Selecting and maintaining a shed roof is just as important as the base. So choosing the right material is crucial. You’ll have to consider the weather and other environmental elements to get the best durability for your situation.
Your shed roof should last from 10 years all the way to 60 years if maintained correctly. Polycarbonate (Plastic) sheets have the shortest lifespan at 10 to 15 years, while clay roofing tiles can last up to 60 years if properly maintained.
So it really depends on the type of materials you use and the environment around the shed.
The environment is vital to take into consideration as it can have a devastating effect on the materials in the long run.
For instance, if the shed is standing underneath some trees, the leaves can build up on the roof and trap a good amount of moisture, which leads to irreparable damage if not checked regularly.
Here’s a table with all the lifespans of materials that can be used for a shed roof.
| Shed Roof Materials To Use And Lifespan |
| Polycarbonate | 10 to 15 years |
| Bitumen sheets | 20 years |
| Felt shingles | 20 years |
| Metal sheets | 25 years |
| Shed felt | 10 to 30 years |
| Wood shingles | 30 to 40 years |
| EPDM | 30 to 50 years |
| Clay roof tiles | 60 years |
How To Make The Shed Roof Last Longer
The primary causes for materials to decay are heat, moisture, and wind. Having so many materials to choose from can be overwhelming. Some last a decade, others several decades. It depends on your budget and the environment you’re staying in. For more information on shed rot see this article.
Polycarbonate
Let’s look at the material with the shortest lifespan, polycarbonate. This material typically lasts 10 to 15 years, which is not bad considering the relatively low price. But if there are any leaks that cause moisture to get under the material, it will get damaged and will need to be replaced.
So the polycarbonate might last fewer than ten years and you’ll have to replace it sooner than expected.
Polycarbonate is a very durable material that can last long if kept clean. Otherwise, the sheet will show visible signs of damage from the elements. It will slowly turn a yellow color and become dry and brittle.
This material can be maintained easily with regular cleaning. Wash the sheets with light soap and water every few months to prevent dust and leaves, etc. from building up.
Debris on your shed roof will speed up the decaying process and shorten the lifespan of the material.
Bitumen Sheets
Another type of sheet often used is the Bitumen sheet. This type of material is also known as asphalt.
Bitumen normally comes in a roll of sticky, black, tar-like substance. But these sheets are already hardened, so you don’t need a blowtorch to install them. It’s a form of petroleum and can last around 20 years, depending on how harsh the environment is.
Hot sun, strong winds, and heavy rain can shorten this lifespan by a few years. The sheets that I recommend are already shaped and solidified and look the same as metal sheeting.
If you want to ensure you get the life expectancy out of this material, the best thing you can do is maintain it regularly.
Like patching a crack in the sheet or mending a joint that might let moisture in. If the pitch of the roof isn’t too steep, get onto it and have a better look at sections that might need extra attention.
Degrading areas are normally caused by hot temperatures and/or debris laying on the material for long periods, which speeds up the decaying process.
Doing this will extend the lifespan of the roof and you can sleep peacefully, knowing your valuables are safe.
Felt shingles
Felt Shingles are a material often used for houses and cabins and have a life expectancy of about 20 years. They make shingles with wood cellulose, polyester, and fiberglass. Then they coat it with a durable material like bitumen to protect it.
To get the most out of your felt shingles, you can clean them with water and a broom with soft bristles. Avoid using a pressure washer as it can damage the felt. If you’re not up for doing it yourself, there are companies that do a good job cleaning all kinds of roofs.
Shingles are far more difficult to keep clean as they’re installed in layers. This allows more dust to collect in the overlaps of the felt than other flat materials. Therefore, you’ll need to clean the shed roof a minimum of once or twice a year.
Dust will lead to damage and the shingles will start to discolor and get brittle. This is a clear sign that it will have to be replaced immediately or in the near future.
Metal sheets
The average lifespan of a good quality metal sheet is 25 years. This is why metal sheets have been used for all types of buildings for well over a century.
There are a few things we can do to prolong the lifespan of metal sheets. For instance, most of the issues are caused during the installation of the roof, such as not sealing the roof properly or not tightening the screws all the way. This tends to only show signs of damage afterward. (check these during routine maintenance)
These are simple errors but can lead to damage in the long run. It’s best to double-check the roof while it’s being installed.
