Do-it-yourself flat roofs have become popular precisely because of their easy-to-build structure. Let's take a closer look at the process of constructing such a roof.
First step: flat roof house designs
Projects of houses with a flat roof and cottages are not popular enough in moderate climatic zone. Even an impeccable project can be ruined by poor quality execution. installation work, and the use of low-quality materials.
Unfortunately, innovative technologies and materials appear in the post-Soviet space much later than in other countries.
If you decide to build such a shelter, then it is better to entrust the creation of its design, especially on a residential building, to specialists. There are certain subtleties of installation and operation of such roofs that must be taken into account in the project. Thus, the following processes must be justified:
- Cleaning. Indeed, snow and water can accumulate on the roofing surface of a flat roof. If mistakes were made during its design and construction, then all precipitation will gradually begin to flow into the house, and can even significantly damage the ceiling.
Therefore, if you want to build such a roof with your own hands, you need to remember this at the design stage, especially when calculating the slope of the future roof. Even the smallest, visually invisible slope is enough to ensure effective water drainage. It is more difficult for such a roof to cope with winter snow deposits when roofs with the steepest slope, let alone almost flat ones, cannot cope with them. Snow, as a result of alternating thaws and frosts, turns into an ice crust on the roof.
There are 2 ways out of this situation: mechanical cleaning roofing and installation of various heating and anti-icing systems, otherwise leaks will appear. Any design developments are calculated and included in the project.
- Thermal insulation. A roof with a classic structure, with a pitched system at the base, has a layer of air in the attic, which provides insulation of the house building from above. A do-it-yourself flat roof has virtually no attic and, accordingly, no air gap. Therefore, roofs require additional high-quality insulation and creating a layer of thermal insulation, which is reflected in the project.
- Easy to install. It is easier to build a flat roof with your own hands than a gable, hip, hip or half-hip roof. It has no truss structure, no ridges or purlins. But this roof requires better installation roofing so that there are no leaks.
- Application. The flat roof of the house can be used as a terrace, recreation area, sports ground or even a swimming pool. It is enough to equip the sides to ensure the safe stay of people. And modern building materials and technologies make it possible to create a lawn on the roofing and plant various plants. This use may be especially in demand in large cities, when it is not possible to create a green area around housing construction. If the shelter is planned to be used not only for its intended purpose, this should be additionally calculated in the project.
Step two: installing a flat roof
Building a flat roof with your own hands is not difficult, so even one builder can handle the roofing of a garage or outbuilding. Technologically, for the construction of such a roof it is assumed to be used as the main load-bearing element, beams made of metal or wood, redistributing the load from the roof structure to the surface of the main walls. The roof must withstand:
- load in the form of the entire roof, all its elements and communications placed on it;
- the weight of the builder carrying out the inspection or restoration work;
- the weight of snow falling on its surface in winter.
When calculating a flat roofing structure (especially when calculating its reliability), it is necessary to remember that the load of fallen snow may be too great, since the roof will not have sloped surfaces from which the mass of snow could fall down.
The minimal cost of purchasing building materials makes DIY flat roof construction one of the most inexpensive roofing projects. The basis for arranging such a roof is, as a rule, reinforced concrete. For this, floor slabs or a monolith are used, on top of which all components of the roofing pie are installed. A layer of waterproofing is placed on the concrete, on which, in turn, insulation is laid. The thermal insulation layer is protected by laying another layer of waterproofing on top of it.
Step three: how to make a flat roof with your own hands for different rooms
The technology for constructing a flat roof with your own hands will depend on its further purpose. There are two types of structures for such roofs:
- Roofs for unheated housing construction.
- Type of roof used for heated buildings.
Roofs over unheated rooms must be made with a slope. Since even a slight slope of the roof will effectively get rid of moisture resulting from precipitation in the form of snow and rain. The structure of such a roof consists of load-bearing beams, on top of which a continuous plank flooring is placed. Roofing felt (or other flexible roofing building material) is laid on top of the deck in several layers, which serves as waterproofing. Distinctive feature Roofs of this type are characterized by minimal costs for the purchase of building materials and minimal labor costs, but the service life of a roof of this type is very short.
