Even in the recent past, flat roofs were used only in the construction of multi-storey city buildings, but today they are used everywhere in suburban private houses. This article will talk about what a flat roof is and how it works.
Flat roofs turned out to be a rather successful element of the architecture of country houses, because they provide additional space on the site, for example, for leisure activities.
They are also often called soft, because in the manufacture of flat and even do-it-yourself shed roofs often use self-leveling roofs or soft rolled materials instead of conventional high-strength roofing materials.
Even in the recent past, flat roofs were not popular in the construction of country houses, but today, with the development of modern structures that provide sufficient strength and reliability at a fairly low price, this is a very common element of country houses and cottages.
It was the high cost that used to be the main factor repelling developers from using flat roofs, in contrast to do-it-yourself shed roof from corrugated board and to this day, out of habit, many people consider a flat soft roof an expensive and unreliable item of house construction.
The production of flat roofs is carried out using the latest construction technologies using the most modern building materials.
Nevertheless, it must be remembered that only the full compliance by construction workers with all the requirements for the equipment of this type of roof will ensure the roof of the best quality and the longest possible service life.
At the moment, a wide selection of ways to create a soft flat roof is presented, among which it is quite simple to choose the right option that does not require serious financial investments, which allows, for example, to consider a wooden house with a flat roof as a profitable investment.
The widespread use of flat roofs in the construction of country houses is also associated with the popularity of the constructivist style in architecture and design.
This style is based on the use of only the simplest structures with a minimum set of constituent elements when building a house.
At the same time, many for a long time could not believe that a flat roof could surpass the generally accepted types of roofing.
Someone said that it would not withstand the load after a heavy snowfall, it seemed to someone that the style of constructivism was too ugly and primitive, and could only change the appearance of the house for the worse, unlike do-it-yourself shed roof devices.
At the same time, both of them argued that the construction of a flat roof requires too significant financial investments.
In fact, the situation is quite the opposite:
- Due to the fact that flat roofs have a smaller surface area than pitched roofs, their equipment requires significantly less building materials.
- By itself, the procedure for installing flat roofs is much easier and faster, since all construction work is carried out on a flat surface under your feet.
- Maintenance and repair of a flat roof is also much more convenient and easier than a pitched one, since it is much more comfortable to carry out repairs, including those related to chimneys and antennas, on a horizontal surface than on an inclined one.
Also, a rather important advantage of flat soft roofs is the ability to usefully use the additional free space that has appeared.
On the surface of flat roofs, you can:
- Arrange a greenhouse for flowers;
- Build a gazebo for relaxation;
- Install exercise equipment and equip a sports hall in the fresh air;
- Make a small area for walking and much more.
In order for the roof with the building erected on it to function for a long time and with high quality, it is necessary to correctly and competently perform all the work on its construction, as well as use modern materials in the construction that provide high reliability and a long service life.
Flat roof equipment
The base on which a flat soft roof is installed should be sufficiently reliable and durable materials, such as a profiled metal sheet or a reinforced concrete floor slab.
In addition, in order for the roof to meet all the requirements and standards, it is also necessary to carefully and correctly perform such work as waterproofing and insulation of a flat roof, as a result of which the roof should be made up of the following layers:
- Vapor barrier;
- Thermal insulation;
- Waterproofing;
- Roof material.
In addition to the high quality of the materials used in the creation of the above layers, a number of other characteristics play a very important role, such as full compliance with the modern technology of their laying.
If the insulation of a flat exploited roof is made using low-quality material, even with a small amount of rejects, then the roof will not be strong enough and reliable during service.
It is very important during the construction process to correctly make a layer of thermal insulation, since flat roofs, like any other type of roof, can serve as a conductor of cold air into the room.
To prevent this from happening, you should know how to insulate a flat roof.
Regardless of what material the insulation is made of, under the influence of moisture, its quality deteriorates and reliability decreases.Therefore, it is very important to lay a layer of vapor barrier that prevents moisture coming from the interior of the house from affecting the insulation.
After the vapor barrier layer, a layer of insulation follows, and the next layer is a waterproofing that protects against the negative effects of various precipitation.
In addition, the design of a flat roof must necessarily include a ventilation system, which is most often made of plastic pipes, also called aerators.
When installing them, it is important that the lower end of the aerator is under the layers of vapor barrier, thermal insulation and waterproofing, allowing the warm air coming from the interior of the house to be removed outside, preventing it from condensing on the surface of the insulation.
The number of pipes to be installed depends on the size of the roof, the larger the roof area, the more aerators should be installed.
They should be mounted at those points of the roof that are at the highest height above ground level.
To properly install aerators, you should have the necessary knowledge and skills, otherwise repairing a flat roof can be quite troublesome and time-consuming.
A small miscalculation during self-installation of the ventilation system can lead to moisture passing through the joints between the roof and aerators, which will allow precipitation to penetrate under the insulation layers, in addition, cold bridges may form.
Flat roof features
Flat roofs can also be fitted with a wide range of decorative and functional accessories, such as lighting fixtures, skylights for fire evacuation, smoke eliminators, and more.
Also, the roof, regardless of whether it is wooden or made of any other material, should have a slight slope, allowing rainwater accumulated as a result of precipitation to drain.
Even if this slope is minimal, it will cope with its task, in extreme cases, you can additionally place drains around the perimeter of the roof.
The method by which water will be drained from the roof should be determined during the design process of the house.
Competent and proper arrangement of gutters is a very important stage in the construction of a flat soft roof, since the efficiency of removing precipitation from the roof, which reduces its life, directly depends on it.
Tip: To prevent freezing of gutters in winter, they can be equipped with special thermal cables with automatic adjustment.
To cover flat soft roofs, various mastics or roofing materials are most often used, which have high reliability and sufficient strength.
In addition, modern technologies make it possible to use various floor materials as a coating, up to paving slabs, laid on a specially prepared frame base.
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