How to build roof *under* deck for storage/car-port?

thecarman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Apex, NC
Our new house is under construction now, and the height of the front porch and rear deck is tall enough that I can store stuff under them, or maybe even park my Sami under.

I was wondering - is there a good way to build a roof *under* the floor of the porch/deck, so that water doesn't drip down through the decking.

There is *not* enough height that I could build a separate conventional roof under the porch/deck floor.

I know I want something slanted, so that water will run off, and I don't want it to hold moisture up against the bottom of the porch/deck.

I thought about making something using that translucent plastic sheeting roof material, and making it so that I can take it down (hinged?) periodically to clean out leaves, wasps, dirt, etc. Or I guess if there is enough of a gap, I could just spray the hose in there to clean it out.

Wondering if anyone else has a setup like this, or any creative ideas (or even something really simple that I'm over-looking).

And any problems I would be creating?

Thanks!
Richard
 
You could proably get the piece of plastic like you said and peak it in teh middleand give it saw a small degree pitch and hold it up with some bits of chain and eye bolts so you can take it down at will :) Pricy part will be plastic sheets that large to cover the samurai, but it would be doable. Or maybe the plastic sheeting that do the shower walls with, it is thin and relatively cheap. You can bolt some together and RTV the seams to keep it from leaking
 
I have done that back in Va and am tempted to do something like that under my deck here.
Used tin/metal roofing once, (had lots of leftover from a barn) and used some of the clearish plastic once.
The hardest part if it is an existing deck, is caulking/puttying/somethinging the edge by the house to make REAL sure that no water puddles up there. We ended up using that "Great Stuff" in a can stuff. It looked like crap, BUT it was up in the corner out of sight, and it was against a barn. On the other we just left it open so that some water would just run down beside the barn.
As long as you get the stuff with ridges, you can just mount the sheeting into the deck's bottom at the side by the house, put a 1x2 (or 2x4 narrow) along the length in the middle to screw the roofing to, then at the edge put a 2x4 (tall wise if it's wider than I'm imagining and you used the 2x4 in the middle) and screw the plastic pieces in from underneath.

First time we did it we had an 8' piece and tried just the two ends but it sagged shortly causing problems.
As for taking it down to clean, they never really seemed to get to bad? (But they were on a barn, sooo barn clean might not be wife approved new house clean)
But I'd have to imagine a hose up along the slats would wash any leaves down. As for wasps, maybe the same approach? But that might be tougher?
I suppose you could frame the roof panel in, (assuming an 8'x4' piece of plastic?) put some flashing on the side with the house, so it runs on to the roof, and then attach hinges on that side? Then just have some hooks/latches on the other side so when you need to clean you just unlatch and let the roof angle down towards the ground?
(that would work, just seems overly complicated? and very difficult to maneuver the whole assembly? To keep it from leaking you'd have to have the whole thing come down as one? I'd think? But I've never tried to have it moving like that? So I might be over complicating something fairly simple)

Good luck. Oh and as for problems, as long as the water doesn't puddle against your house, or the wood for the deck, you're fine.
 
use those /\/\/\/\ fiberglass roof panels. they are light/sturdy and would hold up well over time.. make some small managable sized frames to hold 2-3 pieces so you can swing them down/remove them, and where the frames meet tack a small strip to the top to keep water on top the panels..

I've parked under my deck but the biggest problem is grass doesn't like to grow under there and it turns into a big mess after a while.


That said why not build a shed :)
 
This is North Carolina, home of the tin roof !!

this is one of the projects I have planned for my deck, a few sheets of tin roofing, under the deck and a nice dry place for Dumb and Dumber to rest when not in the house.

will also lattice the sides for some wind protection.

give it a 2" drop fron one side to the other and a gutter on the low end, you now have water direction/collection.
 
We installed a plastic system for a Plumber in the Preserve at Jordan lake. It had tracks that nailed to the inside ege of the floor joists, and then a piece of plastic that bowed upwards and snapped into the track. Then, you installed another piece under each floor joist that looked like a gutter. They channeled the water to the outside of the deck. It worked like a charm. I think he bought it at Lowes. Call Tim Oneal at PMC (I think it is Plumbing and Mechanical Corporation) in Chapel Hill. He had the info on a website, I cant recall the name of the product or company.

Greg
 
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