How to Install Corrugated Metal Roofing

Corrugated Metal Roofing Has been around for hundreds of years, but has gotten a bad reputation as a result of many sheds, warehouses and factories using this material improperly. This roofing material is beginning to make a comeback on residential homes, modern day corrugated metal roofs have been given a make over. As technology has advanced, the quality and appearance of the roofing material has, too. The overlapping metal plates that make up this roofing material are lightweight and can be cheaply mass produced. They are effective at keeping out the elements, are surprisingly strong, can withstand a great deal of weight and effectively insulate the house. Here are instructions on how to install your own corrugated metal roof.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Claw Hammer
• Steel Tape
• Electric circular saw with carbide-tipped blade
• Chalk line
• String
• Nail apron
• Utility knife
• Corrugated Metal Sheets
• Measuring Tape
• 3 Inch Sheet Metal Roof Nails
• Ridge Caps

Installing Corrugated Metal Roofing

1. Calculate the number of metal sheets you will need by measuring the length of roof’s ridge in inches. Divide this number by 44, which is the width of the average metal sheet. This will tell you how many rows of metal sheets you will need. Measure the length of the roof’s slopes in feet, the distance from the top of the roof to the edge. Divide this number by six to find out how many columns of metal sheeting you will need. Multiply the number of columns by the number of rows to find out the number of metal sheets you need.

2. Calculate the number of ridge caps you will need by measuring the circumference of the roof and the length of the ridges on the top of the roof in feet. Divide this number by six to find out how many six foot ridge caps you will need.

3. Begin the roofing by placing your metal sheet at one corner of the roof at the very bottom near the roof’s lip. The roof should be covered only with standard roofing felt at this point. Pound nails into the metal sheet to secure it. Each nail should be placed on the center of the hump of the metal, where it bends away from the roof rather than toward it. Do not drive nails into the humps near the edges of the sheet yet. You should use about twenty nails per sheet.

4. Place the second metal sheet next to the first with the first hump of the two sheets overlapping. This overlapping is what gives these roofs their strength. Nail this sheet into place the same as the first and repeat this process until the bottom row is complete.

5. Hang ridge caps along the bottom edge of the sheeting, they should curve over the lip of the roof. Nail these into place to seal the bottoms of the sheets in tightly and cover the corrugations from sight. This makes the roof look better and prevents water from seeping in under the metal. Use should use about 40 nails for each six-foot length of ridge cap.

6. Place the first sheet of the second row just about the first sheet of the first row. It should overlap the top of the first sheet by about an inch. Nail this sheet securely into place and lay down each sequential sheet to overlap both the sheet below it and the sheet to it’s side.

7. Repeat step 6 as many times as necessary until the entire roof has been covered with meal sheets. Line the slope edges and ridge of the roof with ridge caps. They will prevent water from leaking in from the sides and top of the roof where the corrugated underside of the sheets would otherwise be exposed to the air. With this complete, you’re done.

Tips & Warnings

• To cut the metal use a sharp utility knife and cut with the corrugations. If cutting against the corrugations make sure to use an electric circular saw with a carbide tipped blade.

Resources

• More Info On The Benefits of Corrugated Metal Roofing