Rolled building materials must be fixed with slats with a laying step of 70 cm; the laid slats should not block the flow of precipitation from the roofing surface. The minimum slope of this type of roof should be 3° so that water drains on its own.
If the room over which you need to build a roof will be heated, you should choose an insulated type of roof.
The roofing pie of such a roof, consisting of several layers of building materials, provides the necessary level of thermal insulation and protection of the insulation itself from moisture.
There are many technologies for constructing insulated flat roof structures, but to construct them yourself you need to use the most simple options. The base of that roof is made up of beams on which the plank flooring is placed. Roofing material is laid on top of it with an overlap of 15 cm. Insulation made of expanded clay or slag is poured on top of it, and the direction of the slope must be taken into account.
After leveling the insulation, a 2-3 cm screed of Portland cement is made above it. This must be done so as not to inadvertently damage the roof as a result of winter snow removal. After the screed has dried, it is coated with a bitumen primer, and then a rolled flexible roofing covering is laid.
It is important to take into account the distance between the support points of the load-bearing beams, since reliability depends on its value future design. If this value is more than 6 m, then it is better to entrust the construction of the roof to professional builders. If the distance between the walls is less than 6 m, a 10x15 cm beam or an I-beam made of steel is used as a beam.
An alternative to timber flat roof construction is reinforced concrete. With such a roof, the main burden falls on the load-bearing steel I-beams.
These roofs do not have a frame. The reinforced concrete slab must be reinforced longitudinally and transversely, thus increasing the concrete's resistance to bending and damage.
If the roof span is less than 5 m, then beams with a height of no more than 15 cm are used to arrange the roof.
When a flat roof is built with your own hands from a cement-concrete mixture, you need to purchase sand, crushed stone and cement, and you will also need water. You can prepare the mixture by hand, but it is better to use a concrete mixer. The ratio of ingredients in the mixture varies and depends on the brand of cement. So for PC-400 grade cement the ratio of parts crushed stone-sand-cement will be 8:4:3 and 2 parts water.
Formwork is made from unedged boards. They are laid end to end along the lower edges of the I-beams, then roofing felt is laid. The next stage of work is the laying of a reinforcing structure consisting of reinforcement, which is placed both along and across the beams. For these purposes, steel rods with a diameter of at least 1 cm are used. The pitch for mesh elements made of reinforcement should be 20 cm. The reinforcement is carefully fixed steel wire or welding to prevent displacement of elements during the pouring of the structure.
Concrete is poured different ways, but always until the entire surface of the roof under construction is covered with concrete. The laid mixture is carefully compacted (so as not to damage the structure) with a vibrator. The resulting structure is dried naturally.
During the construction of the roof modern house Thermal insulation must be installed to reduce the overall heat loss of house construction through the roof. Flat roofs can be insulated, unlike other types of roofs, both from the inside and outside. Initially, during construction, insulation is done on the outside, and the interior can be done later, when the structure is in use. Mineral construction wool is used as insulation. Also, another insulation material—expanded polystyrene—is becoming increasingly popular among builders. It is mounted on wooden blocks, which are placed in increments of 30-40 cm. And the slabs are glued to the wood with mastic or special glue.
The construction of a flat roof is completed by laying waterproofing. Usually they use special material sold in rolls.
The flexible roof covering itself is laid with an overlap of 7-10 cm.
Important: each layer of flexible roofing building material is laid in such a way that the bottom seams of the elements of the rolled flexible building material are placed closer to the middle. All coating strips are laid in the same direction.
Video instruction
Many people are accustomed to thinking that flat roofs are usually erected only on multi-storey buildings and industrial buildings. However, in Lately this type roofing has increasingly become used in the construction of private houses. A flat roof in a private house can be constructed without difficulty, taking into account modern technologies and a variety of building materials.
There are 4 types of them:
- Exploited. Main feature of this type The base is strong enough, otherwise there is a risk of damage to the waterproofing layer. Corrugated sheeting or concrete screed acting as a base allows you to create the necessary slope for arranging a drain. Thermal insulation on such a roof must be resistant to serious loads. This is all done in order to use the roof of the house in some capacity, be it a work platform or a recreation area.