If it’s being installed by a company, I would suggest asking the contract manager if they wouldn’t mind double-checking everything, making sure to avoid such errors from occurring.
The pitch of the roof is another important thing to look at if you live in an area that receives a fair amount of snow every year. If the weight of the snow was too heavy, it could have caused damage to the sheets, which can lead to moisture entering under the sheets.
Also, after every snowstorm, you’ll have to check the trim and flashing as well as the gutters. If you have a good size shed and you’ve installed snow guards, also look at those for any damages as they help keep ice from building up.
If you’ve any trees close to the shed after high winds, check for any damages from branches that might have broken off and fallen onto the roof, potentially denting or bending a sheet making way for moisture to come and sit.
The same thing goes for hail storms, check the trim and flashing for any damages and then go through and check that the fasteners didn’t come loose. If the hail is big, always check for dents on the joints of the metal sheet where water can get into the shed.
Lastly, if you live within a mile of the ocean, you’ll have to choose a metal sheet that’s resistant to the salt air in coastal areas. So rather go for synthetic materials like polycarbonate instead of metal.
Choosing the right material for the shed roof and maintaining it will save you a lot of work in the future.
Felt
Now let’s move on to felt sheets. This material is often used for sheds and can last for 10 to 30 years.
If you want to extend the lifespan of the felt, you can use the same method used on multiple other buildings and structures such as houses and cabins sometimes it even gets used on the walls. All you need to do is add an underlay under the felt.
This will help keep moisture from penetrating through to the other materials and prevent mold build-up and rot from setting in unnoticed, thus extending the lifespan.
Another method for expanding the lifespan of the materials is to use adhesive and clout nails when you install the roof. You don’t need to completely cover the roof with the adhesive, instead just cover the edges that overlap and the cornering where the wind might lift it up.
Rather than using a glue-based adhesive, I suggest using a bitumen base adhesive. This results in a better bond with the felt than any glue and makes sure that it’s tightly sealed from moisture.
The clout nails should be evenly spread for them to work to your advantage, so place them 100mm apart. Having too many can be more damaging than helpful and too few will put the roof at risk of blowing away.
Wood shingles
Just like felt shingles, these are very difficult materials to maintain because of the tiny crevasses in the layering and are even more prone to dust and mold damage.
Wood shingles must be treated with semi-transparent oil-based preservative stainers. The stainer provides pigmentation and protects the roof from any decay for several years to come and helps to reach its intended lifespan of 30 to 40 years.
Also, I would suggest getting a private company to come to do the cleaning on this one as they can assess the roof better and use the right equipment for the job and look for any hidden damages, like rot that has gone too far and can cause a roof collapse and you might get injured doing it yourself.
To prevent significant damage, I would check the shingles regularly for any signs of discoloration or mold and replace them before the damage spreads to the rest of the roof.
EPDM
This is a unique material as it does not matter the time of the year and where you reside, you won’t have problems, as this material is resistant to almost everything.
With EPDM, all I suggest is to have a regular cleaning of the debris now and then when it’s time for maintenance. Also, check for tree branches that might be touching the roof and trim them away so fewer leaves land on the roof.
This allows the materials to last or outlive the expected 30 to 50-year lifespan.
Clay roof tiles
Clay Tiles are the most cost-effective material in the long run because of the 60-year lifespan that they offer. For a clay tile roof, you’ll want to add top flashing. This will reduce the chances of water causing any damage.
It also serves to protect the underlay from any moisture entering, this prolongs the lifespan of the material. Another thing you can do is to clean the roof or have it cleaned by a company of your choice once a year.
Also, check the roof yearly or after any major storm for broken or cracked tiles and replace them immediately to prevent damages from popping up or worse, having to replace the whole roof.
Signs To Replace Your Shed Roof
Leaking shed Roof
A leak can be super small and difficult to spot until the damage is beyond repair and must be replaced.
It will start by softening the wooden beams or corroding steel beams, which will weaken them and cause them to slowly bend under the other material’s weight.
