Roofing pie under a soft roof - the device and installation

Soft roofing refers to an extensive group of rolled and tile roofing materials that are used in private and industrial housing construction. They are highly resistant to moisture, flexible, flexible structure, which greatly simplifies the installation of the coating. However, in order for the roofing material to “earn”, it is necessary to take care of a high-quality roofing cake, the structure of which will enhance the positive qualities of shingles and minimize negative ones. The roof structure made of soft materials is a multi-layer construction, the correctness and durability of the coating depends on the correct arrangement of the layers. In this article we will describe how to make a roofing pie under a soft roof, so that it lasts longer.

Characteristics of a soft roof

Soft roof is often called shingles or shingles, modern roofing material. It is made of fiberglass, impregnated with refractory bitumen or synthetic rubber and sprinkled with mineral chips. The shingle has a high decorative potential due to the variety of colors and textures. The advantages of this material consider:

• Resistance to weather and atmospheric conditions. The flexible tile is highly resistant to moisture, it withstands temperature effects in the range of -50 / + 110 degrees. It does not rot, is not covered with moss.
• Durability. The service life of a soft roof is 25-30 years, provided that the roofing pie is properly organized, which exceeds the performance of even more expensive materials.
• Noiselessness The material has a high noise absorbing ability, so shingles are used without additional noise insulation.
• Easy installation. The form of release and the method of fastening soft roofing allows you to install even alone. In addition, they are best suited for complex-shaped roofs.

Note! Soft roof is recommended to apply if the roof has a slope in the range from 15 to 45 degrees. If you put the shingles on the flatter structures, do not avoid leaks and water stagnation. And from steep roofs in hot weather, bitumen can simply drain.

Roofing Cake Composition

The roofing pie for soft tile has a complex structure, since these roof covers have strict requirements for preparing the foundation, which should provide mechanical strength, but not impede air circulation. For this purpose, special materials are used, which are selected for a specific roof covering. The structure of the soft roof includes the following elements:

1. Vapor barrier to protect the insulation and the roof frame from humid air and condensation.
2. Thermal insulation material that maintains indoor temperatures.
3. Waterproofing that protects the rafter frame and insulation from the penetration of atmospheric moisture from outside and condensate.
4. A batten that provides a smooth, durable base that distributes the weight of the roofing material between the rafters on which the shingles are laid.
5. The lining carpet, which prevents mechanical damage to the soft roof, provides additional waterproofing, windscreen.
6. The roof covering, which is the finishing layer of the pie of the roof, giving a finished appearance, as well as protection from atmospheric phenomena.

Note that the durability, reliability and efficiency of soft tile depend on compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations when building a roofing pie. The use of inappropriate materials or the absence of one of the layers leads to leakage, dampening of the insulation and the rotting of the wooden elements of the rafter frame.

Crate requirements

Compared to metal tiles or other metal-based coatings, soft roofing has lower mechanical strength. Despite the light weight of the material, shingles are laid on a continuous crate, which is made of edged boards and chipboard, impregnated with an antiseptic preparation. The base is prepared in 3 stages:

• First, parallel to the rafters, on which the waterproofing film is laid, attach a counter lattice. It is made of softwood bars 3-4 cm thick for organizing a ventilation gap between the layers of the roofing pie.
• Then an additional crate of edged softwood boards 150x20 mm in size is nailed to the counter grill. The additional lathing is mounted perpendicular to the rafter legs with a step of 30-50 cm.
• An additional base is laid on a solid crate, on which a lining cake is placed, and then shingles. It is made of moisture resistant plywood.

Important! Knots, notches and chips on wood damage the bottom surface of the soft roof, so the base under it should be perfectly smooth and even. If the solid crate is made not of plywood, but of a cut board, then it should be trimmed and sanded.

Requirements for waterproofing

In the device of the roofing pie under shingles must include waterproofing. It is attached to the roof frame with a construction stapler. The waterproofing material is laid in strips with a slight sagging perpendicular to the rafters with an overlap of 10-15 cm. For this use:

1. Waterproofing film. Waterproofing films are made of polyethylene, they have low strength, and also become brittle under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
2. Waterproofing membrane. Membrane is a special type of waterproofing film made from more advanced polymers. The structure of this material has one feature - funnel-shaped pores that can pass steam only in one direction, but water cannot penetrate through them. There are membranes with anti-condensate effect, on which, due to the adsorbing layer, condensate does not settle.

Experienced roofing specialists recommend using vapor-permeable waterproofing materials for flooring soft roofing. Otherwise, condensate formed due to the heating of the roof surface is deposited on the rafter frame. Impermeable waterproofing does not help, but creates a greenhouse effect.

Roof Cake Requirements

Not always roofing pie for shingles consists of all the above layers. It can be reduced by elements that are not needed in this design. The device of a soft roof depends on the following factors:

• Type of facility. To determine the composition of the roofing pie, it should be clarified to what type of building: industrial, residential or economic.
• Nature of use. In the houses used only in a warm season, heating is not provided, therefore the heater is excluded from the composition of the cake.
• The presence of a heated attic. If the house is equipped with a residential attic, then the composition of the soft roof must include thermal insulation.
• Climatic conditions in the construction area.

Important! Laying shingles, you need to consider the compatibility of the materials that make up the roofing pie. It is necessary to follow the recommendations of manufacturers in the choice of thermal insulation, waterproofing and battens, taking all the data on the construction of the house so that the roof serves for a long time and reliably.

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