not even occur to people that there *were* specs that had to be followed, and if you don't do it right, the roof is not secure vs wind etc.

Also, I do not know if you are thinking about metal or plastic roofing. If you are thinking about metal roofing, then unless you have a very open-air coop design you may wish to insulate the underside so it doesn't radiate heat so badly into the coop. If you are using plastic roofing, make sure it is 100%-opaque roofing, and if raccoons are likely to be able to get up to your coop roof you can think about whether you want to be extra safe and put wire mesh underneath. (That plastic roofing is really quite easily ripped, and while I am not aware of any BYCer having had a coon go thru it, I am a bit suspicious of the possibility, personally...)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[taprock]

Quote:
I don't think the cap is the problem. We are in a high wind area and the snow/rain follows the roof and blows in the corrugations. When it isn't windy we don't have problems. I totally agree on the moisture barrier. We did have to deal with some condensation. I have to do some work this summer with changes, however I did like the extra ventilation the roof gave.