New fibreglass flat roof with decking timelapse

Our roof was leaking so we decided to bite the bullet and get a proper fibreglass replacement from a local roofer.
Before the video starts, the decking was numbered, removed and stored. Then the original roof removed. Plastic sheeting had to be used as it rains regularly in the UK.
After the fibreglass was set, the decking was put back in place on a new, elevated framework.
The job took three months and I recorded this timelapse with a GoPro.

[@mac9913]

One guy! my backs aching just from watch this ,he should be wearing a cape

[@MetalingKid]

This is an immense amount of work for one guy! It looks great!

[@pauldavies5655]

fecker must be on drugs ,,lol just joking ,, nice job !!

[@citizenpain5170]

+paul davies I was thinking the same... busted his @$$.

[@frazerpaterson823]

Should have removed the fibreglass from between the rafters you have a cold and a warm deck roof now. And you should have 6mm ply on top of the rafters then the insulation board on top. And you should have a vapour barrier under the the insulation board.

[@jontownsend6451]

Just as the last comment suggests, this is a huge amount of work. I have just completed my first fibreglass roof install. I needed to strip everything back just like in this video. I used fibreglass insulation instead of the insulation boards. Then i applied 18mm ply, and 8mm osb board on top, this is what i applied my resin and csm to. With the edging strips and grey top coat, it looks great.

[@MrFlatroofer]

Wrong.

[@robert5]

Had a shower stall that leaked, had a contractor redo it with the black rubber sealer. Leaked again in 3 months WTF? So ripped it all out and fiberglass-ed it. No more leaks. This was 2003, still to this day no leaks as I sold the house but still know the neighbors and they told me still the same shower stall and no leaks. Did 2 layers of cloth, let it cure/dry, mudded it and tiled it. It was easy, it was rough enough mud stuck no problem. My contractor who did it for me never sealed a shower stall like that and after that, it was pretty only way he does shower stalls. I was laid up due to bulging disc in my back so had to hire the contractor as if not for my back issue, would have just done it myself.

[@awilbadoo]

now that was a fantastic job well done nice work

[@lutonbusdriver2315]

A quality piece of workmanship. Thanks for sharing.

[@Doc-q2f]

There’s a few faults in this( vapor barrier acetone before top coat but WOW that was back breaking work for one man,

[@tomkosten]

Exquisite video. Thank you!

[@ch1mpstar]

I apologise I not watched to the end I now see he did top coat it !

[@handsfree1000]

were the old deck screws rusted in? must have been difficult to keep old decking without damaing it. I have got the same job to do. this video has been helpful

[@marcusmcentee380]

awesome vid .. good job ..

[@afishyfella]

How are you securing the floor joists to the roof? I see you put down small blocks underneath the joists. Certainly you are not nailing into your nice new roof. By the way if anyone is new to fiberglass I recommend watching this video as it really helped me appreciate what StuartDWright is doing in this video. Good job. This video has given me ideas for my own situation. Thanks for sharing.

[@daleclancyhillview]

Im wondering the same as to the fixings of the blocks on the roof, fabulous job in total though fair play to him!

[@ssss-df5qz]

I'm pretty sure they glued the blocks to the fiberglass with resin before using the GRP to seal everything, including the blocks.

[@jodiehamilton8518]

Floating

[@ch1mpstar]

Grp roofing they say lasts 50 years plus!! It all depends on the person doing the job. I've been a roofer for 20 + years and I've been to felt roof that are 25 plus years old and I've been to grp roofs that are leaking after a couple of years. As I said depends on the roofer. One thing I would add is I watched this and I know it's in fast forward but where was the TOP COAT?!

[@timbirch4999]

Ch!mpstar The top coat would be that dark grey top coat looking stuff they added between 12.09 and 12.20, I expect. Just saying.

[@glenparkin837]

Top coat was the dark gray but if your a roofer you should no that lol

[@denisoko8494]

Is it a warm flat roof? If yes, is there any kind of vapor barrier right under thermal insulation?

[@Ripper36068]

Agreed! many people leave this out!!

[@MrFlatroofer]

it is not a warm roof.

[@jodiehamilton8518]

Once it’s all taped it becomes a vapour barrier.

