Our Shipping Container Roof 

Suggestion: Don't lay a tarp over your clear polycarbonate roofing! It will be difficult to stay on in wind, noisy, too dark in the breezeway and potential for mold growing between tarp and roofing. In hot weather hang mesh tarping shadecloth inside the breezeway across the ceiling area using hooks for grommets on the mesh shade cloth. The lighter the color the better to reflect sun out. Dark beige is perfect as it does the job without looking dirty like white would in a very short time. For future roofing having the non leeward side of the polycarbonate roofing lifted would create a good hot air escape too.

Just for future reference, it looks like you screwed into the valley rather than the peaks of the corrogated roofing... not sure if you use the same system over there as here in Aus, but you actually want to screw into the peaks, so that water doesn't pool around the screws and either rust the screws and/or cause leaks.

On the next roof screw the tops of the ridges not the bottoms for uninterrupted water flow 🤙🏾

THAT JUMP AND SPIN EDIT WAS SO COOOOL!!!! so impressed with your build as ever too !

Hallo, als deutscher Pessimist mit Erfahrung im Hochbau habe ich tatsächlich starke Bedenken wegen der Belastung dieser Überdachung im Bezug zum Schnee. Auch der Wasserabfluss zum Containerdach muß bedacht werden. Gruß aus Deutschland (Bayern).

Seriously my dream house being built. Y'all are to kool. Love watching y'all. Started with your 7 day fasting video that has started my healing journey. God bless you all. 🙏🙌🔥😎

To do this in extreme weather is mind boggling. Lou really is very talented. Your home is coming to fruition ❤

A build like that is challenging in good weather, I can only imagine that it's exponentially more difficult in the dead of winter with all the ice and snow. Kudos to you both for a spectacular job well done!

I watch these videos as an example of what not to do , ever ! You should have put a full truss roof over the whole 3 containers , which in reality are too far apart. This build is not going to stay warm , dry and fully weatherproof for long. Agree with comment about screwing on the peaks of the corrugations and not the valleys.

How much do you weigh? Buck fifty? Seeing those bars flex just under your weight makes me wonder if you've calculated any snow load. When it dumps six inches of the sticky wet stuff overnight, you're not going to have time to shovel it off. Not trying to be overly pessimistic. I hope it works out for you long term.

A sun shade would be adequate over the plastic roof. It is breathable and blocks most uv light. That’s what they use on greenhouses in the summer.

Looking good guys !!! Over time that plastic will become a bit brittle. If it was me ,I wouldn't be walking much on it. You could always place a ladder across it, if you need to fix something. I was thinking the same as you, when you mentioned a gutter on the lower end of that roof and into a water tote of some sort. You could place a sock on the end of the down spout, and use it like a filter. That water can be used for cleaning or watering a garden. The end walls with the metal gate could be covered in plastic sheeting for the winter months.

I would spray paint the roof orange to mark where the supports are. It will not look as cool in the drone shots, but in the dark you need to see where you can step. The plastic will get cloudy over time. As others have pointed out, the snow load is going to be an issue. Maybe think about building a slanted roof-wooden frame on top of one container to raise one side. Snow load is the reason green houses in the north do not have flat roofs. Roof rake is also a great idea.

Wow. I remember your water fast video. Just stumbled upon it. So blessed to see how far you've come. What a beautiful family!

Max is such a happy baby!!!♥, the build is coming along spectacular, loving the patio vibe.

I probably would've gone with some kind of tempered glass ... it doesn't degrade and is easier to clean ... but I'm sure it's much more expensive. And true, it's heavier than the polycarb roofing, but that makes it very stable too. As for "tarp," I'd check out garden centers for shade cloth. It does what it says on the tin, shades ... but it also allows air flow and isn't plasticky so the sounds are a nice rustling instead of plastic crinkle.

I love it! I can't wait to see twinkle lights at night sourrounded by climbing plants and a little cafe table.

people have already mentioned the snow load but you should also consider the rain... this kind of roofing has a minimum pitch it should be installed on or you will have leaks because of backflow since the water can't get off fast enough... In case of a lot of snow be prepared to support the middle of the roof from bellow with something.

Lou you are so good at figuring out how you want to do things and then doing them. The summer place you built was super great. I know that y'all decided how you wanted all of this, but for me I keep thinking BUUURRRR and I would have put the containers together. I can't imagine getting up in the middle of the night and putting on a parka (figure of speech) just to go to the bathroom. There are other things I think about..., but I do get that this is your baby and I hope it brings y'all a lot of joy.