- Unexploited. Here, the rigidity of the base of the flat roof structure is not as important as in the above option. And the strength of the insulation also does not play a significant role. This roof cheaper than a used one, but it will also last a shorter period of time.
- Traditional. A feature of their design is the periodicity of layers - waterproofing goes above thermal insulation. Here at the base is reinforced concrete slab
- , and for drainage an inclined expanded clay concrete screed is used.
Inversion.
The installation of a flat roof in this embodiment has virtually no problems with water leaks. Here the thermal insulation is located above the waterproofing, which gives the latter protection from ultraviolet rays and the effects of temperature fluctuations. This roofing arrangement turns out to be the most durable and functional, which opens up a lot of possibilities for using the roof space.
Important! Angles in the range from 3 to 5 degrees are considered optimal for the slope of an inversion type of flat roof.
- Advantages and disadvantages of this design
- A flat roof in a private house, like other types of roofs, has a number of pros and cons. It is worth considering the advantages that determine its popularity in modern construction: Smaller area than other types of roofing - which saves effort and money; Convenience and safety of work - it is quite difficult to fall from a straight horizontal surface, but all
- Fast construction - as a consequence of the first two advantages, such work is done much faster;
- Ease of maintenance and replacement of roofing - worn parts are usually not dismantled, but a new pie is laid directly on the old one;
- The use of additional territory - the arrangement of an exploitable roof opens up great prospects;
- It is possible to install transparent roof elements - the view of the open sky on the ceiling is extremely tempting for many;
- Giving your home clear geometric shapes - if the house drawing allows, then you can give it a unique look with the help of such a design, especially considering that minimalism is now extremely popular.
It is also worth mentioning the disadvantages of this design:
- Snow and leaves accumulate periodically - sometimes mechanical cleaning of the roof is required;
- A more complex structure - the presence of drains implies their inevitable blockages, especially in bad weather;
- Regular monitoring - the moisture content of the insulation and the general condition of the roof must be constantly checked;
It is not surprising that some people may have doubts about the reliability of this type of structure. But judging by the experience of owners of private houses with similar roofing both in Russia and abroad, this type of roofing successfully functions and pleases its owners.
DIY flat roof installation
Now on the Internet you can find many photos of houses with flat roofs of a wide variety of designs. Interested in the question of how to make a flat roof with your own hands? Before you build a roof, you must first familiarize yourself with the drawing of the house and make sure it is technical characteristics Oh.
The design features of a flat roof depend on many factors. If this is an unheated room and the roof is being erected with your own hands, then it is enough to install support beams, on which a base of uncut boards fastened with screws or nails is then laid. When installing a flat roof on a garage, roofing felt is often used as waterproofing due to its low cost. Apply strips of roofing material in the direction of the roof slope, securing them with wooden or steel slats. Creating a do-it-yourself flat roof for an unheated room is quite easy - here all the work can be done by one person without any help.
When installing a flat roof on a private house which is planned to be heated, the following order of work is customary:
- Installation of floor beams. Strict adherence to horizontal alignment is necessary. Here and in subsequent stages, the participation of several workers will be required.
- Flooring installation. Usually an uncut board with a thickness of no more than 5 cm is taken.
Important! The size of the lumber cross-section increases in proportion to the distance between the support beams.
- Laying waterproofing.
- Laying thermal insulation. In this case backfill insulation intensifies concrete screed, which dries in a couple of days.
- After the screed has dried, a bitumen-based primer is applied to it, then roofing felt is laid and glued.
The structure of the roofing pie
In order to make the roof reliably protected from moisture, it is necessary to place materials in layers one above the other - this arrangement is extremely important. The standard base is made of concrete slabs or professional metal. It is able to withstand the weight of the entire structure above, transferring it load-bearing partitions, which, in turn, transfer it to the foundation of the house.
Important! The roof in use must have the strongest possible foundation.
Then come the standard layers: vapor barrier, thermal insulation and waterproofing. When choosing a flat roof roof, you should be guided by the preferences of the owner and the capabilities of the building itself. From a huge cottage to a small cozy house built many years ago, houses with a flat roof will be reliably protected from various influences environment for many years.
