Fibre cement or tin?

[neilo]

So, we're moving from this (tenanted) farm and, as the estate's agent is being an arse, we are taking our shed with us to the new place.

The fibre cement roof came off today and we were shocked to find more than a quarter of them had cracks in already, as it's only been up for 12 years. Not impressed!
Decision has been made to scrap them, rather than put the remainder up and potentially have problems 5 years down the line.

New site is a windy, coastal location in West Wales. Do we replace with fibre cement, or tin?
We are re-roofing the existing shed there with tin (due to purlin spacing), and that roof has likely been up several decades but has a few small rust holes at the joints, on the West (seaward) side.

Advice welcome, as will need to make a decision on ordering asap.

Shed tonight.

 

[David.]

Fair play taking the shed, anyway.
Which manufacturer was the original f/c?
I'd still go f/c again, if it was me.
I'd also suggest, with due respect, that you put in some eaves tie bars whilst you're on it, they would be on current spec anyway, because you are not supposed now to borrow strength from the roof to reinforce the framework. Especially so in a coastal location. I don't think that frame currently has enough structural integrity for a windy location.
I'd bet there is a farmer somewhere who would gladly pay for the good portion of the old sheets too.

Even if they were asbestos .

 

[dannewhouse]

Fair play taking the shed, anyway.
Which manufacturer was the original f/c?
I'd still go f/c again, if it was me.
I'd also put in some eaves tie bars whilst you're on it, they would be on current spec anyway, because you are not supposed now to borrow strength from the roof to reinforce the framework. Especially so in a coastal location. I don't think that frame currently has enough structural integrity for a windy location.
I'd bet there is a farmer somewhere who would gladly pay for the good portion of the old sheets too.

Even if they were asbestos.

I always thought you could sum up the purlins which are within a certain percentage of the span from the column.

Ie if it was 10%
A 30ft span you could use any purlins within 3ft.

Timber will be stronger than Z purlins due to it having compressive strength a Z would buckle easily.
I call it lazy engineering when they cba adding up the timber strength

 

[JLLM]

If your near the coast, go fibre cement.

 

[Macsky]

What about that heatguard roofing? The translucent stuff? Looks great on pics, nice and bright inside. Don’t know Jack diddly else about it tho.

 

[neilo]

Fair play taking the shed, anyway.
Which manufacturer was the original f/c?
I'd still go f/c again, if it was me.
I'd also suggest, with due respect, that you put in some eaves tie bars whilst you're on it, they would be on current spec anyway, because you are not supposed now to borrow strength from the roof to reinforce the framework. Especially so in a coastal location. I don't think that frame currently has enough structural integrity for a windy location.
I'd bet there is a farmer somewhere who would gladly pay for the good portion of the old sheets too.

Even if they were asbestos .

Thank you, ‘two fingers’ has a value.

The existing shed has tie bars at each end. Is that not enough? Out of respect for the climate/wind, it will be dropped from the current 20’ eaves height to 15’.

I was thinking fibre cement too, but disappointed in the condition of the existing FC sheets, after only 12 years in a place that is sheltered from the wind. I guess I was hoping somebody would tell me that going cheap was better…

As for the old sheets, it has been suggested that somebody would pay for them, but I know it wouldn’t be doing the buyer any favours, for the sake of a couple of hundred quid at best. I prefer to sleep soundly, and they are now crushed into a grain trailer awaiting disposal (& out of my sight).

 

[neilo]

What about that heatguard roofing? The translucent stuff? Looks great on pics, nice and bright inside. Don’t know Jack diddly else about it tho.

We did discuss it today. I can only guess that it is expensive and, as yet, unproven. It must surely make a building with any internal lighting look like the Eden Project to anybody within 5 miles?

 

[Macsky]

We did discuss it today. I can only guess that it is expensive and, as yet, unproven. It must surely make a building with any internal lighting look like the Eden Project to anybody within 5 miles?

Saw an old post on here saying after tin had gone up in price it wasn’t much different, maybe worth an enquiry, could be fortunes, but who knows.

 

[David.]

Thank you, ‘two fingers’ has a value.

The existing shed has tie bars at each end. Is that not enough? Out of respect for the climate/wind, it will be dropped from the current 20’ eaves height to 15’.