I started watching late in your van-life videos. Stayed for the boat adventures which led to the beautiful Hawaiian lifestyle. Now, I stick around to learn from Lou's creative and handy point of view. His construction skills are 🔥

Staggering the roof boards may be beneficial regarding support. I love the ideas coming forth from the build and especially the pun about the water. I get the point along with others. Job well done so far.

Oh Wow - how these projects must challenge! Lou is quite an accomplished welder 👩‍🏭 now. The covered courtyard will be such an asset. You must grow hanging grapes in the summer. Well done Lou and Dana. Seeing Max always makes me smile 😊

Beautiful family! Love the roof! Great stamina Lou and great job! You both are great examples of team work and just really being there for eachother, growing together. Simply wonderful!

Lou, you work with such excellence! Thorough and hardworking. 👍 The roof looks fantastic! You probably are going to need gutters along the edges of the roof in the rainy season. That could be a good source for water storage for the garden. It might be a good idea before Max starts walking or cruising, to install a hydraulic door closer for the metal door that will prevent it from automatically closing (protecting little fingers). 😊

To help with heat in the warmer months you folks could use shade cloth that is used for gardens - it works for my garden to help the plants make it thru the heat - you can get them in very large sizes.

Hey guys. This is going this be so nice. You can always install a pull on awning under the plastic roof for the very hot sunny days. You can even make it yourself. Love and be safe!🤗😘🌼🇻🇪

You guys should do a wooden raised floor under that roof! Would make it super cozy instead of gravel!

Stand those frozen pipes up over a candle so that the heat rises in the pipe to defrost them. Try it and let me know how quickly it works! Hmmm, think I'll try that myself!

Hi again, Happy Sunday!! I live in the remote wilderness of northern 🇨🇦 where we get all kinds of weather, and temperatures that can be extreme, ranging from -40ºc to +40ºc (-40ºf to 105+ºf). In this type of wilderness living, It is often said that one cannot have enough outbuildings, and absolutely every roof is appreciated!! Currently it is -20ºc (-5ºf) and we have had quite a dump of snow. Just yesterday we had to clear snow off some of our small outbuildings that don’t have super sturdy roofs. We use a special tool for this that is called a “roof rake”. This is a weird name because it is not really a rake at all. It has three long metal extension arms that clip together so it can be made shorter or longer. The end is shaped like an elongated shovel and this is the part that pulls the snow off the roof… while one is standing on the ground. I love it because we do not need to use a ladder (can be very slippery & dangerous in winter) or get up on the roofs. The roof rake is used while standing on the ground. Yesterday we cleared the roofs on our outhouse, root cellar, and woodshed. (BTW, we do have indoor plumbing in our house and workshop… the outhouse is for when we have power outages, water shortages or lots of friends camping here on our property.) Your roof is amazing, I love the design and the sturdiness. Should you ever need to clear snow from any of your roofs, I would highly recommend a roof rake. They are not expensive, and we have found ours to be very handy. Thanks for this great video today!! I just love your content, your “can do” attitude, and your positivity. Ⓜary🇨🇦🌲❄

I was thinking You could also hang from those wooden lattices hanging baskets for herbs and on those open side vents between fence and roof that are not closed off you could put a fine wire mesh so no mosquitos get in when you are sitting there under your patio area that you have now beautifully created. A lovely job well done. Have a great day.

The roof is beautiful. Love the clear plastic tiles. It would be amazing to put some seating in that common space and watch the stars at night. Great job on the build. Looking forward to the completion of the container home.

Lou, I think you've done an excellent job on the roof. I'm sure it wasn't easy to decide on how to accomplish it, and you spent a lot of time researching. See you next time.

So exciting - visual progress is huge for the mind during big projects! I’m glad you were able to come up with something to still have the natural light but be able to go between the bedroom & bathroom without having to go out in the snow or rain!

For the summer months you could get a retractable screen/awning you could put underneath the roof. Similar to how the back seats of mini vans have the sun shades you can pull up and attach to the top of the window.

Hello! I roughly calculated the snow load for the roof you built: 20-40 lbs per square foot is the norm; container length 20 feet, space between containers approximately 9 feet, 20*9=180 sq.ft; then 180*20=3600 lbs is at minimum load. Will the pipes hold up? I would make slanted supports near the walls of the container to be sure that the roof does not collapse from the snow. I wish you a good day!

I love that you seem to address most or all of the questions I have along the way - I was thinking, “hmmm…. I wonder if a gutter might be a good idea?” And then a few minutes later it was brought up! The space is really coming along!