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A do-it-yourself flat roof is most often located on private low-rise buildings, as well as on garage buildings. This type of roofing device is ahead of its competitors. In our article we will tell you why.
Before we talk about how to make a flat roof, we note that the term “roof” and the term “roof” are not the same thing. The term “roof” refers to those elements that are located above the living space of the house. And the roof is a component of the roof, its top layer. It is this that protects the entire building from the effects of atmospheric influences. In these conditions, it is very important to create a reliable roof country house.
Having become familiar with the difference between the terms, we can state that a flat roof is perfect option for a house with a small area. If the roofing area is large, it is recommended to work as a whole team.
Flat roof and its features
When working on a small house with a small roof area, you can easily do without assistants.
At the beginning of work, secure wooden beams or steel beams to the supporting frames. With their help you can reduce most the mass of the roof, directing it towards the main walls and foundation.
So, we found out that the main load on the beams is the weight of the roof. But besides this, there are other loads, such as:
- Full weight of the roof and communication elements. As a rule, they are located in the attic or attached to the roof.
- The weight of the person who is repairing the roof or roof. It can also install additional equipment.
- Volume and mass of snow + cold winter wind pressure.
Read the advice of experts on forums, look at photos on the Internet - then you will be able to implement right choice load-bearing beams and avoid critical mistakes. Surely you will be interested in the article flat roof - pros and cons.
If you want to get a reliable and safe flat roof, then choose only a suitable roofing covering (more details: " "). It is also important to select accompanying materials that can withstand heavy physical activity, as well as the impact of natural disasters.
Don't forget to check all the technical specifications of the materials. To prevent negative consequences– carry out thorough hydro- and vapor barrier.
- Place a “pie” of several materials on the slabs (they should have different properties).
- The first layer is a vapor barrier. Its function is to protect the insulating layer from moisture. Polymer-bitumen film is used as a vapor barrier material. At the same time, it is often reinforced with fiberglass, and then a flat roof is installed. Place the edges of the film on the verticals of the floors. It is very important to carefully and accurately seal the seams, and also to understand.
- Lay insulation on top of the vapor barrier. If expanded clay is used, fill it with a mass of concrete. When constructing a lightweight roof, the polymer insulation must be attached directly to the vapor barrier.
- Moisture insulation is the main layer for a roof without slopes. To construct this element you will need membrane or polymer-bitumen materials.
DIY flat roofing for cold rooms
There are buildings that do not have heating. These include sheds and gazebos. It is supposed to create a slope on them to drain water from the roof. To do this, you just need to equip the roof at the smallest angle.
When constructing a sloping flat roof, its support beams should be located under small angle. Boards will be attached to the beams. This will be a kind of basis for rolled roofing felt (more details: "").
To install a rolled roofing felt carpet, you will need a frame made of boards. For this, it is best to use thin wooden planks or steel strips. Secure them along the slope. In this case, the step should be 70 cm. But you should not block the path of water flowing from the roof. The slope percentage of such a roof is no more than 3%. In other words, it's 3 cm per linear meter length.
Construction of flat roofs for warm rooms
Let's consider the nuances when equipping a flat roof for heated houses:
- First of all, lay a layer of boards on load-bearing beams, having previously completed . After this, the roofing felt or roofing material should be laid. Their canvases should be arranged using the overlapping method. In this case, the length should be 15 cm.
- Expanded clay is laid on top of the roofing felt (you can use slag or other material). Before filling in the insulation, check that the slope is directed towards the drainage direction.
- The third stage is pouring the insulating layer with cement. After preparing the screed, treat it with a bitumen primer.
- Only a completely finished screed will be ready to accept rolled roofing felt.
As you study the construction of a flat roof, you will see for yourself that roofs with a large pitch between the support beams require the participation of several people. It is advisable to invite professional craftsmen, which in as soon as possible will carry out all the necessary work.
When attaching support beams, the distance between them should be maintained. It should be no more than 1 m.
Installation of a flat roof made of monolithic concrete
The first step is to calculate the roof span. If it is 5 m, then 15 cm beams are used. Speaking in professional construction language, this is the “fifteenth I-beam”.
