Another question about weather proofing a run - desperate for a solution

[catslovelycats]

I've seen so many posts and web pages on this subject and am still stumped for how best to weather proof my run.

I've got a 8x6.5 foot welfare hutch run and discovered today that the huge B&Q tarpaulin I bought does not hold water. It drips/pours through the stitching so the run was almost as wet as if it hadn't had any cover over it. So back to the drawing board.

I'm looking at getting some corrugated roofing to put over it. But the run is in 3 8ft long panels. Do I need to get 8 foot piece for each panel? Or can I slightly overlap shorter pieces? And then, if I leave it loose, will wind blow it off? Is it string enough to have bricks or something on top to hold it down?

I'm really getting frustrated. I just don't have the DIY knowledge for this.

I was going to buy some of the strong clear PVC stuff like market stalls use, but wonder if that will let water pool on it? The run is too large (correct me if I'm wrong) to be able to put tarpaulin etc at an angle to drain off rain.

Can anyone help me please? My garden gets waterlogged realy easily and I'm probably going to get patio slabs on it. But I still want to find a way to protect it from the rain and just don;t know what to do!

TIA.

 

[Compass]

We used clear double walled polycarbonate which came with a 10 year guarantee. The carpenter put it on but I think it was fairly easy. It has been up almost a year and it hasn't leaked at all so far. As it is a big structure we have guttering and two water butts to collect the water (this is definitely something to bear in mind particularly if your garden is already prone to water logging and if laying slabs as the water will need somewhere to run off. We bought some fairly basic water butts which do the job. I will see if I can find the brand as I think you can get varying quality.

 

[TheThreeB's]

Hi, it's a real pain isn't it. My hutch / run looks ridiculous at the moment with all my weather proofing efforts. I am just about managing to keep the rain out though, even though it's been raining all day.

I can't advise about corrugated roofing (although that sounds like a good option), but I do have one of those clear market stall type tarpaulins. It's been amazing actually, but your right, the water would just pool onto it, so I do have it attached at an angle, so the rain runs off. It's all secured with bungee cords. Not sure how you could get an angle with yours, how tall is it?

My recent additions are two parasols which are angled over the run and act as umbrellas, despite looking stupid, it is working, until they get blown over

Sorry I can't be more help, my current set up is not as big as yours. I am though expecting my large new run to be ready soon, but thankfully with the addition of a fully clad roof x

 

[*lily*]

Could you afford a gazebo type construction? Some of them come with side panels.

Don't know if it would work!

 

[Shimmer]

I use some corrugated bitumen roofing sheets on some of my runs. On the sections that don't open, I've looped some washing line around it, fastening it around the frame in a sort of zig-zag along some of the 'down' corrugations. It has survived strong winds for 2 or 3 years. For the opening sections, I just have a loose sheet which is nominally held down by 2 long bits of approx 2"x3" wood (old fence cross bars), and bricks at each corner in really bad wind. Not pretty, but it works.

In rain, the sheets don't sag and you can tip them up enough to pour the water off if it does collect there.

Clear corrugated sheeting is also available - I use the dark stuff as it also provides shade, and I don't cover the whole roof area - just enough to provide a dry / cool area and keep the hay baskets dry (so about 50% coverage).

 

[catslovelycats]

Thanks everyone. You've given me some options to consider and I don't feel quite so in despair today!

 

[Santa]

I use corrugated sheeting, you can get it in 2.4m lengths so you'd only need as many as the run is wide plus a tiny bit of overlap. Tiny fillet of wood at the front so that there is a slight slope for the water to run off and it works a treat. I have drilled tiny holes in them at each corner and half way down (drill the holes in the high point of the corrugation to avoid water dripping through as it runs along the channels) and have it screwed into the top of the run. They're fairly sturdy but depending on how well they're fixed down and how exposed the area is, they might break in strong winds from time to time. I lost one panel in those hideous gales back in the winter, but it only had 4 screws in it so must have been caught in a particularly strong gust at the 'wrong' angle. They're only a few pounds a sheet though so it's not the end of the world. If they had lots of screws in them they'd be pretty sturdy - but it's getting that balance between getting it sturdy and not having too many holes in it!

