Roof work by McCluskey Roofing
Common garage roof problems
The usual story is an old felt roof that has cracked, blistered or split along its joins, letting water through every time it rains. Edges lift in the wind, moss builds up and water starts to sit in the middle where the roof has dipped.
Underneath, the decking may have been wet for a long time. Chipboard swells and crumbles, and timber boards can rot, particularly around the edges and where the roof meets the house wall on an attached garage. By the time water is dripping onto the floor, the deck is often part of the problem.
Why EPDM suits garage roofs
EPDM is a synthetic rubber membrane laid over a prepared deck. On most garages it can go on as a single sheet, which means no joins across the middle of the roof where water might find a way in. It stays flexible through hot and cold spells and copes well with the movement a garage roof goes through.
It also has a clean, plain finish, which is worth considering if you look down on the garage from the house. Our EPDM rubber roofs page explains how the membrane is laid and finished in more detail.
Replacing rotten decking
A new membrane needs a solid, dry surface. When we strip an old garage roof, we check every board. Any that are soft, swollen or rotten are replaced with new decking, and the joists beneath are checked for damage at the same time.
Sometimes the full extent of the damage is only clear once the old covering is off. If we find more than expected, we stop and explain it to you before going any further, so there are no surprises when the job is finished.
Attached and detached garages
A detached garage is the simpler job. All four edges are open and water can be directed straight into the gutter. An attached garage has a junction with the house wall that needs an upstand and a proper flashing, and that detail is often where an old roof has been leaking.
On an attached garage, we also think about how water from the main roof reaches the garage roof, and whether a downpipe from above is discharging onto it. Getting those details right matters as much as the membrane itself.
Trims, fascias and drainage
As part of finishing a garage roof, we fit edge trims to hold and protect the membrane. Where the existing timber fascia board at the roof edge has rotted, it may need replacing so the trim has something sound to fix to.
We also look at where the water goes. The roof should fall towards the gutter, and where there is no gutter at all, adding one along the low edge can stop water running down the wall or pooling at the door. Any of this is discussed and included in the quote for the roof.
The job, day by day
On a typical garage, the first stage is stripping the old covering and clearing the waste. Next comes checking the deck and replacing any boards that need it, then laying the EPDM membrane and bonding it down. Finally, trims, upstands and any gutter are fitted and the area is cleaned up.
A small detached garage in good weather can be quick. Larger roofs, attached garages and decking repairs take longer. We give you a realistic idea in the quote and keep you posted if the weather changes the plan. Our flat roof replacement cost guide explains what makes one garage job bigger than another.
Getting ready for the work
Before we start, it helps to move anything valuable or easily damaged out of the garage, or at least away from the walls and covered up. Old roofs shed dust and debris when they are stripped, and you will want boxes, tools and bikes kept clear. If the car usually lives inside, park it somewhere else for the duration of the job.
Let us know about access to the garage, whether neighbours share a wall or a drive, and if there is room for a skip. If not, we can plan to bag waste and remove it by van. Mentioning these things at the quote stage keeps the job running smoothly and avoids surprises on the first morning.
Insulating a garage roof, or not
Most garages are unheated, so a standard EPDM build-up over new decking is usually all that is needed. If your garage is used as a gym, workshop or utility room, or you are thinking of converting it later, it is worth mentioning at the quote stage. Adding insulation changes the build-up, the height of the roof edge and the detailing at the trims, and it is far easier to plan for at the start than to retrofit later.
Think too about what sits on or near the roof. Overhanging branches drop leaves that block outlets, and satellite dishes or brackets fixed through an old roof are a common cause of leaks. We can talk through sensible positions for anything that needs to be refitted once the new roof is on.
Areas we cover
We replace garage roofs from our base in Wallsend across Newcastle, North Tyneside and the wider North East, including Whitley Bay, North Shields, Gosforth, Durham and Morpeth. If your garage roof only needs a repair, see our flat roof repairs page.