Lean To shed roofs develop an interesting problem as they get larger. If the roof pitch is very steep at all then it will rise to a height that becomes unsightly. Some may say it is ugly. This “ugly” design is most often avoided by installing a low slope roof to keep the rise of the roof at a minimum. The problem with low slope roofs is that they are more likely to leak because of the water does not run off them as fast as when they are built with steeper pitches.
Before you build a lean to shed it is wise to get a better understanding of the different roofing materials and how they can be used to cover your lean to shed without the fear of a leaks.
Asphalt Shingle
The three tab asphalt shingle is arguably the most popular roofing material because of its low cost and relative good looks for the cost. Asphalt shingles typically have a minimum slope rating of 4 in 12. This means that for every 12 inches of horizontal distance across the shed the roof will rise 4 inches. This slope works well for sheds that are fairly narrow, like 4 to 6 feet, but for sheds that are 8′ or wider the shed roof becomes unsightly high. For instance if the top of the wall starts at 8 feet high it will be almost 11 feet high on the high side of the shed.
Metal
Metal roofing comes in various profiles and each profile is rated for a different roof slope. The profile is the way the bends are made in the metal pieces to both give the roofing rigidity and allow it to be installed and connected to adjacent pieces without leaking.
Solutions for Lean To Sheds
Both the asphalt shingles and metal roofs can be installed on a low slope lean to shed roof if the proper product is used and it is installed properly. Regular asphalt shingles that are rated for 4 in 12 roof slopes can be installed on lower slope roofs by simply installing a waterproof membrane under them. This membrane can be a self adhering base sheet or a mineral surface roll roofing. These roll products create a waterproof layer that the asphalt shingles are installed on top of. One of the best metal roof profiles that is designed for use on low slope roofs is the PBR profile. Different manufactures have different ratings for the PBR design but most are around 1 in 12. It is a commercial rated roofing panel and works well for lean to shed roofs.
Lean To Shed Roof Design
Designing a lean to shed so that it can work with either a low slope metal panel or a modified asphalt shingle installation is done by making the slope 2 in 12. This allow the builder to install either panel no matter what the choice of roofing material is.
Using one of these two materials and application techniques will allow you to have a lean to shed and keep the roof height down so your neighbors don’t wonder where the sun went. By understanding how lean to shed plans can detail the proper design to facilitate a low slope material installation you will be able to build a shed that is both pleasing to look at and very functional.