Temporary 12 month roof covering?
Bro has some mountain hunting land near Binghamton, NY. He has a 12-wide, very old mobile home on it as a temporary “home” until he has a real house built. Unfortunately this mobile home’s roof keeps peeling and leaking. Even using the alumina-cote type rubberized reflective mobile home roof tar doesn’t keep the old roof stuff from peeling. You can scrape, recoat…. but then it peels. Sometimes in a new spot all over.
So, not wanting to put a big investment of money into replacing the mobile home roof, nor construct a roof-over framing….
What kind of relatively inexpensive waterproof construction membrane can be used on the roof that will last for a year at a time? in the sun? Maybe even 6 months if it is cheap enough.
Can something like Tyvek or TuTuff withstand sun and elements for a year on the roof? What about coating Tyvek or TuTuff with reflective roofing tar?
Any ideas?
Replies
Seal-o-Flex (check their web site) might be cheap enough, and would certainly work if you can find a dist. Basically, a thick coat of "pink stuff" is painted (hand rolled) on to relatively clean substrate, polester reinforcing fabric is immediately laid on, then more pink stuff to saturate (40 square feet per gallon for both coats, $19/gal). Next day, paint on the white top coat. Third day, recoat the white top coat (70 square feet per gallon for both coats, $18/gal). the trick would be to find someone who stocks the 2 gallon pails, not the 5s. This literaly can be done with a paint roller and utility knife, and will last 5 years without re-coating the top coat, perhaps 10. Since it's white, the roof will be SIGNIFICANTLY cooler than a dark coating.
There is one coat, unreinforced product called MuleHide, but I have problems with it gapping over time at joints.
Of course, a really good heavy tarp well tied down might be cheaper . . .
Fprrest
painted (hand rolled) on to relatively clean substrate
Well, that's a problem.... as I said, the existing roof keeps peeling and flaking off. The wind could get under what you propose and just lift off.
The peeling and flaking off is not a problem - the Seal-o-Flex will make a membrane - you just don't want gravel crapping up your paint roller during application.
Forrest
http://sealoflex.com/sealoflex_index.htm
This looks like an all around good solution, especially since the roof has penetrations for plumbing vents and the chimney.
Thanks for the idea.
Here's a recent Seal-o-Flex project I did. Replacing a decades old metal over 1X roof with integral gutters and LOTS of damage
Forrest
I think a brown or green colored tarp would fit in better with the decor of a hunting cabin.
San Francisco is like granola: Take away the fruits and the nuts, and all you have are the flakes.
No, you need a harbor freight camo tarp. Be blending in.
Green ones DEFINATELY leak big time.
the plain old blue tarps that when on roofs in this area after the hurricanes lasted at least 6 months , might get a year out of them . I would just streach it tight and screw it with a batten to the edges of the mobile home . should be able to do it for less than 100.00 . and if you have to do it twice its still cheap
try harbor freight for big tarps
Edited 1/14/2006 10:54 pm ET by skip555
I was under the impression that blue tarps leak a little.
Ive nevr personally used one on a roof but they where used in bulk after the hurricanes , some of them where left on long enough that they actully rotted Ive seen peaple use them since on roofs that werent hurricane damaged but are presumably leaking I have used them to cover trailers, boats, lawnmowers ect. and not noticed leakage. when my sons where in boy scouts the troop had a very large one they used as a dining fly and I never noticed leakage . we had one covering the boat and if it wasnt tied down properly water would puddle and stay in it untill we dumped it.its certainly no replacemant for a proper roof , but if I just needed to get by for a year or so I would try it .another thing ive seen done around here is a pole barn type roof over a mobile home . poles or 4x4 higher than the mobile home roof then a wooden frame covred with either tin roofing or corragated fiberglass panels more than a tarp but less then a proper roof .
There'd be holes cut for plumbing vents and chimney/flue, which would have to be sealed. The tarp of any kind would be cheap but a pain to seal. That seal-o-flex looks good.
The pole barn would be much more expensive and take longer to do. I have seen these done on mobile homes, some done connected and some done more like a suspended roof. Both saved on air condition costs, keeping the tin can cooler.
I was involved in tarping some mobile homes after hurricane charley last year and we slit the tarps where they went over the plumbing vents and painted it with canned roofing tar . I have no idea how long it lasted I was part of a group of volenteers and we went in to help out so no idea as to the effectivness ,or long term duriblity
"I was under the impression that blue tarps leak a little."They don't leak at all unless there's holes in them. I use them all the time for additions but that's only until I'm done framing and then the roofer comes in. I wouldn't trust a tarp fo one year without it blowing off unless you have it down as tight as a pair of stockings.Joe Carola
The blue tarps work better if you buy the thickest available (green or silver). Also use two layers because the exposed layer will protect the protected layer from sun and wind. The exposed layer always seams to leak after a month or so. I like the rubber membrane idea, but it only comes in ten foot widths.
