Sauna Roof Demolition 2016

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A combination of conditions created a perfect storm of rot and decomposition of the sauna roof after twenty-four years.

For starters there's the extreme humidity encountered in sauna interiors, compounded by the difficulty in ventilating a four-pitch roof.

Next, the roof being only about two feet off the ground made for easy access by rodents. Mice were able to chew their way right through the asphalt shingles and install themselves inside the rafter bays. The additional moisture introduced by their presence, and, of course, the heat from the sauna itself, created perfect conditions for rampant rot.

It's a wonder the roof lasted for twenty-four years!

I really liked the low profile of the four-pitch, but I'm replacing it with a standard gable-end 8-in-12 pitch roof.

Two-by-ten rafters with a gridwork of two-by-fours on top will insure that the new roof will have ample ventilation, and I'll also be installing two timer-controlled exhaust fans in the gable ends to evacuate as much humidity as possible from the sauna and dressing room interiors after each sauna session.

Finally, I'm going for a metal roofing with aluminum soffit and facia. Let's see if the little buggers can chew their way through that!

Oh, yeah. I won't be using 'flake-board' for the roof deck beneath the tin roofing! Who invented that stuff?

Unfortunately, my wreck, oops, I mean truck, died on the way to asphalt shingle heaven yesterday. Fortunately it died just up the road from Russell Smith's garage. As soon as he gets off vacation I'll find out if the over-heat was fatal or whether the patient can be put on life-support long enough to finish the new roof job.


Sauna Home Page


Roof Demolition, 2016


Rennovation, Part 1


Rennovation, Part 2


Rennovation, Part 3


Rennovation, Part 4




Hermit Homepage