To create a monolithic roof, it is recommended to use concrete grade 250. When creating a concrete solution on site construction work, it is advisable to use a concrete mixer. Otherwise, you are unlikely to achieve the correct consistency of the solution. To obtain concrete for a flat roof, you need to mix crushed stone with 20 mm particles and cement, grade PTs-400.
When calculating the components, adhere to the following rules: for eight buckets of crushed stone - three buckets of cement, 4 buckets of sand, and two buckets of water. If there is not enough water, you can add more, this is not critical.
Insulating a flat roof with foam concrete, watch the video:
Next, the boards are fastened to the lower beam shelves. Roofing felt is laid on the dry surface of the boards. Then, a reinforced mesh of a periodic profile is laid on top. The diameter of this element should not be less than 1 cm. The size of the cells is 20x20 cm.
In order not to carry out repairs to the flat roof, the places where the mesh rods are overlayed are secured using binding wire. An option using glue is possible. Ultimately, the mesh should not slide off when pouring the screed.
For complete coverage with concrete mortar, small pieces of crushed stone are usually laid out at the bottom of the mesh. Thanks to this, a gap of 4 cm is left. It is necessary to differentiate the mesh and the roofing material layer. Pouring is done into the openings between the beams. Let us remind you that their thickness must be at least 15 cm.
After all the steps, the concrete is covered with a polyethylene film. This is especially true if work is carried out during high temperature. By covering the surface, you will prevent moisture from evaporating from the concrete solution. This in turn will protect the top layer from cracking.
The concrete should remain under the film for at least three days. After the concrete mass has completely dried, add a layer of insulation. Don't forget about slopes. The next step is to create a screed and install the rolled carpet.
Insulating a flat roof
Today, a common phenomenon is the replacement of a flat roof with a pitched one. However, a flat roof is favored by the fact that it can be insulated both from the outside and from the inside. And after it is completed.
Previously, solid insulation boards were used for insulation. However, with this option the roofing weight increased significantly. Having studied past experience, modern construction moved away from this method of insulation. Today, flat roofs are most often insulated using basalt mineral wool. This is a fairly light material. In addition, it boasts good thermal conductivity and moisture resistance.
Note that basalt mineral wool is not subject to combustion processes. In addition, it fully tolerates even the most negative influences of nature.
The construction of a gable or hip roof is not always rational and advisable when it comes to outbuildings, industrial and commercial facilities, and from time to time private buildings in modern style. The enormous consumption of material and the complex rafter system make the construction of these structures an unprofitable and protracted undertaking. Whereas flat roof projects significantly reduce construction costs, are built quickly and are suitable for virtually any structure.
A house with a flat roof is reliably protected from increased wind loads. But, without slopes, it does not have the ability to quickly drain rain and melt water from the roof surface. The situation is complicated by the fact that the surface of the roofing materials has a rough structure, which does not allow moisture and snow to slide freely. Based on this, a do-it-yourself flat roof must meet strict requirements building codes to waterproofing, slope and construction technology.
The structure of the roofing pie
The need for a high level of protection from liquids makes it necessary to place roofing materials flat roof in layers, one above the other, forming a so-called “pie”. If you examine its cross-sectional structure, you will notice the following layers:
- Flat base made of cement slabs or pages of profiled metal. It provides rigidity to the structure, bears the weight of the roofing pie, transferring it to the load-bearing partitions and, ultimately, to the foundation. The base of the roof in use must be as solid as possible.
- Vapor barrier. A layer that is needed to protect a flat roof from the penetration of vapors from internal heated rooms into the thickness of the insulation. When water settles on the thermal insulation in the form of condensation, it will irreversibly reduce its insulating properties by more than half. Used as a simple vapor barrier plastic film or bitumen-based coatings.
- Insulation. For thermal insulation of a flat roof, backfill materials are used, such as expanded clay, perlite, slag, rolled materials, for example, mineral wool and in the form of slabs, in particular polystyrene foam. By the way, insulation is used not only for regulation temperature regime, but also for tilting a house with a flat roof. The main requirements for insulation are thermal conductivity and low hygroscopicity, light weight.
