Climbing on this roof to fit epdm

Goldorak · 31 May 2022 at 13:20

All,

I have just ordered this garden shed (8 x 6 pent roof) https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/power-pent-garden-shed-8-x-6
Build instructions (this looks like the 8x6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmrGxf3Gh8k

1 Short side will only be about 5 inches from a wall
1 long side (tall side of the pent will be inaccessible from the ground, again, about 5 inches from the fence with neighbour's garden shed there on the other side of the fence
I know this is not ideal, but didn't want a tiny shed just to get a foot and half around to put it together
Tall side will be about 15 inch above the fence

Questions:

Would it be safe to climb on the roof being 14 stone - One of my friend is 2 stone lighter, but if there's a risk, i'd rather go myself obviously. Also considering the weight of the epdm as well
I see videos of people walking on shed roof like if they were on the ground!
I don't possibly don't need to be standing up, lying down would distribute the weight a bit more - i could also source a board to lay on top to distribute the weight even more, but only if the is necessary
Do i really need to bother with epdm - would the felt provided be good enough - they have told me that the felt was good quality, is felt rated?

Cheers.

DXP55 · 31 May 2022 at 13:31

If it is at all possible can you build your shed on skids away from the wall first - I found the felt supplied by shed company was the cheapest and thinnest so had to recover the roof on top of existing - To my mind if you can't get to it in future do the job now and do it well - Also put a gutter on and downpipe so water won't splash up sides of shed you can't get to.

I am sure two big blokes would be able to push it in place when it's done.

Goldorak · 31 May 2022 at 13:45

Thanks DXP55.
Thanks. I have ordered this to go between concrete base and shed (to keep underneath dry) - I don't think much would slide on this sadly.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 31 May 2022 at 15:10

You mention EPDM and felt

EPDM you need to add adhesive to the roof, roller on, lay the EPDM over it and then seal the edges with mastic, going to be super tricky with a tiny gap from above
Felt you need to hammer nails in to do the same again far from easy.

EPDM is awesome compared to felt, I would 100% just go straight to that on any shed etc that I needed to keep dry, especially if I was going to have access issues!

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 31 May 2022 at 15:12

Two people can easily lift a shed into place, you just need to "walk it" in effect. Moving only one side at a time.
(Lift one edge, "walk" the other side")

Goldorak · 31 May 2022 at 15:13

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
You mention EPDM and felt

EPDM you need to add adhesive to the roof, roller on, lay the EPDM over it and then seal the edges with mastic, going to be super tricky with a tiny gap from above
Felt you need to hammer nails in to do the same again far from easy.

EPDM is awesome compared to felt, I would 100% just go straight to that on any shed etc that I needed to keep dry, especially if I was going to have access issues!

Thanks. Yes, i have watched a couple of videos, ePDM doesn't seem to be too tricky - i think i'll go for that rather than felt - I have had my fair bit of felt going bad over the years.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 31 May 2022 at 15:16

EPDM is probably easier to install than felt to be honest

The glue is damn sticky though

I used a kit from screwfix on my log cabin. Took less time than the felt I had used that came with it.

Goldorak · 31 May 2022 at 15:16

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Two people can easily lift a shed into place, you just need to "walk it" in effect. Moving only one side at a time.
(Lift one edge, "walk" the other side")

You reckon? This would certainly make life easier. The shed is 200 kg built with felt roof - with edpm i imagine it'll beeven more

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 31 May 2022 at 15:23

8x6 yeah, any bigger and I think you would struggle, your not going to need to move it far, you can build it within a foot of each side you need to get close to, then lift the opposite side to the one your trying to move closer and walk it slowly into place
Your probably only lifting 10-20% of the weight that way

Personally I would never not leave access myself, you only need a foot or so to get round a shed in reality

Goldorak · 31 May 2022 at 15:34

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
8x6 yeah, any bigger and I think you would struggle, your not going to need to move it far, you can build it within a foot of each side you need to get close to, then lift the opposite side to the one your trying to move closer and walk it slowly into place
Your probably only lifting 10-20% of the weight that way

Personally I would never not leave access myself, you only need a foot or so to get round a shed in reality

Hardly any rain going to get in gap between shed and fence / wall. Rain falls the other way. Also going to put 3 coats of Barrattine wood pretective treatment before building it.

