Any builders/roofers here?

[Freebird]

OK...I get what you mean about the side walls now. I am actually planning to do that anyway. No way would I try to bend metal around that bottom bend.

 

One more question, I see that the hat channel is available in different gauges, what would you recommend?

 

Some of the structure is already hat channel and it's pretty heavy but I don't know what gauge it is.

[Edbo]

OK...I get what you mean about the side walls now. I am actually planning to do that anyway. No way would I try to bend metal around that bottom bend.

 

One more question, I see that the hat channel is available in different gauges, what would you recommend?

 

Some of the structure is already hat channel and it's pretty heavy but I don't know what gauge it is.

 

 

 

I would use use at least a 20 gauge so that your roof screws will have some meat to hold to. 18 gauge would be even better

[Freebird]

Thank you. Now I'll get busy sourcing and pricing it out.

[cowpuc]

Ohhh my gosh I LOVE our club soooo much!!!!!!! Within the confines of our clubhouse walls lies the solution to any and all, big or small, of lifes ongoing problems..

 

Tip and I snuck out for a Chinese Valentines Day lunch yesterday and after a very fine meal and excellent time sharing the day together, I popped open my Fortune Cookie to find this:

 

"Wise men create more opportunity than they find"..

 

Thought of you bunch of lop eared wisdom filled club member varmints when I read that!!!!

[Yammer Dan]

Flat metal would make that bend. Not sure of ribbed. That's why I suggested the fiber (plastic?) panels. Would bend easier. Same results cheaper, easier to work with and would outlast you!!!

[cowpuc]

Flat metal would make that bend. Not sure of ribbed. That's why I suggested the fiber (plastic?) panels. Would bend easier. Same results cheaper, easier to work with and would outlast you!!!

 

Or,,,,,, I was talking to my friend @videoarizona the other day and he told me that he found out that E6000 is available in black.. Just pick up a bunch of tubes of Black E6000, spread it over the exsisting structure and when it drys it will be impervious to anything nature can throw at it and it will look like a giant Venture carb diaphram.. We can hang a sign on the front of lt that says "The Diaphram Inn" and christen it at this years M.D.!!!

 

,,, I know,, I know,,, back on probation for another 3 months...

[Dragonslayer]

I need some advice from somebody in the business. I am agonizing over this and have swung back and forth for 3 weeks between tearing what I have down and starting from scratch or trying to put a roof on the frame that I have.

 

Those of you who have attended my maintenance day have seen my 30' x 60' greenhouse that is no longer used for a greenhouse. It has a solid rolled U type galvanized structure with a double ply poly top and sides that are kept inflated by a fan.

 

After more than 10 years, the top is starting to fail and I need to figure out a way to roof it or tear it down and put up a metal building. The problem is that due to the light weight of the plastic top, there isn't a lot of structure. I've seen it with 3 ft. of snow on it so it is fairly strong. The "rafters" are galvanized steel and on 6' centers. The side walls are only 4' and the peak is 14'. The roof is curved. I'll include a picture here to give you some kind of idea.

 

So, I've thought about adding some horizontal supports running between the 6' center rafters and then decking and shingling it but I don't know if that's a good idea or not. I'm basically looking for the most economical way to roof this thing without having to redo it every few years.

 

Any suggestions?

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111635

I' d make a big blanket out of single ply rubber roofing, pull it over the structure and mechanically fasten it at the top of the walls. But, that is just MHO.

 

But if you need someone to come clean out your space for you to prep for the work. I'm your huckleberry.

I can bring my own truck and trailer.

[Dragonslayer]

LOL...I would be up for that but getting 100 able-bodied and willing people here to do that might be a bit of a challenge. I'll bet it wouldn't take long to get it done though.

 

Maintenance day project ought to cover it.

[saddlebum]

Or,,,,,, I was talking to my friend videoarizona the other day and he told me that he found out that E6000 is available in black.. Just pick up a bunch of tubes of Black E6000, spread it over the exsisting structure and when it drys it will be impervious to anything nature can throw at it and it will look like a giant Venture carb diaphram.. We can hang a sign on the front of lt that says "The Diaphram Inn" and christen it at this years M.D.!!!

,,, I know,, I know,,, back on probation for another 3 months...[/quote

 

Thats no good --------------everybody would be replacing their diaphrams come MD day and freebird would be left with a bunch of unexplained holes in his new covering.

[Marcarl]

So I was talking to Allan this evening and he made a good point. Decide what it is that you want this building to do for you. If it is more than 30 years useage then maybe spend some money, but if it's in the 20 years range, throw a new piece of tarp over top and call it a day. Tarps can last for well over 20 years, and somehow i think you might be doing something different by that time.

[Freebird]

That is certainly another option that I have considered. What it has now is a double wall plastic top that a small blower keeps inflated. That has lasted for close to 12 years. The only issue is that it gets too hot in the summer but that can be handled with an additional "shade" cover. I had one of those but it rotted and tore up about 3 or so years ago.

