DIY Stable Renovation: Need Your Advice and Ideas!

sujsuj

Hi all,

I’ve been sitting on this stable renovation for two years now, and the delay has made it more challenging than I expected. The reason for the holdup? I’ve been busy with a garage renovation, which is now 90% complete. But it’s time to shift gears and get this stable sorted before it falls apart!

Current Condition:

• The roof is leaking.
• Most of the cladding is damaged and needs replacing.

Some might say it's easier to build a new stable from scratch, but since this is a DIY project, I think renovating is the way to go. Plus, I’ve already bought some key materials like metal roof sheets, so I’m committed!

The Plan:

1. Roof First: I’m replacing the old bitumen felt roof with metal sheets. Before that, I'll need to swap out some of the damaged wood on top.
2. Cladding: After the roof, I’ll tackle the cladding—removing and replacing it bit by bit.
3. Insulation & Electricity: Once the structure is sound, I’ll add insulation inside, reconnect the electricity, and maybe even turn part of it into a home gym to free up space in my conservatory.

I've already started sourcing the wood from an online timber merchant I used for my garage reno.

Looking for Your Thoughts: Check out the photos! I’d love to hear any tips or ideas—especially if you’ve tackled something similar before. Thanks in advance!

sujsuj

Project Vision and Plan:

• Roofing with Metal Corrugated Sheets: I’ve already purchased the sheets along with the top and corner metal ridges—so there's no turning back on this choice!

• Metal Roofing over OSB Boards: My plan is to install the metal roofing over 8mm OSB 3 boards, as re-cladding everything would be too time-consuming. Any thoughts on this approach? Is there something I should consider?

• Outer Walls - Metal or Wood?: I’m also debating whether to use corrugated metal sheets for the outer walls instead of wood cladding. I’m worried it might look a bit off. What do you think—any suggestions?

I’m planning to kick off the project next month, though the timing isn’t ideal. The goal is to wrap it up by early summer!

Looking forward to your advice!

FreeBear

Get the roof sorted as a priority. Looks like at least one of the rafters is rotted at the end, and possibly the supporting timber. That will need sorting before you can cover the roof. OSB sounds fine, but you might want to go to 12mm. Use screws rather than nails to fix it in place, then get the corrugated sheets on. Don't forget the ridge capping.

Assuming the framing is in good condition, you can tackle it at your own pace with the roof being done. Corrugated sheet for the cladding would be quick, and give an agricultural/industrial look. T&G or shiplap would be more in keeping in my opinion, but likely to cost quite a bit more.

ThisIsWeird

Hi SujSuj.
What a nice project!
Metal cladding for roof? Absolutely. I'm guessing 'box' section and anthracite? 
Your roof design already has a cracking overhang - that's good; it not only offers protection to the walls, but looks more balanced too. Your call, but I'd consider adding extra overlap to the ends, too, tho' it'll be a little extra work. 
We cannot see the main timber structure inside - is it solid, rot-free, and plumb/level?
Anyhoo, some things to consider, but I'm not sure how important they are;
1) you are going to insulate the roof. You must, therefore, research the correct construction for this to avoid condensation traps. For instance, it seems potentially dodgy to me to place metal sheets directly on to OSB - but I may be wrong. For example, with box section roofing, there will be strips of direct contact between the two, with the metal being at outdoor temps, so freezing at times. That means freezing strips of OSB, desperate to attract condensation.
I don't see why OSB sheeting is required at all - The roof gets screwed straight to the rafters and noggins.
Are you going to keep the inside vaulted or flat-ceilinged? For the latter, then I'd say def no OSB, and just add rigid insulation followed by p'board direct to the underside of the joists, allowing the void above to be thoroughly ventilated via the eaves. Add an inspection hatch. Simple and cheap.
2) outer finish. Your stable seems to have an obvious front and entrance, so make that side a real feature, and simply clad the back and sides in a similar metal sheet to the roof - quick, easy and effective. For the front, look at 'garden rooms' that have a mix of anthracite and golden timber - two colours that look striking together. Consider horizontal cladding for the walls, as this, I think, looks best. But surf t'net for ideas until you find a design and layout that looks best - and copy it!
I built a wee 'extension' recently - just to square off a room - and found enough Cedral cladding on Facebook Marketplace - the fibre-cement type - to do the job, for only £30. Changed the colour from light grey to white using SBR and then masonry paint, and jobbie jobbed.
3) ditto insulating the walls - you must avoid condie traps. 

Section62

FreeBear said:

...Looks like at least one of the rafters is rotted at the end, and possibly the supporting timber. That will need sorting before you can cover the roof...

This^.  It looks like the truss has rotted at the end and partially collapsed.  That needs a proper 'structural' repair rather than just patch repairing the rotten wood.

sujsuj said:

I’m planning to kick off the project next month, though the timing isn’t ideal. The goal is to wrap it up by early summer!

Looking forward to your advice!

Cover the roof with tarpauilin (without walking on it!) and leave starting the job until the spring.  You need the timber to dry out properly and then treat it for rot and woodworm.  If it is saturated now then it won't dry properly until we have warmer weather in April/May.  Some of the materials like OSB don't take kindly to getting wet, so again waiting until the spring means less risk of damage to your new materials.

