Spring project: New Roof

[bud16415]

Thought I would ask the advice of the group on this one. My work shop is about 24 x 24 and the building is about 60 years old I’m guessing and looks like it was built from wood from a old barn when it was built. I have thought about tearing it down and building all new and still might do that in a few years but the basic building is sound and would still keep it for equipment storage for a while.

It has one of those real slight pitched roofs from the front to the back maybe a 1/12 pitch or less and the top surface is a built up layered tar roof. The trouble is I have coated it every 3 or 4 years and it still will crack nails pop etc and I start leaking. I have tarred and papered it before and it held up a couple years.

I’m thinking about trying that white stuff that you pour on and it turns into a solid layer of latex. Has anyone had any experience with it. There are several companies in town that do the rubber roofing but they don’t sell the material they want to do the job and want big $$$. There is also a 3/16 thick roofing that you melt down with a rose-bud torch I was thinking about.

Just looking for ideas to give the old building a few more good dry years.

Bud

[T-Zab]

Bud
As far as the torch down mod bit membranes go I think you will need to either strip down to existing sheething or sheet over your existing roof. Again like everything else there only as good as your "base" your working with. I have not attempted torch down over existing layers. As far as elastomeric acrylic coatings go I dont think the manufactures recommend applying over existing roofing either. These are part of a system of built up roofing. I believe the white acrylics are more for reflecting heat. Again I am not an expert roofer but have done some roofing over my years in the trades. Here is a link of one company out of Beloit Wisconsin that may be of some help to you www.mulehide.com I will ask my buddy the roofer if he can recommend something for you , allthough honestly I know he will probally say you need to tear off what you got. Hope this link can help you out a bit.

Todd

[Pickering Snow]

Bud

Just a thought here but i have done alot of roof repairs on Rv's on the road and i also patch semi trailer roofs for Dow Chemical and a number of other food product container units, I carry on the service truck a couple of diff products my fav is Kool Seal it seals most anything i have ran into, Two years ago i resealed a Motorhome roof with the white elas membrame roof know that was the cats butt there came in rolls and i used the companys edges to hold the material to the sides the front and real you glue i dont know what Mill it is but it was pretty thick the guy is real happy with it he is a regular cust and i see him all the time also the white will keep the shop cooler.


My new shop has a firestone rubber roof the membrane is very thick and came with the best warr of all the companys i looked at other than having a para pit issue damming this year i have been real happy the contractor took care of it under warr

[T-Zab]

Bud My roofer friend said Mulehide Silver, is all he knows of to try. I guess you apply it with a roller. Try ABC supply or a roofing supply house, they should have it.

Todd

[bud16415]

Todd

Thanks for the help. I’ll look a little more into the Mulehide products and see if anyone sells it around here. I know the smart advice is what you suggested first and rip it down to wood replace and re-skin it with half inch 4 ply and put down a membrane roof.

But with the age and the low head room (about 8 foot) I cant see dumping a bunch of money into it.

I have a friend that built a machine that will blow roof tar with fiber like a giant spray gun (about 1 gal/minute) and I’m thinking of letting him experiment on my shop with a couple wild ideas we are having on roofing. I figure we can’t mess up to bad on this old building and if worse come to worse I’ll be ripping it off anyway.

If that happens I’ll get some pictures and post them.

Any other suggestions are more than welcome. Looks like a good 6 days of rain coming should be nice and clean.

Bud

[Jerre Heyer]

Bud, You are going to try Dewey's power pot sprayer????

Sounds like a good idea on the building you have. I went with a base coat/top coat latex spray from Conklin on the shop a few years ago and then on the Moblie home last fall. Stuff works great. They can just base coat and you can get 10-15 yrs from that or top coat and get upto 30 yrs. Easy on easy clean up. It's avail in 5 gal buckets too so you can put it on yourself. Check with Keith Troyer in Waterford for more info on it.

Jerre