 

I don't think there is enough framing for a regular tarp. I don't think you could get it tight enough to prevent sagging in the large unsupported areas and the snow would cave it in. A regular tarp over a new inflatable vinyl roof would work but that starts getting expensive. I looked at pricing for a 40' x 60' tarp and they get up there close to $2,000.00. Plus the cost of a new inflatable top.

[baylensman]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tuftex-PolyCarb-2-17-ft-x-12-ft-Corrugated-PolyCarbonate-Plastic-Roof-Panel/3043440

Can you see this?? A whole lot lighter and Maybe it would bend enough to fit that slope?? I'm thinking they make a Vent Ridge cap for it. Lap it with prevailing??? Winds?? May not need too many added supports with this.

Sorry so late to the party but its been a busy week. Use the poly panels! they bend enough run them so the corrugations go long ways not top to bottom cut them to 6 ft lengths. Some are translucent so you won't lose all the glorious light during the day.

The sell foam tape that fits the corrugations and will sit on your ribs. then a couple of self tapping screw with the large washer and seal. you're done in a day.

[Flyinfool]

If the corrugations are run horizontal, especially near the top wont there be an issue of it holding snow, and even rain. Rain would leave little puddles in the valleys of the corrugations, the standing water will be a breeding ground for skeeters, alge would grow, and over time the water will find a way thru the seams. Sticks and other debris would want to stay up there too. The snow would just keep building and not be able to slide off. I would be worried about buildup exceeding the weight capacity of that light structure.

You just know that I can not resist sending a good snow there once in a while......... OK back to my corner for another bout of double secret probation......

[Freebird]

OK...after a lot of deliberation, I've about decided to just put a tarp on it for now. I finally went out and got a good measurement this morning. I through a cord all the way over it and measure from the top of the sidewall to the top of the sidewall on the other side. It is 38' total. So I need a tarp that is 60' long by 38' wide.

 

Now the question is what kind of tarp to buy. Hopefully some of you will know more about tarps than me but it looks to me like a super heavy duty vinyl tarp is my best choice. I can buy one in 18 oz. and 22 mil thick for about $1800.00 or 22 oz. and 25 mil thick for about $300.00 more. Is it worth it to go with the 22 oz. or do you recommend a different material altogether?

 

There is a 2 x 4 running horizontally along the top of the side walls the full 60' length. The 38' is from the bottom of that 2 x 4 to the bottom of the 2 x 4 on the other side. I plan to secure it to that 2 x 4 and then put some type of siding on the sidewalls. I will then rebuild the front of the greenhouse and put in one or two overhead doors. There used to be a single 8' overhead door on the front but I sort of backed the 26' boat into it and then finally tore the entire front off because the boat wouldn't go through that door. Boat is gone though so I no longer need an opening as high. Standard doors will do what I need.

[Kretz]

Hey Don, I'm sure you'll know anyway but, Check the tarp sizes very carefully. I know that up here many are quoted as a "nominal size" (eg a 5' x 7' tarp that actually measure 4'-6" x 6'-6") It usually does give you an exact dimension somewhere on the bag.

Good luck with the project.

[Flyinfool]

Hey Don, I'm sure you'll know anyway but, Check the tarp sizes very carefully. I know that up here many are quoted as a "nominal size" (eg a 5' x 7' tarp that actually measure 4'-6" x 6'-6") It usually does give you an exact dimension somewhere on the bag.

Good luck with the project.

 

 

Tarp sizes are the size of the material before they fold, sew, and grommet the edges.

 

If you are having one custom made be sure that you and the maker are on the same page that you are specifying finished dimensions.

[Freebird]

Oh yea, I covered that in detail. This is custom and that is the finished size.

[saddlebum]

there are heavy gauge tarps designed and custom made for outbuildings and they are available with hemmed in steel cables or Rods and built in ratchet straps to anchor and tightly stretch the tarp over the building. I would go for white or some other light color to keep the heat down in the summer though.

Edited February 17, 2018 by saddlebum

[cowpuc]

Might not be a bad idea to check the steel structure it self for sharp edges before pulling the tarp over it. Even one small sharp edge can create major problems. Once a small tear gets started, the wind can wreak havock on the tarp.. Maybe cover the steel structure itself with some kind of foam,, even carpet padding wrapped around it, before laying the tarpage on it would help. If I were going with a pull over roof like a tarp I would look very closely at the rubber roof idea like @Dragonslayer mentioned.. I know some of that stuff is VERY durable and is commonly "glued" or vulcanized on site when dealing with commercial buildings and also fairly easily repairable by the same..

Also,, maybe adding purlins across the structure would help in supporting snow load (trust me,, something like that is a perfect target for FlyingFool's Wisconsin White Washer's advanced targeting system) = maybe adding them vertically thought so they dont capture the snow or produce water puddles skeeter breeders...