# Type of roof for wood shed (Metal or shingles)



## bsig31r (Jul 6, 2010)

I still need to put a roof on our wood shed and would like to get some opinions on the type to put on. The shed is 16 X 8 and the roof will be an A frame design. Would having a metal roof help the firewood during the drying process with the added heat? I was thinking about painting the metal roof black.


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## Beetle-Kill (Jul 6, 2010)

Why not a black EPDM rubber roof?  Should be cheaper than either of the other two, and pretty easy to install yourself.


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## midwestcoast (Jul 6, 2010)

I honestly can't see it making enough difference to justify extra cost or effort.  If it's an open shed, heated air will float away on the nice breeze tha's drying your wood.  If it's a closed shed, you'd need to design the whole thing for solar drying.


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## begreen (Jul 6, 2010)

Heat will help a bit, but the main thing you want is good air circulation. Keep all sides open using slats, lattice work, or heavy fencing so that the wood is well ventilated.


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## oldspark (Jul 6, 2010)

bsig31r said:
			
		

> I still need to put a roof on our wood shed and would like to get some opinions on the type to put on. The shed is 16 X 8 and the roof will be an A frame design. Would having a metal roof help the firewood during the drying process with the added heat? I was thinking about painting the metal roof black.


What ever works for you because roof material is not going to amount to a hill of beans in the scheme of things.


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## astrodon (Jul 6, 2010)

One thing to consider....  I have a corrugated metal roof on my wood shed (actually it is an RV shed for parking a motorhome and/or boat - of which I have neither).   The weather every February is such that I get quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the roof and it drips on my stacks.    This happens because of the snow and ice build up on the top keeps the metal very cold when the first above freezing weather occurs.   If your A frame is steep and/or smooth enough this may not be an issue.  For me it is just a consequence of using a structure that was not designed to be a woodshed.


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## fossil (Jul 6, 2010)

So long as the shed structure is built with plenty of ventilation, I really don't think the choice of roof material is going to have much an effect on the wood seasoning.  In my case, my shed roof is asphalt shingles over OSB roofing panels, simply because of aesthetics...the shed sits about 30' from our home, just south of the main entrance, so if I was going to put the shed there, it had to look nice like it belonged there.  Rick


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## prairiefire (Jul 7, 2010)

i have a black metal roof on my woodshed i don't think it makes any difference on drying time. i got it at the local hardware store for half price because it was installed then removed and returned due to wrong color. i just lined up my slats with the existing holes and it worked out perfectly.


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## Nixon (Jul 7, 2010)

I doubt that You'll gain any heat one way or the other . But, metal roofing is somewhat easier to install .


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## Battenkiller (Jul 7, 2010)

I just built a tool shed and put a galvanized roof on it.  It wasn't cheap, about $225 for an 8' x 12' with a 3' deep overhang along the front.  My design called for the installation of a ridge cap.  I needed two 10' lengths to cover a 14' ridge line.  About $20 for fasteners.  But it will last for 30 years, was a snap to install, and the snow will just slide off on the first sunny day.  That will happen a lot faster with a dark roof, but I was too cheap to pay the extra 80 cents/sq.ft.

I built a small bench alongside one of the walls, and I was in there yesterday working on garden equipment.  It was beastly hot in there, even with the reflective surface of the galvanized metal supposedly bouncing back a lot of sunlight.  Was it the metal roof?  I doubt it.  Would a black metal roof have been even hotter?  Doubt that, too.  It is enclosed on three sides, and that is enough to virtually stop air movement, so heat can build up.  Would this built up heat dry wood out quicker?  I doubt that as well.  Low relative humidity and air movement is what dries wood out, particularly air movement.  


I only have to think about the difference in my own comfort levels yesterday to confirm this for me.  When working outside, the slight breeze made the heat tolerable.  That meant that my sweat was evaporating, cooling me down.  Inside the shed, the lack of air movement made the sweat evaporate much slower, so I felt hotter.  The same thing is happening to your firewood.  The breeze will dry off the surface moisture, allowing more internal moisture to diffuse to the outside of the splits.  And of course, the wood is more comfortable as well, and comfortable wood is happy wood, and happy wood just burns better. ;-P 


If you really believe that raising the temp of the wood is the answer, close it up and put a greenhouse glass roof on it (clear plastic sheeting well work as well).  It will do much more to raise internal temps than any type or color of metal roof.  But I believe that a closed shed for drying wood is a big mistake.  Leave the sides completely open, or dry the wood in stacks outside and then move it into the shed once it is dry.  Or save the money and just leave it in the stacks and cover the tops in the fall. ;-)


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## firefighterjake (Jul 7, 2010)

As others have said the choice of roofing materials should make little to no difference . . . use whatever you feel more comfortable working with and installing . . . or whatever fits your budget. I went with asphalt shingles simply because it was cheaper and I was tearing down a camp so I could re-use some shingles . . . plus I had some left over from another project . . . sure my woodshed may have a multi-colored roof, but unless I'm on top of my woodshed or flying overhead I never see it so it doesn't bother me one iota.

What is more important . . . and has been mentioned . . . is that your woodshed be well ventilated so the wood can continue to season . . . and so it doesn't mold up on you. I personally like my "tobacco" barn look of my woodshed . . . it's a board and batten style shed . . . minus the batten . . . lets the air flow in nicely year round and yet I get very little to no snow penetration in the winter and absolutely no rain penetration.


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## Bad Wolf (Jul 7, 2010)

I'm going to roof mine with left over swiming pool wall.  I had 24' round pool sides that I cut 1/3 off to make my storage tank. The remaining 48' will cover my 8' x 24' shed nicely. with a couple inch lap. Its coated and since its not in contact with the ground it should outlst me. The other wood shed will be roofed with tag sale shingles. For me its what ever is cheap/free. It's only a wood shed.


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