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the shed, part 1
Sep. 18th, 2009 10:30 pmI've been meaning to redo the shed roof. I had planned on doing it in september, and here september is half over. Honestly, I would have gotten to it sooner but I was doing a lot of gardening. Okay, probably only as soon as last weekend. But now time is running out. Not many weekends left to work before the snow flies.
There were some shingles missing - for years. There was one spot where the plywood was open to the sky. The rain got in, soaked through the plywood, and dissolved the glue. It looked fine from inside the shed, but once I got the shingles off, it was clear that the shingles had been holding up the plywood, rather than the other way around. The gutters on each side were rusty and sagging in the middle. Some of the wood behind them was rotting away. Other wooden parts around the edges were rotted away, some completely. In one spot, it was rotted and/or separated enough that birds got inside and built a nest.
Last weekend I had some time, so I went out to look at things and make a plan. I failed. No clue. I knew that all I could do was start tearing things apart and see what I needed. So that's what I did. I took the day off work. I went out bright and early (meaning, before lunchtime), and started tearing things apart. I took the gutters off. I took off some of the fascia boards. I tore off all the shingles on the south side. I took the rest of the fascia boards off. I tore off the shingles at the bottom of the north side.
I was surprised at how steep it is. I could barely hang on, on the shingled part (sandpaper). I could only work up there by sitting on or hanging onto the peak. If I needed to reach far downward, I had to hook my foot over the peak, and sit on my calf (can you picture that?) Any farther down than that, I could only reach from below, on a ladder.
As I said, I started without a plan. I only had presence of mind last night, to call my friend to borrow some tools. I went over to his shop at a quarter to twelve last night, talked for an hour, and didn't get to bed until well after 1:00 (hence, the early start today). I still haven't called for a dumpster. Now, since I need to replace some plywood, I have to work out a way to get it home and then get it up on the roof. The station wagon is only 42" wide. I called a friend who works nearby, with trucks, to see if he could help. He called back and said he was in Chicago, and wouldn't be home until sunday. I can only thing of one other person with a truck, and I always call him for things. One more time. But he doesn't have his big truck this weekend. His only available vehicle can only hold a 4x6 sheet of plywood. I'd prefer a full sheet, but I can deal with that. But he can't help until late afternoon tomorrow. I wonder how far I can get before I need his help.
I'll have to assume my current plan is correct - I'd rather get his input first - and start cutting out the bad plywood. I think I have to cut off the bottom foot or two of the entire north side, and half the south side. And six feet of that one sheet. Ooh - if I get the plywood all cut down to two-foot strips, I can get it home in the wagon. I'll just have to use three two-foot sheets instead of one six-footer, in that one spot. Then I won't need him at all.
Now I have the problem of cutting the plywood off the roof. I set the blade of the circular saw at a 1/2" deep cut. Mark a chalk line, and try to cut it straight. Hmm, I wonder what I'll stand on. Oh, I'll nail one of the scrap boards down. I'm cutting that part off anyway. Okay, get the plywood replaced, put the fascia boards up, then the gutters. Might use plastic. Oops, what about the fascia boards on the ends of the roof? Those are going to be tricky.
Wish me luck.
There were some shingles missing - for years. There was one spot where the plywood was open to the sky. The rain got in, soaked through the plywood, and dissolved the glue. It looked fine from inside the shed, but once I got the shingles off, it was clear that the shingles had been holding up the plywood, rather than the other way around. The gutters on each side were rusty and sagging in the middle. Some of the wood behind them was rotting away. Other wooden parts around the edges were rotted away, some completely. In one spot, it was rotted and/or separated enough that birds got inside and built a nest.
Last weekend I had some time, so I went out to look at things and make a plan. I failed. No clue. I knew that all I could do was start tearing things apart and see what I needed. So that's what I did. I took the day off work. I went out bright and early (meaning, before lunchtime), and started tearing things apart. I took the gutters off. I took off some of the fascia boards. I tore off all the shingles on the south side. I took the rest of the fascia boards off. I tore off the shingles at the bottom of the north side.
I was surprised at how steep it is. I could barely hang on, on the shingled part (sandpaper). I could only work up there by sitting on or hanging onto the peak. If I needed to reach far downward, I had to hook my foot over the peak, and sit on my calf (can you picture that?) Any farther down than that, I could only reach from below, on a ladder.
As I said, I started without a plan. I only had presence of mind last night, to call my friend to borrow some tools. I went over to his shop at a quarter to twelve last night, talked for an hour, and didn't get to bed until well after 1:00 (hence, the early start today). I still haven't called for a dumpster. Now, since I need to replace some plywood, I have to work out a way to get it home and then get it up on the roof. The station wagon is only 42" wide. I called a friend who works nearby, with trucks, to see if he could help. He called back and said he was in Chicago, and wouldn't be home until sunday. I can only thing of one other person with a truck, and I always call him for things. One more time. But he doesn't have his big truck this weekend. His only available vehicle can only hold a 4x6 sheet of plywood. I'd prefer a full sheet, but I can deal with that. But he can't help until late afternoon tomorrow. I wonder how far I can get before I need his help.
I'll have to assume my current plan is correct - I'd rather get his input first - and start cutting out the bad plywood. I think I have to cut off the bottom foot or two of the entire north side, and half the south side. And six feet of that one sheet. Ooh - if I get the plywood all cut down to two-foot strips, I can get it home in the wagon. I'll just have to use three two-foot sheets instead of one six-footer, in that one spot. Then I won't need him at all.
Now I have the problem of cutting the plywood off the roof. I set the blade of the circular saw at a 1/2" deep cut. Mark a chalk line, and try to cut it straight. Hmm, I wonder what I'll stand on. Oh, I'll nail one of the scrap boards down. I'm cutting that part off anyway. Okay, get the plywood replaced, put the fascia boards up, then the gutters. Might use plastic. Oops, what about the fascia boards on the ends of the roof? Those are going to be tricky.
Wish me luck.
