Non-motoring > Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Dog Replies: 65

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Yeah. I built this log store (from a kit) Stacked 3 x m3 Ash logs in it and .. then the heavens opened!!

The rain soaked through the pressure-treated roof (unsurprisingly) so I need to do something before the next deluge hits Sunni Cornwall.

(1) I could use roofing felt, but that would spoil 'the look'.

(2) I could (possibly) use Cuprinol Ducks Back, although it's not meant for roofs.

(3) Another idea is to use box-profile sections like Betty next door has on her shed roof.

Ideally, I like to keep 'the look' as much as I can (je ne sais quoi)

Over to you clowns :)
www.flickr.com/photos/43576259@N04/20345368138/in/dateposted-public/

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Zero
Well firstly, you don't actually have to do anything about it, looking at it I'm sure the logs didn't get that wet, unless you mean via the front.

However if you are determined to do something about it, and maintain that look.

Take off the roof, lay some marine ply in its place, then some felt on top, then put the original roof back on.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - sooty123
When i built ours from scratch i had a fibreglass roof made. Is that something you'd think about? Ours was about a third of yours though. Might be a bit pricey. How about a liner under the roof?

Nice house btw.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Sat 15 Aug 15 at 12:05
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>Take off the roof, lay some marine ply in its place, then some felt on top, then put the original roof back on.

Good idea. Thanks. You're correct - the wood didn't get too wet, and it faces south so soon dries orf.

>>i had a fibreglass roof made. Is that something you'd think about?

I'd like to keep it looking just as it is ideally. I like the idea of a liner under the roof.

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - sooty123
Is it in a draughty place, in the winter i think the wind will dry out the wood rather than the sun.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I purposely bought seasoned wood. The store is only open at the front, unlike some.
Um, it can get a tad windy in Cornwall :} but it wont really circulate around the logs.

I have a huge inglenook fireplace, so the logs will finish drying orf in there.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - legacylad
I custom made the roof of of my log store out of pressure treated feather edge timber . Screwed down each board onto front & back rails and treat with any old spirit based wood preservative once or twice a year. Not a big job because it's only 6'x2'. Been up 8 years and still like new. It faces SW and catches all the rain driving up the Ribble valley but when it's vertical rain it keeps the logs bone dry!
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Cheers LL. The store is 11' x 3' It is pressure treated. D'you reckon if I coated the roof with spirit-based wood preservative it would stop the rain soaking through?
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - legacylad
I see no reason why not. I have a three rail fence and so always have spirit based wood preserver on hand. I try to treat the feather board when it is bone dry as it absorbs it better. Then I might put second and third coats on the same day. Always use spirit based. The water based stuff is nowhere near as good. I use Barrettine Premier Universal Wood Preservative, purchased in 25 litre blue plastic containers from the small DiY store where I worked, although it had to be special ordered (,you don't want customers buying it, much better profits if they buy a few 5 L cans!!) Much cheaper pro rata than the 5 litre cans in the big sheds.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - legacylad
For the 25L quantity see Mole Valley Farmers. Obviously delivery to pay. I have no connection with them!
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I'll give the easiest option a try first, so wood preservative it is. If that doesn't effect a cure, I'll whip the roof orf and line the underside.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - No FM2R
Doug,

I cannot really see that enough water soaked through the wood to cause any issue. If it did, then preservative will stop it, but it doesn't seem likely.

Is the roof flat, sloping in the right direction, without gaps and holes? Because if you got *that* much water onto your logs I think its more likely to have got around the wood rather than through it.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I know it wasn't very wet, Martin, but a woodman told me that well-seasoned wood will soak moisture up like a sponge, and I can well believe that.

I had a choice of direction when I constructed the wood store. North or South facing, so I chose South. There is a 5" gap at the top of the rear to let some air circulate. There are no gaps or holes other than that. The underside of the roof was definitely wet cos I stuck my hand up there :)

Um gonna saturate the roof with the spirit-based preservative, and see how it goes from there.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Fullchat
First impressions I don't see why the roof is leaking as your planks are overlapping and running down hill. However the rain will be running straight off the front and a bit of wind will blow it back towards the logs. You could fit a gutter which would spoil the look somewhat. I sourced some fine plastic coated mesh and had it made to measure to cover the front of my log store. This keeps the majority of rain and snow out.
As suggested if you are not happy with the roof. Take it off. Lay on some of the cheap blockboard, cover with some rubberised membrane. There is some on the market, the product name escapes me, which has a very long life. Then relay the planks.
Of course the board would need regular support of some sorts to stop it dipping in the middle.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Thanks Fc. The rain we had here last Thursday definitely soaked through the roof. The wind was fairly light at about 7MPH.

