I'm going to extend the workshop (again)

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

So I hav e now spent a couple of hours looking at roofing covers. I have a shallow pitched roof covered in felt at the moment but it needs redoing every few years so I have been looking at EPDM covering. Basically a big sheet of rubber that you glue to the roof, lasts 20 years, that'll see me out.
      The thing that interested me though was in one of the company videos they were laying it over Celotex, got me thinking that I might insulate and waterproof all in one go.
Has anyone used this stuff?

[Graham]

I have an EPDM roof I put on my 24x17 workshop when the roofing felt came off about 18 months ago. It is directly on top of plywood and I am very happy with it. I do have roof tiles on top but they do not have any function. I had the tiles and nowhere to put them, they look a lot nicer from the bedroom windows than the plain rubber would have done.
I have celotex under the plywood between the rafters but not tried it directly on top.

[Graham]

I should have said that the pitch on my roof is to shallow to allow the tiles to overlap and form a water seal, they are just laid next to each other ( sounds daft but looks quite good )

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Thanks for your reply Graham, very helpful, I have another question if you don't mind.Does the EPDM membrane appear to make the roof "sweat"?
You could imagine covering a roof in polythene and that would sweat just wondered if you had noticed?

[Graham]

I dont think so John. It is a job to tell of course unless you crawl between the rubber and the ( in my case) plywood. I must admit that is something i have always wanted to do but SWMBO won't let me.
However.... There is a hold in my roof where the chimney from the wood burner goes through and I have sometimes put my hand up there to see if any wet is getting through the gasket seal. All seems OK.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Thanks again Graham, my mind is made up. I think I will strip the old felt off, put on Celotex with stirling board above and use EPDM on top.

[Graham]

Makes sense to me. Hope you have help though, the EPDM will come in one single piece and it aint alf heavy.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Not worried about it being heavy, I've got kids you know!
I am now trawling the net looking to see if I can fireproof shavings in order to use them for insulation in the walls. I really should stop watching grand designs   on tv. I saw one last night and they pumped the walls full of mashed up paper that had been treated the same way....which got me thinking.
 I am sure those that used to drive big red lorries will be able to shed (no pun intended) some light on it. (even if it is to dissuade me)

[malcy]

My workshop is a flat roof covered in fibreglass. Should last 25 years plus. The fibreglass is over sterling board 0.75 inches, and under that, inside. is 4 inches if fibreglass insulation with plasterboard to hold it in place. Works well even though the walls are single block. The fibreglass roof is a good option. Hope this helps. Malcolm.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Thanks Malcy,
           almost certainly going to use epdm I think. Not going to use shavings for insulation though, apparently they are not as insulating as you would think. So I will use Celotaex or similar.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

So managed to get on with a bit of building work today on the new timber store. Once that is done I can move the stock timber out of the workshop which will create a space to allow me to build the (last ever) shed extension. I have had a rethink about the EPDM roof. Came in at over £500 so have decided that I will use felt again, I can refelt it 5 times for that price. On average I redo it every 7 years or so I think so I don't expect to need a workshop after another 25 years so that will do me.
        Once I have finished the woodstore I can move the wood from outside the workshop which will let me dig out for the concrete base. Then it is just a case of building up the blockwork and studwork walls and slapping a roof on. I have a split beam ridge at the moment so I will try to seperate each one and stagger them to bridge the new area in one without a pillar.
       Now I have a question for you. I am thinking about turning the lathe around so that I will operate stood between it and the wall. Those of you that have this set up what distance do you have from wall to lathe?

[bodrighywood]

One of my lathes is like that and I have about three foot between the bench and the lathe. Not had any problems with it, room to move back. may need more however if you want to swivel the head for big stuff?

pete