How to Install a Tin Roof

Tap to Read ➤ Bidisha Mukherjee

Tin roofs are becoming increasingly popular because of their excellent insulation and reflection properties. The task of tin roof installation is not as challenging as it seems. This story takes you through the procedure of installing a tin roof.

There are several benefits of using a tin roof. Tin is a very environmentally-friendly metal and is far cheaper compared to any other metal roofing material. Many people avoid having this kind of roof as they believe it can make a lot of noise in the rain.

However, it is installed on plywood and roofing felt which suppresses sounds to a great extent. It is not affected by any kind of corrosion resulting from water and salt, and it can last for almost four to five decades.

Procedure

Preparation

Before you start, first check the quantity of material required for this project. Take the measurements of the length, breadth, and height of each side of the roof. When you show these measures to any supply company, they will be able to calculate the exact quantity of material you will require and supply the tin sheets accordingly.

To prepare the surface, you have to remove all the old shingles and any other kind of roofing material. Inspect the area carefully to find out if there are any nails. Then, clean the surface of any sorts of debris.

Setting Up the Base

The next thing you must do is prepare the right base. For this, lay sheets of felt to cover the entire surface. To ensure that there is no open space between two sheets of felt, overlap each sheet with the adjacent sheet. Use button cap nails to fix the felt sheet in place. As the head of these nails are broad, the sheet will not get torn.

Roofing felt acts as a sound barrier and helps to keep the noise of the rain to a minimum level. Another advantage is that it prevents all kinds of bugs and insects from entering the home. Then, lay slat boards over the felt. These boards are mainly made of pine wood and are available in measures of 1 x 4 inches.

Start laying them lengthwise from the bottom of the roof at a gap of 2 feet, and fix them in place with extra long screws. This enhances the strength and firmness of the structure and facilitates better ventilation of the underlying the metal surface. Due to these boards, the task becomes much easier.

Laying the Sheets

The roofing material is in the form of rolls. In order to minimize the number of joints on the tin, you should keep each strip very lengthy. Divide the area according to the way you can lay the straight piece strips, and mark each section where the panels have to be laid in straight lines.

Straight lines drawn in this manner will be helpful to keep the sheets of tin straight. Cut the panels from the roll using tin snips. Start the installation work from the left side of the roof. Fix the metal with the base surface using the nails and a hammer.

Hammer one nail at a distance of 1 foot. Once you secured one sheet of tin tightly, only then move on to the next sheet. The sheets should be laid so that 2 adjacent panels will overlap each other. Finally, when you are done, all the overlapping joints should be sealed with roofing cement so that water or small insects do not enter through the tiny openings.

One word of caution, tin roofs can get corroded if exposed to acid rain. If your house is located near any industrial park where there is a probability of acid rain, it is advisable to use another type of metal.