leaking roof

TGIN · Mar 20, 2017

I have a pole barn with a 3 rib galv.metal roof that was put on with nails in the ribs back before screws came on the seen . It is now leaking and running down the ins board under it . I have chalked the nails and can't get it to stop . What is the fix for my problem ?

Michael Soldan · Mar 20, 2017

I had a 24x40 shed with loose nails and leaking..it didn't take long to pull the nails and zip a screw in with the rubber gaskets on them. Cordless with an apron full of screws and a prybar and you can reach a lot of nails from one position before you have to move.I would say it took two half days. In you situation I wonder if the caulk is not completely around the nail head, otherwise caulking should work

kcm.MN · Mar 20, 2017

Michael is correct. The only proper fix for those nails is to remove them and replace with screws that are at least 1/4" longer than the nails.

Keep in mind that you should recheck the screws later in the year after you have gone some time without rain, and with warmer temps. The heat will dry out the wood, and the wood will shrink a little, which may cause the rubber washers on your screws to no longer have a snug fit. You don't want the rubber washers flattened by the screws either.

TGIN · Mar 20, 2017

I have chalked and chalked and look and look but just can't see how it can leak that much. I have had the idea of replacing with screws just thought I would see what other folks have had to do

Janicholson · Mar 20, 2017

Urethane Door and Window is as good as it gets. White Lexel (not silicone anything) is also great. Jim

rossow (mn) · Mar 20, 2017

Here's another option to consider: My metal shed (32x63) leaked terribly when I bought my small farm in 1989. Gaskets on many of the original screws had deteriorated, and some screws had even been incorrecly installed and cracked the metalt. I repeatedly tried pinpointing the leak sources and calking, with no luck. I considered replacing all the old screws with new ones, but, dang, there are a lot in a roof that size. I bought a couple of five-gallon buckets of elastomeric roof coating and brushed it on. It was easy to apply and looks good. I have had almost no leaks in the following quarter century. This may not be the fix for you, but it sure worked for me.

Ellis Kinney · Mar 20, 2017

Home Depot and others, I assume, sell a product called Seamer's Mate. It is in a caulk tube with a gold color to the tube. You will generally find it in the aisle where gutters are displayed. The sun will not ruin it like silicone. Ellis

Geo-TH,In · Mar 20, 2017

BIL, has a huge boat storage building. Same problem. He paid a guy to remove all nails and installed screws. Problem didn't go away, so he put purlins over the old metal roof and put a second roof on using screws.

There are many old metal roofs in Terre Haute with large gops of caulk over all the fasteners. Google Fastener failure.

Charles in Aus. · Mar 20, 2017

Had a similar problem on a machine shed down here .
Left all nail fixings in place and added a few extra screws for security around where the metal had corroded under the nail heads.
I had the local sheet metal shop fold up some gal sheet into long ribs that covered the existing ones, Three metre lengths to make handlng a little easier . Stuck these down with some Sikkens adhesive/ sealant and a few short hex head screws . Effectively I fitted rain hats to the existing ribs , never a leak in the last twenty years .

Fred Werring · Mar 20, 2017

The lumber yard I deal with sells roofing screws that are a larger diameter than the standard screws.

They're made that way so they'll bite in the old nail hole.

FWIW

Fred

Stephen Newell · Mar 20, 2017

What kind of caulk did you use? It would work better to use gutter and flashing caulk.

It could also be leaking at the joint. What kind of sealant did you use between the sheets?

Mark - IN. · Mar 20, 2017

Well, I suppose the right thing to do would be to replace them with screws that have the rubber seals under them, but that's got to be a lot of them. Preferred method though. I guess the next best thing would be to would be to make sure that the nails are tight and to tap them in if they aren't, and then "seal cote' them like used to and still may on mobile home roofs. Back up through at least the 1970's when I dealt with mobile homes, that's what we did and needed to do every few years to seal tight the seams. I'm betting the stuff made today is far better than back then. One thing for sure is that if you're using the old galvanized thick gauge stuff, that's good stuff that will still be up there long after we're both dead and gone if its taken care of. Don't want them perlins to rot out. You've identified the problem, so...best of luck.

Mark
Something like this

kcm.MN · Mar 20, 2017

One problem with simply pounding in the same nails is that they have lost much of their holding ability. Wood expands and contracts with changes in both temp and humidity. Humidity can come from snow or frost on top melting and leaking in, or can come from the inside of the building; tracked-in snow, moisture from exhaust, etc.

When the wood expands, it pushes the nail out a little ways. When the wood later contracts, the nail remains slightly out, which allows for more moisture to come in. Over time, the wood fibers will deteriorate around the nail shank and lose much of its holding power.

If you stay with nails and want to coat the roof, I would highly recommend replacing the nails with other nails at least 1/2" longer and with new rubber washers. However, you can replace the nails with screws of the same length because the diameter of the screws is larger than the diameter of the old nails. Also, as you already have holes going through the sheet steel, it will make installing screws all the easier.

Dune Country · Mar 21, 2017

When mine started leaking I just sprayed auto undercoating on all of the screw heads, liquid then hardens so it soaks in a little.
Temp fix but it workede good.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 21, 2017

Mark in the 60's I purchased a used mobile home when I was in college and I lived it when I got married.

There isn't enough money in Fort Knox for me to ever live in a METAL CAN WITH WOOD PANELING AGAIN!

I saw some old mobile homes demolished. You couldn't believe all the mold in the insulation. Some caused from condensation, some seam leaks and every screw on the siding leaked, rusty screws, enlarged holes in siding from trailer flexing.. . It's a wonder people didn't get sick from all the mold.

Angle Iron · Mar 21, 2017

Place I used to work at used a product called seal-o-flex best I recall. It was a multi step elastomeric product that worked pretty well. The also had a cloth backed butyl tape for repairing cracked metal and around 2 inch patches for covering leaking rusted nail/screw holes. You applied the tape or patch then finished with the primer and coating. That tape was very sticky and you better place right the first time as it was not coming off. That was 7-8 years ago and I would think it or something similar is out there.

leaking roof

TGIN

Well-known Member

Michael Soldan

Well-known Member

kcm.MN

Well-known Member

TGIN

Well-known Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

rossow (mn)

Member

Ellis Kinney

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

Charles in Aus.

Well-known Member

Fred Werring

Well-known Member

Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

Mark - IN.

Well-known Member

kcm.MN

Well-known Member

Dune Country

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

Angle Iron

Member

Similar threads