Fibreglass roof

[deuce22]

Hi.

A friend has a small flat roof that needs renewing and he wants to do it in fibreglass.

He does not have the money to pay someone and has been told by someone that it's pretty straight forward to do.

Although I have done a couple myself some years ago, I was working alongside a roofer that has done them plenty of times, so there was no pressure for me.

I have told him that there are not as easy as he thinks, but he is going ahead anyway. I have told him that I would give him a hand as I at least have more of an idea than him.

I would like to know what the materials will roughly cost per metre and which product he should use (or are there all similar).

He was also told that he can put a layer of resin down straight away without using the matting to make it water tight and then before applying it in the normal way he just has to key the surface prior to laying the first coat. Is this correct.

Thanks.

 

[Alastairreid]

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/1project-roofs.html

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/Single_Layer_Roof.html

 

[Zeberdee]

Fibreglass? Isn't that worse than felt?

It cracks dont it?

 

[htgeng]

Hi.

He was also told that he can put a layer of resin down straight away without using the matting to make it water tight and then before applying it in the normal way he just has to key the surface prior to laying the first coat. Is this correct.

Whatever you do don't do that. Some 'expert fibreglass roofer' that started my flat roof took that approach. It rained later that day after he had just resin coated the deck and of course it leaked in through the gaps of the boards.
Because the deck now had water soaked in I had to lift the lot ( you can't fibreglass on boards that are moisture soaked)
The guy came over and said he couldn't believe what had happened - yeh right! So I told him not to bother coming back and I went on a day training course at cybglassfibre.co.uk and then bought the materials and DIYed with a friend who also has some experience.

It was a tough two days and an immense learning experience. The roof was roughly 7m x 4m. Certainly we did a much better job than the guy who started it. He trades on doing a professional job for fibreglass roofing yet mine leaked the day he started! I was extremely angry that having offered to give this work to a professional he screwed it up. They say if you want something doing right, do it yourself!

Id say tell your friend to pay to go on the training course in Canvey Island where he will learn the correct way to lay the matting. They are a really pleasant bunch of people and have a lot of knowledge. Fibreglass roofing is a fine art and Im not taking away anything from the guys that do it every day, but it is possible to learn it if you have a modicum of skill and learning. If hes a dummy at diy, tell him to get a pro in. Just not the one that attempted mine!

 

[deuce22]

Thanks guys for the feedback.

alastairreid.

Is this brand something you recommend personally or are they all much the same.

htgeng.

Glad you warned me about resin the deck on it's own.

Would taping the joints stop this happening.

By the time we get the deck ready it will be late in the afternoon, we don't want any mishaps happening over night, so at least resin coating the dace will protect it, if we can get over the problem caused by the joints.

We can then start the next day with a full day just to fibreglass it.

Thanks.

 

[htgeng]

htgeng.

Glad you warned me about resin the deck on it's own.

Would taping the joints stop this happening.

By the time we get the deck ready it will be late in the afternoon, we don't want any mishaps happening over night, so at least resin coating the dace will protect it, if we can get over the problem caused by the joints.

We can then start the next day with a full day just to fibreglass it.
.

Its simple. Don't start the job unless there are two good, days with no rain forecast. I almost became the next Jon Kettley when doing mine. Have a backup plan with a big sheet of dpm plastic. It will cost you £30 but thats nothing to the cost of the resin if it gets water on.

Do it all in one day otherwise you end up buying two lots of resin. If you are going to tape the joints you may as well put matting over the entire deck and do the job in one run. Also you need to put the topcoat on ideally the same day just after the matting has gone hard.

I suggest you go on the training course or you may live to regret it!

 

[deuce22]

Thanks all for the info.

He may get someone to do it now.

The help from you has probably saved him a few quid.

Cheers.