# walking on a metal roof ?'s



## Mr. D

Hi everyone. I have a to get to a section of a house that is above a metal roof to stain. It is quite slick and just a bit steep to walk. I wondered if you all have any suggestions on how to stage this area?


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## griz

Articulating boom lift.

Nice house.:thumbsup:


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## Mr. D

you can do better than that.


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## griz

Not me. Only way I would even consider doing it. It's fast and easy, no sloppy scaffold set up.


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## TimelessQuality

If it's just that lower part, you should be able to walk it easily w/ foam rubber.

Just take the covers off your couch cushions...:laughing:


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## rselectric1

All I can offer is saying an articulating boom lift (as Griz said) is my suggestion too.

Be careful up there!!!! Post what you come up with!:thumbsup:

EDIT-they're fun to play with too!


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## WarnerConstInc.

Suction cup shoes.


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## JustaFramer

Mr. D said:


> you can do better than that.


:no::laughing:


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## seeyou

Vise Grip sheet metal tongs.

Clamp them to the seams with the handles up and set a 2x4 or chicken ladder against them.


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## ScipioAfricanus

You have some big brass ones to go up that friggin' thing.

Andy.


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## seeyou

ScipioAfricanus said:


> You have some big brass ones to go up that friggin' thing.
> 
> Andy.


Never had one move on me and I weigh 260+. Been doing it for 25 years. But you'll notice that there's scaffold right below and we'll be harnessed when on the chicken ladder. 

In the OP's situation, very little force will be exerted on the vice grips since it's a low pitch roof. They will just act to keep him from starting slide. I'd harness off anyway.


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## Tom Struble

we make a wood ladder out of 5/4 just slightly smaller than the pan and clamp c-clamps to the side of the ladder and the ribs

but don't do this with out an anchored safety line


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## Mr. D

i bought a few cheap bath mats. no slip . good times. wall is done. saved big $ on renting a lift. think i'll go catch a tigers game.


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## Tom Struble

hhmmmm... no slip bath mats....whod a thunk:blink:


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## gregj

A lift would have made that whole job a lot easier.


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## Sasquatch

Those are some big lincoln logs. Awesome house.


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## toecutter

Volleys are known as a good roofing shoe, i have used them on metal roofs and they don't slip on step roofs but i would also use a rope or something else in your case to be sure.

Still not that good if the roof is wet


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## cbfx3

Ive used the vise grip/ c lamp method


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## ApgarNJ

I've done this one not so steep metal roofs, use a bunch of clamps, then slide a piece of 3/4 ply against that. and you can screw a 2x4 to that ply to keep your ladder from kicking out if you need to use a ladder while up on the roof. articulated booms can't get everywhere. 

also, if you take some scrap EPDM rubber off your roofer, it grips better if you have used the rubber primer on it first and let it dry really well. then it's somewhat tacky but not going to stick or leave marks(test it out first, some finishes might mark up) 
then lay the EPDM in the pan where you need to work and it keeps you from sliding. 
the foam pads on top of that work well.

I've also made small chicken ladders that fit into the panels using 5/4 lath . you can keep them from job to job. 

lastly. if they have snow guards, make sure they are securely fastened and I have in the past trusted them because I know who put them on. Those snow guards withstand lots of force from snow/ice in the winter, just look what it does to gutters without it, that's a lot of force, more than we are putting on them with our weight. so the more guards you can catch to push against, the better you are. bring an allen key up and make sure they are tight.


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## gdwoodbutcher

Not to be a ****, but do you tell homeowner clamps may leave marks. My experience on higher end jobs is customer expects us to walk on water. Leave no trace we were there. Whenever I try to save customer money, it comes back to bite me. I vote for the lift! Know you said bath mats worked, but, one slip with bucket of paint in hand, I'm just sayin:sad:


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## seeyou

gdwoodbutcher said:


> Not to be a ****, but do you tell homeowner clamps may leave marks. My experience on higher end jobs is customer expects us to walk on water. Leave no trace we were there. Whenever I try to save customer money, it comes back to bite me. I vote for the lift! Know you said bath mats worked, but, one slip with bucket of paint in hand, I'm just sayin:sad:


So does a lift if you bump something with it:whistling


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## gdwoodbutcher

Wow, I didn't think of that! What if I wrap lift bucket w/bath mats and put curb feelers on it. :thumbup:


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## ApgarNJ

gdwoodbutcher said:


> Not to be a ****, but do you tell homeowner clamps may leave marks. My experience on higher end jobs is customer expects us to walk on water. Leave no trace we were there. Whenever I try to save customer money, it comes back to bite me. I vote for the lift! Know you said bath mats worked, but, one slip with bucket of paint in hand, I'm just sayin:sad:


clamps don't leave marks when you wrap the seam with a small piece of EPDM rubber. and tighen it up. helps grip it to the metal. it's not rocket science!
snow guards work even better as long as you check that they are fastened good.


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## gdwoodbutcher

Your right about that rocket science thing. :whistling


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## ApgarNJ

gdwoodbutcher said:


> Your right about that rocket science thing. :whistling


i'm not against lifts. but there are jobs where they just aren't practical and you have to come up with other ways. lifts are great when you can use them.


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## seeyou

ApgarNJ said:


> i'm not against lifts. but there are jobs where they just aren't practical and you have to come up with other ways. lifts are great when you can use them.


Amen. I own one and we use the heck out of it, but I wouldn't have used it to do what the OP was doing. Would have been pretty awkward.


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## ApgarNJ

yes, it's one thing to be able to stand up and use a lift, but it's not good to be that close to another roof and have to be laying or sitting on the floor of the lift to get to where you need to.


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## Fmgseven

I found that on the kynar finish on low slopes like this, just keep it wet.


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## Tom Struble

:blink:


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## Gough

Metal roofs are popular here as well, so we've had to come up with a few tricks for dealing with them. The best one is to use the sticky film that is sold for protecting hardwood floors or windows. It provides much better traction and doubles as masking/dropcloth. We started using it for masking, and only discovered the traction part by accident.


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