How to Build a Roof Over a Mobile Home
Building a roof over a mobile home will not only improve the aesthetic quality of a mobile home, but it will also cut down on heating and cooling costs.
A roof over a mobile home can also help prevent damage from falling tree limbs as well as cut down on the annoying noise of hearing heavy raindrops falling on the roof. Anyone with basic carpentry skills can build a roof over a mobile home. However, building the roof will be easier if there are two people working on the roof together.
Things You Will Need
- Hammer or screw gun
- Nails or screws
- 3/4-inch plywood
- 2 x 4 lumber
- Circular saw
- Flashing for the point at the roof's top
- Shingles or roofing tiles
Tip
When in doubt, use a screw instead of a nail; screws generally work better than nails. Check local ordinances to determine what type of roofing material is permitted in your area.
Warning
Be sure to obtain any permits that the county requires, to do this type of work.
Building a Roof Over a Mobile Home
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It is a good idea to determine how you will put your roof together. Do you want a slanted roof or a flat roof? If slanted, how big of a slant do you want? Make a quick drawing of what you want the roof to look like. Remember, the taller the roof, the more 2 x 4's that will be needed.
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Build the rafters on the ground and then lift them onto the roof. The rafters should be in a triangular form with an additional piece of 2 x 4 going straight up the center. The amount of rafters needed will depend upon the size of the roof. The rafters should be placed every 2-4 inches for proper support of the roof.
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Once the rafters have been loaded on top of the roof, they are ready to be nailed together. 2 x 4s should be attached to each end of the mobile homes roof. The rafters will be nailed to these 2 x 4s.
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A 2 x 4 is then nailed to the top of each rafter after it has been nailed into place. The top 2 x 4 will provide added strength for the plywood roofing material. Attach the plywood to the rafters using nails or screws.
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Attach the tiles or shingles on the wood, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Using this method allows for the layering of the tile or shingles to prevent leakage. The final step is to attach the flashing at the top point of the new roof. Flashing can also be used to finish off the end caps around the entire roof.
The Drip Cap
- Building a roof over a mobile home will not only improve the aesthetic quality of a mobile home, but it will also cut down on heating and cooling costs.
- A roof over a mobile home can also help prevent damage from falling tree limbs as well as cut down on the annoying noise of hearing heavy raindrops falling on the roof.
- Do you want a slanted roof or a flat roof? The rafters should be placed every 2-4 inches for proper support of the roof.
- A 2 x 4 is then nailed to the top of each rafter after it has been nailed into place.
Resources
Writer Bio
Katherine Bostick has been writing since 1993. She is a freelance writer and has written articles for both the "Spectator" and the "Crossties" newspapers. Bostick writes articles on educational topics, personal essays, health topics, current events and more. Bostick performs copy-editing and book-review services and produces her own local newspaper in South Florida.
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