Need to get on she’d roof but won’t hold my weight

longwalks1

As above, I’ve got a new epdm rubber roof membrane to fit to our old shed, have stripped the old battered felt off but the roof itself won’t hold my weight to get up there and replace it. I’m only 12 stone  - how can I best approach this please? 

pramsay13

Why won't it hold your weight and how do you know? Is any of it rotten?
A shed roof should really hold 12 stone in weight but if not you will need to work without going on top, so from a ladder or scaffolding.

longwalks1

Sorrry I should of said, it’s not rotten it’s almost new condition but it’s made up of tongue and groove slats of wood, about 9mm thick. Inside, there’s only 3 thin cross supports about 20mm thick.  Even leaning across on it to scrape the old felt adhesive off you could tell it would give way 

glennevis

So how's it going to cope with the snow load in winter? I would be installing extra 6"x4" joists until the joists will at least support your weight.

Maxson

How big is the shed? If it's only small you don't need to get on it, just lean on it a little. My shed is 10ft x 8ft and I fitted an EPDM sheet kit without actually getting on the roof, just leaning on it while my feet were on a ladder.

That said I reinforced my shed roof with 2"x2" treated timber as I didn't like how flimsy it was. 

Laz123

Your best bet it to distribute your weight using something long enough to stretch from side to side like a light plank etc.

Section62

Maxson said:

That said I reinforced my shed roof with 2"x2" treated timber as I didn't like how flimsy it was. 

Not much point using 2x2" - it won't carry any significant load.

The starting point should really be 75mm/3" depth.  Preferably 100mm/4" if the headroom is available and the required span is greater.

The cost of some extra 4x2" to reinforce the roof properly is usually small compared to the cost of a 10x8' shed.

Section62

britishboy said:

As above, I’ve got a new epdm rubber roof membrane to fit to our old shed, have stripped the old battered felt off but the roof itself won’t hold my weight to get up there and replace it. I’m only 12 stone  - how can I best approach this please? 

How big is the shed in each direction (span)?  Is it mono-pitched or ridge?  How much have you spent on the EPDM?

Jeepers_Creepers

britishboy said:

Sorrry I should of said, it’s not rotten it’s almost new condition but it’s made up of tongue and groove slats of wood, about 9mm thick. Inside, there’s only 3 thin cross supports about 20mm thick.  Even leaning across on it to scrape the old felt adhesive off you could tell it would give way 

Hi bb.

It would help to have a pic of the outside and - mainly - of the roof construction inside.

Probably two approaches to this - one is permanent (surely better?) and one temp. The temp one would be to simply brace the roof from the inside using a strut coming up from the opposite corner of the floor, with the roof end having a panel or plank on it to spread the load. That'll give it temp strength.

Surely far better would be to add proper strength to the roof. I doubt this has to be much. It's already 9mm T&G timber so not the cheapest and thinnest of roof sheeting common to many sheds, and this has two 20mm thick purlins running the full length of each side? It's probably quite strong but a bit springy?! If the shed gables are strong enough, then probably the simplest solution would be to add a further, heftier, purlin the full length, in between the other two. 2x2, or even 3x2, but they'd need attaching firmly at each end.

Or, add a couple of A-frames made up of, say, 2x2s. Butting firmly, and screwed into, the wallplates, going up to the ridge (under, and tight against, the purlins), where they are cut to suit whatever ridge plate may or may not be there, but you'll want the two rafter ends butting tightly against eachother. And then the cross-braces fitted above mid height so's you don't bump into them. These A-frames would need to be made to fit snugly - any movement would lessen their effect. 

TELLIT01

If the construction of the shed is anything like one purchased recently by my neighbour it may not even support the weight of somebody leaning across it.  He had to jam timbers between the floor and the joists before he could put the roofing felt on.  He also fitted a deep, full length shelf across the back to give the entire structure stability it is so poorly constructed.

Moss5

https://www.screwfix.com/p/extending-support-rod-2-95m/14003
I use one of these and a fence post to spread the support along the ridge from inside.