Find out how to replace your garage roof with bitumen roof sheets with our below guide. Suitable for all DIYers!
Is your garage roof leaking? Is it time to replace it and make it more weather-proof and watertight? If so, you’re in the right place as we’ve created a DIY guide suitable for all skill levels to help you replace your garage roof with bitumen sheets.
Garage roof sheets
Let’s start by looking at some of the different types of roof sheets you could install on your garage roof and why we would recommend bitumen roofing overall.
Metal roofing sheets
Metal roofing sheets are a popular choice as they can withstand extreme weather conditions and are lightweight. However, they can be very loud and noisy and can dent easily. Therefore, if you need to be able to stand on some of the sheets to install others, they may not be the most DIY-friendly solution. They also tend to be more dangerous to install than most other roofing sheets.
Plastic roofing sheets
PVC or polycarbonate roofing sheets are also a very popular choice as they are both durable and lightweight too. They also allow lots of light in but filter out the sun’s UV rays making them ideal for greenhouses as well. However, not all plastic roofing sheets are scratch-proof and they can be more expensive than other roofing sheets - although they are typically more cost-effective than metal sheets.
Bitumen roofing sheets
The most affordable option, bitumen roofing sheets share many of the same benefits as metal and plastic but can also be considered as a better alternative. For example, not only are ours lightweight, durable and can withstand extreme weather conditions, they are also noise-reducing, UV-resistant, made from 50% recycled materials, and can be stood on top of as long as the load is spread using a crawl board. They’re also virtually maintenance free and super simple to install making them the most DIY friendly, durable, cost-effective garage roofing solution!
We also have a wide variety of bitumen roofing sheets with different colours and styles available. You can check out some of ours in our “Which shed roofing sheets are the best?” blog where we have compared the benefits and drawbacks of each or you can view our full product range here.
How to replace your garage roof with bitumen roofing sheets?
It is easier than you might think!
Now we have briefly covered why bitumen roofing sheets are the best solution to your leaking garage roof, let’s look at how to install them*.
- Firstly, you should be able to install our roofing sheets on top of your existing roof material. You can either lay them straight on top (as long as there is a good quality full deck underneath) or you can add wooden battens on top, at an equal distance, to create a good structure for the sheets
- Then lay the sheets over the gutter line with an overhang and lay them in the opposite direction to the wind
- Lay your second row so the first sheet is parallel to the corrugations but not in line with the first
- Fix the sheets at the eaves, overlaps and ridges with the correct fixings
- Fix a verge to the edge for ultimate aesthetic, waterproofing and wind resistance, fixing to the sidewall first and then the roofing sheets with an overlap
- And you’re done...it’s as simple as that!
*These installation tips are based on our CLASSIC roofing sheets as these are our most popular styles. They can also be installed on roof pitches as low as 5 degrees.
Corrugated roofing sheets
You may have noticed that almost all of our bitumen roofing sheets are corrugated and whilst your garage roof doesn’t have to have corrugated roofing, there are some benefits you just can’t ignore, the biggest being that the corrugations add extra strength and durability without adding extra weight to your roof.
The corrugated shape also allows rainwater to flow off easily and it results in a larger surface area meaning they can withstand falling objects and offer more protection during storms and harsh winter weather. Our bitumen sheets are also super resistant to heat and are installed across the world in countries such as Brazil, Columbia, Malaysia, India and China. Perfect for our unpredictable UK weather.
Ready to get started on your garage roofing project? Don’t forget our lightweight and easy-to-install roofing can be purchased via our eShop, and select ranges are also available via The Range, Amazon, and Wickes. Check out our full list of stockists.
Also, if you have any questions about our roofing, our team will be happy to help and you can contact us by calling 0207 727 0533 or emailing [email protected].
Discover the full range at onduline.co.uk.