Roof on my chicken cage

[leeweedon]

Good morning.

I'm after a little advise on making my 3m x 6m chicken cage covered.

It's a galvanized steel pole frame that is 3m high at the apex and had two sloping sides.

Untitled

• leeweedon
• 8 Jan 2014
• 1

I'm hoping to cover the cage using uPVC corrugated sheets
Similar to this - http://www.wickes.co.uk/clear-pvcu-corrugated-sheet-18m/invt/240150/

I need to really know if this is a good idea or would the first gust of wind send the sheets in to next doors garden?

I'm also assuming that I'd be able to connect the sheets to the cage using screws?

If anyone can help that would be great.
Please let me know if I just need a slap as the whole idea is wrong and 'd be better of using a different ways of doing this.

Lee[/img]

 

[kbdiy]

It looks to me like there wouldn't be enough support for uPVC sheets from what I can see of the frame. They would just flap about in the breeze as there only seems to be support at the top and bottom and then only thin poles at that.

Does the manufacturer not supply any roofing system for the frame?

 

[leeweedon]

It looks to me like there wouldn't be enough support for uPVC sheets from what I can see of the frame. They would just flap about in the breeze as there only seems to be support at the top and bottom and then only thin poles at that.

Does the manufacturer not supply any roofing system for the frame?

Hi kbdiy - Thanks for the reply.

The poles on the frame are all 5cm diameter and quite think. The frame can support my weight (13 stone) dangling on the center apex so it is quite strong.

The supplier of the cage only has the "3rd" cover green sheeting that connects with bungee ropes...

Lee.

 

[kbdiy]

It's not so much about what the frame can support, rather that there aren't enough frame elements to support the kind of sheeting you want to use. UPVC sheets need good support and I would think that you would need another 2 longitudinal frame members plus some additional top-to-bottom members to give sufficient support.

Looking at the frame as is, the roof space is devoid of sufficient support members for the sheets and they would simply bend and break in any wind (and lets face it we have had plenty of that lately) as they would only be fixed and supported at the extreme top and bottom ends.

 

[leeweedon]

It's not so much about what the frame can support, rather that there aren't enough frame elements to support the kind of sheeting you want to use. UPVC sheets need good support and I would think that you would need another 2 longitudinal frame members plus some additional top-to-bottom members to give sufficient support.

Looking at the frame as is, the roof space is devoid of sufficient support members for the sheets and they would simply bend and break in any wind (and lets face it we have had plenty of that lately) as they would only be fixed and supported at the extreme top and bottom ends.

I see what you mean! So sheeting would be the only real option without having to restructure the frame.
Perhaps a large clear pvc sheet would work if I manage to get it support down enough and prevent to loops from breaking.

Thanks for your help again.

Lee