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I have inherited a small countryside masonry building from my grandfather in a grass field.

It's a very small building with about ~40sqm of interior space over two floors, and a roof covering the two floors themselves and a porch. The roof is currently covered with matchboard over the rafters, then some kind of vapor barrier, and finally non-interlocking barrel tiles, as it's usual in this part of the world.

Unfortunately, the vapor barrier no longer holds water out, and the non-interlocking tiles tend to move and let water in. We've had a small repair a few years ago where they tried to patch up the vapor barrier, which worked for a while, but now water is making its way in again, and the matchboard is starting to rot.

I have visited OBI, and they have waterproof ondulated panels, the kind you usually see on small wooden houses or gazebos. What I'm hoping to do is to replace the tiles with these panels, without removing the vapor barrier. This way, the panels and the existing vapor barrier would help keep water out.

The panels are very cheap, and also lighter than the tiles, which I think might help increasing the lifetime of the very old roof. They obviously don't look as good as tiles, but I'm favoring price and result here over aesthetics.

Do you think it would be a good idea to replace the tiles with these panels to restore the water resistance of the roof? Are there any particular challenges with the installation? Do you think I could do it myself?

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  • What material are the "ondulated panels" made from? In my area the brand-name "Onduline" is basically corrugated (as is the common term here - also made in metal and plastic, both of which last longer) heavy tarpaper (sometimes painted) and I would heartily disrecommend it, especially if looking for long life. I presume that ondulated may be your local term for what my area calls corrugated, so the material may not be the stuff I associate with that name...
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Mar 4 at 14:46

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The roof structure has held up the weight of the tiles for as long as it's been built, so I doubt there's any life-time benefit to making the roof lighter now. If it couldn't hold the load, it would have failed. If you repair the roof to be watertight so it won't rot the framing, it should continue to hold the load.

Once you have taken the tiles off you might just as well replace the vapor barrier membrane (or add another layer of it, depending on condition) since you state it has already failed and is leaking, so it's hardly going to help your proposed alternative roofing material when it has already failed, and put the tiles back in place, if looking for long life. If the roof boards have rotted where it was leaking, you should replace the rotted boards in those areas as well.

Possibly buying a few additional tiles (one or two complete rows worth) to increase the overlap would help with the shifting of the tiles causing leaks. Replacing any damaged tiles woud also be normal. For the most part the existing tiles should be reusable.

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    Seconding what @Ecnerwal said here re: replacing the vapor barrier. My thinking is twofold: 1. if the existing barrier is failing in one area, it likely is or about to in other areas 2. water damage isn't something I'd gamble on as a way to save a few bucks in the short-term.
    – Leapee70
    Commented Mar 4 at 22:52
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Yes, replacing the non-interlocking tiles with waterproof ondulated panels can be a cost-effective solution. Ensure the existing vapor barrier is in good condition before installation. Carefully remove the tiles, inspect and repair any rotted matchboard. Seal edges and joints with appropriate materials. If confident, DIY installation is feasible, but consulting a professional is advisable for complex cases.

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