Pics of workshop roof problem, advice needed

[paulc]

Hello,

I'm in the process of fitting soakers under slates at side abutment of my workshop, and I'm not sure how to bend the lead around the corner at the end without cutting it and thus risking a leak.

Ignore the bit of duct tape at the corner, basically don't know how to turn the soaker round this corner without cutting it?

Any and all info appreciated , cheers , Paul

 

[stevep]

You won't be able to fit it without a cut. Firstly fold your lead into a L shape and then cut the shorter side . The lead will then fold around the corner.
What is of more concern is the angle of your roof, considering you are using a slate type of covering. That angle looks nowhere near steep enough. I am sure there will be others along shortly with more knowledge on these matters than me.

 

[MikeG.]

This looks like it is going seriously amiss to me.

Firstly, the main priority should be fixing the existing roof.......the missing ridge tiles and pointing can only lead to a leak, and rotting.

Secondly, the soakers at the lower end should be lapped under the tiles on the adjoining roof, not dressed over tham..........this could actually force water into your new roof.

Thirdly, that is virtually a flat roof, and those tiles are sinmply not suitable for that pitch. I don't specify artificial slates, so I don't know what the minimum pitch is........but you look to be at a max. of about 7 to 10 degrees, from what I can see, and that is suitable only for a sheet-type material.

Fourthly, the soakers will need a cover flashing dressed into the rendered abutment wall.....otherwise rain running down the wall will actually be captured and forced into the new roof.

I would do whatever I could to avoid the little back gutter you are about to create at that corner. I think I would use a tilting fillet , and would expect the plumber/ roofer to do some lead welding to get around the corner. A really skilled dresser of lead might be able to do it with some code 6 or 7 lead without welding.

Finally, I am not sure what I am seeing, but I am not even sure that that leadwork is in the form of soakers. Soakers are individual pieces of lead folded at right angles that course with the tiles.........this looks like only 2 pieces of lead to me, and there should be at least 7 or 8.

Paul, with the greatest of respect, I wonder if you have bitten off more than you can chew here. I think it may be time to get a little help. A competent builder should sort this out for you in short order, as would a roofer. Even an architect to advise you, would be a help. Just finishing this roof off looks to me to be asking for huge problems.

Sorry!!

Mike

........oh, and why are you only tiling a strip one and a half tiles wide?

 

[fobco]

hi,the pitch is far to shallow for non asbestos,it looks about 12 degrees,there is only a couple of bold roll concrete tiles that go that low,it will suck the water under the slates,as for the lead quite easy to boss or cut and burn,but then i am a lead worker,if you are going to continue you should put another slate on first,then get a lump of lead in two pieces,bend around the wall cut it so there is one inch on the slate,then use lead sealant and stick another piece on the slate and cut around the wall,that will last a few years if done right,but its not right and will not last as it should,frank.

 

[trousers]

Minimum pitch for artificial slates is 22.5 degrees.
Mike's right, it's a lash up.
Get a builder/roofer in.

 

[Doug B]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[paulc]

Thanks for the help lads,

I know how shallow the roof looks from the angle of the photo, but its actually 21 degrees, non-standard roofs for the tiles used can be a max of 5 degrees less than 25, so just in tolerance.

Mike, will certainly fix ridge tiles on storage shed beside, but not really a priority at the minute, nothing of value in that shed.

Soakers at lower end are turned over out of the way, will be cutting them, but not sure how to embed them or the flashing to come, in existing shed as they'll be below water line.- pantiles meet slate at eaves

Could I grind a groove in the pantiles and mortar into them? Dodgy I know

Tilting fillet is an excellent idea, but I don't think I have access to any light weight lead, what about flahsband?

Soakers are 38cm long by 9 inch wide, there are actually seven there , with an equal amount of each under tiles, they overlap by about 10cm, but I can see that it looks like a single piece in the pic.

Didn't buy tile and a half tiles , and the bit to the left is a space for roof window, I think that answers the question about 'why are you tiling a strip one and a half tiles wide', but if not let me know.

Frank , can you recommend a lead sealant, Cheers

 

[trousers]

Paul

your soakers MUST finish underneath your tiles where the slates and tiles meet, which will mean taking off the bottom tile to do so. Also ensure the bottom soaker and the cover flashing are dressed over the next tile down the roof before you refix the tile you have removed.
Your cover flashing over the soakers needs to be fixed into a 25mm deep chanel cut into the shed wall above and parallel to the top of the soakers, ie the masonary underneath the rendering, not just into the rendering itself. Normally the rendering would be hacked off first and the tiles/soakers fitted up against the masonary.
That little detail at the top is very tricky to do if you haven't had any experience with lead. Using flashband is a lash up and will let you down sooner rather than later. What is that detail for anyway?

 

[MikeG.]

........and I say again........

Those "soakers" aren't soakers. They should be sitting on top of one tile, and underneath the next. There should be lots of individual pieces of lead......one per course of tiles........rather than one long piece. All that your arrangement can do is force water into your roof.

I'm afraid you are going to have to take all this lot off and do it again.

Mike

 

[CWatters]

Example for tiles. One bit of lead needed per tile or the water goes under.

 

[Night Train]

Apart from what has already been said about soakers, which is quite correct, it is possible to fold the lead around that corner to make a one piece soaker.

However, it is difficult and not something you want to do without previous experience of geometry, lead origami and lead stretching and shrinking. I have done something similar once on the two top corners of my roof hatch. It took me all day beating and bashing to try and get a sheet of lead to follow my paper template around the hatch frame and fold over the top edge of the opening.

 

[Tom K]

Hi I think your best solution would be a little soldering practice :lol:

 

[paulc]

Firstly,

Hands up, its a lash up , (at least the roof has been) first build , and after the surprise and excitment of footings , base, walls etc. working out, I rushed into the roof and measured pitch wrong, its more like 14.2 degrees instead of 21 as I thought!!

re the soakers, whatever else might be wrong with them, which granted may be a lot, there not one piece like a strip of flashing , they were laid on one course , next tile laid, next overlapping soaker laid, actually followed as best I could the very pic that Cwatters posted

Heres a pic from front, lights pretty bad in this one too unfortunately

Anyway , after scrachting head trying to figure ways to higher pitch, re-do the whole thing, I'm considering removing tiles, battens counter battens , breathable membrane and then applying felt and putting back on battens and slates - I have too keep the slates as they nee to fit in with surrounds colour wise etc.

What do you all reckon? ( besides 'I'm not giving this plonker any more advice)

If this is a possibility, is torch on felt the only option or are there cold adhesive alternatives or others which could work?

 

[Boatfixer]

I really have no idea how you would slate over it or if it would be a good product to use in this situation (I am no builder....) but with regards simple to apply felt roofing Wickes do a self adhesive system which they rate for 20 years. I just did a very low pitch roof with it and it was clean and simple to use - it must have been cos I could do it!

 

[Loz_S]

As Trousers and Mike Garnham have already pointed out, the flashing is supposed to be fitted over the soakers as described in the folder I linked to in your original post that you obviously missed here:

http://forums.ukworkshop.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=32931

The way you have left them will guide water straight under your tiles. As SirAlan would say; it's an utter disaster.

The piccy posted by CWatters has been nicked from the very same Wickes folder I mentioned originally.

 

[CWatters]

One possible way around the low pitch is to use an undercloaking. One such being Onduline..

http://www.ondulinebuildingproducts.net ... eaflet.pdf

..however this is corregated which adds to the thickness but helps drainage.