Rubber roofing would be my solution and I would not glue it I would let it hang over the edge and run treated 2x4's screwed to the trailer to hold the roof in place.Then after the house is built you could reclaim it and make a nice watergarden with waterfall.
ANDYSZ2
I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
I thought about rubber membranes, but dismissed it because of the expense in this situation would be a waste of money. Your idea for a watergarden would make great re-use. But the membrane would get a bunch of holes it it for the plumbing vents and the chimney/flue. That seal-o-flex stuff sound promising.
My vote is for blue tarp(s). A number of old tires w/ the wheels work good to hold the tarps in place ;-)
A number of old tires w/ the wheels work good to hold the tarps in place ;-)
LOL. Sounds like an Arkansas Hillbilly soultion, and will look like one too when complete.
Check this out
http://www.americover.com
Product: Dura Skrim 8 wb
It is a fiber re-inforced plastic sheet. We use it in crawl spaces. It is incredibly tough, puncture and tear resistant and will easily last a year. The difference as it was explained to me is that they use virgin resins while the stuff you buy at HD is of recycled resins and is not as UV resistant and stable. If you have ever been in a crawl space and seen the plastic deteriorate you get my point. You could order a piece cut to fit and cover the whole roof and terminate it to the fascia with furring of some sort. They make a tape for the penetrations that is among the stickiest I have seen. The part number = 8 mil wb= white one side black the other.
That's interesting... What is the approximate cost of the material you use in a crawl space?
You referred to the stuff at HD - are you talking about regular 6 mil poly, or are you talking about some other material? I have seen reinforced poly either there or at Lowes, but have never bought any...
Talking about reg. 6 mil poly. I have never seen reinforced poly at HD or Lowes in my market(FLA). I would have to pull an invoice as I haven't ordered in a while. I think it was around .12 to .15 a foot with shipping. They will send samples on request. It is the toughest poly I have ever seen and is available up to 16 or 20 mil.
Cover the trailer with a military surplus tarp. http://www.govliquidation.com
roll roofing.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
"Pond Liner comes in standard widths from 5.5' to 50' and in lengths up to 200'. For any cuts wider than 50', it is necessary to splice multiple pieces together." http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/pond_liners.asp?src=googleaws&kw=pond_liners_pmfrom what I can tell the difference between roofing EPDM and pond EPDM is that the roofing comes with talc on it
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter
A solution that has already lasted for 5 years...
Make a sparse, rough frame over the top of the trailer. With a ridge running the length. Or with one side higher than the other. Do try to stay with at least a 4-12 pitch.
Lay -black- 6 mil plastic over that.
Lay tarps over that.
The tarps get their edges rolled in lath, and screwed right to the sides of the trailer.
You pull that tight as you can get it, and I guarantee it'll last 4 or 5 years.
A few points...
*If you do the frame right, you can let the air flow through under it, and the vents will still work. Mine do. And I didn't even make a careful frame over the trailer.
*Make sure you use black plastic. It is more uv resistant.
*Keep shingling and flashing principles in mind when laying the tarps and plastic out.
*Go to Costco and get the tarps. They have tarps that are silver one side, blue the other. They are 12 by 16. You get two in the package for 15 dollars. Put them on, silver side up.
*Make sure you pull it as tight as you can get it before you screw the edges down.
I have used this method for more than 5 years now. It works perfectly. We just recently had 3 feet of snow. That snow hung around for weeks. When the snow was the deepest on the roof, I went out and checked. The tarp was not sagging between the "joists". Not even slightly. It was still perfectly flat. That is how tight I have that thing stretched.
The plastic, and the point of pulling the tarps as tight as you can get them, are the major factors in never having a leak. Tarps are water resistant, not waterproof...
Also, this roof method has lasted well through every spring and fall's big windstorm seasons. I get winds well over 100mph here in the spring and fall. Just another reason to make sure you get them tight.
Also, rolling a piece of lath in the edge, and screwing through that every 6 inches at least, is important. Don't just lap the lath with the tarp edge. Roll the edge completely around, and then one more turn at least. The lath should be along every bit of the edge. Not just here and there.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
Here is a pic of how I lapped the lath with the tarp.
Install it with the lap over the top of the lath, not under it, when installed.
Pull it down as tight as you can get it. Predrill a 16th" hole. Dab the hole with a button of lexel caulk. Install a piffin screw through a finish washer.
Do this every 6 inches.
View Image
It is easiest to do this if you staple the tarp to the lath for that first lap. Don't staple through the final lap.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
I thought your original idea of the TuTuf was a good one. Lightweight, so it would go up easy, and tough to puncture. May be overkill though, since it will last a lot longer than a year.
Alternately, the heavier 'green' or 'silver' tarps are better than blue.
Ya know, if t lasts longer than originally intended that's not a bad thing. I'll bet the real house will NOT go up in the next 2 years!