Roofing metal screws recommendation

[Tom King]

For those of you in the process, or thinking about using metal roofing with exposed fasteners:

We've done more replacements on this type of roofing than I would have expected.  The main problem is 95% of the time from the screws rusting out.  Brand doesn't seem to matter.

This is what I replace the rusted out, usually #9 screws with:    http://www.roofthings.com/12-stainless-steel-screw.html

That company also sells screws with painted stainless steel caps on regular screws.  Those might be okay, and certainly if you need to match a dark color, I'd go with those rather than the screws sold by the places that sell the metal. 

It looks like to me all the manufacturers get the metal from the same supplier, and probably the screws too.  I expect their roll forming mills probably come from the same place too, since one manufacturer's stuff fits everyone else's.

I'd recommend spending the extra money on getting standing seam, which doesn't have exposed fasteners, if you haven't gotten that far yet.

 

[mat60]

Great info..I was thinking most of the problem with the exposed screws was the rubber gasket drying out.

[Tom King]

The rubber washer will dry out especially fast when the screw head and washer rusts to the point that it lets water in. 

I see a lot of screws overdriven too, which inverts the cup shaped washer, exposing more of the "rubber".   I think the big problem with that came with the availability of 18v impact drivers.  Hand a new guy, or one that doesn't care, an 18v impact driver and he can get a lot done in a hurry.  That also includes: screw up a lot in a hurry.

I put it on my barn 35 years ago, and that is still fine.  I remember using an 18v drill, and expect the metal and screws were still made in the USA back then.

[mat60]

The screws on my barn shop need replaceing this summer because of the rubber went bad as you said..I have no idea how long the roof has been on but it leaks now and I must say Im not looking forward to geting up there.I need to get something to put on a latter to hook on the ridge without going for a ride to the ground..Any Ideas Tom?

[Ronn W]

1 hour ago, Tom King said:

The rubber washer will dry out especially fast when the screw head and washer rusts to the point that it lets water in. 

I see a lot of screws overdriven too, which inverts the cup shaped washer, exposing more of the "rubber".   I think the big problem with that came with the availability of 18v impact drivers.  Hand a new guy, or one that doesn't care, an 18v impact driver and he can get a lot done in a hurry.  That also includes: screw up a lot in a hurry.

I put it on my barn 35 years ago, and that is still fine.  I remember using an 18v drill, and expect the metal and screws were still made in the USA back then.

Give native a rubber mallet and he can ruin an anvil!

[Tom King]

Will post about roof ladder design this evening.

[Tom King]

 

.

The wooden roof ladder over the valley is one I made about 20 years ago for an unusual case-an old country store with a poorly applied new 5V tin roof that ended up with a very precariously fragile ridge.  I made that roof ladder, for that purpose, so that the hooks at the top don't come anywhere close to touching the ridge area.

Before I go any farther, first I'd like to say that every part of this system has a safety, including the worker on the roof, who is always me.

The roof ladder is pulled up the roof from the opposite side.  The hooks are inverted going up, and the round part rides easily over any ridge.  The rope to pull it up is attached to the first step below the hooks, so the hooks can easily make it past the peak of the ridge.  Once it's up there, it has to be turned over.  It was made as lightweight as possible, while still being plenty strong for that purpose.

The sides are 1x4 Spruce, with no knots.  The hooks are made out of some good quality 3/4 ply wood.  I think it took a whole sheet to get the hooks out of.  The hooks also have some thin pieces of clear wood glued along parts of the curve for extra strength.

The "rungs" are some sort of 2x's run down a little thinner.  I don't remember if they were 2x4's or 2x6s ripped narrower.  In any case, they're at a 45 degree angle, so that they end up level on a 12 in 12 pitch roof, which it was built for to start with.  That angle has ended up working out okay on other roofs I've used it on, like the one in the picture, which is something a bit steeper than a 12.  The rungs are 3 feet apart, which leaves plenty of room to work in between them, but still not much of a "jump" from one to the other.

The last thing I want to fight on a roof is an aluminum, or fiberglass, extension ladder.  The rungs are small, too close together, and the double system is just an aggravation.  Even once you get it up there, it's very uncomfortable to work on top of.  My wooden design is actually not uncomfortable at all.  I can sit fairly comfortably on any of the rungs.

I still wear a safety harness, but not a fall prevention full harness.  Mine is the same seat harness I use for tree work.  The helper who belays me weighs about 100 pounds more than my 180, and is as strong as a machine.  You can see a pulley on the end of another rope a few feet to the left of the roof ladder.  The rope going through the pulley is my safety line.  That 3800 lb trailer is used as the anchor to the belay line.  That helper takes a couple of wraps around a round member on the trailer.

The lower ladder was used to tie a safety onto the ladder above it.  Both have stabilizers, which I like a lot.  I will have to manhandle the roof ladder a little bit getting it turned over, and to help guide it as it's lowered back off the roof.  Therefore, the top of the extension ladder gets tied off to a safety eye under the soffit very securely.  On all the tall old houses I've worked on, if you look, you will see stainless steel eyes under the soffits.  They get left for next time.

Anytime I work on a house off the ground, the first thing I do is install a stainless steel eyebolt or screw.  Typically, we will use AlumApole scaffolding, like you saw on TV.  That scaffolding has to have brackets installed first, and then poles raised.  The safety eye goes up first that I can tie off to safely handle the rigging of the poles.  This house already had the eyes installed by us, and that's what the ladder on the roof is secured to.  The eye also makes it easy to "fly" the last ladder down with the last line.

This system takes several very good ropes, which I also use for tree work.

I probably left out something, so feel free to ask questions.

We didn't install the roof on this house, but needed to fix a leak in the valley.

[mat60]

Thanks Tom..I need to carry a latter up on the roof and hang to off the peak and pray it will stay.LOL

[shaneymack]

Thanks Tom..I need to carry a latter up on the roof and hang to off the peak and pray it will stay.LOL

You could try this

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

[mat60]

Thanks ..I did roofing and siding up to 1999 and dont rember that ..All I had was a hook and that will mess a steel roof up.

[mat60]

16 hours ago, Tom King said:

Just grabbing this picture to insert.  I'll be back after dinner.

I see there is a different kind of latter hook on this .

[Tom King]

I added text to my first post in this thread with the picture.

[mat60]

Thanks for taking the time Tom..Not your first movie..I can make it work much better now..