Despite the complexity of the construction, one of the most popular roof structures in private construction has been and remains a do-it-yourself sloping roof. It can be erected without involving heavy construction equipment, and this is an undoubted advantage of this type of roof.
Sloping roof - features and benefits
What is a broken roof? A broken (or mansard) roof is a hipped roof, designed and built in such a way that a large area with a relatively high ceiling is located under it.
It is this attic floor, as a solid addition to the living area of a private house, that is the main advantage broken roof.
Yes, the calculation of a sloping roof is much more complicated than the calculation of a classic gable or hipped roof - however, the sloping roof provides immeasurably more opportunities for arranging the under-roof space.
Quite often, to such a construction as pitched sloping roof, make claims in the field of design: they say, unlike the classic gable or t-shaped roofs, a house with a sloping roof looks too massive.
There is a grain of truth in this, however, if you support the solid appearance of such a house with buildings in the appropriate style and choose the appropriate color for the roofing material, then the massive appearance of the house turns from its lack into a feature that attracts attention.
The construction of a sloping roof will be relevant for large houses of regular rectangular shape.
The classic broken roof scheme assumes a minimum width of 6 meters - if you make a mansard roof on a narrower house, then all the benefits of using the under-roof space are lost.
Basics of the calculation of sloping roofs
At the beginning of work, the question may arise - how to calculate a sloping roof?
To begin with, we note that the calculation of the structure of a sloping roof has two aspects:
- Calculation of roofing material
- Calculation of the bearing capacity of the beams of the truss system
And if the first parameter is calculated relatively simply - knowing the dimensions of the roof and the standard dimensions of the roof, it is easy to calculate the volume of slate or metal tiles required for the purchase, then you will have to work hard to calculate the bearing capacity.
To calculate the rafters, we need the following data:
- The specific weight of the roofing (in kg / m2)
- snow load
- The mass of the crate (depends on the cross section of the timber used for the crate)
- Slope angle
- Rafter span length
- Estimated installation step of the rafters and their cross section
Knowing these parameters and using one of the many programs available today for calculating the truss network, we will be able to independently determine whether the configuration we have chosen is viable, namely, pitched roof truss system, or it needs to be modified (for example, use larger rafters).
We buy materials for a sloping roof
After we have decided, we will make a broken mansard roof! - It's time to start buying materials for construction.
The cornerstone of any roof is its frame, represented by the truss system. It is the construction of the frame that is the most time-consuming and resource-intensive stage of work - and it is for the rafters that we will select materials in the first place.
- For the rafter system, Mauerlat (support beam along the perimeter of the roof) and girders, we need a thick and durable wooden beam and edged board. Preferably - from coniferous wood of winter harvesting, qualitatively dried under appropriate conditions.We carefully examine the bars and boards, and if we find the slightest signs of marriage (damage by woodworms, bundles, etc.), we mercilessly reject them.
Note! Before installation on the roof, all parts of the truss system must be treated with an antiseptic (protects wood from decay, prolonging its service life) and fire retardant. We apply the compositions with a brush in at least two layers - this is how we ensure deep impregnation of the wood with active ingredients. Work with wood can only be started after the coating has completely dried.
It is best to carry out work on the application of these compositions on the street or in a well-ventilated area.
- For the battens and counter battens, on which roofing materials will be fixed, insulation and waterproofing film will also need wood. Here we will have to purchase bars and slats of a smaller section. As an alternative to a wooden beam, a galvanized steel profile can be put on the crate.
- The sloping roof scheme involves butt-joining the rafters at a certain angle. To fix the joints, we need a fairly thick plywood.
In addition to all of the above, you will need roofing insulation, hydro- and vapor barrier films, roofing material (tiles, metal tiles, slate, etc.), as well as hardware - studs, nails and self-tapping screws of various sizes.
Construction of the roof frame
The frame of a sloping roof is its skeleton, the basis on which the entire structure rests. That is why the construction of the frame is the most critical stage of work.
Installation of a sloping roof is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- We cut out templates of the main parts from a fairly thick cardboard - with their help we will trim the rafters at the angle we need. To make the templates as accurate as possible and the rafters require minimal adjustment, be sure to use a pre-drawn drawing of a sloping roof.
- We cut the parts according to the template and lift them up. We proceed to the installation of the rafters: first, we attach the side sections to the Mauerlat, and then the upper ones to the side sections. We fasten the sections together with the help of thick plywood pads, fixing the corners.
- Install and fix the purlin. After the upper run is installed and attached to the upper sections and gable parts, we install and fix the braces.
- We complete the installation of the truss system by installing vertical racks.
A properly assembled sloping roof frame should provide a sufficient margin of safety and stability.
Work after the construction of the frame
It doesn’t matter what kind of roof is being built - a broken one with your own hands, or a traditional gable roof, with the involvement of third-party specialists - the work does not end with the truss system.
After the frame is erected, even if not so physically difficult, but very important and painstaking work begins. These include:
- Warming - for a sloping roof, this event is mandatory. If you do not use a heater, then the attic room (for the sake of which everything, in fact, was started) will stand idle throughout the cold season. Was it worth planting a garden?
- Hydro and vapor barrier. Films to protect both the insulation and the under-roof space itself are laid on top of the rafters and fixed to them with the help of a construction stapler, making sure that there are no sags anywhere.So the roof will be protected not only from leaks, but also from condensate.
- Roofing - in fact, the final stage. Most types of roofing are mounted on a special wooden or metal crate, which we erect over a waterproofed frame. When mounting the crate, you need to take into account the main feature of the sloping roof - slopes located at different angles.
As you can see, a do-it-yourself sloping roof is not such a complicated design - video tips will help you understand the details of each operation, and this material will help you navigate the process of creating a roof as a whole.
And if you study all the available information, then we are sure that you will succeed!
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