I have actually got another roof believe it or not, as they mucked up the delivery, and then sent me two roofs :)

But, I need to keep the weight down ( as if it doesn't weigh enough as it is!) because there is a septic tank soak away adjacent to that area :(

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Um, can anybuddy see any reason why I shouldn't use:

www.restexpress.co.uk/acatalog/Barrettine_Premier_Water_Seal.html
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - MD
Perro. IF you take the roof off and under board use OSB 3. Make sure it is 3 and NOT the basic one (2). You could then just roller some f/glass resin obviously with catalyst on to it, that will do a fine job. Nice pics btw.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Cheers Martine ... I don't want to increase the total weight of the thing though. The roof is 11" x 3" and I ass-ume OSB is heavy, like MDF etc?

I should have kept to Taybrite :o)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - legacylad
Talking of wood, I rarely have to buy any. When out dogwalking I often take an old empty rucksac & bowsaw and return with sawn up seasoned logs.
My friends in CA can buy a licence for $10. This allows you to collect a cord of dead seasoned wood off the forest floor between April 1st & Nov 30th. A cord is 4' x 4' x 8'. A max of ten cords per season are allowed. This is for personal use only, and a truck with a one ton payload normally accommodates a full cord. Just! You need a chainsaw, proper training in use of, and protective clothing, but once organised it's good value for money, if done in conjunction with a walk in the woods. Coal is not allowed to be used in CA according to my friends, and they were amazed that I can buy various types from my local coal yard in Settle.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I live in a sparsely populated area so I can burn anything up here, but I choose to burn Taybrite because it stops the chimney getting too sooty (where is he this morning :))

The last time I burnt Ash logs, I can well remember how clean the flue was afterwards. I'll still get some Taybrite for use at weekends, as the fire 'keeps in' well overnight compared to wood.

I'll probably get a tank of oil too, being they are almost giving the stuff away at the moment.

www.boilerjuice.com/heating-oil-prices/

Believe it of not, I've not used the central heating here in the 4.5 years I've been here.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Clk Sec
>>sooty (where is he this morning :))

Swept away with it all, I shouldn't wonder...
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - sooty123

>> I'll probably get a tank of oil too, being they are almost giving the stuff
>> away at the moment.
>>
>> www.boilerjuice.com/heating-oil-prices/

typical just after we'd left our oil heated house. I think we were paying about 50 odd pence.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - legacylad
I have a Morso Badger , installed about ten years ago. I took out the awful gas flame thingy ( soneone even paid me £ for it) and a friend built a nice stone fireplace & hearth. Several friends have multi fuel stoves.....lovely in winter as a focal point in a room. Not sure about these contemporary looking jobs. V expensive and small fire box. Someone I know had one installed at great expense and it only accommodates teeny weeny logs.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>I have a Morso Badger

Danish I believe. I used to enjoy their lager (Tuborg) and I'm not a lager drinker.

This is more-or-less the multi-fuel stove I have at the moment:

www.wood-burning-stoves.net/acatalog/Wood_Burning_Stove_Victoria_II.html

He's cast iron, unlike most these days which are made from steel. He's 9 years old now and I've caned it with Taybrite, so much so in fact that parts of it are buckled :)

He's going out the door though as I've ordered one of these (from that Co too) complete with the low canopy, the door crosses AND with brass knobs on:

www.hotprice.co.uk/utils/ProductImage.aspx?ProductID=6447&code=0

Roll on November 1st.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
This is another option. neighb has this on the roof of her shed and once fitted it lasts 4ever, unlike roofing felt:

www.agriclad.com/product/details/7
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Rudedog
What about Cedar shingles?
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Yep! - good idea Rudy. Another option is to use felt tiles. I had a look at the roof just now, and no way is it going to keep out the Cornish rain. I live in a moorland area, so it gets twice the amount of rainfall as say Newquay.

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Boxsterboy
>> What about Cedar shingles?
>>

That's what I put on the felt on my shed roof to soften the appearance, but in Dawgs situation, Zero's suggestion is what I would do.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - VxFan
>> What about Cedar shingles?

I'm sure your GP can prescribe something.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - J Bonington Jagworth
"Vandyke Brown Box Profile Sheet"

I like the thought that farmers are sensitive to colour charts. Van Dyke brown, eh? They wouldn't want the sort of brown they normally deal with on a daily basis, I guess...
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>I like the thought that farmers are sensitive to colour charts. Van Dyke brown, eh? They wouldn't want the sort of brown they normally deal with on a daily basis, I guess...

Haha! - what a larf hey, I shall enquire as to whether they do a nice Constable green colour.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Kevin
Dog,

I bought Mrs K a new garden cave last year. Its made from 19mm tongue and groove 'log effect' panels and when I assembled it I put a thin bead of Gorilla glue into the joints on the exposed west facing side before giving it a coat of preservative. It's waterproof, it's a woody brown colour and it expands while curing so it seals well.

