The cheap alternative to traditional roofing tiles, a roof made of tile effect sheets is both strong and appealing. These are usually made of galvanized steel and, once installed correctly, will not require any maintenance work for many years. Moreover, these suit any kind of building, even log cabins.
You may use these sheets as cover for a new roof but you are free to install them on top of an old structure. If the roof is already insulated, there will be no need of additional layers, except for the anti-condensation one, of which we will talk later.
To install tile effect roof sheets, some precise calculations are necessary. First of all, it’s the roof pitch that matters. Most manufacturers recommend a 10-degree roof pitch, at least. You have to check with the producer and see the specific recommendations though.
Proceed to measuring your roof to determine the sheet length you must purchase. Start with the house width and measure it with accuracy. Once you have the number, divide it by 1.1 and you will find out how many sheets will suffice for the length of this roof. If it’s necessary to round up the number obtained, do so.
Next, you need to measure the slope length. Measure to the point where the sheets would reach the center of the gutter. Make sure you won’t let any overhanging sheets. Combine sheets to obtain the total length that needs to be covered.
Are you worried about condensation and its effects? You must take preventive measures before you lay out the sheets, especially if you know or expect this to be an issue. Place a membrane against condensation right underneath the sheets, nothing else added. These special membranes will collect and hold any drop of water just until the temperature is high enough to dry it out/make it evaporate.
Use ridge caps with wings to fill in any gaps there may be. These may also help you obtain a better cover and not have to cut any of the sheets to make adjustments. When you lap these sheets, you should normally obtain a one-metre cover.
Should you still need to cut these, focus on the top sheet. Thus, you can cover the edge with a ridge or with an apron flashing. Circular steel saws are the best at getting this job done. Other types of cutters, like the disc ones, can damage the sheet in many ways. Remove all the resulting residue.
Adequate support is essential for these roofs. Use battening before you place the tile effect sheets. Use cross battens that are at least of 50 x 50mm. Again, you will have to double-check with the manufacturer to see what they recommend. You may purchase lightweight tile effect roofing sheets, because don’t mean much extra weight and are easier to install.
You may choose any color or finish from the standard roof palette. Tile effect sheets are simple to use and last long, but the even greater advantage is that they cost only a fraction of the price of regular roof tiles.
Thanks for the help. My wife and I will need to replace our roof soon and I think we want to switch to a tile roof. I hadn’t thought about the support that is necessary to hold a tile roof. Would it be wise to have someone come inspect my situation before I commit to tile?