Looking for a budget-friendly way to redecorate your roof? We believe that metal roofing is the answer to your problems.
Not only does a metal panel look good, but it’s also highly durable, ensuring you get a fantastic return on investment. It blocks water during the rainy season to keep the house well-protected, and there’s no chance of warping under extreme heat.
Plus, you’ve many options to choose from, leading to its increasing popularity among homeowners. From aluminum to copper, you can choose the material best suited to your needs to keep your family safe and secure.
Now, many people often feel that installing a new roof is difficult, but that’s far from the truth. Yes, it’s time-consuming, but our detailed guide will show you that even first-time users can learn how to install metal roofing over plywood.
Installing Metal Roofing Over Plywood
Note the six simple steps mentioned below, and in no time, you can have an attractive roof to spruce up your home.
Tools Required
For starters, you’ll have to remove the old roofing material to make way for your new metal roof. It’s vital that you don’t rush through the preparation; take your time and be thorough instead.
You’ll require quite a few tools for both the preparation and the installation. So, we’ve made a list of the important components, ensuring that you can work uninterrupted.
Some of the more obvious components include a plush broom, ladder, roofer’s felt, slip sheet, utility knife, hammer, and ½-inch nails. That’s not all; we’ll mention the rest of the tools as we go along.
Preparing The Plywood Deck
First and foremost, you’ll need to check the existing plywood for signs of damage. Some of the things you should check are – whether the plywood is 15/32 inches thick and if it’s starting to warp. If the measurement isn’t right or there are warped pieces, you’ll have to get the plywood replaced.
Once you’ve made the alterations, hammer down the nails that are sticking up and use the plush broom to clean the surface. This will help you get a smooth foundation, which forms the base for laying the new metal panels.
Also, remember to remove unused pipes and vents that might interfere with the procedure. Having said that, mark out existing pipes that you need to prevent damage during installation.
Installing Waterproof Felt And Slip Sheet
Next, use the waterproof felt and slip sheet as you wouldn’t want to lay the panel directly on top of the plywood. This has several benefits, among which durability is the most important since it offers double-layered protection against weather and moisture.
Proceed to lay down the roofer’s felt on all areas of the roof and remember to ensure that each row overlaps by two inches. Then use the utility knife to trim the felt around pipes, vents, and other protruding structures but make sure there are no gaps.
Once you cover the roof, ensure that the felt is lying flat with no creases before nailing it down with the ½-inch nails. Now, the slip sheet will go on top of the roofing felt, which prevents tearing and keeps the felt from sticking to the metal panels.
Once again, nail it down and make sure that the surface is even, permitting you to complete the remaining steps.
Installing Flashing And Gutter
No roof is complete without flashing and gutters which are often neglected but are equally important in upholding the quality of the structure. Therefore, measure the roof edge with a tape and trim the flashing to get a tight fit.
For this, you’ll need to use metal snips while the ½-inch roofing nails hold it together along the edge of the roof. Similarly, you’ll need to locate the valley for the gutter and place the gutters down using metal snips and nails.
Laying The Metal Roof Panel
To install the metal panels, it’s best to work from left to right, which will give you a better idea of the angles to complete the project. Hence, start at the bottom left-hand corner and use a chalk box to snap a vertical line, measuring ¼-inch from the edge of the rake.
For those who don’t know, the rake edge sits just above the house and allows a free passage to the water. This prevents the water from running down the side of the house to prevent damage.
So, once you locate the rake edge, snap the line and proceed to square it with the eave before placing the first panel. Now, you’ll have to progress systematically towards the ridge by extending the panels one-inch over the edge of the roof. To hold them down, punch the panels with the 1-½-inch galvanized screws at a distance of 12 to 16 inches.
Installing The Remaining Column
The ideal way to lay down the remaining panels is to work your way to the top and then come down to start over. This way, you’ll need to complete several rows of panels before the roof is covered completely.
Moreover, the second row of panels should be laid down on top of the first row, overlapping the edge by 12 inches. After the second row is complete, you must place the left-side rib of every subsequent row, adjacent to the right-side rib of the previous row.
Applying The Final Touches
Once the roof is ready, attach the ridge and lay down the rubber pipe boot kits to carefully surround the vent. Lastly, climb down safely and leave the metal panels to set.
Final Words
That’s how you install metal roofing over plywood, and hopefully, the guide wasn’t boring.
Buy all the materials and tools beforehand and pick a bright sunny day to install the metal panels. That’s it from our side; feel free to refer to our guide whenever in doubt.
Need professional help when it comes to roofing services in Chino Hills CA? Contact us and get a quote now.