An hour on the roof plus £20 for a litre bottle of the stuff may solve your problem.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Cheers Kev.

The roof is made of 6mm overlap panels [cheapskate bar stewards!] and herein lies the problem of course.

I likes the idea of Rudy's Cedar shingles but, um gonna try the easiest option first and bung two coats of that Barrettine water seal on the critter.

I can always put a tarp over the whole thing if and when the monsoon makes another appearance, which I would have to do anyway if the rain comes in from the SE/S/ or SW hurried along by a decent blow.

Burning Taybrite was sooooooo much easier :}
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - MD
Y U No Risten Glasshopper?
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I've taken 'on board' all the good advice offered on this thread, and thanks to all.
It wood knot be that easy to just remove the roof and fix some OSB or marine ply underneath being there are 6 x full width battens nailed to the underside for fixing the uprights to.

The next favoured option is to nail some Cedar tiles on top but, they don't come cheap and, I've already forked out £285 for the log store and £300 for the logs so, I've ordered the water seal and will give e'e a go but if that doesn't keep the Cornish sunshine out I'll set fire to the flipping lot and invite some neighbs round for a meat-free BBQ.

:}

Y'all can see what's going on here:

www.rutlandcountygardenfurniture.co.uk/media/downloads/instructions/39457_instructions_empingham_log_store.pdf
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Clk Sec
>> and invite some neighbs round for a meat-free BBQ

Back to proper fodder again, eh?

And yer link don't work...
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>Back to proper fodder again, eh?

And yer link don't work...

Chicken tonight, roast. In the oven (fan) 40 mins @ 180c, and the link does work :)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Armel Coussine
Of course Perro a sane person would have used corrugated iron as the easiest and cheapest solution.

Personally I don't mind the aesthetic either. Nothing wrong with rural FU in my book. If you go poncy someone might get envious or disapproving and call you names. All that money on timber, what for really?

Sorry and so on. Call me a slob by all means.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Mon 17 Aug 15 at 20:34
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>Of course Perro a sane person would have used corrugated iron as the easiest and cheapest solution.

I want to keep it looking pretty Sire, which it does imo. several people have commented on it :)

>>All that money on timber

I usually fork out £450 on Taybrite, and don't forget, I don't use the cental heating at all, at all over the cold season.

I'm a slob, by any other name.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Rudedog
Cedar shingles come in various grades, the lowest (green label) can be quite reasonable for use on garden outhouses, I've seen them for about £25 which is a standard bundle covering 1.8M2 (depending on the saw mill).
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Rudy ... I'm no good at measurements, would 1.8M2 cover 11ft x 3ft.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - No FM2R
11ft x 3ft = 3.4m x 0.9m = 3.1 sqm

 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
>>11ft x 3ft = 3.4m x 0.9m = 3.1 sqm

Thanks guvnor. Wonderful thing that edumacation stuff.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - MD
>> I'm a slob, by any other name.
>>

Smart Pooch though :-)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Doug
>> um gonna try the easiest option
>> first and bung two coats of that Barrettine water seal on the critter.

So Dog,

Did you apply the Barrattine back in 2015?
And did it stop the water seeping or wicking in through the log store roof?

many thanks,

Doug
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 16 Jan 17 at 12:46
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Welcome to the forum Doug.

I did indeed apply the Barrettine water seal, and, it did the job admirably. So well in fact, that I wished I had applied it to my 3 garden sheds, instead of using Sikkens HLS Plus.

The log store roof is now covered with a nice? green and white striped tarpaulin, mainly to stop the rain from blowing in on the logs. I fold it up when it's dry, so not very often down here in Cornwall :)

The log store faces South, so the logs dry out nicely through the Summer months, even the oak, which was a tree not long before being delivered in Spring this year!
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Doug
thanks for the welcome. I enjoyed the posts on this topic and thought I'd join.

In view of your success, I think I'm going to do the same with my new log store. It has a fairly low pitch roof with feather edge boards and water dripping inside. I think the water will find it much harder to soak through and even 'wick uphill' once the wood has been waterproofed.

All I need now is a couple of dry days with temperatures above freezing...
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
This is another way of going about it:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Juniper-Green-Box-Profile-Roofing-Sheets-Agricultural-Building-Dog-Kennel-Shed-/252717177425?hash=item3ad71e1a51:g:LAMAAOSw-KFXf1yD

Neighb has it on her shed (more like a workshop)

Good thing about this neck of the woods is that the Winters are fairly mild (famous last words!!)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - J Bonington Jagworth
If you've got a spare roof, why not rebuild the original with more planks* - you don't seem to have much overlap at present. I would also (or instead) run a thick bead of clear silicone sealant along the joints. Rain won't blow in then...

