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Reuse metal roof?

WoodRivWW | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on March 10, 2008 01:49am

An old house with a new metal roof is being demolished up the street from me. I’ve got a 40-50 year old cedar shake roof that has given up the ghost and needs to be replaced. Does it make any sense to think about salvaging (at least some) of that metal roof to install on my roof, after the cedar shakes have been stripped off and the surface prepped?
I live in snow country in south central Idaho.

Thanks.

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Replies

  1. User avater
    Sphere | Mar 10, 2008 01:53am | #1

    Define: Metal

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

    1. WoodRivWW | Mar 10, 2008 02:02am | #3

      Really good question. I believe it's steel. I think that's what most people use around here.

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Mar 10, 2008 02:07am | #4

        Wait..MOST people is NOT the roof in question

        You jerkin chains here or are you serious?

        Steel ( withpaint) Terne ( with paint) Copper ( with paint)..What is IT?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

        1. WoodRivWW | Mar 10, 2008 02:15am | #6

          WHOA!!
          I wasn't jerkin' chains at all, just admitting my ignorance. I said I believe it's steel because I believe I've heard that's what is generally used around here. I'm admitting I don't know for sure.I meant no disrespect.

          1. seeyou | Mar 10, 2008 02:22am | #7

            I said I believe it's steel

            Probably is steel. But it could be several different thicknesses, several different types of finish, several different types of fastener systems, etc.

            If it's silver in 10' lengths overlapped, it's probably not worth the trouble. I wouldn't bother with 29 ga or anything with a polyester finish. If it's 26 ga or 24 ga and has a kynar finish and you can make it fit your roof, then it might be worth it. http://grantlogan.net/

             

            Today we's learnin' about rawks. They's all kinds of rawks. These [picks up rock] is rawks which you throw. These here [throws rock at Rusty] is rawks that you get hit with.  E.Cuyler

          2. WoodRivWW | Mar 10, 2008 02:31am | #10

            Thanks for the detailed info. I've been talking with a roofing pro about our job and will, hopefully, have him take a look at the metal to see what we're dealing with. We're trying to use recycled materials as much as possible on the remodel we're working on. I've been doing most of the work myself, but looked for help on this project.

  2. User avater
    IMERC | Mar 10, 2008 01:54am | #2

    go for it...

     

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!
    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

  3. rez | Mar 10, 2008 02:14am | #5

    Depends on the age, shape of the metal, and the gauge to be worth the labor involved.

     

    be might be good for a shed anyhow. Can't have enough hammers, tapemeasures, utilityknives and sheds

     

     

    Peach full,
    easy feelin'.

    1. WoodRivWW | Mar 10, 2008 02:22am | #8

      I'll definitely look into the gauge. I think it's only a year or so old and from the street looks in excellent shape.Thanks

      1. rez | Mar 10, 2008 02:29am | #9

        Yep, one year old and now the building is coming down. Gotta love America. 

         

        Peach full,easy feelin'.

        1. WoodRivWW | Mar 10, 2008 02:48am | #11

          Kind of a long story. The house is in Hailey, Idaho, a town that got it's start when silver and lead were found in the surrounding hills, back in the late 1800's. Most of the houses in the old core of the town were built between then and 1920's-30's. A fair percentage of those houses were built, I guess, without concern for longevity, although they were remodeled and remodeled over the years ( most recent being a nice new metal roof, paint job, and landscaping). Now tourism has taken over with Sun Valley resort just up the road and the old town has received lots of interest. A young couple with two kids bought the place intending to do the next remodel and found a fair bit of the the earlier remodeling was really poorly done. Their contractor convinced them it would be cheaper to "scrape" and rebuild than to correct all the structural issues that they found. They've been looking to salvage as much of the old place as possible. I'm pulling up the old grown doug fir floor and taking several of the glass paneled doors (and maybe some of the roof). It's a bit sad to be losing one of the old houses, but Idaho statutes don't provide any protection for buildings, old or otherwise.

          1. rez | Mar 10, 2008 02:55am | #12

            yep, don't let those fir floors get away from ya.

            If the pitch is easily accessible than it might be worth getting the roofing even if you find it's not desirable on your house. 

             

            Peach full,easy feelin'.

          2. Svenny | Mar 10, 2008 03:38am | #13

            Have you ever seen any salvage material you didn't think was worth getting? ;-)John Svenson, builder,  remodeler,  NE Ohio

          3. rez | Mar 10, 2008 03:43am | #14

            Stopped short of grinding up butternut shells left by the squirrels once.

             

            be Already had enough. 

             

            Peach full,easy feelin'.

          4. Svenny | Mar 10, 2008 03:44am | #15

            LOL!John Svenson, builder,  remodeler,  NE Ohio

          5. Piffin | Mar 10, 2008 03:48am | #16

            He'll even recycle a name like John Svenson

            Lots of guys will call themselves that now and again tho 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          6. Svenny | Mar 10, 2008 05:08am | #17

            Recycle.........hmmm guess that makes it a "green" activity. Nice to know I'm PC!John Svenson, builder,  remodeler,  NE Ohio

          7. Piffin | Mar 12, 2008 04:12am | #18

            PC = partly cute?;) 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          8. Svenny | Mar 12, 2008 04:14am | #19

            No. Potentially Crazy.John Svenson, builder,  remodeler,  NE Ohio

          9. Piffin | Mar 12, 2008 04:35am | #20

            Probably 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  4. byrnsie | May 03, 2008 04:49pm | #21

    I'd do it if was in good shape. I'd put a cedar breather under it too- help it last that much longer.

