Due to the combination of high manufacturability and excellent physical and mechanical properties, sprayed coatings are gaining more and more popularity among Russians. Most commercials talk about how easy and simple it is to use such materials. However, do not neglect and minimize all preparatory work. Our article will talk about what a sprayed roof is, what features this material has, whether it is possible to make a roof from sprayed materials on your own.
In order for a soft roof to perform its functionality at 100% and last for a maximum period without repair, most experts are unanimous in the opinion that such results can be achieved by correctly applying the soft roof installation technology.
Main features of sputtering technology
Spraying technology in Russia is used relatively recently. It is based on the creation of a thermally waterproofing contour on any previously prepared surface.
Moreover, depending on the expected loads of the roof, the thickness and number of layers of material applied to the roof depend. Most spray systems are rigid foams. They are made immediately before use on the construction site.
To prepare such a composition and its application, a special installation is used. The material is applied with a special gun.
The mobile unit simultaneously doses, heats up and delivers two components under high pressure. With the help of a gun, their mixture falls on the roof surface, forming a waterproofing layer.
It is important to know: any soft coating, when applied to an unprepared surface, exposes all its defects and eventually begins to crack on bumps. Therefore, such a roof will become unusable in a couple of years. To prevent this from happening, this work is best left to professionals.
Characteristics and features of liquid materials
Currently, there are several types of liquid rubber:
- two-component rubber;
- bitumen-polymer cold mastic for the roof (base - water);
- roofing acrylic-polymer mastics.
In accordance with the instructions for soft roofing, liquid rubber, roofing polyurethane and polymer mastics can be used. In this case, you can completely abandon the use of heavy waterproofing in rolls.
The modern market offers a wide range of liquid waterproofing materials from various manufacturers. Materials of proven brands are the best solution to the problem of roof waterproofing.
Depending on the area of the soft roof and its functional load, the choice of one or another material depends. The complexity of installation also depends on the design features and shape of the roof.
Recall that all liquid materials that are used for the installation of soft roofs (emulsions, mastics) are applied cold and do not require any heating.
Therefore, you can cope with such work on your own if you complete all the preliminary work on leveling and preparing the surface and carry out all the procedures step by step according to the instructions.
What is especially pleasing is that all liquid materials are water-based, so they do not have odors and do not evaporate. Solvents are not required for their application. Such materials are completely harmless to humans and the environment.
It is important to consider: all of the above liquid materials, when applied, will definitely emphasize the contours of the base and provide reliable waterproofing at all junctions of the most complex shape.
Liquid materials have excellent adhesion to any building material. Therefore, with their high-quality application, there can be no talk of any punctures into which water can penetrate.
After complete drying, liquid materials form a seamless membrane (like rubber), providing the roof with water and steam impermeability.
Liquid materials can be used both for arranging a new roof on new buildings, and for repairing an old roof made of a variety of materials.
Installation technology of soft roofing with liquid rubber
If the flat roof has a large area, then the sprayed roof can be installed using cold spray liquid two-component rubber.
For this, most experts recommend using liquid rubber - bitumen-polymer emulsions.
This technology is not too complicated, but it requires special equipment - an installation with a two-channel fishing rod, where two liquid components are supplied under high pressure: a hardener (aqueous solution) and a bitumen-polymer emulsion.
When exiting the rods in special nozzles, the two components are mixed and fed in the form of a sprayed fine stream. When interacting with air, the bitumen-polymer emulsion breaks up and the polymerization of latexes begins.
Upon contact with the insulated surface, the liquid instantly turns into a viscous, viscous mass. In just a few minutes, it turns into a seamless rubber-like hyperelastic membrane.
The main advantages of a soft roof made of liquid rubber:
- Wide application (for installation of new and repair of old roofs, for waterproofing flat roofs and junctions).
- Environmental friendliness.
- Safety.
- Roof longevity.
- Resistant to atmospheric precipitation, ultraviolet rays.
- High frost resistance and heat resistance.
- Particularly relevant for large areas: bridges, port facilities, swimming pools, flat industrial roofs.
