Noise from GRP flat roof

[481]

Our roof used marine ply - square edged *not* T&G. And it still made noises.

I'm no expert but I wouldn't expect there to be too much movement along the joins between the ply panels if they are properly attached to the wooden joists/fillets or whatever. Isn't it more likely to occur where the joists expand and contract relative to a fixed surface such as a wall or an RSJ?

My advice (boringly!) would be to give it another year and see if it goes away as things settle down.

I certainly seem to move less as I get older.

 

[ukesox]

Not boring advice at all. Thanks

 

[richardindorset]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I am researching roofing for an Orangery. Initially I was going to go with EPDM, then decided to go GPR now this has put me off GRP!

I read that GRP has different expansion coefficients to the underlying OSB/Plywood and therefore it should not be bonded directly onto the underlying boards (as shown in loads of youtube vids), it should have a slip layer between to allow the GRP to move independently of the roof structure.

So anyone had a GRP roof that doesn't creak/crack/bang?

 

[dilly]

There is nothing wrong with GRP roofs all the systems I install are directly bonded to the deck,with all installations of any system you will find pros and cons but you will find nearly all problems are down to installation and not product.
For peace of mind use a company that give a insurance backed guarantee on both product and installation

 

[Feltham]

Had a GRP roof fitted in December 2017. We get banging and noise like seagulls running over the roof, every morning as the sun comes up. No sun, no noise. On a cloudy day, nothing, but as the sun breaks through the cloud you hear banging from all sides of the roof. Our builder says it’s ‘the roof expanding’ and doesn’t want to know. I don’t believe a word of it, but they’ve been a disgrace to deal with from the start. Lie after lie. We are hoping the noise settles down as time goes on, but aren’t optimistic. Had we known GRP had a record of behaving this way, we would never have touched it.

 

[Rufus Raintight]

Cracking and banging noises that come from a GRP roof are 99% of the time down to poor installation, either from a contractor buying cheap crappy products that are not fit for the roof or not allowing for expansion and contraction, or just not having a clue.

Roofing merchants should be ashamed of themselves for selling inferior grade materials and promoting training courses that are done on a black and decker work bench in their carpark.

As a consumer It should be standard practice when getting quotes done for GRP roofs to ask the contractor for their training certificate and what GRP roofing system they are going to be using, and to check to see if it's has increased flexibility.

The standard rule of thumb is that any GRP roof over 40 square metres needs expansion joints.

 

[Notch7]

Cracking and banging noises that come from a GRP roof are 99% of the time down to poor installation, either from a contractor buying cheap crappy products that are not fit for the roof or not allowing for expansion and contraction, or just not having a clue.

Roofing merchants should be ashamed of themselves for selling inferior grade materials and promoting training courses that are done on a black and decker work bench in their carpark.

As a consumer It should be standard practice when getting quotes done for GRP roofs to ask the contractor for their training certificate and what GRP roofing system they are going to be using, and to check to see if it's has increased flexibility.

The standard rule of thumb is that any GRP roof over 40 square metres needs expansion joints.

Out of interest, how would somebody know what GRP roofing system is good?

I ask because we build orangeries and use GRP, done by a contractor. Weve never had any comments/feedback from customers concerning noise. Earlier this year we started using a different contractor so Id be interested in knowing what questions I should be asking.

We construct our roofs with OSB board, all abutments to the house are done with an upstand screwed to the orangery roof and does not connect to the house. All upstands have a timber arris rail.

 

[Rufus Raintight]

Out of interest, how would somebody know what GRP roofing system is good?

I ask because we build orangeries and use GRP, done by a contractor. Weve never had any comments/feedback from customers concerning noise. Earlier this year we started using a different contractor so Id be interested in knowing what questions I should be asking.

We construct our roofs with OSB board, all abutments to the house are done with an upstand screwed to the orangery roof and does not connect to the house. All upstands have a timber arris rail.

I've linked it on here before but this buyers guide (https://www.grproofing.com/buyers-guide) has got pretty much everything you'd need to ask.

 

[tom fay]

Good evening

We have recently had a fibre glass roof fitted. It’s making awful cracking noises, we have removed our internal doors as we are at the point of plastering. The noise keeps waking the dog up and at times I have been woken by this. It’s really starting to get to me! I was advised to go for a EPDM roof but the fibreglass company talked me into getting one instead. It’s been happening 4 weeks now, the builder has promised to come back and for expansion joints in to try fix the problem.

Any advise or solutions would be greatly appreciated. Last week I was tempted to get up there with a hammer it’s that bad! We paid over 2500 pounds for just the fibreglass (which took a day) and a morning to paint. I expected a working roof for this.

Many thanks - sorry for the rant but I really need to solve this!

 

[Mick Smith]

Just stumbled across this post and can't believe there are so many other people with the same problem as i am having. I have just installed a GRP flat roof to my loft conversion and getting the same loud bangs through the night.

I have an OSB deck with 110mm insulation with an OSB T&G cover fixed with 200mm screws.

I understand it's the roof contracting from the sun but if it's moving that much surely I would see cracks in the GRP?

Can I get longer screws and drive them in and then resin over the top to reseal them or is there another cost effective solution?

 

[catlad]

Those sort of roof's need to be bonded and screwed down to make sure it won't move under different conditions.
Lack of fixings is the common fault.

 

[KMirza]

Had our roof done a month ago and same problem with banging. My builder tried everything and my daughter doesn’t like to move into her new room. Any solution everyone?

 

[KMirza]

You found the solution?

Just stumbled across this post and can't believe there are so many other people with the same problem as i am having. I have just installed a GRP flat roof to my loft conversion and getting the same loud bangs through the night.

I have an OSB deck with 110mm insulation with an OSB T&G cover fixed with 200mm screws.

I understand it's the roof contracting from the sun but if it's moving that much surely I would see cracks in the GRP?

Can I get longer screws and drive them in and then resin over the top to reseal them or is there another cost effective solution?

 

[DanPTurner]

Add another one to the list. North Yorkshire. Roof installed in 2016 and it's still banging with the sun coming up / going down. Blinking scary sometimes!

I've been considering installing a set of Sedum trays on the roof to provide a thermal layer to buffer against the sun beating down on the GRP. Also it would stop it being so noisy when it rains.
It's blinking expensive though!
Anyone come up with any other solutions, other than bringing it all down and starting again?

 

[KMirza]

I am seriously considering bringing it down and start all over again but builder not keen at all