- Waterproofing. Flat roofing can be used as a coating to protect against liquids roll materials: bitumen, polymer and bitumen-polymer. In addition to high waterproofing qualities, they must be resistant to temperature changes, elasticity, and have a long service life.
nuances and types of roofing of their installation
The design of a flat roof determines the nature and design of the application. Some types that require a special approach during construction include the following:
Roof installation for unheated buildings
If a flat roof is being built with your own hands for an unheated utility room, for example, a barn, gazebo, shed or extension, the slope is organized using support beams. They are installed at an angle of 3 degrees, which forms 30 mm for any linear meter of beam length. After this, a base of unedged boards is laid on the beams, secured with nails or self-tapping screws.
Roofing felt, the most affordable material, is used as a waterproofing agent. It is created and sold in the form of rolls. They cut the waterproofing by cutting strips so as to lay them in the direction of the slope of the flat roof. Strips of roofing felt are laid in stages with an overlap of 10-15 cm and fixed with wood slats or metal strips every 60-70 cm in the direction of the drain, so as not to block the path of the flowing liquid. The flat roof of an unheated room can be easily installed with your own hands, even by one worker without the help of assistants.
Roof installation for heated structures
If you are building a private house with a flat roof, which is going to be connected to a heating system, then the work takes place in the following sequence:
In order to build a house with a flat roof, the length of which exceeds 6 m, a beam with a cross-section of 150x150 mm or more, or a metal I-beam, is used to make support beams.
Monolithic concrete roofing
Another option for building a flat roof with your own hands is to use monolithic concrete. The process looks like this:
Leaning process
Sloping a flat roof is the arrangement of a small angle of the roof surface to organize drainage. Before building a house with a flat roof, it is better to decide in advance which drain you will install, internal or external, and make a drawing. If provided internal drain, the water must flow through the slope into water-collecting funnels, which are located 1 per 25 square meters or more often. If you make an external drain, moisture must enter the gutter. The slope is formed in the following ways:
A flat roof without proper slope is an unreliable shield between you and bad weather. Moisture that has no outlet will accumulate on the roof surface, causing leaks and destruction of the roof.
Video instruction
There are many roof design options for a private home. Today, along with tent structures, modern technologies and materials make it possible to create and flat options. It is worth considering in more detail what a house with a flat roof is, its design features, pros and cons.
Description
Traditionally, in temperate and northern latitudes, a hip roof with sloping slopes was erected, which prevented the accumulation of snow cover on the surface and allowed heavy precipitation to flow down onto the rain drain system. Houses with a flat roof were common in the southern regions, where there was no heavy rain and no snow fell at all in winter. But the development of construction technologies and the emergence modern materials, especially waterproofing, made it possible to create a horizontal roof without any problems in any region, even in the Far North.
A flat roof is a ceiling that is located horizontally directly above the residential floors of a private house.
Several layers of insulating materials that protect against moisture, cold and steam, as well as a drainage system, make it possible to create reliable upper protection in a one-, two- or three-story private house. You should not be afraid that leaks will appear on the ceiling of the last floor, since with a competent approach and quality materials
they are completely excluded. The main thing is to properly operate such a roof and promptly change the coating in accordance with the warranty period. For buildings with a straight roof, functionality increases because the roof surface can be used. In many ways, the installation of such buildings is simplified compared to tented options, where it is necessary to erect rafter system
. They also have a lot of other advantages.
. The same is true on a flat roof: water collects in a certain place due to the unevenness of the surface, but the area looks horizontal; you can safely lay out a lawn on it or arrange an area for recreation. The drainage system on such a roof contains special funnels , into which it flows under the influence of gravity and then, using a system of hoses, goes into the sewer or underground. These devices are made of plastic that is not susceptible to moisture and rot, mounted in layers of insulation on the roof, and equipped with a protective mesh on top so that the neck and drains do not become clogged. One such water intake funnel is designed for approximately 100-150 square meters. m of roof area, from here you can calculate their total number. Usually for a small country house 1-2 pieces are enough.
A flat roof can be used or not. If it is practically not used, that is, it is climbed several times a year to check its integrity and current repairs, then the coating contains the following layers from bottom to top: thermal insulation, vapor barrier and waterproofing. The flooring technology here is almost the same as in residential multi-apartment and industrial buildings.