 

[catslovelycats]

Thanks Santa. i was looking at corrugated sheets in b&q today.

 

[Jonm]

Corrugated roof from B&Q with a plastic sheet around the front/sides

 

[Glingle]

I'm really mean and just let my two get wet! I have two old caravan steps with a sheet of wood across the top of them like in mini bridge and they happily camp out under that whilst it's raining and wander back inside if it really starts chucking it down or they fancy a nibble of hay. Despite having a water bowl inside and one in the run they always come outside even if it's raining for a drink. Rabbit logic defies me!

 

[Jonm]

better pics


Untitled by Jon Morgan, on Flickr


Untitled by Jon Morgan, on Flickr

 

[catslovelycats]

Thank you for your pics jonm. That's the sort of arrangement I'd like to have. However, the top of my run is composed of 3 removable panels and I'm yet to find a way to be able to attach those sorts of panels without losing the ability to remove the panels when I need to get in the run. Can I ask how you access your run? Does the whole roof just lift off?

 

[Jonm]

yeah, the whole frame is free standing which clips onto the shed...

 

[snuffles]

When i had my old run with removable panels, i stapled clear rubble sacks to each top panel, so could still remove them to climb in but kept the worse of the rain out x

 

[catslovelycats]

Thanks snuffles. That's one option I'm considering, except I rely in being able to grab the wooden bars in the middle of the panels as they are 8ft long and heavy. Covering them will mean I can't do that and I'm thinking that pooling water would make them even heavier to lift. Honestly, this whole thing is driving me nuts and consuming my every thought at the moment!

 

[Casco]

I have the same issues with my tarp, my thoughts at the moment are to make a frame to go on top of the run with something like the corrugated roof panels or this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THICK-0-35MM-FIRE-UV-COLD-CRACK-RESISTANT-CLEAR-PVC-SHEETING-WINDOWS-BOAT-COVERS-/331026964722?hash=item4d12bea0f2:g:GSoAAOSwBLlVbNe4 or maybe shed felt. I will be doing this in panels too so I am still able to lift them off, and securing them to the run to stop them blowing up if it's windy.

I'm in the process of converting my shed for my foster rabbit, the run will be attached to the side of the shed so when it rains the water will drip off the shed roof onto the run so I need something effective. My thinking is that by having an additional angled frame on top of the existing run roof it means I don't have to mess about with the run roof itself so the run should remain secure and I'll be able to remove the waterproof panels if very high winds are forecast and lock the bunnies in the shed for their safety. Sounds ok in theory :lol:

 

[Jonm]

Thanks snuffles. That's one option I'm considering, except I rely in being able to grab the wooden bars in the middle of the panels as they are 8ft long and heavy. Covering them will mean I can't do that and I'm thinking that pooling water would make them even heavier to lift. Honestly, this whole thing is driving me nuts and consuming my every thought at the moment!

why not screw a handle onto the top?

 

[Jonm]

I have the same issues with my tarp, my thoughts at the moment are to make a frame to go on top of the run with something like the corrugated roof panels or this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THICK-0-35MM-FIRE-UV-COLD-CRACK-RESISTANT-CLEAR-PVC-SHEETING-WINDOWS-BOAT-COVERS-/331026964722?hash=item4d12bea0f2:g:GSoAAOSwBLlVbNe4 or maybe shed felt. I will be doing this in panels too so I am still able to lift them off, and securing them to the run to stop them blowing up if it's windy.

This is what I used around the front and sides, I placed air holes in it during winter but now it's folded halfway up. The problem I find with it is that it becomes very soft and flexible during hot weather and very brittle when cold...