How to Replace Corrugated Plastic Roofing

If your corrugated plastic roofing has cracked, sprung a leak, or needs to be replaced for any other reason, you may want to simply do the project yourself to avoid the time and money it would cost to hire a professional. With a little patience and attention to detail, this is a job that you should be able to complete yourself. Follow the steps below to learn how to complete this project.

Step 1 - Obtain Help

This will be a very difficult, if not impossible, job to complete by yourself, so you will most likely have to employ the assistance of 1, preferably 2, friends to help you complete this project. Ideally, you will have 2 people on top of your roof to receive the plastic sheets as 1 person below passes them up.

Step 2 - Remove Old Roof

Since you are replacing a previously extant corrugated plastic roof, the next thing you will need to do is remove the previous roof. This will typically be held together with a combination of screws and nails, so you will use a combination of a screwdriver, claw hammer and a prybar (if necessary) to remove the old roofing material from the roof framing. Once you have removed the old roof, you will be ready to install the new roof sheets.

Step 3 - Cutting Corrugated Plastic

Corrugated plastic typically comes in sheets, and you will most likely have to cut the sheets to the proper length before installing them. To do this, you can either use the old roofing sheets as a guide for your dimensions or you can use a measuring tape to determine the dimensions you will need for your sheets. Measure the correct dimensions on the sheet of corrugated plastic and use a marker to draw a line marking your cuts. Then, use a band saw to cut through the corrugated plastic to give yourself sheets that are the proper length.

Pro Tip:

Use a scrap butt end as a straight-edge with which to scribe your line on the next sheet that you are going to cut.

Step 4 - Inspect Wood for Damage

Before going ahead and installing the plastic corrugated roofing, it will be in your best interest to make sure that the wood you will be attaching the roof to is not damaged by rotting or any other negative condition. While you have the roofing off, it will be your best opportunity to fix any damaged wood, as opposed to after you have installed the roofing permanently.

Step 5 - Install Corrugated Plastic Roofing

It will be up to you whether you want to use nails, screws, or a combination of the two to attach your corrugated plastic roofing to the rafters. Screws will typically be your best bet for stability, but a combination of the two will usually be best. Begin by using a nail gun to drive nails through the corrugated plastic into the ridges of the roof. When you reach the end of one sheet of plastic, simply overlap the pieces to achieve a seal. Once you have nailed the sheets in place, follow this by attaching screws with watertight washers into the flat areas between the roof ridges.