Cons of a flat roof Flat roof house: design features, pros and cons

The domestic consumer has long been familiar with the features of a flat roof, and believes that it is used for multi-storey government buildings. But modern manufacturers decided to expand their market, and found a new application for it.

It's amazing, but appeared with flat roof with the same set of functionalities. It is suitable primarily for the area in the territory in which snowy winters and strong winds occur at the time accompanying their manifestation.

Their power will quickly blow away large layers of snow, and the roof will always be clean. And powerful hurricanes will not be afraid of such a roof covering. The thing is, it doesn't actually exist.

But this is only part of its capabilities. It will be possible to place many useful buildings for different seasons on it. This may be a greenhouse or a small garden, or maybe a dance floor. Other options are available, based on the strength of the imagination of its owner.

But in order for everything to work out well, it is necessary to study the nuances of creating such structures. Now let's take a look at many issues related to this topic. To begin with, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the photo of houses with a flat roof, which have already proven their suitability for various purposes.

What is the benefit of this roof structure?

If we talk only about a private house, then they lie in the following points:

This version of the roof will take up a smaller area in comparison with the most gently sloping pitched modifications. This will help save on the amount of materials.

The process of its construction is noticeably faster than the installation of a gable or hip version. Through this feature, create modern houses with a flat roof is much more profitable.

Comfort and safety of the necessary rafter work processes are ensured. It is quite spacious and difficult to fall off.

It differs from the gable design in that there is no need to carry out dismantling work from the outdated coating. It can be used as additional waterproofing or protection. This will help save energy and time.

Its surface is suitable for use as an additional territory for organizing a flower garden, a cozy terrace, a greenhouse.

Various transparent elements can be mounted to help organize beautiful view on the open starry sky at night or clouds with the sun in the daytime. And a charming view opens up to admire the rain or a strong storm - there are fans of this state of nature.

Helps to adjust the house to the basics of the minimalist style. It has now gained notable popularity.

What are the disadvantages? “Unfortunately they are…

If there is no strong wind, this option generously collects a lot of snow on its surface. You will need to clean it often in order to use the territory for your own purposes. Sometimes it can lead to noticeable leaks.

Clearing snow will often have to be done by mechanical means. They can damage the roof.

The structure of the roof is particularly complex in comparison with other types of forms. It will have to organize a lot of drains. They, in turn, often get clogged.

From the pitched version of the roof covering, water flows off on its own and this happens very quickly. She doesn't do much damage.

On the flat version, the water usually stands still and builds up as the rainfall lasts. You will have to control the humidity of the insulation and make the coating at a small angle so that the water gradually finds the drains.

It will require less materials than for pitched. But the creation itself is much more complicated. There are many subtleties that not everyone knows about, and therefore often this version of the roof does not turn out the way it was intended.

Because of this, many believe that a flat roof in a private house is not the best way. But now domestic manufacturers have learned about the positive Western experience and have learned how to create the right materials.

And experts on installation work adopted methods of quality work in this direction, and the situation began to change for the better. This approach has already taken root in Russia.

Is it suitable for frame versions of houses?

Yes, today you can see a frame house with a flat roof, more and more often it is perceived as commonplace. This roof can be two directions. For operation and without it.

If the roof is to be used, then it will be adapted for the convenient movement of people on its surface. For this, a rigid version of the screed or another version of the rigid base is used. Due to the pressure from the movement of people, the roof can leak. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the creation of reliable isolation from water.

But there is a version without human exploitation. Usually no one walks on it or rarely appears to clean its surface. The load on its area is distributed over the entire surface. But she has one major problem. Its service life is too short. Although such a version, due to possible, situation-satisfactory features, is often used.

There is also a classic version of a flat roof. It is often referred to as a soft roof option. It is formed by a carrier plate. Thermal insulation on it is laid on top of the coating for vapor barrier. And then a bituminous version of the waterproofing in the form of rolls is rolled over the thermal insulation.

Due to the advantageous features, this option is used to form such a modification of the roof on frame house more often than any other.

But experts also distinguish an inversion version for the formation of a flat roof. Sometimes this modification helps create the style of a flat roof house with the creative mind of an experienced designer. It is distinguished by the fact that the waterproofing will have to be applied to the waterproofing carpet.

This will help protect against temperature changes and ultraviolet rays from the sun, which is important if it is located in an open area and under their direct access. And this version also allows you to increase the service life - the force of impact on the waterproofing from the processes of melting or freezing of snow precipitation is noticeably reduced. It is quite suitable for installing furniture, mounting a greenhouse.

Important Points

For a high-quality arrangement of a flat version of the roof, in any case, laying the correct version of the carpet will be required. It will help soften the base in case of thermal or mechanical stress. This will help ensure the durability of the coating.

Now, based on the influence of Western culture, Russians have begun to pay more and more attention to this roof option. The domestic user realized that a cup of coffee at any time on such a roof is a wonderful option. Here the sky is open at any time. And there is constant access to clean air. This is a great option, but a pitched roof cannot offer this.

Of course, not everyone can afford such a roof. Usually the maximum for a Russian is access to a balcony. But over time, it will become a reality for every inhabitant of our country.

If you have the opportunity to create it today, there is no doubt that this is the best option. Today, high-tech style houses are gaining great popularity and, on their basis, a flat roof is mainly used. She has become their full-fledged companion.

Photo of houses with a flat roof

A few decades ago, all developers on a large scale converted their houses with flat roofs into pitched ones. This is due to the fact that the materials used when laying flat roofs did not meet the quality and did not allow adequately protecting the base from moisture. To date, roofing on flat roofs even have some advantage over slopes. You will learn how to build a house with a flat roof, and at the same time take into account all the pros and cons, in this article.

Pros and cons of flat roofs

In European countries, the creation of sports grounds, lawns or flower beds right on the roof has long been practiced. country house. This saves usable living space. As for the CIS countries, they are not used to such things, until now, arranging something above their heads is considered a curiosity, but often there are people who have already adopted the experience of building from abroad and their houses are popular.

Of course, the appearance of a building with a flat roof is very primitive, but with a certain imagination, you can make it unique. Fortunately, the low cost of construction, durability, ease of installation and reliability of all structural elements allows you to come up with crazy projects.. As an example, this article offers photo materials of flat roofs, I hope thanks to them you will get some ideas for yourself for future construction. But first you should find out what are the pros and cons of this type of roof.

Advantages of flat roofs:

Low windage. In simple terms, your roof is not able to demolish even strong wind, not even a hurricane
Low construction cost. This advantage is due to the fact that in construction you do not need bulky truss systems, therefore, saving on materials
Ease of installation. All work is carried out on the same plane, and you will agree that it is convenient
Snow cover is not something negative On the contrary, it performs the function of a kind of thermal insulation
Appears additional area which can be customized to suit your needs.

Disadvantages of a flat roof:

The need to design a quality drainage system
In cases where certain roofings are used, a device for heating them will be required
Clogging of drain pipes can lead to a large accumulation of water on the roof surface, so it is advisable to check this point every time after precipitation.

Types and classification of flat roofs for a frame house

All building structures are divided into types and subspecies. For example, a flat roof country house may have attic space, or may not have it at all.

Such moments are selected purely individually, so let's talk about them.

For the purpose of the roof:

Operated. The formed area as a result of construction is occupied by some equipment
not exploited. The opposite of the first point. Nothing is provided on the surface, and in the winter season only snow lies on them. By the way, in some regions of the country, it is precisely because of the snow that the construction of flat roofs is impossible, since a very large amount of precipitation falls.

By design type:

With attic space. I hope you understand this very well and you know what an attic is. As a rule, these roofs are laid without a heat-insulating layer and do not require maintenance. winter period
No attic. They also do not require any maintenance, but you will need to provide maximum surface waterproofing. This is due to the fact that the snow will melt due to the heating of the house, therefore, there will always be some moisture on the roof.

For protective layers:

Traditional. The roofing cake is arranged in such a way that a waterproofing layer is placed behind the insulation boards.
Inversion. Here everything is already somewhat different, and the waterproofing is protected by a heater

Paying attention to all the points described above, developers receive the highest quality and expediently created roof.

Building houses in construction can never look the same. In appearance, this is exactly what happens, but the materials are always slightly different from each other, and such differences can play a rather strong role in the construction of your comfort.

Some developers will find that the use of these materials is acceptable in this case, while for others the same work will turn out to be a mistake.

That is why the construction of houses with a flat roof is an individual lesson and compliance with the following rules will help you avoid embarrassment:

Design. At this stage, all the smallest details are worked out. It is worth noting that despite the fact that the roof is flat, it must have a certain slope so that moisture does not accumulate on the surface, but gradually goes into the drainpipes. Such a slope, as a rule, is formed from the facade of the building
There are two ways to build such roofs. The first method involves the installation of the ceiling and the roof with a single monolithic slab, and with the second method, a gap is arranged between them to improve the heat-insulating layer, but at the same time complicates the diagnosis and repair of the roof in the future, and the use of the roof as an additional usable area becomes impossible
Foundation. If you are a little versed in construction, then you probably understand that the construction of powerful foundations with frame construction not required. Here you can save and set the necessary parameters. It is better to work out the system of rafters in more detail, because they will have a hard time in a frame building with a flat roof
Wall construction. Ease of installation will allow you to finish the job very quickly. To do this, you will need to lay the harness on the foundation for future attachment to the floor. After that, bearing supports are mounted, which will transfer the load of the roof. And this process ends with sheathing and filling voids with insulating material
Finishing. Correctly selected decorative cladding will help distinguish your home from an outbuilding. Here it is best to consult experienced designers in order to give comfort a decent appearance
Flat roof decking. Almost any material is suitable as a roof covering, but it is worth considering the design concept and high loads. From the article you learned that flat roof nevertheless, it has some slope, despite this, the material to be laid must withstand enormous loads, because in the winter period of the year pressure will be exerted on the truss elements not only from the coating, but also from snow. The slope is set insignificant, but in the rainy regions of the country it can be more than 10 degrees, as for drier places, an angle of 5 degrees will be enough

The flat roof of a country house is mounted in just a few days, this is due to the fact that you do not have to work on different heights, everything happens in one plane, therefore, everything is simple and safe.

Lightweight flat roof. Features during its installation

In some regions of the country, there is the option of installing a lightweight flat roof. Such places, as a rule, have a very dry climate and precipitation is rare for them.

The construction of a building with a lightweight version of the roof is no different from the standard one until the moment when the supports are installed. Their choice requires a very careful approach. Here, all loads should be taken into account, and the higher they are, the larger the cross section of the beams should be used. As a rule, material with a cross section from 10x10cm to 15x15cm in increments of 0.5 - 1m is ideal for such construction.
The load-bearing beams are covered with boards, plywood or drywall. Layers of waterproofing and vapor barrier are laid on top of them, and special construction tape is used at the junctions of the strips of material. After that, the thermal insulation boards are laid. The most applicable materials for this are mineral wool or expanded polystyrene (styrofoam). All joints and cavities are filled mounting foam. In cases where cotton wool is used, it is worth laying an additional vapor barrier so that moisture cannot penetrate inside the insulation, but always has a way out of it. This will make a one-sided membrane
Bituminous tiles or euroruberoid are most suitable as roofing.

The nuances of roofing with heavy materials

The use of solid types of coatings will lead to the fact that the mass of the entire building will have a decent value, but also thanks to them it will also be able to withstand the high pressure of precipitation and natural phenomena.

In this case, it is advisable to use not wood, but metal as a material for overlapping. As for the walls, their margin of safety should also be increased. Concrete screed must have a reinforced body.

As a positive effect, you will gain greater safety and a longer service life of the entire building compared to soft coatings.

As a conclusion, I want to say that a flat roof is very rare, but it has undeniable advantages over pitched ones. On their surface, you can arrange a sports ground or dot the lawn.

Also in European countries, they arrange entire greenhouses for rare plants, and you will agree that this is already quite exciting when you have one of the wonders of the world above your head - a hanging garden.

For many people, the name "flat roof" is associated primarily with high-rise buildings. A flat roof - the pros and cons of which we will consider in this article - has practically not been used in low-rise construction since a dozen years ago. However, today the creation of such a roof in a country house is not a problem: modern materials and technologies allow you to create a flat roof with proper consumer characteristics and at an affordable price.

A flat roof is much smaller in area than a pitched roof, which saves on materials and construction and installation work.
Thanks to the relatively smaller area of a flat roof, it is possible to optimize costs.
The construction of a flat roof is easier and faster than a pitched roof, because the right materials for installation are located directly at the feet of workers on a flat surface. The same can be said about the repair and maintenance of a flat roof - working on an almost horizontal roof is incomparably more comfortable than on an inclined one.
On a flat roof, installation and subsequent service work with all kinds of equipment (air conditioning systems, solar panels, antennas, etc.).
The use of a flat roof is an opportunity to get an additional useful area that can be used as a place where you can relax in the fresh air, play sports, create a garden, flower garden, etc. To date, there are technologies that allow you to cover the roof even with paving slabs or paving stones. The roof, paved with beautiful tiles, combined with a green lawn, garden furniture, a gazebo and a fireplace, can become a place for a comfortable family vacation.

Flat roof houses are very popular right now.

A flat roof, in addition to the advantages, has a number of disadvantages:

As a result of heavy snowfalls, a lot of snow accumulates on flat roofs, which, when melted, often causes leaks.
Sometimes internal drains are required.
There is a risk of clogging or freezing of the internal drain.
There is a need for mechanical cleaning of the roof from too large accumulations of snow.
It is necessary to regularly monitor the moisture state of the insulation and the tightness of the roof.

Varieties of flat roofs

There are four types of flat roofs:

Foundation for a flat roof

In accordance with building codes, a flat roof, the pros and cons of which we discussed above, should have a base in the form reinforced concrete slabs ceilings or sheets of corrugated board.

Subtleties of waterproofing

The durability of the roof structure and its resistance to various negative influences depends on the use of special mixtures and technological processes production of roofing materials. Depending on the materials of the roof, it is customary to subdivide into three categories:

Bituminous roofs, as well as polymer-bitumen based on ruberoid. These materials are available due to their low cost. Welded bitumen-polymer compositions are rolled waterproofing and roofing sheets based on synthetics, on both sides of which special bitumen is used, which remains elastic even at extremely low temperatures (up to -50 degrees Celsius). During the installation of waterproofing, carried out using gas burners, the rolls are fused together. Roof waterproofing can also be carried out with self-adhesive materials based on polymers and bitumen. In this case, the mastic is applied on bottom surface roll and in the process of processing with a solvent acquires the properties of glue. The disadvantage of bituminous roofing is fragility.
Membrane roofs with a base of foil, rubber or polymers. This material has solid strength, is resistant to fires and other negative environmental influences. The membranes are glued to the screed or simply lie on the base, being loaded with ballast, or they are attached mechanically or with glue. To connect the membrane sheets, special welders, fastening the material with hot air.
Roofs based on liquid polymers, which, after cooling, do not form seams. Such materials are especially often used for structures with complex geometries.

It's very important to do proper waterproofing flat roof

Whatever material is chosen, the joints between the rolls and the junctions with various roof elements must be waterproof. One of the main components of a successful waterproofing device is a quality sealant. During the period of operation, the roof is subject to negative environmental influences (moisture, hail, stones, strong temperature fluctuations, etc.). Therefore, a high-quality sealant must be resistant to mechanical and thermal influences.

As a sealant, mastic is usually used - putty, which is based on elastic polyurethane resins. After being applied to the roof, the mastic polymerizes, as a result of which a continuous rubber-like membrane is formed, which has waterproofing properties and protects the roofing from mechanical damage.

Mastic is ideal for flat roofing, is safe, has high adhesion to building surfaces, has high resistance to ultraviolet radiation, precipitation and all kinds of microorganisms. It is applied by brush, roller or airless spray - in two multi-colored layers, which allows you to control the quality, layer thickness and even distribution of the sealant.

How to arrange a water drain

Regardless of the materials used, a flat roof must have a certain slope to drain water (usually within 3-5%) that appears on the roof as a result of precipitation. The drainage system should be thought out at the design stage of the building. Gutters determine how efficiently moisture will be removed from the roof surface. To prevent freezing of gutters in winter, they are equipped with special thermal cables.

Drains are organized when both external and internal water supply is created, and unorganized. When creating an internal water supply, the roof surface is divided into approximately equal parts of 150-200 square meters each. In places with a slope, drain funnels equipped with baskets for catching garbage are arranged. Typically, the funnels are located in the center of the roof, and the pipes are inside the building.

Flat roof insulation and vapor barrier rules

Flat roofs need insulation. In the absence of a layer of thermal insulation on the roof surface, condensation forms as a result of the contact of warm air masses and the cold surface of the roof. Condensation appears on the ceilings of the house as water spots, and the roof structure is gradually destroyed.

The roof structure involves a base on which a layer of vapor barrier material is laid. The function of the vapor barrier is to protect the insulation from diffuse moisture coming from the premises of the building. The vapor barrier layer includes a glass fiber reinforced membrane (based on bitumen and polymers) or a vapor barrier film. The layer is laid on top of the screed, and along the edges of the roof structure it is wound vertically to a height exceeding the height of the insulating material. The seams are soldered.

Above the vapor barrier layer, a heater is placed, and on top of it - a waterproofing carpet based on bitumen. If expanded clay acts as a heater, then it is necessary to make a cement screed over it, then laying a couple of layers of waterproofing. If the roof is planned to be light (in the case when significant loads are not expected on it), then the waterproofing is simply glued around the entire perimeter of the roof.

For roofs without attics, both external and internal insulation methods are used. The external method is used more often, so its execution is easier. There are two options for thermal insulation: two-layer and single-layer. The decision on which option to apply in practice depends on the calculations for heat engineering and the requirements for the strength of the roof. Thermal insulation boards are placed on the roof structure based on the principle of "spread seams". With a two-layer coating with thermal insulation "in a run", the joints of the lower and upper plates also go. In the area where the plates adjoin the parapet, lanterns and walls, heat-insulating bumpers are created. Heat-insulating materials are attached to the base mechanically (screws, dowels), ballast (pebbles, paving slabs) or glue.

Features of roof ventilation

The roof structure must be equipped with a ventilation system. As a result of a violation of the tightness of the vapor barrier layer, moisture enters the insulation layer. A thick layer of waterproofing prevents evaporation, and moisture accumulates in the insulation. As a result, the material loses its insulating characteristics, and moisture appears in the form of spots on the ceilings of the building. In addition, water causes swelling of the waterproofing, and at low temperatures, freezing water tears off waterproofing material from the base. Temperature fluctuations, mechanical damage contribute to the formation of cracks in the roof, the result of which is its flow.

To avoid these problems, the roof must "breathe". For this, aerators are used - special devices in the form of plastic or metal pipes. They are covered with umbrella caps and are evenly distributed over the entire territory of the roof, gravitating to its highest points. The aeration mechanism works on the basis of the principle of different pressure, which is created by air flows, removing excess moisture vapor from under the roof and preventing water bubbles from forming.

Roofing is responsible technological operation. Any, even a minor mistake in the design or construction of the roof can cause it to leak in the future. Therefore, when creating a roof, you need to pay Special attention correct selection hydro and thermal insulation materials, accurately calculate the upcoming loads on the roof structure, as well as select a team of competent builders.

How quickly time flies! It has been 4 years since I built an unusual Vacation home. Many non-standard technical solutions were used in the house, which were practically not used in individual construction in Russia before. Firstly, the house is heated with help, and secondly, the house has a flat roof.

From the very beginning of construction in 2012, I was constantly told that a flat roof is not for our climate (but for what?), that it will definitely leak (why?), and in general, with such a roof, the house looks like a transformer box (poor Europeans, they have to live in transformer boxes).

But most often they tried to prove to me that it is necessary to constantly remove snow from a flat roof (I wonder why?). Of course, if anyone wants to, you can clean it up, no one forbids it. But on flat-roofed houses, there is no need to remove the snow. For example, now I have more than 80 centimeters of snow on my roof! And hid somewhere under the snow.

2. Snow on the roof is an additional and completely free insulation.

By the way, as it turned out, many do not know that a flat roof is not a plane in the direct sense, but a surface with a slope of about 2-4 degrees (in fact, a roof is considered flat if its angle of inclination is from 2 to 20 degrees). And on any flat roof, there is a drain. It is more correct for a flat roof to make an internal drain, but you can get by with a classic external one. At the time of construction, I did not have sufficient knowledge to design and implement an internal drain, so I made an external one. The advantage of the internal drain in the absence of pipes on the facade.

3. Summer 2013, just made. A flat roof is significantly cheaper than any pitched roof (at least because its area is on average 1.5 times smaller than that of a pitched one). With it, there is no loss of space and such a useless place in the house as an attic. It is easier and easier to insulate - everything is in the same plane.

Let me remind you the design of the pie of my roof (from bottom to top):
1. Prefabricated monolithic ceiling with filling aerated concrete blocks- 250 mm;
2. Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam - 150 mm;
3. Warming and creating a slope with the help of wedge-shaped plates of extruded polystyrene foam - 0-150 mm;
4. Cement strainer- 50 mm;
5. Two-layer built-up waterproofing (top layer with dressing).

4. Another huge plus of a flat roof is that it is not afraid of a hurricane. Look at the chronicles of hurricanes and how easily it tears off the coating and breaks the truss system on classic pitched roofs.

5. In the summer of 2016, I completed all other landscaping work on the adjacent territory and decided to do it.

6. By the way, if anyone does not know, then any concrete floor by default has a bearing capacity of at least 400 kg per square meter(usually 600-800 kg/m2). While the snow load for the Moscow region is only 180 kg per square meter. This is the maximum design snow load, which in reality is rarely achieved, but it is obvious that any overlap has a huge margin in terms of bearing capacity.

7. Another important advantage of a flat roof is that it has completely sealed seams. While on a pitched roof the seams are not tight and if the pitched roof is covered with snow and it starts to melt from below (due to insufficient insulation), the pitched roof will leak (especially at the junction of two slopes - valleys). Look at the neighboring houses pitched roofs Surprisingly, they also have snow on them!

Why does a flat roof made according to technology not leak? Everything is very simple. Because it's insulated!

It is insulation that determines the durability of the roof. It is known that the roof accounts for an average of 40% of the heat loss of the entire building. If the roof is not insulated, or not well insulated, then the heat will rise up, and the snow lying on the upper roofing carpet will melt. When frost sets in, the melted snow will freeze again, and when it freezes, as you know, water expands in volume. These multiple freeze-thaw cycles will eventually rupture the waterproofing (after 2-3 years) and the flat roof will begin to leak.

8. In the last century, when building houses, they did not think about energy efficiency and saving energy resources, therefore, roof insulation was usually not done. This led to the fact that the waterproofing of the roof was constantly destroyed and the roof was leaking.

If the roof is qualitatively insulated, then it has only one "enemy" - the sun and its ultraviolet radiation. But to protect against this, waterproofing is used with a package, or with special additives (if used). And the most effective method protect waterproofing from damaging ultraviolet radiation - make a lawn on the roof, fill in pebbles or lay tiles. By the way, a more promising waterproofing today is a polymer membrane.

A flat roof is even easier to operate than a pitched one. With a flat roof, snow will never fall on your head and gutters will not tear off. Snow does not need to be cleared, and if there is a lawn, there is no need to monitor the cleanliness of the gutters (all water is filtered through geotextiles and they will not clog with fallen leaves).

Therefore, a flat roof is the most reasonable roofing option, especially for a house from. The main thing is not to break the technology and not save on insulation.

And cleaning snow from a flat roof is not only useless, but also harmful - you can accidentally break the waterproofing with the sharp edge of a shovel and the roof will start to leak.

With all the reports on the construction of a country house with their own hands in chronological order can be consulted.

Most people associate a flat roof with high-rise buildings. In private housing construction, such roof structures were practically not used ten years ago. Today they can be seen in many projects of country cottages. Therefore, many developers are considering a flat roof in a private house as an option, analyzing the pros and cons of its operation.

In this article

Varieties of flat roofs

Any building structures are divided into certain types, subspecies. So, for example, for some flat roofs country houses an attic space is provided, for others not. Therefore, they are classified:

By purpose:

Operated roofs - additional objects can be equipped on their surface, equipment can be installed, organized:

recreation areas, lawns, flower beds;
greenhouse or conservatory;
children's and sports ground;
parking;
swimming pool;

The strength of the floors of the house and bearing walls must match the type of use of the roof. It is important to note that reliable noise and vibration absorption should be ensured.

The main features of the exploited roof. This is the sufficient strength of the floors and the protection of the waterproofing layer.

Unexploited roofs - the exact opposite of the first option. There is nothing superfluous on their surface, only snow can lie in winter.

When the roof is not in use, they rise to the roof only in case of its maintenance, repair, and also if it is necessary to maintain the structures located on it, such as ventilation heads, cable lines, antennas, overhead lines power transmission, etc.

Important! In regions with heavy snowfall, flat roofs are generally not used due to sufficiently large snow loads.

By design type:

No attic space. Such structures require high-quality waterproofing, as they are, in fact, the ceiling of the last floor of the building. And in winter, the snow accumulating on the surface of the roof will constantly melt due to the heating of the room.
With attic space. Between the ceiling of the last floor and the roof, free space is formed - the attic. Typically, roofs of this type are made without thermal insulation; in winter they do not require special care.

Arrangement roofing cake:

Traditional- first, an insulating layer goes in the roofing pie, then waterproofing is installed.
Inversion- in this design, on the contrary, heat-insulating plates are laid on the waterproofing layer.

Private developers, paying attention to the above points, end up with a practical, high-quality flat roof structure.

Advantages, disadvantages of a flat roof

Flat-roofed houses stand out strongly in the private sector among houses with pitched roofs.

When choosing such a roof design for a country house, the developer receives the following advantages:

No need for arrangement truss system, respectively, you can significantly save on building materials.
On the roof surface, you can organize additional objects, such as a swimming pool, a mini-gym, a summer recreation area, etc. But then a flat roof requires an increase in its strength, a waterproofing layer.
Ease of maintenance, the possibility of arranging an electric heating system, thanks to which frost will not form on the base of the roof in winter.
Due to the practically absent slope, it is much easier and faster to build such roof structures than pitched ones.
Interior rooms will not have sloped walls.
It is much easier to carry out repairs on a flat roof than on an inclined one.
On a flat surface, it is much more convenient to install and fix additional equipment: solar panels, air conditioners, etc.

Important! To prevent precipitation from lingering on the surface of a flat roof, minimum angle its slope should be 5°. This slope can be created by overlapping or using slag, expanded clay.

But a flat roof, like other roof structures, has, in addition to pluses, minuses, for example:

In some cases, the organization of an internal drainage system is required, which often becomes clogged and freezes in winter. If it is not cleaned in time, it can lead to adverse consequences.
A constant check of the tightness of the roofing cake, the moisture content of the insulation material is required.
In case of heavy snowfalls, it is necessary to remove snow from the roof (an excessive load that can lead to damage to the structure) manually.
Also, when a large snow mass accumulates on the roof surface, the snow below begins to melt - accordingly, leaks are possible.

The flat roof structure in a private house is not complicated, so it can be completely built with your own hands. However, there are some important points to keep in mind:

In order to perform work at a qualitative level, it will be necessary to first calculate the expected loads on the roof during its operation. So, for example, in addition to its own mass, the roof will have to withstand elements of communication systems, the mass of several people, wind, snow loads.

Important! Using only high quality building materials.

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