*And perhaps a bigger 'eave' at the front, so the run-off has a better chance of hitting the ground rather than your logs.
Last edited by: J Bonington Jagworth on Tue 18 Aug 15 at 15:24
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Mapmaker
Agreed. It's probably mostly blowing in from the front. Rain does that you know...
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Aye, I do have another roof, it's keeping my 5 month old Pointer away from my poor old 15 year old Ridgeback at the moment.

Good idea about the 'eave' bit, I could do the same at the rear too. I've been looking at those joints and some do indeed have large gaps for the rain to get under, 'specially once the weather REALLY gets going. Cheers Bonington.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Old Navy
Make sure you leave a gap at the back to let the wind out when it REALLY gets going, or it might take the roof with it.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
There's a 6" full-length gap at the back O/N. I'm thinking it might have been better to have put the logs in one of my 3 x man caves, the wood is was bone dry when delivered because I checked it with my moisture meter :)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dutchie
Son-in law had the same problem with his log store.He put roofing felt on Dog.You could always stain it a different colour.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
That's the sensible option Dutchie, but I want to try and keep it looking pretty :)

I've got a 4m x 4m tarpaulin covering it at the moment, in preparation for tomorrows rain.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Bobby
I put clear perspex panels on roof of my log store . Stops rain getting in but when warm it kind of magnifies the heat like a greenhouse thus drying logs quicker. Were onky a few quid in B&Q
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
Hissing down here at the mo so, just as well I covered it up with a tarp last night.

Grrreat idea Bobby! - that would keep it looking pretty too :)
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Bobby
www.diy.com/departments/pvc-roofing-sheet-1800mm-x-660mm/35458_BQ.prd

These are the ones I used - they are pretty flimsy and do get a bit fragile with age so you could either get dearer, thicker ones or just accept that every so often you might need to replace one?

One thing to note, my log store slopes from side to side so these were ideal however yours slopes front to back so these may be too long for that so would either need to cut them or maybe seek out smaller sizes?

By the way, really like the log store - I get all my wood myself and sometimes I think the wood looks best like yours, and other times I like to see the full circular logs stacked up neatly! But that's when my OCD starts kicking in...

I only use the wood stove out in my man shed as opposed to you running the house from it but I found that by putting out a few feelers, and a couple of trawls through gumtree, there seemed to be a huge supply of free wood out there! Of course, in the man shed I can be a little bit less fussy of what type of wood goes in the burner I suppose!
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
I've got 3 man caves. 8' x 6' 7' x 5' and a 6' x 4' ... all full up with junk but, I don't have a garage here.

I'd prefer full circular logs, and if you look closely at my log store you'll see that I'm a tad OCD too because I've spaced out the round ones for effect :o)

I could probably 'come by' plenty of wood in the wooded-area where I live. I don't like chainsaws though, dangerous blimmin things, in the wrong hands. I did buy one from Amazon last year but returned it mucho pronto.
I know two 'elderly' women locally who use them one-handed!!
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dutchie
Two sheds here 6 by 4.Carport which isn't used for a car.

We bought a cast iron outside chimney last year.I be needing some wood again,Diana loves a good fire on the patio when it's dark.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Bobby
The obvious question is have they always used it one handed???
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Dog
One of the women suffers from carpel tunnel syn (probably caused by using a chainsaw!] and the other one, my 77 year-old neighb, who has just had atotal knee joint replacement, uses an electric chainsaw, so perhaps not as heavy as a petrol jobbie.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Cliff Pope
There's not enough slope to your roof.
I can't see exactly what forms the joints between those planks, but at that shallow pitch the overlaps needs to be considerable, not just something like tongue and groove.
You need the water to run off quickly, not hang about looking for leaks.

If there is a wind then you need even more overlap, or the water will get blown backwards up the slope. Slates overlap by more than half their length.
I agree, take it off, cover with something rigid to support felt or polythene sheet etc, then refit.

You also need an overhang to reduce blown back drippage.
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Mon 16 Jan 17 at 14:15
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - MD
Slates generally have a 100mm of cover or less depending on the roof pitch, but all factory holed slates that I've ever used are holed for a 100mm lap.
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - Fullchat
I'm with Cliff. Not enough slope. Biker acquaintance of mine started to knock up a few log stores out of pallets and bits of timber. Knocked em out at reasonable money. Sourced one for neighbour and it leaks through the plank roof.
The tanilised roof timbers are thinner on one edge than the other to help overlap. However, despite the roof looking to have enough slope, if you look from the side the boards are flat. :(
Last edited by: Fullchat on Tue 17 Jan 17 at 00:59
 Ideas please for waterproofing my log store roof - MD
Morning Mush. There's sufficient fall on it. Seal the joints and fibreglass it. Simples.
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