When you have a patio, you want it to be somewhere you can actually sit, which often means building or buying a cover so that it stays out of the sun. Learning how to build a metal roof patio cover is important if you are looking into the DIY route, and if you take on some hard repair and renovation projects yourself you’re going to save some cash.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can build a metal roof patio cover for your home yourself!
Choose the Right Material
The very first thing that you should consider is the materials that you use in your patio renovation project. The materials are important here, because you’re looking at building a metal roof patio cover. You want something that can withstand the weather, you also want to ensure that you don’t have to spend too much money.
Corrugated metal roofing works here because it’s resistant to high winds and heavy rain, it’s lightweight which means it’s not going to weigh down the side of the home, and it structurally sound – it’s rarely going to warp. If you use corrugated metal, you can also change how you sit the patio cover at the side of the home. The patio cover could then start at the edge of the house’s roof, and slope right down which leaves you with clearance on the lowest part of the frame.
When it comes to buying your materials, be flexible about it. Get to know the local code so that you can ensure that your new patio roof is going to be acceptable for your local area. You also want to shop around so that you can make sure that you get the best possible price on the metal as well as all of the fixings involved. You don’t need to buy too much, so make sure that you go to the store that will give you the correct materials for the job and look over the plan with you. This way, you are not bullied into buying things that you don’t need.
Get Your Permits
Some people may tell you that it’s not necessary to get a building permit just for a patio cover, but you need to call the permit and licensing office to get the correct answers. Some home improvements can raise your taxes, and other home improvements require a permit. Building a metal roof patio cover is one such improvement that does require a permit. It won’t raise your taxes necessarily, but if you’re going to make alterations to the house, a building permit will be needed. Make sure that you call ahead first, because your local government may see different!
Get the Building Started
Once you’ve had all your materials delivered, it’s time to get to work. Make sure that you stay as organized as possible.
Think about the type of layout that you’re going to use to make it easy for you to reach for the materials that you need. Consider building this just the way that you would build flat-back furniture, make sure you have all your fixings and fixtures laid out and ready to go.
Install a Ledger Board
You’re going to start out by installing the ledger board. This will make sure that you have a solid frame for your metal roof patio cover. You don’t want anything wiggling or dangling after the installation. Once again you want to make sure that everything is legal.
This means that the ledger board you choose should be of the right size as dictated by local laws.
After you’ve done that it’s time for some fun, you can pre-drill holes in the ledger board, so you have a good idea where everything will need to be slotted in. Use decking screws to keep the ledger board in place. Many people use staple guns to help keep the cable lines in place, as well.
The Post Holes
It can be difficult to figure out where to dig these, as most people would like them to be exactly a certain length from the roof edge. Consider where your home’s foundation is first and the roof’s drip edge next. You need to make sure that you use accurate measurements and here is where you should think about using a contractor to do this for you. You can use a simple shovel to dig the holes and you can use a garden hoe to stamp down and compact the dirt at the bottom of the holes.
Assembling the Frame
Now that you have all the post holes out of the way it’s time for you to assemble the frame. Make sure you lay it out on solid smooth ground.
You need to cut the braces at 45° angles and then grab a ruler and measure the width of your board. Mark the legs at the end of the board. You can then cut from that side to the corner and create a triangle of wood, that’s sure to be the right shape.
Now it’s time for you to assemble the pieces. Lay them out on the ground and carefully measure which position each piece will go into. Once you have done all of this, it’s time for you to prepare what is known as the joist.
Raise Up the Frame
After all of that is done you’ve now reached the fun part! This is where you’re going to raise up the frame.
It’s always best to get help to raise this up but if you can’t find anybody to grab you some prop sticks as it should help. A single framing nail will be necessary to attach a 10 ft longboard.
You can make it your solution for the outside of the frame. These words will then rotate on the frame as you begin to lift. The other end will hold up the frame as you begin to lift.
You will keep the other end of the frame on the ground to prevent everything from falling back down again. In the middle, you can then attach the right board to your center post and go ahead and lift from the very end.
When you begin to lift a friend make sure you move towards it. You should have your frame standing upright in your post hole without any strain at all. You can then attach the joist to both sides and secure your corners with chopsticks as well as the center lifting board.
Pouring Concrete
Make sure that the frame is leveled right across the top. So that you can lift the post just a tiny bit and add some dry concrete ready mix so that the height will be raised up enough to meet the level in your bubblehead to give a perfect reading.
Once your posts are straight you can go ahead and lift the bottom of them into the post holes. Be sure to measure with your level every adjustment that you make. You can then pour in the concrete mix.
Finishing Up
You’re almost at the end of it so keep going! Once your frame is up you will now need to attach it to the boards. These boards will be attached to the top of the joints and you will then be able to screw the metal roof to these bolts.
Finally, make sure that the upper end of the metal sheets you have, go under the drip edge as well as the roof decking of the house.
Now you have an amazing patio cover that you can enjoy with your family and friends while making amazing memories. Your patio cover should be something that is eye-catching but functional at the same time.
You want to be able to have great covering so you can decorate and add your special touch, that will get people’s jaws dropping at the beauty that is before them.