Burned_Alive · 31 May 2022 at 17:36

I have a very similar sized pent roof shed and I did this exact job from the roof itself with no issues. I don’t see how else you’d do it as you need to roller the glue down and then roller the rubber to make sure of no air bubbles.

i would have been 15-16 stone when I did it.

I originally installed the supplied felt and it leaked straight away which is why I went with epdm.

Goldorak · 1 Jun 2022 at 11:16

Burned_Alive said:
I have a very similar sized pent roof shed and I did this exact job from the roof itself with no issues. I don’t see how else you’d do it as you need to roller the glue down and then roller the rubber to make sure of no air bubbles.

i would have been 15-16 stone when I did it.

I originally installed the supplied felt and it leaked straight away which is why I went with epdm.

Thanks.
I see the process as laying it nicely, then folding it in half, apply glue on one half, fold it over, then fold the other half over, glue and unfold - doint effectivly one half at the time.
Is this how you proceeded? and if so, did you do top first, then bottom, or left to right?
Cheers

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 1 Jun 2022 at 14:04

I did my cabin 50/50 from side to side, its also a pent type roof since its on the boundary I got one with the lower roof line

TBH I dont think it matters, whatever is easiest for access IMO. I would probably do side to side but unless the angle is steep its not going to make much difference really

What I did was to get the EPDM membrane up there, get it centralised side to side and the correct overhang I wanted at the front, fold one side over the other, roller adhesive, fold over first half, fold over send half, roller second side, fold back second half, then deal with the sides and front with mastic, finally dealt with trimming the back and masticing that. I bought a shed roof kit as i couldnt get the size I wanted for a cabin, they all assumed they were ridged. IIRC I got it via screwfix

I had to un-mastic the back edge last year. I needed to increase the overhang as I was fitting a false wall to the back of the cabin, that was really really hard to do, it sets like very tough slightly flexible rubber, as such as long as you have done that bit well i suspect the contact adhesive your rollering on is doing naff all

arknor · 1 Jun 2022 at 17:56

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Two people can easily lift a shed into place, you just need to "walk it" in effect. Moving only one side at a time.
(Lift one edge, "walk" the other side")

buy some wheels from a DIY shop and attach them then take them off at the end easy one man job.

kids scooters and car jack works too

a1ex2001 · 2 Jun 2022 at 08:33

arknor said:
buy some wheels from a DIY shop and attach them then take them off at the end easy one man job.

kids scooters and car jack works too

Was going to say car jack and a couple of skateboards but thought the pro’s round here would mock me!

Burned_Alive · 3 Jun 2022 at 08:58

Goldorak said:
Thanks.
I see the process as laying it nicely, then folding it in half, apply glue on one half, fold it over, then fold the other half over, glue and unfold - doint effectivly one half at the time.
Is this how you proceeded? and if so, did you do top first, then bottom, or left to right?
Cheers

Yeah, that’s kind of it. I took that 50/50 approach and went side to side because the material is easier to handle on the short side, but you don’t need to glue the whole half at once. I was just doing about a foot at a time, rollering and then repeating for the next foot section. It’s pretty heavy material to handle and obviously you need to roller to the unglued edge to get the air out.

Semple · 3 Jun 2022 at 10:10

Goldorak said:
You reckon? This would certainly make life easier. The shed is 200 kg built with felt roof - with edpm i imagine it'll beeven more

You could keep the weight down a little by leaving the door off and the window panes out. Those will be just as easy to install once it's in place and will probably take off 5-10% of the total weight.