I was thinking fibre cement too, but disappointed in the condition of the existing FC sheets, after only 12 years in a place that is sheltered from the wind. I guess I was hoping somebody would tell me that going cheap was better…

As for the old sheets, it has been suggested that somebody would pay for them, but I know it wouldn’t be doing the buyer any favours, for the sake of a couple of hundred quid at best. I prefer to sleep soundly, and they are now crushed into a grain trailer awaiting disposal (& out of my sight).

The shed currently has wind bracings. Eaves tie bars bolt between the tops of the uprights, to lock them together, as a rigid top ring , instead of relying on the bolts that hold the timber eaves beam.
Tbh, if you're not digging out the stanchions, and are thus reducing the height by 5ft, it'll probably be fine. But I'm not a structural engineer.

 

[Party Pete]

I hope your breaking up the floor too and not leaving them a nice big concrete pad

 

[Yale]

Maybe use the best of the fibre cement to go around the outside?

 

[neilo]

I hope your breaking up the floor too and not leaving them a nice big concrete pad

It has been considered, but I would have to make the site good afterwards, and selling the crushed concrete would only make around the same as the cost of doing it. I did consider shifting the crushed concrete to the new place too, but it's 50 miles away and would be a few lorry loads (120'x60'x6").

He will be left with a concrete pad, where he could have had an industrial unit to let out. Still more than they deserve tbh.

 

[Party Pete]

It has been considered, but I would have to make the site good afterwards, and selling the crushed concrete would only make around the same as the cost of doing it. I did consider shifting the crushed concrete to the new place too, but it's 50 miles away and would be a few lorry loads (120'x60'x6").

He will be left with a concrete pad, where he could have had an industrial unit to let out. Still more than they deserve tbh.

Yeah it’s a tough one . All the best in your new venture .

 

[Gordon Geko]

Thank you, ‘two fingers’ has a value.

The existing shed has tie bars at each end. Is that not enough? Out of respect for the climate/wind, it will be dropped from the current 20’ eaves height to 15’.

I was thinking fibre cement too, but disappointed in the condition of the existing FC sheets, after only 12 years in a place that is sheltered from the wind. I guess I was hoping somebody would tell me that going cheap was better…

As for the old sheets, it has been suggested that somebody would pay for them, but I know it wouldn’t be doing the buyer any favours, for the sake of a couple of hundred quid at best. I prefer to sleep soundly, and they are now crushed into a grain trailer awaiting disposal (& out of my sight).

I would not reduce height,just make footings bigger

 

[Kidds]

Condensation on tin is a major issue for me.

 

[neilo]

I would not reduce height,just make footings bigger

I would like the structure to blend into the landscape better, as it is very visible from the road and would be quite exposed to winter storms if it stands higher. 15' is plenty high enough for it's new use on a wee farm. It will still be total overkill tbh, with 2m of 6" panels all round.

 

[egbert]

So, we're moving from this (tenanted) farm and, as the estate's agent is being an arse, we are taking our shed with us to the new place.

The fibre cement roof came off today and we were shocked to find more than a quarter of them had cracks in already, as it's only been up for 12 years. Not impressed!
Decision has been made to scrap them, rather than put the remainder up and potentially have problems 5 years down the line.

New site is a windy, coastal location in West Wales. Do we replace with fibre cement, or tin?
We are re-roofing the existing shed there with tin (due to purlin spacing), and that roof has likely been up several decades but has a few small rust holes at the joints, on the West (seaward) side.

Advice welcome, as will need to make a decision on ordering asap.

Shed tonight.

Always the heaviest gauge wriggly 3" tin we can get now.
Far more forgiving, and I never met a man who fell through it yet.
(we put extra purlins under the light sheets though....in case bozo the clown walks on em.)

 

[neilo]

Always the heaviest gauge wriggly 3" tin we can get now.
Far more forgiving, and I never met a man who fell through it yet.
(we put extra purlins under the light sheets though....in case bozo the clown walks on em.)

That's what we are reroofing the other shed with. I was a bit shocked by the condition of these fibre cement sheets, after only 12 years at a site that is pretty sheltered.

 

[egbert]

That's what we are reroofing the other shed with. I was a bit shocked by the condition of these fibre cement sheets, after only 12 years at a site that is pretty sheltered.

we've got some 1990s FC.
One shallow pitched lean to has crud built up along overlaps, and now leaks.
To clear it means full safety approach....what a fag.
A tin roof, I'd simply go aloft and deal with.
And when they're knackered....they have a scrap value.

Always look to the end!

 

[Still Farming]

Fixtures and fittings?
Any law case pending???