Log store roof help

prezzacc

Hi guys,

Asked some questions a while ago and wonder if I can ask for a bit more help!

Have now built sides back and Base of store just the roof to go. I will be building a sub frame (simple 2x1 rectangular with centre rafter) I then plan to lay feather edge panels across and screw in at the sides and centre.

The featheredge I found was from wickes 100m and 11m thick. I'm a little worried it's not going to be water tight! Is there anything I can do for a bit of double protection? Maybe felt underneath? I like the rustic look so don't want felt on top.

Finally I like the natural color but as I've cut the wood should I use some form of preservative on the wood? Or will it last OK as is?

Thanks you!

Davesnave

Feather edge is pretty watertight if the wood is well overlapped, the angle is steep enough and there's no warping. Wickes wood wasn't the best in the days when I used DIY sheds, but I have no idea about their quality now.

You could put felt or polytunnel plastc on the sub-frame before attaching the featheredge, just to make sure.

All featheredge should be pressure treated and I'd not worry about treating exposed ends myself. Theyt are going to dry out fast.

If it's an open fronted store, you will get driven rain in at the front anyway, unless you can place it in a very sheltered position. I store most of my logs in sheds with tin roofs and no door. Rain can be driven inside to a distance of 1m or more sometimes. On one shed with a wide doo,r I hang black windbreak netting across it for a bit of extra protection.

tony6403

My log store is made from deconstructed large pallets.
The top is simply butt joined.
The sides and back have 10mm gaps.
Rain must surely get in but the logs do dry out to approx 20% moisture content according to my meter.

FreeBear

A log store doesn't need to be absolutely water tight.. A piece of felt under the boards will certainly keep most of the water out. But it will trap water underneath the boards which will cause them to rot fairly quickly.

If the boards overlap, you shouldn't need any additional felt as long as the timber is treated - Either with a wood preservative, or linseed oil (the latter will need reapplying once a year at least).

I keep the bulk of my logs stacked on pallets and covered with a tarpaulin - They stay pretty dry like this, and until I get time/funds to build a "proper" shed, they'll remain outside.

Kiran

One of my log stores just has feather edge boards, the water sheds fine off it. Ultimately the log store isn't water tight so any odd drips will just dry up as the timber seasons.

If you used treated timber you can use end grain treatment on the cut edge. The log store will weather over time.

Tom99

I would just overlap the featheredge a bit more than normal and leave out the felt because as said above it will cause the roof to rot in due time

Apodemus

Probably doesn't need saying but screw the boards where the next board overlaps it. When I did this I was able to screw the boards down without pre-drilling and no splitting, but your wood quality/screw-size might result in splitting. With feather-edge, you might need a slightly steeper roof angle to ensure adequate run-off.

prezzacc

Great responses.

Thanks guys. I didn't think of the trapped water if I were to felt underneath. I'll just use the featheredge and see how it goes. It cost alot more than I thought (woods pricey!) so I want it to last as long as possible.

Nothing silly to mention, this is my first wood project so take any help offered! Do you mean make sure the screws from the previous board are always overlapped? And I OK to screw both sides and the centre or will this cause the wood to warp? I'm. Not sure quite how level my build is!!

Apodemus

I just meant screw far enough up the board that the screw and it's hole are covered when you add the next board. I was assuming you will be fixing them with the feather edge up and the broad edge down (although it seems that many prefer the other way round). If so, you are fixing though the thinner wood and there is a balance between placing the screw through stronger wood, versus making sure the next board covers the screw.

EachPenny

prezzacc wrote: »

It cost alot more than I thought (woods pricey!) so I want it to last as long as possible.

Personally I'd give it several coats of an oil/spirit based timber preservative - not the water based pretty-colour stuff. You've invested in new wood and proper preservative is important to maintain the wood.

Something else to bear in mind is firewood can be affected by woodworm, so any timber you want to keep (i.e. the log store) should at least have a long-lasting woodworm treatment, especially on any cut ends of pre-treated timber.

prezzacc

So i finally got round to the roof. Cut all the pieces of featheredge and left them on top ready to screw in tonight, have just gone to look at them and 2 or 3 of the 10 pieces have warped! Not majorly. Ill still attach them , Maybe adding more battens and secure as much as possible, but i assume the warping will only get worse and i may need to replace these with better quality pieces?

Thanks!