I've had mixed luck with tarps—sometimes those little metal shards still manage to sneak out and find their way into everything. Anyway, about buying roofing sheets, have you checked any local salvage yards or reclaimed building material places? I've found some real gems at decent prices there, plus you're recycling materials, which is always a win in my book. Might be worth a look before you shell out for brand-new sheets.
Salvage yards can be great, but honestly, I'd be careful with reclaimed roofing sheets. I've seen some that looked fine at first but turned out warped or rusted in spots you wouldn't notice until installation. Sometimes new saves headaches later... just my two cents.
I've had decent luck with reclaimed sheets actually. Sure, you gotta inspect them carefully—learned that the hard way after a couple rusty surprises—but if you're patient and picky, you can find solid deals. Saved me a good chunk of cash last summer...
Picked up some reclaimed sheets myself a while back—worked out fine, but man, the inspection part is key. Missed a couple tiny rust spots that turned into bigger headaches later. Lesson learned: always flip 'em over and check both sides carefully...
"Missed a couple tiny rust spots that turned into bigger headaches later."
Yeah, those little rust spots can sneak up on you quick. Had a similar thing happen when I grabbed some reclaimed sheets last summer—thought I'd done a thorough check, but totally overlooked a few pinholes. Didn't notice until the first heavy rain... talk about frustrating. Did you end up patching yours or replacing them altogether? Curious how others tackle this sort of thing.
