Roofing

[Amber Gold]

Getting ready to put a roof on my 14x22 sugar house and am ordering materials. I’m going with a metal roof and looking at supporting materials for the metal roof. I was thinking of going with 1x3 strapping at 16” o.c., but talking with someone they mentioned concerns with condensation and walking on the roof. Not sure if the condensation concerns were due to evaporator liquid condensing on the roof or if temperature differences between inside and outside were the concern (like glass of cold water on a humid day) or both. To use strapping it would cost approximate $60 for the whole roof. The alternative would be to use some sort of plywood (OSB, plywood, Advantech) which is a lot more money ranging from $160 (OSB) to $300 (plywood and Advantech). Apparently OSB is better than it used to be, but not sure how it would stand up to all the evaporated water. I’ll have a steam hood eventually and will pipe it into the cupola, but that won’t be until after next season the earliest, likely the season after that.

I’d just as soon as go with the 1x3 strapping and call it good, but with limited building experience thought I bounce it off you guys and see what you had to say, done, and experienced.

I plan on ordering materials for delivery next week.

Thanks

[Maplewalnut]

I went with full 5/8 OSB under my metal roof. As you mentioned it is definitely more money up front but it should last for a very long time and in my mind ties everything together better than strapping.

I boiled last year without a hood and had no condensation problems and more importantly have no mold growth on the OSB inside the structure today.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

I used 1x3 16 oc, when the steam hits the cold metal it condenses and makes a rain storm on me, very uncomfterable. My plan on this was to build a ceiling in the sugarhouse, but going on 3 years and still no ceiling.. Would it be cheaper to cover the rafters with rough cut boards then the metal?? that works good and looks nicer then plywood..

[Haynes Forest Products]

Josh
What do you mean by strapping? Lets go back to the bldg If you have roof trusses store baught or you built them you need to have something to support the metal roof. If you cut in 1x3 to help support the metal roof and allow for screwing down of the roof that will work. I think you would be better putting down OSB and then the metal roof. Why you ask........ You will have a stronger bldg. If you rely on the roof that is screwed down with rubber washerd screws the bldg will flex and condensation will run down the inside of the metal and at every firing strip it will drip on you. Putting down a OSB underlayment will keep the bldg strong and you can walk on it. I have OSB in my evaporator room and I painted it white 17 years ago and the moisture has not hurt it a bit. You will need something to support the overhangs and keep the roof joists square so go with the OSB

[maplecrest]

if you have strapping and see the metal from the inside with no steam hoods or pipes thru the roof it is going to rain inside your sugar house. if you could deck it with plywood or old boards then put the metal on the steam will vent out better. i lived in the rain for 13 season before hoods and stacks thru the roof

[RileySugarbush]

Using full wood support such as OSB or lumber will be a heck of a lot quieter than an exposed metal roof in a rain storm too....

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Any water that forms on the OSB won't be enough to drip at least 99% of the time and it will dry really quick and not absorb into the wood. If you were doing it all day every day than that is one thing, but with syrup, nothing to be concerned about. What is $ 100 if it saves you a lot of headache down the road and makes a better building.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I painted with a latex KILZ and it has a mold retardent that works well and you get better light with white walls and ceiling.

[Amber Gold]

I guess that settles it. OSB it is. My initial thoughts were the OSB would hold up to the evaporator water, but I guess it's not a problem.

I agree rough cut boards would look better, but it's also a lot more work. Not sure what the cost difference would be.

Thanks for the input.

[ennismaple]

We've strapped our sugar house and our new tank house with 1x8 oak boards that weren't suitable for woodworking. We left about a foot between each board. This way the roof is super strong, you can screw the steel down super tight and it's no problem to walk on it if you need to do any repairs or shovel 3' of snow off it in the winter. We've got 2 cupulas to keep it from raining. I personally wouldn't use any sort of engineered board because it will swell a lot due to the moisture.

[brookledge]

When I built my sugarhouse in 2002 I used 2X4 for straping across the rafters and spaced at 24"(Ithink). Any ways it is noisy on heavy rains but then again I'm not there most of the year and there might be one or two rain storms during the sugaring season so i can deal with it.
If I was to do it again I'd do it the same way cause it would cost alot for me to put plywood or osb down first.
Keith

[3% Solution]

AG,
I would tend to agree with most of the guys on here, go with the 5/8" OSB.
I would spend a bit more and tar paper it (15# felt) before I put the metal down.
That's going to help keep the OSB dry where it doesn't get much air movement.
The steam from the evaporator won't bother too much, as there is air movement inside.
This movement will cause the OSB to dry out.
When wood rots, it's because it's wet constantly for weeks on end.
Hope this helps.

Dave

[peacemaker]

amber gold before i would spend the money on the osb which i dont feel is a great product for the roof i would check prices on 1x6 or 1x8 rough sawn it may be more may not butt them up tight or heres another thought do 1x6 spaced 16 to 24 oc then next year when u have more money nail 1x up under your fafters that way no rain just as a fine woodworker i dont agree with osb it off gasses alot and as we like to call it its just sawdust holding hands

[jrthe3]

i have been around building all my life the point of useing metal roofing is that you do not have to sheet the roof and you can put your rafters on 4 foot centers doing it that way keeps the cost down but if you are going to use osb sheeting you will have to put your rafters on 2 foot center at most going with a sheeted roof shingles would be alot cheeper then tin roofing i have priced roofs out both ways it is about the same price cause what you save on lumber you will spend on tin or what you spend on lumber you will save on shingles sheeting it then tinning it is going to cost the most

plus shingles are alot less up keep don't have to seal them ever few years like you do with tin

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Just finished my roof on my new building. I went with 2x6 rough cut rafters spaced at 24 inches and a solid rough cut roof and brown sheet metal. I wanted to avoid the "rain" of the old building and improve the overall strength. Not sure where $'s compare. I cut all the logs and have my own mill so to me it was a time issue, not money. I don't like OSB either but there seems to be a lot of it in use.

[PATheron]

Doug- I roofed mine the same way for the same reason and it worked well. I hardly get any dripping at all. We have access to rough cut here and it is great for building outbuildings and looks good as a sugarshed. Theron

[maple flats]

I also did trusses 24" on center with 1x6 and 1x8 roof boards alternately with 6" space between then steel roofing. It did rain the first year but then I made a hood and extended the steam stacks up into the cupola. Now I get no rain inside. I very seldom get rain heavy enough to be distracting while boiling.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think the less nooks and cranies that you have over your evaporator the less dust dead bugs flies and crap finds its way into all areas and come out at the worst moment. I find that when the heat starts all the bugs come out from all sorts of areas and fall down. I have a hood so its not a problem for me just something to think about.