How to Build a Tin Roof Over a Deck

Corrugated tin roofing makes interesting runoff patterns.

A tin roof over the porch can provide aesthetic appeal; and even the sound of rain hitting the tin emits a calming sound. Using strong, thick wood and proper fasteners, your tin porch roof will last for years.

1. Measure the porch to find the best length and width for a tin porch roof. For example, assume the porch measures 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep from the outside edge of the railing to the wall. The roof will have the measurement of 144-by-96-by-96-inch. For a roof over a porch of dimensions other than 12 feet by 8 feet, you'll need to adjust your measurements accordingly.

2. Mark the porch with a line parallel to the edge farthest from the house. Mark the line 2 inches in from the edge, using chalk. On this line, mark two spots 6 inches in from each end of the porch.

3. Mark two 144-by-6-by-1-inch pine boards with 5 lines along one 6-inch broad side, widthwise. Draw the marks starting from one end at 1 inch, 37 inches, 73 inches, 109 inches and 144 inches. The last mark will be along the end of the board.

4. Attach a 144-inch board without chalk marks to the house wall 9 feet above the porch, using 2-inch wood screws and a cordless drill.

5. Attach a 96-by-6-by-1-inch pine board to each chalk line on the 144-inch boards, connecting the two 144-inch boards. Screw these boards into the 144-inch boards perpendicularly. Use 2-inch wood screws. These boards are the roof support boards.

6. Mark one 144-inch board as the front of the tin roof frame by writing an F on the board with the chalk.

7. Insert a 36-by-6-by-1-inch pine board between the support boards, 36 inches from the front in each of the four sections, using 2-inch wood screws and a cordless drill.

8. Insert another 36-by-6-by-1-inch pine board between the support boards 36 inches from the first set of boards, using 2-inch wood screws and a cordless drill.

9. Attach two iron columns, 96-by-6-by-1-inch, to the marks on the porch edge using anchor bolts and a cordless drill.

10. Attach 3-by-3-foot sheets of tin to each section of the frame using 1½-inch steel hex washer head screws and a cordless drill. Screw the steel hex washer head screws into the tops of corrugated waves of tin roofing material to prevent leaking through screw holes at the bottoms of the waves when rain runs down the roof. Noncorrugated tin panels seat into the grooves of adjacent pieces.

11. Attach the back of the tin roof frame to the 144-inch pine board on the wall using 2-inch wood screws. Set the back board flat against the board on the wall.

12. Attach the front of the tin roof frame to the iron columns. The columns attach to the bottom of the front board on the end edges using 2-inch wood screws.