[@pauldavies5655]

ok ,,little lesson in flat roofing , get a bit of bitumen and put it in a glass of water , , it will still be there in a 100 years time , get a bit of bitumen and put it on a hot road , it will have gone within a week i believe all bitumen flat roof should be flat, and hold water, same with rubber , rubber deteriorates quickly in the sun , torch on is a viable product , because of the thickness of the 2 lower coats and a 6 mill top coat , got too be installed properly though , problem being , sealing around any object ! and the insurance cost is high too install it because your using heat !!! GRP can be moulded around most things ,, and if there s a problem its easy too spot and easy to fix !!

[@daviddesalvia8386]

Now that would depend on the bitumen. Coal tar will perform well in dead flat and tolerate standing water. Aspalt on the other hand requires some slope (to promote drainage) and will break down (overtime) if the roof holds water. If your going to try to protect a roof from sun light with water better make it deep and dirty - UV rays can pass through clean water as easy as they pass through air and 2 inches (5cm) of clean H2O may actually amplify their effects.

[@pauldavies5655]

exactly , this is why in britain , you still see old bitumen roofs ( 25 years plus ) with a mineral top coat and a covering of small stone chippings which attract moss , still water proof , the top coat/chippings / moss protects the roof !!

[@daviddesalvia8386]

"rubber deteriorates quickly in the sun" by rubber do you mean torch down?

[@pauldavies5655]

Dondo Dago no torch on , ( what you call torch down in the usa ) should last 12/15 years easy , when done properly , rubber roofs are normally called EPDMS rubber , dunlop and a few other big companies make them , problem being , unless the roof is small , you either got too heat seal joints or glue them , as soon as there is a joint in a flat roof , you have a weak point !! , with glass fibre , as long as you keep a wet edge there will be no joints !!

[@daviddesalvia8386]

paul davies So are you saying EPDM will deteriorate quickly in the sun?

[@JacobKnightRiderShop]

How many layers of glass?

[@macgordon5582]

Curious as to why the old sheathing was removed rather than just placing the new foam insulation over the old sheathing?

[@dirkdiggler9379]

Mac Gordon wouldn’t it have made his elevation wrong

[@macgordon5582]

I don't understand what you mean, the entire roof would have been elevated at an equal amount besides its a flat roof. I'm in no ways being critical but it just seems to be a great deal of early prep work wasted when they simply could have placed the new roof over the existing old roof. It didn't appear to be rotting so I'm wonder why strip the roof?

[@scoobydoo2237]

flat roof that leads onto an opening ( door /window) .....so he is restricted to what height he can build up. You also have to factor in the extra weight on the original roof....can the joist take it ? better to just strip and renew

[@Jcoughlan]

Hi Stuart, nice job mate. Did you sand blast the decking near the end to get a specific finish? I’ve done my fair share of grp roofing, but mainly on loft conversions so I don’t normally work with decking.

[@StuartDWright]

Nope. It was given a coat of wood preserver.

[@deanmanchip786]

All insulation should of been removed , ply board then vcl then insulation board , that’s a major condensation waiting to happen , you got a cold roof , air gap, then warm roof (what could go wrong 😂)

[@RubbinRobbin]

Will using a carbon fiber matte give the roof a longer life?

[@oknemesis]

No and is a stupidly expensive option....Carbon is for rigidity with weight saving ultimately. Its not needed in this situation.

[@RubbinRobbin]

oknemesis true, it could be, however some manufacturers do sell some carbon fiber with graphite at a pretty decent price, not only that, it's an electrode which can come in handy later on. i just also recently learned about polyaspartics, i think maybe it would be an excellent top coat for an epoxy/fiberglass rooftop.

[@RubbinRobbin]

Do you know what grade fiberglass that you used for this installation?

[@scarabooshable]

Board joints and flashings not bandaged.

[@mrden58]

no VCL? no spreader deck ? no topcoat ?

[@Bellew2k7]

Where is the drainage for this roof?

