Wooden Potting Bench – Concrete Countertop & Metal Roof

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Rafters and Roofing

Rafters are laid over these beams and a birds mouth is marked.

Rafter to Beam Technique

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
marking birds mouth on rafter over beam
Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
marking birds mouth on rafter over beam

These are cut on the workbench. I extend the vertical cut marks on some green painters tape.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
cutting birds mouth on rafter with circular saw

Then I make my first cuts with a circular saw. The circular saw is used first as it makes the cut square to the face. These cuts are then finished with the jig saw.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
cutting birds mouth on rafter with jigsaw

Finished Birds Mouth Rafter Cuts

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
birds mouth cuts on rafter

Now to attach these to the beams.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
setting rafter on beams

I find it easier if the two end rafters are attached to the beams with a small angle bracket.

Attaching End Rafters with Angle Bracket

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
attaching end rafters with metal brackets

The three middle rafters are attached by toe screwing. Over these rafters I laid three 1×6 boards as strapping for the metal roofing panels.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
toe screw rafters

I did measure corner to corner of the rafters to see if my roof was close to being square. This is an important step before the metal panels are installed.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
adding strapping boards over the rafters

If not then your overhangs will not be consistent along the rake or eave. I didn’t have to make any corrections with the strapping so I was lucky.

Ready for Corrugated Panels

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
laying first roof panel on strapping

I use 4 foot galvanized corrugated panels for the roof. These are slid over the strapping, squared and spaced and temporarily clamped in place while I check my overhang before running in screws.

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Secure the Metal Roofing Panels

I’ve been told that the screws should be added at the peak of the corrugations and not in the valleys. As the roof may eventually leak if and when the rubber washers corrode and fail. There seems to be some disagreement out there about this. I find it’s much easier to install the screws in the valleys so that’s what I did here.

Checking overhangs

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
checking panel and eve spacing
Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
screwing corrugated panels in place

I’ve been told that the screws should be added at the peak of the corrugations and not in the valleys. As the roof may eventually leak if and when the rubber washers corrode and fail.

Temporary Clamps help the lone worker

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
clamp panel in place

There seems to be some disagreement out there about this. I find it’s much easier to install the screws in the valleys so that’s what I did here.

Last Roofing Panel

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
adding the roof panels

In the next episode coming right up, I’ll build the form, pour the concrete countertop, add the sink and shelves and finish the potting bench. I’m always interested in your thoughts, comments,  or questions so please post them below.

Make a Potting Bench with a Cast Concrete Countertop and Galvanized Corrugated Metal Roof.
Potting Bench made of western red cedar and douglas fir

Thanks for reading and watching. See Part 2.

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