    1. rez | May 03, 2008 04:55pm | #22

      cedar breather under a metal roof.

       

       

      be Is that you Riversong?

      Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern

      Click here to visit the beginning of Breaktime

      1. byrnsie | May 03, 2008 05:16pm | #23

        I saw it being done last week at a commercial building in Boston. The installers say it's being spec'd alot now to keep condensation off the underside of the metal for longevity.

        1. rez | May 03, 2008 05:30pm | #24

          Makes sense.

          Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern

          Click here to visit the beginning of Breaktime

        2. fingersandtoes | May 14, 2008 01:14am | #25

          The cedar breather seems counter-intuitive to me. It is designed to help wood products, which are permeable, to dry. Metal roofing only has condensation when there is an air space underneath it. If it is tight to the underlayment, there is no condensation. I also wonder how you screw the roofing down tightly and avoid oil- canning.

          1. byrnsie | May 14, 2008 02:58am | #27

            I'm feeling better now as I was wishing I saw this tip before I did my own roof last fall.  It wasn't cedar breather- but that type of matting. This was on a commercial roof- the roofers told me they get that breather detail spec'd alot by archs now.

            What's your best tip for vacationing on Vancouver Island?  I was getting overwhelmed looking at web stuff about it- the island is so big it's hard to settle on an area to stay.

          2. fingersandtoes | May 14, 2008 04:47am | #28

            The parts of the island you want to see are not that far apart. Most of the area to the north isn't worth a trip.

            It breaks down into three areas:

            The South Island includes Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands. If you don't find time for Victoria, that's not the end of the world. I like the country around Cowichin Bay, Maple Bay and Genoa Bay. Small Wineries and Cheese makers in rolling agricultural land. Of the Southern Gulf Islands, Saltspring and Pender are my favorites. On the others there isn't much to do.

            The West coast is really just Tofino and Ucluelet. Anything north of that is pretty inaccessible and isolated. Long beach runs between them and is spectacular. Another good trip is from Port Alberni to Banfield on a small cargo and passenger boat called the Lady Rose. It goes through  the Broken Island Group , which is classic West Coast scenery.

            The East Coast is a bit more tame. Smaller trees and waves. There isn't much on the mainland, but Quadra and Cortez Islands are very nice.

            Hope this helps.

          3. byrnsie | May 14, 2008 05:25am | #30

            Thanks for that- I printed it out and will keep your tips to get the planning started.

            Thanks alot!

          4. byrnsie | May 14, 2008 02:48pm | #33

            check out post #32

          5. fingersandtoes | May 14, 2008 05:58pm | #34

            You definitely need a beathable underlayment. I use Grace's Tri-flex 30. Cedar breather is not a waterproof product, it is a rainscreen designed to provide an airspace. You still use building paper or Typar with cedar breather on walls.

          6. collarandhames | May 19, 2008 04:58am | #35

            Fingers and toes-

            You bring up a point I'm having problems understanding.  I'm doing a small insulated and heated garage for an organic food delivery company.  The existing steel roof is toast.  Old and has holes from nails and looks like ####.  I was planning on laying tyveck on old roof (rafters and strapping) then adding more strapping to achieve an air space, cheaper than adding plywood,, and should do the trick?  or have you a better idea?  I'm in peterborough ontario,, and we do get loads of cold days/nights?

              

          7. fingersandtoes | May 20, 2008 03:01am | #36

            In the past metal roofing was installed on strapping and an airspace provided in an attempt to allow the moisture that condensed on its underside to evaporate. Now, best practice seems to be to install the roofing over a synthetic underlayment (like Grace's Tri-flex 30 or similar, not tyvek) on plywood or strapping. The synthetic underlayment deals with the condensation, which is greatly reduced by there being no airspace between the roofing and underlayment.

            The airspace should now be below the strapping or plywood to deal with any inside air that makes its way into the insulation. If you go with blown in foam, this air space can also be eliminated.

            So, in your case I would tear off the old metal, either sheath in plywood or put in more strapping so that the underlayment didn't sag, install synthetic underlayment and re-roof with metal.

             

             

            Edited 5/19/2008 8:02 pm ET by fingersandtoes

          8. collarandhames | May 20, 2008 04:35am | #37

            Thanks for the advice.  I may just go with plan A.  Budgets and all.

            d

              

    2. seeyou | May 14, 2008 02:02pm | #31

      http://www.roofingcontractor.com/Articles/Feature_Article/4e10b5d880c58010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____http://grantlogan.net/

       

      But you all knew that.  I detailed it extensively in my blog.

      1. byrnsie | May 14, 2008 02:47pm | #32

        It made sense to me- and this article is dated 2001!

  5. rez | May 14, 2008 01:52am | #26

    Did you get the roofing?

    Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern

    Click here to visit the beginning of Breaktime

    1. WoodRivWW | May 14, 2008 05:15am | #29

      Based on advice I got from this thread, I discovered the roof was pretty light gauge and probably wouldn't survive the removal. We're going with a metal roof from "Metro Roof"

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