Great addition to the space👍

Can the plastic roof handle the weight of snow? I really love the original colors of the shipping container! Great job!

Wow I bought my containers 3 months ago in Wuwi Shipping Container they offer COD and very cheap containers. Thanks for this

Everything you do lou is awesome. You put so much though into each project 💚💚

I got this plastic roof on my patio and it turn out great , it didn’t make my dinning room dark , and it easily to clean too , have you ever thought to connect the other 2 containers together? It’ll make you have a big house like the (life on containers RU-vid ) with your skills and tallent you can build the house ,

Between the roof and the gate, it’s really looking like a house. I’d want the other container roofed and gated too if it were me, it’s so nice and makes it feel like one house - or well looks like it feels that way.

Lou, you do such a beautiful job!

Suggestion: Freya should wear a coat or jacket and get at least 2 blankets for her "chair". Being outside all day in cold weather can cause serious diseases like arthritis which leads to painful stillness.

The roof looks fantastic, but I'm not at all surprised!

The music starting at around @9:07 sounds a lot like the band Slowdive's song Rutti from the Pygmalion album . Highly recommend any of their albums, if you haven't heard!

It looks great guys :D It's all coming together! I love that one of the shipping containers has "Max" printed on it :D👶🏻🐻❤

They make a shade cloth that you can cover the roof with. Normally used on greenhouses

I didn’t know your video’s were prerecorded. I thought i caught it on time to watch live. 😊 Good Job on all you’re doing there. 💙 🙏🏼 🙂 Creative & amazing projects❣️

This looks pretty cool. Is it worth considering a fascia panel on the windward side to minimise force from updrafts?

Excellent work thus far. Love to see your progress!

I'm SO invested in you guys ♥♥♥

Do you plan to treat the roof areas with a paint or rubber to deter rusting from water pooling? Love watching the progress

Aren't there building regulations about snowload etc in your area? Dana is so encouraging and positive about all the progress! And Max is getting big too.

Well done guys x

The roof looks so good! Awesome job! I ordered your ebook and cook book Roots last week!

Love this ❤

Awesome

Polycarbonate roof is cool great area to sit and chilli outside ,enjoy xxx

Now that we can see the flat roof between the two shipping containers, I was thinking it would have been interesting to see you put a pitched roof over the entire two shipping containers, and had a second story with even dormers on the second floor, It would have been a whole lot more of space upstairs , and have the effect of more of a traditional house.with a wonderful view

Fantastic job you are a very talented person who loves your family and I can't wait to see it this summer and how much Max has gotten is amazing love from TN 💕

You could hang plants and stuff on it nowwwww it’s gonna be so cuteeee! I’m excited tooooo

looks great need a drainage off the roof

I do wonder about the sound during heavy rain or hailstorms, on the containers too, have you experienced something like that already? I imagine it could get pretty loud?

the only downside with using these sheets is they ecome very brittle and in a hail storm they get totally trashed, and the noise was aweful . this happened to my brothers place and they ended up having to replace the roof

My friend! You need knee pads asap! Be careful working in the cold! much respect for the work, great job!

polycarbonate panels would help in keeping the temps a bit more level during the winter and summer as it has air pockets to help with preventing major temp changes,

4:39 ❤❤❤

You guys could have gotten a gaurge kit fir around the same price or cheaper and it would have been better than shipping containers. It would have been onunit, you would have only had a floors and insulation to do.

I have a few questions: Were there reasons why the tent floor wasn't insulated? Why did you put the chimney outside? Inside usually gives more warmth. Is there a reason why you built a flat roof in the snow? We built a plastic roof in our green house here in California and the rain sometimes goes so fast it can be collected in our rain barrels, but other times, our grade is not steep enough and it pools. Thanks.

With the snow so heavy , wont you get sagging effect on the metal pipes?

Would it have been more efficient just to build a small metal shed (Aussie here, you may call them barns?) and have open plan living (like a studio). With the wet environment would it be better to have a sloped roof to shed snow and rain? I just see a lot of problems with rust, leaks and mould. just trying to understand the reasons behind the shipping containers?

Can the plastic take the snow load?

Why are the containers separate? wouldn't it be better to have them all connected? what was the reasoning?

👌🌼

👍♥️

Need plywood to crawl around on .

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tractor supply carries welding wire.

How are max’s legs

You probably mentioned this in a previous video but why did you decide to have 3 separate containers instead of connecting them?

With it close n u sgould feel safer from animals

Sorry, but the angle you had on that ladder was completely not safe . A ladder should be arms length extended out to the rails , while the foot of the ladder is up against your feet. Just want people to be safe.