Rehabilitate Rotten Roof Plywood

Look up at the roof area.

Rehabilitate rotten roof plywood. Think about it before you spend your money. Rotted plywood can cause a number of issues. Over time exposure to the elements and damage created by nesting animals can rob your home s eaves the overhanging edges of the roof of their attractive appearance and structural strength. Simply cut out rotted sections along the roofs trusses and replace them with new plywood.

Rotted plywood is identifiable by sinking areas of the roof or visible leaks. I m going a reroof in two weeks time where we are removing all the old roof covering and the old sheathing delaminated and rotted 3 8 plywood and replacing it with new 5 8 t g plywood. The problem obviously is that you can only perform this once the old shingles are off. If there is rotten decking the shingles are most.

Some sections don t even need replacement. Note bad areas for removal. I am using a 7 16 osb sheathing that i got from lowe s. Fixing rotted plywood is extremely easy when doing a roof replacement.

Moisture causes wood to rot and rotten wood absorbs water even more readily than fresh wood. Roof decking which is nailed to the roof s trusses holds roofing materials including felt paper and shingles and also serves to stiffen your home s structure and protect it from wind. Fortunately repairing rotten or weathered eaves is a relatively simple project that you can do yourself without ever having to climb onto your roof. Locate the rotted roof decking.

All roofs have a layer of plywood sheathing underneath them which provides a base for the shingle attachment. Gain access to the attic to inspect the plywood or roof decking. Although the plywood typically lasts longer than most shingles and roof coverings leaks can cause them to rot. Rotted plywood cannot support the weight of a roof the way healthy wood can nor can it safely grip the nails put into the roof and keep them held firm.

Old and worn out roofing shingles overflowing roof gutters or spouts torn flashing around chimneys ice dams or snow accumulation during the winter season excessive humidity and rising heat in the attic and inadequate roof ventilation can all allow water and moisture to slowly make its way into your roofing system and lead to rotted roof decking. Whether you are replacing your entire roof or repairing a small area fixing rotten sections of roof decking or sheathing is vital to creating a sound watertight structure.