Wood preserver must be applied correctly to work effectively. To help keep supports from developing rot, you need to thoroughly treat them with wood preserver before construction begins. If possible adjust your design to prevent this happening, or use guttering to divert the rainwater. However, most supports are quite wide and extend further than the overhang of the roof. With a good roof overhead, the supports shouldn't get much water coming their way. Seal over nails with thick paint or glued plastic patches. Use as few nails as possible because the punctures let water in. A 'cap' layer should go over the apex of the roof, covering the tops of the sheets on either side of the ridge. When covering with any waterproof sheet material, start at the bottom with a strip, then the next layer with a good overlap, all the way to the top. While being cheap and good for awkward spaces, this solution is not as hard wearing as shingles or metal. PlywoodĬan be used as a roofing base, with a covering of felt, or tarred paper. It is very waterproof, durable and lightweight in comparison with wooden roofs. Pay particular attention to joins in adjacent sheets, and follow the manufacturer's recommendation about overlaps. Usually corrugated, but different profiles are available. Galvanised steelĪn excellent roof covering. This would cause a moisture trap, leading quickly to rot. Allow gaps between each shingle to compensate for this effect, and do not use any backing material under the shingles. Shingles are designed to get wet in the rain, and will swell as they do and shrink as they dry. Don't go for less than a 40° pitch with shingles and learn how to fit them correctly before you begin. Rectangular strips of wood, usually cedar, which are used extensively in some parts of the US and look very good on a treehouse. The following are the main three types of roofing materials used in treehouse building. If you have a large deck, use guttering to keep run-off water away from the floor. This allows the rain to run off well away from the walls. The more the better, but 12-18" will be of great benefit in most treehouses. For this reason you need to allow a generous overhang on all sides of a roof. It diverts any rain away so the walls, floor and supports will stay dry in all but storm conditions. If you get particularly harsh winters, a steep pitch is critical to avoid a build-up of snow which could easily spell disaster for a treehouse of limited support.Ī good roof protects the whole of the treehouse beneath it. Aim for a slope of at least 30°, but preferably 45° or more. A properly sloped (or 'pitched') roof is much superior. If your design calls for a flat roof, try to introduce even a small slope of 3-5° so water cannot sit there. You should never use a flat roof for a treehouse. The ideal roof is impervious to water but also needs to rapidly shed water so there is no chance of pools or damp patches building up. The roof's primary role is of protection and so it is a good place to get right. In order of importance they are the roof, supports, walls and parts of the tree passing through the structure. Four major areas of attention are treated in different ways to protect them from the weather. Ventilation is the enemy of the damp conditions that result in mould and rot infestations. An unheated treehouse will benefit from a flow of air, provided by some form of ventilation. Keeping as much water as possible off your treehouse is therefore a very good idea. Obviously rot is incredibly bad news if it attacks the main supports of your treehouse and it can go unnoticed for a long time. This happens in shaded areas underneath the treehouse and even inside the house if water is allowed to soak into the floor and walls. Wood will survive getting a soaking if it can dry out in a breeze or sunshine, but mould and rot will set in very quickly if the wood stays damp. When water gets into the wood of a treehouse, it gets trapped by poor ventilation and cool temperatures.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |