Now the design of a house is becoming more and more popular, in which an attic space is not provided. In this case, the roof also serves as a ceiling, and the house without an attic will be higher and more spacious. However, such a solution causes some difficulties in terms of saving heat and arranging an appropriate heat-insulating structure.
Methods for arranging an insulating layer
When erecting a roof, you can use the external version of laying insulation. However, this is possible only at the stage of building a house - no one will disassemble the already finished roof in order to lay insulation there. Therefore, a different approach is often used - internal insulation. Regardless of the method chosen, it is necessary to correctly lay all the accompanying materials and their approximate location is shown in the diagram below.
The choice of insulation
There are a lot of insulation materials on the market. You need to choose based on your financial capabilities, but, first of all, you need to take into account that such a roof should be very warm, since there will be no additional protection from the cold in the form of an attic. Therefore, it is better to choose from the time-tested and quite effective options:
- Spray polyurethane foam
Any of these heat-saving materials has specific advantages or disadvantages, however, all of them can provide high-quality insulation of the roof, at the same time serving as the ceiling of the living space.
Minvata
To install this type of thermal insulation, you will need to purchase an additional special film - a membrane. Which passes humid air in only one direction. In addition to the vapor barrier membrane, you will also need a film for waterproofing the heat insulator from the outside. They are necessary in order to ensure the safety of the insulation and extend its service life. Films prevent water from entering the insulating layer and deformation of the mineral wool as a result of getting wet.
Mineral wool is laid in the openings of the rafter system so that there are no gaps between the insulation plates and the rafters. From the outside and inside, the cotton wool is covered with a vapor barrier and waterproofing film. On the outside, under the roofing material, there must be a ventilation gap, which allows excess moist air to be removed outside.
Penoplex
In its composition, it is practically a relative of polystyrene. The method of making the material is different, but, externally and in their properties, these heaters are very similar. Additional materials in the form of films or membranes are not required here. You can use such insulation both for external work and for insulation from the inside.
Installation is carried out in the openings between the rafter boards with glue or, more often, with polyurethane foam. She also fills all the gaps between the individual plates and the rest of the gaps. It is worth remembering that the foam layer, which provides the same insulation compared to mineral wool, will be much thinner.
Sprayed insulation
Spray-applied polyurethane foam is the most modern solution available today. However, its cost will be higher than all other options. At the same time, the roof and ceiling insulated with polyurethane foam in a house without an attic will be completely impervious to air, so you will need to think over the ventilation system of the room.
Otherwise, this will be one of the most effective solutions, since sprayed PU foam is distinguished by excellent heat retention rates with a minimum thickness of the applied material. At the same time, you will not need to do the work yourself - trained people will do everything, since the technology for applying polyurethane foam is not as simple as it might seem and special equipment is required for the work.
A pitched roof, according to modern architects, is of primary decisive importance in the development of not only economy class housing, but also stylish one. After all, those efforts and costs that usually go to the construction of a multi-slope can now be directed to the exterior. For example, for the construction of a swimming pool in front of the house or an extension of a barbecue terrace. And the rest of the lean-to roof is not inferior at all in anything.
Therefore, it does not mean at all that a house with a pitched roof will turn out to be unprepossessing or too simple. On the contrary, by playing with the slope and direction of such a structure, roofing material and interior space, you will get a unique architectural project that none of your friends will definitely have. And our site will make such a house inexpensive in construction and modern, both inside and out!
Architectural Advantages of Shed Roofs
Of course, where gable roofs have existed for thousands of years, everything unusual seems ugly and ridiculous. But the Eiffel Tower in France in the first years of its construction confused the local residents with its "unprepossessing".
The fashion for single-slope European villas came to the Russian open spaces quite recently. And until now, individual architects rebel against this trend, calling monoshed roofs exclusively "sheds" and claiming that clients do not even look at such projects.
But in fact, not only the customers of their future "dream house", but self-builders with golden hands are increasingly making the roofs of their buildings exactly one-pitched, with a different angle, direction and combination with other roofs. Because, in addition to the more dynamic look that only an inclined plane can give, pitched roofs are actually more functional and even economical.
Most often, in world practice, pitched roofs can be found in Finnish houses, which are known for their pleasant combination of modesty and restraint:
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In warm and hot countries, houses with a pitched roof are especially popular: you do not need any insulation from the inside, the design always looks original, and in terms of costs, such a roof is much cheaper. So the northern countries began to adopt this useful fashion.
For example, not so long ago, a new type of residential building was created in Norway - a high-tech one with a sloping roof of 19 °. It generates energy by itself, thanks to solar panels on the roof: the atrium has enough thermal mass to accumulate enough heat in a day and give it away all night. And not only give, but also provide the whole house with electricity.
And for water heating of walls and floors, rainwater heated by the sun is used, which flows down the pitched roof directly into the drain. With a conventional gable or hip roof, none of this would have been possible!
Should you make a "one-roll" for a residential building?
Until recently, pitched roofs could not be called popular in Russia. It just so happened historical that due to the winds and heavy snows in this country, the most practical proved to be gable roofs, which were sharp in more snowy regions, and gently sloping in more windy regions.
And purely visually, the indigenous population is used to seeing roofs on houses with a slope of at least 30-40 °, where there is a traditional attic for storing various things. And shed roofs carry such inconveniences:
- An obscure space at the upper Mauerlat. You don't use it under the attic, but the attic turns out to be unusual. Leaving it without an attic - then the entire geometry of the interior will seem broken and cause discomfort.
- On a pitched roof, rainwater exerts twice as much pressure as on a gable. Why? It's simple: all the liquid that falls on it flows along one slope until it falls to the ground. And if you take and break this slope in half, with a "house", then now the water will split into two streams at the ridge. And this is half the number and the influx. This is why pitched roofs are problematic in terms of leaks, especially if the choice of roofing material is wrong.
- The pitched roof is one integral plane, and this is a real sail. That is why such roofs are the first to suffer in storms and strong winds.
- The need for a solid rafter system. The load here is always less distributed than that of a gable roof, and therefore the rafters will have to be made thicker and stronger.
- A complicated ventilation system, which is sometimes not given any attention at all, and then they are surprised at the short service life of such roofs.
- Another disadvantage of such a roof is that during heavy snowfalls it will have to be cleaned, otherwise the roofing material and the building system may break. And on ordinary days, on the contrary, the snow itself comes off such a roof, and not like an avalanche, but gradually.
- Unpopularity of experiments. Even more: neither the rich nor the poor want to risk their own investments in construction, and the designers completely fall into despair from any unusual roof.
Because of all these reasons, pitched roofs in our country in 99% of cases are found only in saunas, garages and summer cottages. Although, at the same time, in a region with little snow and not particularly windy, such a roof could bring many bonuses, including the same unusual stylish design.
Frame houses with a pitched roof are generally considered the most energy-efficient. This does not take into account the fact that the area of the southern wall in such a house will be the largest, and the northern wall - the smallest. Now see the difference with gable designs? Moreover, the northern side itself is still being built without windows, and serves as one of the walls of the utility room: a boiler room, a boiler or a locker, where garden tools are stored. But the presence of an attic under the roof in private construction is already considered obsolete.
A pitched roof is remarkable in that it has:
- Simple construction. So simple that with a small private construction, they don't even make particularly accurate calculations for it. Here you do not need to adjust the slopes to each other, to achieve the identity of their weight and load on the walls. There is no need for complex support systems, which are often found in other types of roofs.
- High practicality. In addition to the basic functions of the roof, it is also used as an open area for a variety of purposes at a minimum angle of inclination.
- Reliability. Due to its simplicity and unpretentiousness, such a roof is actually the most reliable among all the others.
And from the practical aspects, we will single out the following:
- The ability to arrange a house without an attic and the problems associated with it.
- The original geometry of the ceiling, which is used as a separate design element.
- The absence of a ridge and crevices under it.
- The ability to drain rainwater and snow from the roof only in one direction - where the slope is inclined. This is important if people walk right in front of your house (like on the streets of a city) or you have laid out a beautiful garden and do not want to flood it in the rain.
And, of course, the simplicity of construction work:
Know-how: pitched roof combinations
There is one new architectural fashion: a gable roof, which consists of two gable, but not connected in a ridge. And technologically, we are still talking about two separate pitched roofs, which are built according to all the rules. And in the middle, either a flat part or an open terrace is placed between the two halves of the house. An incredibly successful and functional solution, we note, which allows you to add more natural light to the house.
Houses with a pitched roof are recognized worldwide as the most favorable in terms of energy efficiency. Which is not surprising, because the cube also takes the first place in this regard, but what then is such a house, if not a cube?
Now we will reveal to you a secret: it's all about compactness. Any structure is called compact if it has as little as possible the area of all external surfaces. So, a house is sometimes built according to rather intricate projects, when almost every room has three outer walls, plus an even complex roof. And sometimes it happens that the rooms have only one such wall, and the roof is generally pitched.
What's the point? The fewer external surfaces that come into contact with the cold outside air, the warmer the house itself will be. This is why compactness is so important in construction!
In this design, everything is simple: single-pitched roofs are built according to the same patterns, but they are based on two parallel Mauerlat-girders. And the main plus is that such an unstretched structure does not "push apart" the walls of the house with its pressure, which means that there are much fewer strength requirements for the frame structure itself. True, such a house should have at least two internal walls.
And in modern architecture, a new style has appeared relatively recently: roofs combined into a single whole, which have a slope in different directions.
Modern frame house: from foundation to roof
A frame house with a pitched roof is a structure made of lumber and fixed wood panels. The very frame of such a house must be built either from metal or from a bar of hard rocks. It is solid, while the rafters on the roof should be done just from conifers. Let's explain now.
The fact is that hardwoods tend to keep a geometric shape and do not change over time: do not dry out, do not sit down, do not twist. And, of course, they do not work well for bending due to such properties. But conifers are just good because they perfectly cope with dynamic loads, which is why the walls are made static and durable, and the rafters are more flexible and withstand both the shrinkage of the house and a slight deflection due to snow.
Although wonderful houses are obtained on a metal frame:
Foundation device for a frame house
For a small one-story house, the easiest way is to make a columnar foundation. But, if you are building a solid two-story frame house with a pitched roof, the technology will be a little different.
The fact is that a simple columnar foundation will no longer work here. A frame house tolerates seasonal ground movements, subsidence of the earth or other similar problems worse than any other, and therefore experienced builders advise making a slab foundation for it. This takes all the dynamic loads on itself, and the integrity of the frame is preserved.
Therefore, for a two-story house, make just such a foundation:
Or a more modern insulated Swedish plate:
Wall frame construction technologies
In total, there are two main frame construction technologies.
Frame-panel technology
In this case, the frame house is built from different individual building materials: beams, cladding, insulation, interior decoration, steam and waterproofing. All this is attached to the frame in its own sequence, and as a result we have a house that is not worse in quality than a construction from a bar.
Here is a good example of construction using this technology:
And the main components of a house built using this technology look like this:
Frame-panel technology
For the assembly of such houses, a detailed project is initially made, according to which shields of the required size are already manufactured in the factory. We are talking about multi-layer panels, in which the inner cladding, insulation and all types of insulation are already included. All you need to do is fix these shields to the frame of the house, which generally takes only two days. As a result, the entire house, from design to roof arrangement, is built in just a week.
So, insulated SIP panels are most popular in frame-panel technology. SIP is a wall panel that is designed to carry longitudinal loads. A frame house based on Canadian technology, which precisely provides for the use of SIP, turns out to be especially warm and holistic.
And when building a frame house from such a material, the following question arises: should we make a roof from the same material, or is it traditional? With beams, rafters and battens? The fact is that the length of the overlap decides everything here.
So, with small spans, up to 5-6 meters, the pitched roof of a frame house may well be SIP. It will be already insulated, durable and easy to perform. Moreover, SIP has good bending strength. But for large spans, it is better to build traditional floors and reinforced rafters. After all, it is not possible to make a complex roof from SIP, but just a pitched roof is quite easy:
It is only important to know how to properly connect the floor beams to such walls:
The device of a shed roof on a frame house
A pitched roof in the design world is also called a monoskat roof. Modern architects see a house with such a roof somehow differently than a lean-to or hip-roofed one: lighter, more airy and stylish.
A pitched roof behaves remarkably where spans are from 6 to 8 meters. Usually the slope of the slope is made to the north, and large windows are equipped in the southern facades. Often, external insulation of such a roof is practiced: on top of extruded polystyrene foam, which is filled with a cement screed, and on top of it - a roofing carpet.
What is also good, the drainage system in such a roof is simplified and is needed only on one side, and not on two or four at once. But this is not necessary: on a south-facing slope, solar collectors are often installed abroad.
Step 1. Design
A single-pitched roof of any format always differs from a gable roof in that here the rafters are not connected in the ridge, but are attached to the walls of the building with both ends. Those. there is no skate at all. The only exception is the girder, on which the layered rafters are attached, but in height it never exceeds the level of the entire ramp.
If you are building using frame-panel technology, then the easiest way for you is to create a difference in the walls:
But if you use vulture panels or the walls are already made of the same height, then you will have to make trusses.
Sloped rafters in a pitched roof are made when the building has an internal strong partition. After all, the longer the rafter leg, the more there is a danger of its bending or eversion. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to support such rafters, you need to use it.
In this case, a purlin is attached to the load-bearing partition:
Now we are making the rafters two times shorter - so that each of them rests on the wall with one end, and on the girder with the other. And be sure to check the angle of inclination of such rafters with a laser level - it must completely match. And outwardly, such a roof will not differ from simpler pitched roofs.
But in general, layered rafters of a pitched roof can be in all these options:
Although layered rafters in a single-pitched roof of a frame house can be generally non-spaced:
Hanging rafters are good because they can be built right on the ground, in the form of ready-made trusses. After all, their main difference from the layered ones is that the load is now transferred to the rafter triangle itself, and not to the walls of the building. And this is quite reasonable, because most often pitched roofs are arranged just on small buildings, such as a bathhouse, a garage or a change house. And the walls of those usually do not please with a special fortress.
So decide: if your building does not differ in the monumental nature of the walls, make hanging rafters, and if it is more or less strong and there are inner walls, then layered ones. The choice is pretty simple!
Step 2. Cutout for Mauerlat
Have you decided? Then specify the future angle of inclination of such a roof and make a template for the rafters:
And the cut itself must be made in order to support the rafters of the pitched roof on the Mauerlat. The main task of the Mauerlat is to compensate for the horizontal unevenness of the walls. That is why when laying it, be sure to arm yourself with a building level.
Step 3. Making rafters
For this task you will need the following fasteners:
And how difficult your rafters will be, depends on what load is planned on them. The higher, the rafters should be more reinforced from the inside:
Step 4. Calculation of the lathing
Once you've secured the rafters, move on to the sheathing. The smaller the slope of the pitched roof, the more often the lathing should be (up to solid):
And on steeper slopes - whatever your heart desires, just calculate in advance the weight of the roof covering for the whole house and foundation:
It remains only to lay the selected roofing and organize the weir. Which, fortunately, in a pitched roof is done only on one side:
Step 6. Glazing
Recently, a new squeak of fashion has appeared in frame construction: cleanliness, laconicism and a lot of glass surfaces. What is most easily achieved precisely by frame technology, for which the presence of a single-pitched roof instead of massive and awkward multi-pitched roofs is a real outlet:
According to modern architects, the easiest way to bring more light and lightness into a frame house is to make transparent inserts in the roof or even some part of it to be light-transmitting. For example, over a covered veranda or part above the attic. And in fact, we are not talking about glass at all, but just about modern roofing polycarbonate, which is more often used in monolithic or corrugated. There is a separate article on this on our website, but here we will only note some technical points.
When choosing the thickness of the polycarbonate that you are going to use for roof construction, calculate in advance the climatic and static loads. You've probably seen a photo where the roofs of beautiful durable greenhouses are completely broken in the spring? And all because when buying, the owners decided to save on quality, without calculating, such tons of snow fall in the harsh Russian winters. You wouldn't want something like this to happen to the roof of your house, would you? After all, replacing the top of an ordinary greenhouse will not be difficult, but replacing the roof of a house is a real problem.
It is necessary to fasten the profiled polycarbonate sheets to the roof using the same fastening that is used for the metal profile. These are self-tapping and self-drilling screws of the STSD type. The sheets themselves are fastened together with special profiles, which are equipped with EPDM rubber seals. All this is necessary so that such a beautiful roof does not leak. There is also a special connecting aluminum profile on sale - for P-6066 polycarbonate. It consists of a special clamping strip and a seal, but it already needs to be fixed with self-tapping screws directly to the pipe or crate.
In addition, if you have residues of polycarbonate (after all, the sheets are standard), use it for glazing utility rooms:
And the excess from another roofing does not apply like that.
A house with a pitched roof, built using frame technology, with a competent approach, will be the most modern and stylish!
If your dream is associated with a symbol such as an attic, you should not interpret this symbol as something dusty and abandoned. In the old days, it was believed that if you go into the attic from a church candle on Holy Week, you can see the "owner", that is, the brownie. The attic hides many secrets and mysteries. It is considered one of the symbols of the past.
In today's life, the word attic has acquired new realities. In some cases, it is associated with an empty head. People say about a stupid and stupid person: "He has an attic without a top: there is no rafter."
So, if in a dream you saw yourself in an old, abandoned attic, it means that in reality your affairs are not going as smoothly as you would like, and therefore you sadly recall the past times.
If in a dream you saw yourself in an empty and destroyed attic, then this means that your own stupidity will cause the destruction of well-being and success.
To see something in the attic that scared you is a sign that there is an enemy next to you who will do everything possible to interfere with the implementation of your plans.
To clean an attic in a dream is a sign of change.
Bringing old, unnecessary things to the attic means that in reality you take into account the experience of your past mistakes and are full of strength to start all over again.
If in a dream you dry some herbs and roots in the attic - in reality you rely only on your fate and do nothing, that is, you are inactive.
The dream in which you are trying to climb to the attic and cannot find the stairs symbolizes your inclination to simple and easy solutions.
Falling from the attic - in reality you will hear something interesting and unexpected.
To dream of a fire in the attic is a sign of excessive haste, which will interfere with business and can lead to complete ruin.
To rebuild an attic is to take part in solving other people's problems.
Interpretation of dreams fromThe article will provide a comparative description of the three most common types of roofs, showing the pros and cons, the conditions for their use and important points of construction.
Roof selection for a private house
Private house roof scheme
The main factor in choosing the shape of the roof, the architect or designer sees the harmonious combination of the roof with the overall architectural idea of the house. But the task for the architect is primarily set by you - the customer. How to determine the type of coverage? Everything is not so difficult if you figure it out) You can read about the structures of the coating and types of roofs in the articles of our portal and, and this article will describe the four most used types of roofs:
- Attic second floor;
- Full second floor and attic roof;
- Full second floor and mansard roof;
- Combined option.
Roof types
First of all, when choosing the type of roof, before starting the design of the house, ask yourself the following questions:
Will the second floor be residential or non-residential. You can use it as a full-fledged floor, or as a room for storing equipment, "unnecessary" things, etc. Do you want this floor to be used in the future (not immediately after the end of construction)?
What is the minimum and maximum height of the second floor. Usually it varies from a minimum of 2.5 meters to a maximum of 3-3.5 meters; it is not recommended to do more or less of these dimensions.
Do you need full-size (1/5 -1/8 of the floor area) windows on the second floor or they can be minimal (0.7-1.5 m2). In any case, it is necessary to provide full illumination in the room, usually the window area is 1 / 4-1 / 5 of the floor area, the smaller the room, the smaller the windows can be.
Are you not limited in the height of the house under construction, consult with the architect, whether you will shade your neighbors, thereby reducing the insolation of the neighboring cottage. It is also important to take into account the legal aspect - the attic floor is not considered a full-fledged floor, that is, if it is not possible to officially build on the second floor, it will be necessary to do with the attic.
After analyzing the answers to these questions and comparing them with the three types of roofs in the article, you will set a task for the architect and will be able to understand which type of roof is right for your conditions.
Roof with a second attic floor
This is the first of the considered types of modern roofs, it is a roof that serves as the walls of the second floor, that is, the living space is located directly under the roof. Such roofs can often be found in summer cottages and villages.
Diagram of a gable roof attic with living quarters directly under the roof
The mansard roof gives the house an architectural expression. The height of such a roof from the floor to the ridge is usually 2.5-3.5 meters, in the case of a sloping roof, 0.7-1 m from the floor to the beginning of the roof slope. At first glance, such a solution may seem beneficial, since there is no need to build the walls of the second floor and already have a roof on them.
Scheme of a gable roof attic without internal walls
But this is not entirely true, since such a roof has many disadvantages:
- The space in the corners of the roof is significantly reduced, especially with a triangular roof shape. So the slope of the roof begins at a height of 0.5-1 m from the floor level, which prevents an adult from standing in the corner of the roof at full height. The device of a broken roof shape can help a little to save the situation (the lower part of the attic is given a steep slope, and the upper - a gentle one).
- Living space is difficult to arrange in a convenient way, to select and arrange furniture.
- There is no possibility of arranging full-fledged window openings, so you have to use dormer windows, which are at a price (a special reinforced frame and tempered and reinforced glass, cost - from $ 300) and installation costs 1.5-2 times more expensive than ordinary windows. Special requirements apply to the window frame of the roof window.
Roof window
It must ensure high-quality thermal characteristics and correct installation, waterproofing, sealing the slopes of such a window is one of the most important stages. Also applicable dormer windows, which require a constructive device and are difficult to install - for the device of such a window it is necessary to make an additional frame going out of the plane of the main roof frame (this will add extra valleys and ridge), which increases the material and labor intensity of such work (installation of joints, trimming of roofing materials, purchase of additional roof elements). It is also important to have a drawing of the dormer window, with a detailed study of the window with the main roof frame.
Dormer window
In these types of roofs, there is a need to combine structures, insulation and waterproofing in the roofing cake, which complicates the installation of the roof and makes it more expensive compared to the attic roof. The thermal insulation layer is attached to the outer side of the roof, while circulation gaps must always be left so that the moisture that forms from the condensation of steam on the underside of the roof is eroded by the movement of air. If a kitchen and a bathroom are placed in the attic, in which a significant amount of steam is formed, then a layer of vapor barrier should be laid on the inside of the ceiling. There is also a possibility of an error in the choice of the "cake", which will lead to leaks, which will manifest in the interior, repairs in this case are more difficult than in the attic roof.
Attic Roof Roofing Pie
1. Insulation.
2.Vapor barrier.
3.Inner lathing.
4.Inner lining of the attic.
5.Rafters.
6. Waterproofing windproof vapor permeable membrane.
7.Cutting for roofing sheets.
8.Roofing.
- In such roofs, it is not recommended to use metal roofs, since in summer it will be too hot under such a roof and to ensure comfortable conditions, a rather massive roofing cake will be required (250-300 mm thick, due to an increase in insulation), or it will be necessary to use reflective insulation, which will affect on material costs.
- If you have a desire to complete a full-fledged floor during the operation of the house, it will be difficult to do, since it will be necessary to completely dismantle the attic floor and build a full-fledged floor with a roof, which will increase the cost of construction by 20-40%. It is necessary to invite an engineer to conduct a survey of the house, calculate the bearing capacity of the existing foundation, walls and ceilings in order to determine whether it will be possible to complete the floor without strengthening the structures. Strengthening existing structures is a very complex, painstaking and expensive process (for example, the cost of strengthening a foundation is 20-50% of the cost of building a new one).
Output: Do not arrange an attic floor in a house of permanent residence unless absolutely necessary, since it will come out less functional and convenient, and the advantage of such a device is only a certain picturesque silhouette of the house.
Complete second floor and roof with unexploited attic space
This option represents a full-fledged second floor with load-bearing and self-supporting walls on which the roof structures rest. In this case, the roof has an unexploited attic (the attic is usually not heated) and the space on the second floor is residential. The attic acts as an air gap between the living space and the external environment, while it should be borne in mind that in the attic it is necessary to provide a passage with a height of at least 1.4 m along the entire room. The height of a residential floor is taken from 2.5 to 3.5 meters. Household items are usually stored in the attic. The second floor comes out fully functional, and without "inconvenient areas".
Full second floor and attic roof layout
- Rafter legs.
- Ridge bar.
- Racks.
- Braces.
- Lathing.
- Roofing material.
- Mauerlat.
- Metal connecting elements.
- Internal load-bearing wall.
In the event of a roof malfunction, it can be easily repaired by gaining access to the structures and "pie" of the roof in the attic. It is possible to finish building additional floors, for this you just need to dismantle the old roof. These are the main advantages of such a roof. This is the most common roof option in modern cottage construction.
The disadvantages of such a roof are:
- There is a need for the construction of the walls of the 2nd floor and the attic floor, which will lead to an increase in the cost of construction by 10-20% compared to the mansard roof.
- It is necessary to constantly provide (make the necessary gaps, correctly position the layers of the roof, etc.) and maintain ventilation (ventilate the attic, annually clean the ventilation gaps from the accumulation of debris and dirt) of the attic (in contrast to the attic roof where you need to ventilate the roofing cake and residential space separately), so that the air does not stagnate and the roof structures and roofing "pie" do not rot, for better snow melting.
Cold cover ventilation
a, b - through the attic space, c - with air flow and through the attic space, d - double air flow.
Features of the attic roof:
- You need to make an exit to the attic. Usually arranged in the form of a hatch with a vertical metal ladder or use a ready-made "mansard ladder".
- In this case, the insulation of the roof is arranged in the attic floor, and the waterproofing carpet is directly on the roof, which facilitates the installation of the roof and reduces the cross-section of the wooden roof structures.
In general, we can say that the use of such roofs is the most common, despite the increase in construction costs, life under such a roof is more convenient.
Complete second floor with an attic for the entire roof area without an attic space
The third roof option is a combined first and second type. A full-fledged second floor and a mansard roof above it, in this case there is no overlap between the living room and the attic, this allows you to reduce the cost of materials and its arrangement. With such a roof, you will get a lot of free space, a high ceiling.
Complete second floor and mansard roof
The main big "plus" of such a roof is the visual appeal of the interior space, for example, skylights built into the roof, in addition to ordinary windows, will give a lot of light in living rooms. A good designer can easily beat such volumes. A house with such a roof must have a rigid and stable supporting frame due to the fact that the roof and walls of the 2nd floor are one rather high structure and have low rigidity.
Scheme of the complete second floor of the house and the mansard roof
Cons of such a roof:
- It is necessary to heat and light such a large volume (it will be necessary to heat not only the living space, but also the space under the roof, and this is from 50 m3, which is not residential).
- Ceiling space is not used.
- Roof spacer device to provide rigidity to roof structures.
- Purchase and installation of roof windows.
But this type of roof is rarely common; it can be recommended for use when the architectural shape of the roof is dictated by the interior design of the premises.
Combination roof
The combined roof option is a hybrid of the above roof types. For example, you decided that there will be an attic roof over the whole house, and an attic roof over the bedrooms of guests and children. An important aspect in such a roof will be that over a part of the house there will be a combined roofing pie, and over the second part, insulation, waterproofing and vapor barrier will be separated. It is also possible that the cross-section of the rafters will change on different sections of the roof. In this case, you need to develop a competent roof project, with a detailed drawing of the mating nodes, plans and sections of these two options.
Combined roof scheme: attic and attic
Where the problems of heat, hydro, sound insulation will be solved. Such roofs can often be seen on 2-storey houses with an attached garage or utility room, so the roof over the main part of the house is attic, and above the garage, the main roof goes into the attic for the garage.
It can be summed up that a mansard roof is a less comfortable, but inexpensive option. An attic roof and a combination roof are the most applicable and justified options. A complete second floor with a mansard roof is a rare case, the plus of which is an interesting interior. Thus, each type of roof has its own advantages and disadvantages described in the article and it is worth choosing a roof based on specific conditions and circumstances. And this article will hopefully help you with this.
Attention: The prices in the article are indicated at the time of 2009. Be careful.
A pitched roof in Russia is not often used in the construction of residential buildings. This is due rather to traditions and a large number of typical projects of houses with a roof than to the real disadvantages of pitched roofs. Therefore, if among your priorities, not in the last place is the recognizable appearance of the house and the economy of the consumption of expensive lumber for the system, it makes sense to consider the option of a project with a pitched roof.
Advantages of residential buildings with a pitched roof
Such projects have several traditional advantages that make them very popular in Finland, Norway and other countries with a climate close to the Russian one.
- profitability in the consumption of lumber for the construction of the system and materials, such a roof, all other things being equal, will cost you less;
- increases economy and that from the height of human growth the roof of the house will be practically invisible, therefore, you can get by with reliable, but not too attractive from an aesthetic point of view, materials, roll or;
- installation of the system is easier, it can be done on your own;
- more rational use of space, it is quite easy to do without a little-used attic space;
- low windage- relevant for areas with high wind load;
- snow will only melt in one direction(the prohibition of dumping snow on the roadway is a mandatory requirement for some areas);
- repairs are much easier, it is easy to move on such a roof;
- snow lingers on the roof(with a slight slope), providing additional thermal insulation;
- another variant - heated roof... In this case, the snow will not linger on the roof.
The skeptical attitude of many builders to houses with a pitched roof is caused by the low prevalence of such buildings in Russia. This is a matter of building traditions. Calculating the snow load and the main parameters of a gable roof is no more difficult than for a gable roof. The construction process is also not very complex.
Examples of projects of houses with a pitched roof
Projects of houses with a pitched roof are quite diverse. There are several basic options:
- house without an attic when the roof is at the same time a ceiling;
- house with a small attic space but with a straight ceiling on the top floor.
In the first case, the aesthetic factor is higher, the ceiling on the upper floor will be indirect, having an angle equal to the angle of the slope. In the second case, the thermal insulation of the roof is better, there are fewer requirements for materials and quality of roofing, although it is difficult to maintain and inspect such a roof, often for this reason customers are offered to increase the height of the attic.
Small buildings with a pitched roof are most often rectangular in shape, the roof is a single slope formed by the difference in the height of two opposite walls. This is the simplest version of a house with a pitched roof. Here is one example of a building design. There is no garage, the project includes five bedrooms and a fairly standard layout, there is no attic, so the ceiling on the second floor will have a slope.
Accordingly, it is necessary to think over the situation. Often on the side with the smallest ceiling height, the headboards are placed, but the height should be at least 1.5 m.Aerated concrete is used as a material for the walls, reinforced concrete slabs are used for floors, and the foundation is a monolithic reinforced concrete slab. Facing - brick or tile, inserts from material of a different color and texture, a combination of different types of bricks or bricks and wooden slats, or another combination, look very good.
There are also projects of buildings with complex roof shapes, several slopes. This allows you to create a house of any configuration, taking into account any landscape, but complicates the design and makes construction more expensive.
This is a two-storey building project, living area (living room area) - 103 m2, total - 232 m2. The angle of inclination is practically zero, so the roof will require constant clearing of snow, in the original version it is suitable for areas with low snow load. The type of roof is with an attic, the angle of inclination can be changed, but the higher the angle of the slope in such projects, the worse the building will look. Plus an almost flat roof in the possibility of its rational use with practically no restrictions.
There is a garage for two cars; an advantage of buildings with similar plans is also the presence of a large balcony on the second floor, which can be used in the summer.
Ground floor: 1 - entrance hall, 3.56 m2; 2 - hall - 20.6 m2; 3 - kitchen - 17.46 m2; 4 - living room - 26.48 m2; 5 - dining room - 18 m2; 6 - office - 9.59 m2; 7 - boiler room - 6.11 m2; 8 - toilet - 2.08 m2; 9 - garage - 39.45 m2.
Second floor: 10 - hall - 17.21 m2; 11 - bedroom - 17.46 m2; 12 - bedroom - 16 m2; bedroom - 13.58 m2; wardrobe / closet - 7.3 m2; bathroom - 8.56 m2; bathroom - 6.53 m2.
There is no basement floor in this project. The walls are made of aerated concrete, the foundation is a reinforced concrete slab. Outside, the walls are sheathed with wooden battens, decorative tiles or bricks. The roof covering depends on how you are going to use it, the simplest and cheapest option is roll materials.
A pitched roof often becomes an excellent solution for small summer cottages or as a cottage for outdoor recreation. In this case, large windows are not applicable in Russian conditions, the design should be simpler, and the construction itself should be more economical.
This is a house plan with a pitched roof with a total area of 238.2 m2, living area 86.2 m2. There is no basement or garage, the foundation is a reinforced concrete slab, the walls are made of aerated concrete. Wall covering - plaster and wooden lath.
It is better to involve a specialist in the calculation and design of the building, who, using professional programs, will calculate all the parameters of the rafter system and frame. This is especially true if you change a project taken from the Internet, or take on the development of your own.
Pitfalls in the design and construction of a house with a pitched roof
There are no more of them than when building a house with a gable roof, but some are still worth noting:
- if you are planning a house without an attic (most of the beautiful photographs of Scandinavian houses with a pitched roof are of this type), where the ceiling is combined with the roof, then the quality of the building materials for the roofing cake and the installation of the roof covering will have to be approached very carefully. And this means the use of more expensive materials and the involvement of specialists in the installation of the roof in order to ensure its tightness and good thermal insulation. This factor will "eat" part of the economy;
- if the house plan includes a small attic between the roof and the ceiling of the upper floor, then it will be extremely inconvenient to maintain and inspect the roof from the inside due to the low height of the attic space and its decrease from the upper edge to the lower one. As the height increases, the aesthetics suffer, it is a matter of compromise. The attic is almost impossible to use effectively (most of it);
- facade work must be carried out very efficiently and accurately. This is the main difficulty in building a house with a pitched roof: with a poorly made facade, the house will look like a large barn - without exaggeration. The more details, the fewer requirements for the quality of facade work. The fewer details, the more laconic the appearance of the building, the better the materials should be and the better they should be matched in color and texture;
- increased requirements for the appearance of the building. It will look unusual, so the design must be thought out. A good program for drawing and designing small buildings is SketchUp (there is a free version). Its only drawback is English, but there are lessons and support groups in Russian.
From an aesthetic point of view, not everyone likes a house with a pitched roof. But if you do not belong to the adherents of the traditional and rather boring look of a gable roof, then you should take a closer look at the projects of houses with a gable roof. You can find many free projects on the Internet, and a custom house of any design will be designed for you. There are no significant and insurmountable difficulties in the design and construction of a building with a pitched roof.