In particular, the steel sheeting should be put on dry - (a) because there's less risk of trapped moisture causing corrosion and (b) you'll only walk on a damp sloping steel sheet roof once - if the resulting fall from height doesn't kill you then you'll know not to be so silly the next time.

I would put some form of rigid sheeting under the steel rather than fix it direct to purlins.  OSB3 is Ok, but make it a minimum of 12mm.  I would then add at least 25mm of celotex as insulation, then a sheet of heavy gauge polythene (with the joints overlapped and taped).  This is because you will get condensation on the underside of the steel and you need to (a) keep the water out of the materials and space below and (b) try to reduce the amount of condensation by insulating/increasing the thermal mass.

How are you storing the roofing sheets?  Have you got them under cover somewhere?

Section62

ThisIsWeird said:

Your call, but I'd consider adding extra overlap to the ends, too, tho' it'll be a little extra work.

One good reason for adjusting the overall width of the roof (length of the building) is to match the distance to a whole number of 'cover widths' of the sheeting.  Cutting steel sheet should be avoided if possible (it introduces corrosion risk), and doing so along the length is a PITB.  Not so much of an issue with small corrugations, but with box-types you ideally make the roof to suit the sheeting.

ThisIsWeird said:

I don't see why OSB sheeting is required at all - The roof gets screwed straight to the rafters and noggins.

It needs something under the steel - it is much easier taking whatever it is (e.g. insulation/OSB/polythene) over the purlin and fixing through it, rather than cutting whatever it is to fit between the purlins and then working out a way of fixing it in place.  Continuity over the purlins also helps with keeping the wet on the outside, and looks much neater. (and this is why roofing screws are available in very long lengths).

EssexHebridean

From an equine perspective rather than a DIY one, some form of insulation under corrugated steel will be needed to make the interior noise volume bearable in rain, I would think! 

ThisIsWeird

Section62 said:

It needs something under the steel - it is much easier taking whatever it is (e.g. insulation/OSB/polythene) over the purlin and fixing through it, rather than cutting whatever it is to fit between the purlins and then working out a way of fixing it in place.  Continuity over the purlins also helps with keeping the wet on the outside, and looks much neater. (and this is why roofing screws are available in very long lengths).

Ah, good point - so remove old roofing, and then insulate and sheet on top of rafters, then metal roofing?

FreeBear

Section62 said: In particular, the steel sheeting should be put on dry - (a) because there's less risk of trapped moisture causing corrosion and (b) you'll only walk on a damp sloping steel sheet roof once - if the resulting fall from height doesn't kill you then you'll know not to be so silly the next time.

Scaffolding is recommended when working at height, even if it is only 2.4m from the ground.

I invested in a scaffold tower several years ago, and find it invaluable both inside and out when needing a lift of 1m or more. Had enough of working off ladders & silly little hop-ups.

ThisIsWeird

FreeBear said:

Section62 said: In particular, the steel sheeting should be put on dry - (a) because there's less risk of trapped moisture causing corrosion and (b) you'll only walk on a damp sloping steel sheet roof once - if the resulting fall from height doesn't kill you then you'll know not to be so silly the next time.

Scaffolding is recommended when working at height, even if it is only 2.4m from the ground.

I invested in a scaffold tower several years ago, and find it invaluable both inside and out when needing a lift of 1m or more. Had enough of working off ladders & silly little hop-ups.

A quick look on your Facebook Marketplace will likely give you a couple of options, at only £200-300, especially at this time of year!

sujsuj

FreeBear said:

Get the roof sorted as a priority. Looks like at least one of the rafters is rotted at the end, and possibly the supporting timber. That will need sorting before you can cover the roof. OSB sounds fine, but you might want to go to 12mm. Use screws rather than nails to fix it in place, then get the corrugated sheets on. Don't forget the ridge capping.

Assuming the framing is in good condition, you can tackle it at your own pace with the roof being done. Corrugated sheet for the cladding would be quick, and give an agricultural/industrial look. T&G or shiplap would be more in keeping in my opinion, but likely to cost quite a bit more.

Yes, the roof is the priority. By delaying it for a year, I've already made things more difficult for myself. I was considering using thinner OSB, as I've heard OSB boards can be quite heavy. Since I'll be working on the roof with only my partner supporting me from the ground, I need to assess whether 11mm boards will be too heavy to handle. However, the boards also need to support my weight, so I have to ensure they're thick enough. I'll be screwing the OSB boards in place to avoid any risk of disintegration. Ideally, I need boards around 270cm in length; otherwise, I may have to install them lengthwise. I still need to do more research to find out what sizes are available and what weight I can manage. I completed a similar maintenance project on my garage, where I did wooden cladding. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of using felt sheets for roofing at the time. In another 4-5 years, I might replace them with metal sheets—another project for the future!

I have a couple of questions. I heard that OSB edges are susceptible to moisture. So I suppose  I should apply some kind of  waterproofing on the edges to prevent damages? or OSB 3 boards are superior and don't need such water proofing..?

Also, is there any specific reason why you suggested I go for 11mm boards? My metal sheets are very thin, and I'm replacing all the rotten timber, so I'm wondering if the OSB really needs to be that thick?. My only  concern was ensuring that the boards could support my weight while working on the roof, thinest one can do that should be OK?.