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Removing Steel Roof

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Joe in MO

10-09-2002 13:50:59




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I have been offered (if I want it) a older corrugated steel building, it is an older wooden 2 story barn that had the steel roof on and on the sides as well, question is, is there a easier way or tool to remove the nails and somehow save the tin, and a faster way? I am going to be working up on the 2 story, and want to be up there the shortest amount of time (fear of heights) to remove the roof and basiclly rebuild the barn at my place. any tool besides two claw hammers? or a wrecking bar? any suggestions on the best way to remove the tin?

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Joe in MO

10-10-2002 09:16:05




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
Thanks for all your suggestions,, I will have to look into what some have suggested a "nipper' but still cannot visual what that is,, I want to save as much tin as possible but also want to spend the least amount of time on this two story roof.. the hardest part after that is taking the beams down, they are inserted with dowels.. and lot of nice old oak in the barn,,will look great at my house if I ever get it down,, maybe have a old fasioned barnraising..

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BillW

10-14-2002 23:05:33




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-10-2002 09:16:05  
When you put the tin back up... be sure to check out using 'Pole Barn Screws'... They have a 1/4 of 5/16 hex head and a neoprene washer to seal the hole... Also can come in colors. They are much easier to install and tighten years later when the tin's flexing loosens them.



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Joe in MO

10-11-2002 07:03:09




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-10-2002 09:16:05  
Thanks again, now I know what "nippers" are,, I have a couple since we tried doing our own trimming on our horses, and discovered it was cheaper to pay someone $18 to do it, then fight with them... I'll try that idea.. and the handles thanks, It is a old Oak barn, I may be bitting more than I can chew.. but hoping to salvage enough of this to build a decent horse barn to get them out of the other one and put my tractor back in... thanks,, I'll be taking pictures throughout and give you all a update..probalby would be a year long project, as I will be doing this with friends and family, the cost for labor would be equal to just buying a new metal building so I'm doing it myself..

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david

10-11-2002 06:28:16




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-10-2002 09:16:05  
I've taken down several buildings over the years and came to the conclusion that buying new metal for the roof is a given. Generally the side tin is in worse shape so I usually figure on using the old roof for the sides and buing new roofing, discarding the damaged side material. With old oak I usually reassemble with bolts as much as possible or at least fence plank nails (just discovered them about 4 years ago). They may be called something else in your area, 5" long, 16penny diameter, case hardened, twisted. I've since given up on salvaging oak barns (old oak, is just too hard to work with) labor costs were eating up any savings. Still salvage some hemlock or poplar.

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T_Bone

10-10-2002 14:08:42




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-10-2002 09:16:05  
Hi Joe,

A pair of horse hoof trim nippers works well and looks just like the others are saying. There longer handled for more leverage and reasonable cost at the feed store.

It's easier and faster to nip off the nail head then remove the nail shank at a latter time as it's faster and doesn't ding as many roofing sheets.

If your going to nip off the nail head, add 3ft handles to the nippers so you don't have to bend over.

T_Bone

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JMS/MN

10-09-2002 22:22:55




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
Lay a small diameter pipe in the corrugation next to the nail and use either a claw hammer or a wonder bar to pull the nail out. With a small corrugation, make a tool with two pipes and some flat stock welded to them, holding them the proper distance apart, with a flat stock in the middle to rest the hammer on.



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jerry

10-10-2002 06:23:39




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to JMS/MN, 10-09-2002 22:22:55  
Thats a good suggestion. I will be saving that idea for future reference.



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paul

10-09-2002 18:46:13




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
A good long-handled nippers or pincher. Clip each nailhead off. No damage at all to the tin. This works the best if you want the tin.

If you are saving to wood, you have to follow up & pull each piece of nail, so probably twice the work, but the tin comes off fast & undamaged.

--->Paul



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Matt

10-09-2002 19:02:47




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to paul, 10-09-2002 18:46:13  
Have used this method on two large buildings. Works good, faster than a hammer with much less damage, but still slow. Channelock makes a good set of nippers for this, but we slid some pipe over the handles for a little more leverage.



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Jim-IL

10-09-2002 18:33:40




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
I just went through this, removing the tin from a 22' x 44 building. This tin was the kind with wavy coregations about 2-3" on center. I used a flat bar, maybe 12' long with the end turned up about 2" with a claw. I just tapped the claw gently with a hammer under the nail head and pried it out. It deformed the metal a slight bit, but not enough to bother. When I put the metal on the new building, I spaced the nailers so I could use the nail holes. When I was through nailing I went over the nails with a caulking gun w/silicone to cover any oversize holes.

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Dennis Benson

10-09-2002 18:21:39




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
I've been using end cutters to grab under the head of the nail and pry them out.



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John S-B

10-09-2002 16:05:53




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 Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Joe in MO, 10-09-2002 13:50:59  
If you are trying to save the tin the only way to save it is to take out the nails one at a time. you will have to use some small boards to pry against to keep from damaging the tin. If the metal was put on with screws it will be easier, you can take them off with a cordless drill ( the more voltage the better, I use an 18volt )and a nut driver. If the metal is the old standing seam type it will be darn near impossible to get off without damaging it. Most good hardware store sell a tool that looks like a shovel but it has claws on the end that dig under the roofing material so you can pry up the nails and roofing. I also punched holes in some old roofing with a claw hammer and ran a log chain thru it, then hooked the other end to my truck to pull it off. I hate roofing!

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Dusty

10-09-2002 17:59:00




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 Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to John S-B, 10-09-2002 16:05:53  
I took a pair of end nippers and ground a v-notch in each side, to grab the nail under the head, rebuilt one handle to take a slide hammer, like a dent puller. Grab the nail under the head and hammer it out, works very well,one nail at a time.

Good Luck,
Dusty



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John in MA

10-09-2002 18:56:21




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 Re: Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Dusty, 10-09-2002 17:59:00  
There's a commercial tool similar to that. The slide hammer pounds the jaws under the nail, then you pry on one arm that pops it out. I have an ancient one by Crescent and I know a couple companies still make them.



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John S-B

10-09-2002 18:33:40




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 Re: Re: Re: Removing Steel Roof in reply to Dusty, 10-09-2002 17:59:00  
Sounds like that would work good, but there's still an awful lot of nails in a roof :^(



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