The beams won’t be able to support the materials on top before sagging and leading to another weekend of replacing the shed roof.
Major Water Damage And Rot
The earliest sign will be that the wood changes to a darker color. We can easily see this on the inside of the shed. If you’ve missed this stage of water damage, the next thing to look for is a white mold. Inspect the inside of the roof with a flashlight to spot these problems early.
If the water damage has progressed to a white and black mold, this might mean that it isn’t repairable and needs replacing.
Take a screwdriver and push it into the affected wood. You’ll know what needs to be replaced. If the screwdriver penetrates the wood easily more than ⅛ inch in, that panel must be replaced.
If this is not the case and you were able to clean off the mold, you’ll need to assess the roof further on the outside.
Look for any metal sheets that might be rusted and replace them if the rust has made them thin.
If you have a clay-tiled roof, the damage you are looking for will be different. You’ll be looking for cracked tiles where the water gets in. This is usually caused by old falling tree branches or big hail storms that hit them and cause them to crack or even break.
You can spot any corrosion holes when you stand inside the shed during the day, closing the doors to make it as dark as possible.
If you spot any, there will be more to replace at this point. You must strip away the metal sheet or clay tiles to assess how much must be replaced.
Rodent Damages
These little animals can cause a great deal of damage if you give them the opportunity. They normally gnaw on the materials, opening the walls slowly to make their way into the shed.
This will eventually create a way for others to enter the shed, and before you know it, you’ve major damage to repair.
This can lead to moisture damage, such as mold and rot. That’s why a regular check-up in and around the shed is essential in extending the life of the entire structure.
Using Wrong Materials Leads To Replacing It After
If your roofing materials are too heavy for the beams that it’s placed on, it can cause the beams to bend under the weight and cause the roof to sag. For instance, using MDF can lead to big water damages
Because metal sheets, clay tiles, asphalt, tiles, and shingles are all heavy materials, it’s important to calculate the weight that the beams can support.
The roofing materials, combined with the waterproofing, are a good amount of weight that’s placed on top of the beams. Therefore, it will surely bend the beams if the beams are too small to support all that weight.
You’ll be able to see this from the outside of the shed, and it’s a good sign to either repair or replace it.
Causes Of A Sagging Shed Roof And When To Replace It
There are many things that can cause a shed roof to sag, from rusting to rotting beans or purely just the elements around the shed or using incompatible materials.
These can all lead to you having to replace the shed roof completely.
The best thing would be to avoid replacing it, so it’s good to check the shed after any major storm or heavy gust of wind for any damages that can potentially lead to replacing the shed roof.
If the water or moisture has been there for a while and there are any signs of rot/rust you need to replace the materials not only to avoid the roof from collapsing on you or the stored equipment but it’s also a health risk to anyone who enters the shed.
In a situation where you used the wrong material, I would suggest correcting the mistake as soon as possible, as it’s inevitable that you’ll be replacing it within a year or less.
Heavy rainfall and snow
The shed roof pitch can make the world’s difference if you live in an area that receives a fair amount of snow each year.
If the pitch angle of the roof is too low, it will lead up to a build-up of weight, and depending on how much it snows, it can cause damages that can not be seen before the snow has melted.
Storing on shed roof beams
If you’re planning on storing items on the shed beams, you should consider the extra weight on the beams when you are hanging stuff.
The more weight you add to the beams can lead to a sagging roof in a few years or even months, depending on what’s being hung on the beams.
If you are living in an area where there is regular rain or snowfall, I would suggest avoiding hanging anything that’s heavy on the beams.
An area like this will have more moisture that can soften the beams and weaken the wood, so with the added weight it will start sagging and you’ll have to repair or eventually replace it.
How Often Should I Check my Shed Roof for Damages?
Check your shed roof after any major storm or wind gust as it can leave it with minimal or major damage, either one of the two is important to repair or maintain.
Minimal damage seems harmless for now, but if left untouched, it can cause more damage than the initial wind or rain did in the beginning.
Otherwise, I would say it’s good to check the whole shed every 5 to 8 months, if you stay in an area with mostly rainy and snowy weather check it every 5 to 6 months just to make sure there is no mold build-up or water leaks anywhere.