As roof plumbers, one of the most common questions we get asked is, "Is it possible to replace a tiled roof with a steel roof, which is also known as a metal roof or tin roof?"The simple answer is yes, in our opinion. One of our customers in Heidelberg Heights recently had us finish a project of this kind for them.
The Value of Replacing a Tile Roof with a Colorbond Steel Roof in Certain Circumstances
Roofs Made of Metal and Tiled
Switching from a tiled roof to a Colorbond metal shake roof has many advantages, including the following:
less weight for the house structure to bear, better thermal properties, particularly if you choose Coolmax for your Colorbond steel roof finish, no maintenance other than ensuring that leaves are not collecting on it, Colorbond roofing has a high tolerance to heat and flames and is therefore defined as non-combustible, and it offers great security against illegal entry and performs better than tiles in hailstorms.
Because the tiles on this roof were in such poor condition, the customer was looking at the prospect of having to completely replace the roof. Both the zincalume roof on the house and the zincalume roof on the garage were quite rusted and needed to be replaced. The rear of the house featured a interlocking metal shingles Since he was already looking into the possibility of replacing these two roofs, we provided him with a quote to replace the tiled roof with a Colorbond one.
The burden that the weight of the tiled roof was imposing on the walls and foundations was one of the client's concerns with the tiled roof, and it was a deciding factor in the change from tiled roofing to Colorbond steel roofing. A concrete tiled roof on an average-sized house weighs approximately 12 tonnes, whereas an average-sized Colorbond interlocking metal shingles weighs approximately one tonne!
On this specific project, we were tasked with removing approximately 150 square meters worth of roof tiles from the main pitched roof. After that, we were tasked with installing 200 linear meters of new 75x25mm treated pine battens to provide support for the new Colorbond steel roof.
Why We Choose To Install Brand New Roof Battens
When we are replacing tiled roofs with steel roofs, our preference is to install new battens. There are a few reasons for this preference. One of the reasons for this is that older battens usually have nail holes in them where they were attached to the rafters. If we screwed our roof sheets into the battens that were nailed on, there is a possibility that extremely strong winds could rip the battens free from the rafters, taking the roof with them. The standard procedure followed by Roofrite is to first screw new battens into the roof and then screw the roof onto the battens. This ensures that the roof is secured to the supporting structure as securely as possible.
As the existing battens age, they can become quite dry and brittle, which causes them to have a tendency to snap quite readily or to become so dry that it becomes difficult to screw into. For this reason, we find it preferable to replace the existing battens with new ones.
Insulated Colorbond Corrugated Iron Roof Sheathing
On the main roof, 150 square meters of Colorbond corrugated iron in Jasper was installed, and on the rear skillion roof, 52 square meters of new Colorbond Klip-lok roofing was put on. During the process of laying the roof, blanket insulation was put in place. In addition to that, we replaced 22 square meters of the corrugated iron that covered the garage roof. Also installed were brand new flashings and cappings made of Colorbond specifically suited to each different kind of roof.
If a skip can be delivered alongside the house while we are removing a tiled roof, the cost of removing the roof will be reduced. This will allow us to throw the tiles directly into the skip from the roof, which will save time and money. If we are unable to get a skip that is located sufficiently close to where we need it, as is sometimes the case, we will need to factor in the cost of having our team carry all of the tiles down ladders and then walk them to the skip.
Keeping the Roof Watertight Throughout the Installation Process
We only remove as much of the old roof, whether it is tiled or steel, as we can cover in a single day to guarantee that the new roof will be completely watertight at all times during the installation process. The happy members of our team are only stripping sheets as they go, as can be seen in the image below; the new sheets are side by side with the old sheets.
Installing a Solatube Econotube Skylight in the Foyer Area of the Building
In this particular case, the customer wanted to increase the amount of natural light that entered his home. We suggested that he install some additional skylights in the kitchen and hallway in addition to replacing the outdated skylight that was already present in the bathroom. This was our contribution to assisting him in reaching his objective.
We cut a hole in the ceiling of the front entrance hall and installed a Solatube Econotube 400 there. It has a flexible shaft and a curved ceiling diffuser. This particular kind of skylight is fantastic for letting in a significant amount of light into a space that you possibly would not want to install a plaster shaft in.
