At the end of last year I purchased some property with a Horse Barn and property that has not seen much use or maintenance for over 20 years.

I cleared the property and trees around it, and patched up the holes through the roof with some spare similar siding I found.

A new roof is not in the immediate future, I figure I can paint a coating on the roof to seal the old nails and holes where the nail washers are leaking.

The problem is how to replace or seal the skylight panels they are brittle, and I have not been able to match up the siding style or style of translucent panel.

Any thoughts?


Siding style

Randy, I have no experience with this so-called aluminum wonder tape I've seen advertised, but the ads sure make it look like it would suit you.

https://www.amazon.com/Super-W...gid=pla-869513625980

I have the same problem on a building I own that is almost 50 years old. No matching pattern sheeting. Can you remove some solid panels from a back wall and replace the skylight panels with them? Then purchase new non matching panels to cover up the missing ones on the back wall. Of course you will lose the skylights but it is better than roof leaks.

If it's leaking along the seam. Trying caulking the seams with 3M 5200.

A couple of questions...

Do the skylight panels run from the ridge all the way to the eave?

How wide are the skylight panels?

I'm assuming that the skylight panels, and the solid roofing, is the same patter as your siding pic?

Also assume that it's important for you to maintain some sort of skylights in the roof?

6Gun thanks
The panels are extremely brittle, A branch falling on one would wipe it out. The tape would not work long term.

The panels are maybe 3 ft wide and 4 ft down from the ridge, with metal roof the rest of the way down.

I do have electric in the barn so replacing the panels with similar translucent panels, would be nice but not critical.

But I still have to close up the opening or find similar siding somewhere.

I was able to make some previous repairs where a tree punched through by using panels from a wall in a grooming stall.

Removing siding from the back wall is an idea, but the panels are nailed in, with some big rusted in nails (not screwed) and it's real hard to remove the panels with out damage.

But that may be the only solution, other than rip the roof off and reroof.

Any other ideas are very welcome

Thanks

We have something somewhat similar in our barn, but they're longer 12-foot panels of clear plastic. I don't think they're quite 3 feet wide though. Ridged, not flat. We got them several years ago at home depot.

The problem with siding and skylight panels are that companies that make them come and go and the patterns change and you cannot match old patterns. When I built two barns on our property in 1969 and 1974 I couldn't even get matching sheets over that time span. When the skylights get brittle there isn't any repair of them that holds up over time. Taking the old sheets from a less visible area and installing them in the skylight space is about the only permanent fix for the problem. By the way, installing the used metal sheets isn't an easy job either. Ideally they need to go under the edge of the sheet above so you have to pull the bottom row of nails on it. I suppose you could place the edge of your replacement sheet on top of the sheet above and caulk the dickens out of it and hope for a good seal. Short of re-roofing the whole building I don't know of another way to solve your (and my) problem.

Other than a real jury-rigged application of a replacement panel, I'm afraid that you're looking at a new roof.

I wonder if you could find a corrugated clear panel, thermo-form one edge flat for about 6-12", and slip that flat side under the lower edge of the solid panels above the skylight. If it was 4' wide, and the corrugations would cooperate and line up with the raised portions of your existing panels, that might buy you a few years, to save for a new roof. Liberal application of caulk on the sides, plus the top edge tucked under the layer above should make it pretty weather tight. Let the bottom edge go atop the lower panel and run a little long, and uncaulked, so it'll act as a vent of sorts. 4' wide should give you enough side overhang to bridge the adjacent solid panels...

Thanks Guys

You gave me some good ideas to work with.

If you’re not as worried about having a clear panel as maybe a white one, seal it. We used some sealant on a roof of one of the buildings at work. It’s a product we bought from ABC Supply. It’s called Mule Hide. It’s their silicone roof sealant. Five gallons goes a long ways and it does an incredible job of seeping in and sealing in one pass.
You could just paint the skylight with this stuff. It would be white and still let light in, but would seal nicely.

Mule Hide Silicone Roof Coating


They also make a skylight coating but it doesn’t look nearly as easy to apply as the roof coating. Plus I know the roof coating works. This I have never used.

Mule Hide Silicone Skylight Coating

Short term- Take a look at "Flex Seal". They have a paint, a tape and a spray. Black, white and clear. Hop up there and use the spray or the paint.

Long Term- Do it right and replace the old, rotted out stuff. But that costs $$ to $$$$...

Meant to ask - how big is this building?
You can buy recycled billboard vinyl sheets 14' x 48' for $115 with free shipping.
4-5 of those would cover a whole lotta roof pretty fast, and would last a few years, I'd bet.

The barn is 30 x 60

I think I will paint the roof with a coating like the mule hide, that was going to be my next post asking about roof coating.

I also have some good ideas on the skylight repair now.

What are the vinyl sheets and where do you get them? Never know when a need for something like that might come up.

Thanks

If you paint the roof, please mark where the clear panels are. They will be much softer than the rest of the roof, when you are ready to replace it.