[@StuartDWright]

Far left back corner, there is a hole for water to flow through to the gutter on the outside. You can see it clearly at kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZDbk39ui7RkmMU

[@emilykidd3200]

This is brilliant and really helpful. My mum has had a new fibreglass roof fitted on her boathouse and I'd like to add composite decking for her (the builders are taking the p*%s with their quote for the decking. How did you fix the subframe to the roof please? Is gravity enough? Many thanks, Emily

[@StuartDWright]

Yes, I think he just located the subframe beams on top of the wooden block risers without screwing them on.

[@RubbinRobbin]

How wide is the separation between each panel in the deck?

[@jodiehamilton8518]

Wood shrinks. You can butt them up when green. As they dry out and shrink they leave the perfect gap.

[@robertries7774]

Flat roofs are a bad idea, always pron to leaking no matter how well you seal it.

[@StuartDWright]

Not true. While a traditional roof is preferable, this roof has been turned into a useful terrace area where we can relax and watch beautiful sun sets in total privacy. Also the fibreglass roof has been made in such a way that it is guaranteed not to leak for 25 years.

[@pauldavies5655]

i m a roofer for over 30 years, just about too change a hot pour bitumen roof covered in decking ,like above , that roof has lasted for 27 years , because the decking gave it extra sun uv protection , this roof should last 40 years plus !!

[@citizenpain5170]

+Robert Ries I'll be building mine for the snow-load and enjoying the extra insulation all winter. Poorly designed and executed flat-roofs are prove to failure - but so are all roofs.

[@jodiehamilton8518]

@@StuartDWright how did you do the drainage? I have a flat roof that I need to redo. It has walls on all 4 sides like yours.

[@Nickpaintbrush]

Must have been fairly expensive for a great job like this?

[@StuartDWright]

Yes, I had to sell a car to pay for it

[@nonsheep5823]

Makes me laugh people always put down felt and tar roofs but a majority I replace now with torch on sbs felts, have lasted 40 yrs before leaking

[@Crybaby_Club]

How much did this cost?

[@lynale990]

Why I dont see many contractors recommend this roof? Is this roof system recommened for Texas weather? what are the pros and cons?

[@StuartDWright]

It was the best option, meaning the most long lasting, the least likely to leak, and therefore the most expensive. You can see the roof it replaced, the traditional felt and tar, which are cheaper but not as long lasting. It had been patched to repair leaks many times, ultimately failing with the roof leaking badly. We chose the most long term option for our home.

[@pauldavies5655]

this roofing has lots of pro s and very few cons !! in america they dont do a lot of fibreglass on roofs , my friend who s a british builder in california told me ,,its because the roofs last way too long ,( 30 years plus) and will put a lot of roofing firms out of business thats why its not recommended.

[@RubbinRobbin]

paul davies are you saying American building inspectors don't respect fiberglass rooftops? Or is this just a workmans banter?

[@daviddesalvia8386]

Not a common roof in the states, canada. If you ask an architect of engineer (that deals in roofing) they will tell you their are better and less expensive options. Fully adhered to a wood deck, the fiberglass will be prone to splits at the joints in the OSB panels as the wood expands and contracts due with changes in temperature and humidity. Also - better be sure you have a real good vapor barrier on the interior ceiling if you want to avoid condensation (and mold) issues during the heating season (well depending on where you are in Texas that may not be a concern.)

[@pauldavies5655]

RubbinRobbin its a lot better then any bitumen product , but you must install it properly , quite easy actually !!

[@coolflatroof]

only 1 guy working at a time? why not work together?

[@seanmurray4154]

Heat

[@Crybaby_Club]

Fibreglass roofs last for years

[@dirkdiggler9379]

WOW!

[@darrendavies1156]

I didn't see him sand nothing. plus I see him lay one layer of glass probably 600gram not good enough for a decked area needs to be two layers of 450 minimum

[@darrendavies1156]

no bandage on board joints either and the way he insulated first before boarding is extremely strange. if u want insulation you need to deck with a vapour barrier insulate and deck again before grp

[@scarabooshable]

How's Flat Roof Co. Daz??lol.

[@MrFlatroofer]

This not a warm roof.

[@MrFlatroofer]

GRP is the worst roof covering ever.

[@stevenheath4109]

10k for 3 months work with materials , he must of been working for peanuts.....