There are the following common types of unused flat roofs: corrugated and monolithic.
- The first option is frame. First on concrete base a metal profile lathing is installed or wooden beams, they are placed in it insulating materials. Then profiles are attached to the frame metal sheets. It's relative cheap option, easy to install, the design is lightweight. But it is practically impossible to walk on such a roof, because the profiles will sag and deform.
- Monolithic coating for a flat roof contains several layers. Directly on concrete slab is laid vapor barrier film from hot bitumen, then comes mineral wool and waterproofing, and a cement-based screed, reinforced, is poured on top reinforced mesh. Such an unused roof will have a lot of weight, but it will reliably protect the house from precipitation and cold.
Another option is if the roof is constantly in use, people walk on it, or there are some objects standing on it. Then the insulating layer changes order: first comes the waterproofing, on top of which the thermal insulation is installed. Therefore, such a roof is called inversion.
The order of laying materials is as follows: First, a bitumen-polymer membrane is placed on the floor slab, then a layer of thermal insulation made of penofol, penoplex or expanded polystyrene is laid. If you want to create a green lawn on the roof of your house, then a separating and filtering layer of geotextile is laid on top of these insulators, and then a fertile layer on which natural grass will grow.
Such a roof with a fertile layer can be used freely throughout the warm period, if properly installed system drainage system it is not afraid of rain. On the roof you can place a children's or sports ground, put sun loungers or benches, create flower beds and even have a picnic. Operable roofs with green coating are now common not only in country houses, but also in city houses.
The installation of a flat roof does not end with flooring and pouring insulating layers and laying drainage systems. For correct operation ventilation must be created. Moisture and its vapors can accumulate between the layers of insulation; later, when it freezes, the insulation cake can crack, bubbles appear on it, and peeling occurs. In order to avoid this, aerators are used - plastic or metal tubes with umbrella-shaped caps that are mounted inside the roofing. The air entering through them, due to the pressure difference, evaporates water vapor from the insulation layers, they remain completely dry.
Another important point After laying the flat roof, this is the construction of lightning protection. You should not neglect it, since, despite the low probability of occurrence, a thunderstorm can lead to the most catastrophic consequences in a country house. The lightning protection mesh is installed inside the insulation layers, if they are not flammable, or if they are flammable, on top of them on special holders at a height of 10-12 cm from the surface. All nodes of this grid are connected into one lightning rod made of thick conductive wire, which goes to grounding.
Advantages and disadvantages
Low-rise buildings with a flat roof, built according to various projects, have been in use in our country for several years now. Reviews from owners who have lived in such houses for several years will help highlight all the advantages and disadvantages of such structures.
Their advantages are the following:
- saving on materials - there is no need to build a complex rafter system, and roofing work is simplified;
- speed of construction compared to gable slopes and even more so hip roofs;
- ease of repair and replacement of roofing coverings;
- the device of a flat roof allows you to create a platform on it for various needs: a lawn, a recreation area with a gazebo, Gym, children's corner, etc.;
- it is possible to install windows in the ceiling, this is very original project interior plus additional source natural light on the ceiling;
- roofing work will be much safer than with a hip roof;
- in case of strong gusts of wind there is no risk of failure of massive rafter structures and cladding.
Based on reviews from the owners of such houses, one can point out the disadvantages of a flat roof:
- Unlike tent structures, on such roofs in winter snow will accumulate in large volumes, which must be regularly removed manually;
- installation of a drainage system is required;
- it will be necessary to constantly monitor the integrity of the roof and the absence of leaks;
- Despite the apparent ease of installation, the flooring of a flat roof has many nuances; the insulating layers and gutters must be done as correctly as possible, otherwise leaks cannot be avoided.
Many projects of private houses with a horizontal roof came from Europe, where the climate is milder. Therefore, such decisions must be adjusted in accordance with our more severe weather conditions.
What to make it from?
Flat roofing can be made from various materials, their choice depends on the design of the building itself.
- If the house is made of brick, gas silicate or concrete blocks, then a reinforced concrete slab can be used as a roofing. In this case, the roof will be as strong as possible; bulky and heavy objects can be placed on it. This type of flooring material does not protect against moisture, so in any case you will have to make a layer of waterproofing from rolled bitumen or screed with a lower bitumen-polymer membrane.