When installing a soft roof using liquid rubber, it is important to take into account the functional load of the roof. Depending on its base, experts determine the thickness of the application of liquid rubber.
In order to calculate the required amount of liquid rubber, you need to know that, theoretically, 1.5 liters of liquid rubber are consumed per 1 mm of coverage for each square meter of roof.
A little advice: to seal the seams and anti-corrosion protection of metal roofing, you need to apply at least 1.5 mm of liquid rubber. In order to waterproof wooden structures, a layer of liquid rubber of 1.5 mm is also sufficient. For the installation of a flat roof according to the membrane type, it is necessary to apply a layer with a thickness of 2 to 2.5 mm. If anti-corrosion protection of concrete or reinforced concrete structures is supposed, then the layer of the sprayed material should be at least 3 mm.
When installing a soft roof of especially large areas and a complex configuration, it is more reasonable to use a bitumen-polymer two-component water-based emulsion (we talked about this above).
However, the use of a special installation and the use of two-component liquid rubber for the installation of a soft roof of a small size is irrational. Why spend extra money if it is quite possible to do a soft roof with your own hands, for example, in a small country house.
Do-it-yourself installation of a soft roof
If the roof area is less than 100 square meters and its design and shape are not too complicated, then it is quite possible and independently to carry out the installation and waterproofing of the sprayed roof.
For such purposes, a series of special materials from different manufacturers are sold on the market. These are mainly pasty materials, including water-based waterproofing mastics.
But there are other equally popular materials for do-it-yourself soft roofing. These include:
- one-component liquid rubbers (bitumen-polymer mastics);
- one-component liquid rubbers with an activator;
- acrylic-polymer mastics.
All of the above materials have undeniable advantages:
- Ease and speed of installation.
- High heat resistance and frost resistance.
- High resistance to ultraviolet rays.
- Provide high technical characteristics to a roof.
- Roof longevity.
- Materials are especially relevant for roofing small areas.
It is important to consider: in accordance with the technology of sprayed roofing, one-component rubber and acrylic-polymer mastics must be applied in two passes, that is, in two layers. After the first layer is applied, you need to wait for its final drying. And only after that proceed to the application of the second layer. This two-layer technology guarantees high quality hydro- and thermal insulation of the roof.
Installation of a soft roof using mastic
Soft roofing, made according to technology using mastics, has recently been gaining more and more popularity among Russian developers. Roofing polyurethane mastic is always only water-based.
It is an innovative polyurethane waterproofing material. Since the material is water-based, it is referred to as liquid rubber. In fact, it is liquid polyurethane rubber.
What is special about this material? It perfectly combines the best qualities of liquid rubber and the high reliability of polyurethane.
Features of installation of a sprayed roof from mastics:
- Apply in a thick layer cold, without heating.
- After solidification, a seamless, strong membrane is formed.
- This coating is resistant to abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, aggressive environments (fuel, lubricants, alkalis and acids).
- A high-quality coating can withstand temperature differences from 90 degrees of heat to 120 degrees of frost.
- Even at a frost of -17 degrees, the coating does not lose its elastic qualities.
From the above, it follows that this polyurethane self-leveling roof especially relevant in areas with difficult climatic and weather conditions.
Installation of polyurethane foam roof
Installation of a sprayed roof made of polyurethane foam is best left to specialists. Since this technology involves the use of special equipment for foaming roof material under high pressure.
As a result of lightning-fast "spraying" on the roof surface, durable strong adhesion is created with any material. Including: brick, roofing felt, metal, concrete, wood.As a result: waterproofing has no seams and does not require any fasteners.
Installation of polyurethane foam roofing can be carried out at temperatures from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius. In winter, such work is strictly prohibited.
The required thickness of the coating for the roof is calculated by specialists, but it should not be less than 32 mm.
Sprayed roofing, made using this technology, has undeniable advantages:
- No need to remove the old roll coating.
- Can be used on different materials.
- Suitable for installation of large roof areas.
- Maximum service life.
- High temperature resistance from 80 degrees of frost to 150 degrees of heat.
- Inertness to alkaline and acid environments.
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