- Wooden roof slabs of a similar design will cost less than concrete ones; they can be made at suburban area yourself. A frame with beams is installed on the walls; planed beams 10x4 cm or others can be used as them, the main thing is that they are able to withstand the weight of future insulation and other objects located on the roof. The wood is treated with an antiseptic and fireproof solution. Timber roofing can be covered wood boards, board or metal corrugated sheet.
- Bitumen is traditionally used as waterproofing for houses with a flat roof. This organic material hydrocarbon-based, which is produced during the distillation of oil. It has excellent waterproofing properties, is not susceptible to moisture, rotting, and is not afraid of frost. The main disadvantage of bitumen is considered to be that it is not environmentally friendly - it contains harmful components and emits a pungent odor when heated. Nevertheless, bitumen insulation is still in demand, including in the construction of houses with a flat roof.
Bitumen can be rolled or liquid. Typically, a combination of these two types is used for maximum effectiveness. First, the hot solution is poured onto the prepared, cleaned surface, then rolls of solid bitumen are rolled out onto the top. This combination allows you to close any microscopic cracks and cracks and reliably protects the roof from moisture.
- There are other modern waterproofing materials, cleaner and harmless than bitumen. These include, for example, euroruberoid. It is also made on a bitumen basis, but, thanks to synthetic fabrics and polymers in its composition, it emits less harmful substances and smells. Euroroofing felt is produced in rolls; for strength, it is sprinkled with special mineral chips.
- There is sprayable waterproofing for roofing in the form of powders and aerosols. It is applied to the surface using special equipment. Such mixtures are produced from plasticizers, cement, synthetic resins and hardeners. Their advantages are that they not only protect from moisture, but also reflect the sun's rays and do not allow steam to pass through.
- Coating waterproofing is widely used to protect against precipitation. It, like liquid roofing felt, is applied to the roof surface with a roller or brush. Among such materials, emulsion, rubber, polymer mastics and primers are especially common.
- There are options for bulk waterproofing in the form of granules, which absorb moisture well and prevent it from leaking into the living space. Examples include expanded clay and crushed stone. Their advantage is that no complicated installation is required - the granules simply rise to the roof level, scatter and evenly smooth over the surface.
- As a vapor barrier layer, a polyethylene film 0.1-0.5 mm thick is usually used, which is laid across the entire width of the roof under thermal insulation layer. To protect against the cold, many effective materials: mineral wool, polystyrene foam, penoplex, expanded polystyrene and others.
- Continuous glass roofs are very effective and impressive to look at. A transparent ceiling in a house visually enlarges the space, creates a unique airy atmosphere, and the rooms are always as bright as possible. It is not very difficult to install such ceilings; it is enough to create a frame from metal profiles or wooden frames and glaze it. But the operation of a glass roof becomes more complicated; in winter it is necessary to constantly clear it of snow cover. Therefore, it is best to make a continuous ceiling with small ceiling windows.
Design options
A flat roof can be installed either in a one or two-story house with a small area, or in a spacious cottage. In a large building, you can combine a pitched hipped roof with a horizontal one, for example, using it for an outbuilding or veranda. The shape of the roof can also be different: square, rectangular and more complex. The main thing with a non-standard project is to correctly calculate the slopes and drainage system so that moisture does not accumulate on the surface.
Air conditioners, ventilation systems, television antennas, communication boxes and other equipment can be located on the inversion flat roof. If the roof will be used as a platform for recreation or other active pastime, then it is necessary to install a fence along its edges.
Also, when installing such a roof, you should immediately take care of a convenient climb to the top with railings. There are many designs for inversion roofing with drawings that you can use as a guide when building your home.
Installation Instructions
Before constructing and arranging a flat roof, it is worth breaking down a step-by-step plan for all the work.
- It starts with choosing the shape, type and materials for the ceiling. It is worth considering that the load on such a structure is always more intense than on tent options. Based on this, you need to make a drawing frame system with beams and ceilings. The sketch indicates geometric shapes, sizes, colors, materials, and necessary communications. It’s best to immediately have a visual idea of what it will look like future roof for your home.
