To ensure that the roof covering lasts as long as possible for a long time, laying soft tiles must be carried out in accordance with the installation rules developed for this material. Each manufacturer has their own installation instructions, but in general, the basic rules for installation are the same.
Installation conditions
The installation instructions for bitumen tiles regulate the temperature conditions for working with the material. It is recommended to install at air temperatures above +5 °C. Shingles - the elements that make up a flexible tiled roof, are connected to the base surface not only with the help of metal fasteners, but also thanks to a special self-adhesive layer on the underside. High adhesion and tightness of the installed coating is ensured by heating from sun rays– the shingles are securely soldered to the base and to each other.
If the installation of flexible tiles is carried out in cool weather, the adhesion of the sheets may not be strong enough. To heat the adhesive layer of shingles, you can use a hot air torch ( construction hair dryer). It is also practiced to lay the material on bitumen mastic. But difficulties may arise with the installation of the ridge covering, since the material needs to be bent. In cold weather, asphalt shingles become stiffer and more brittle, and as the shingles are molded into the desired shape, microcracks can appear in the material.
If roofing has to be carried out in cool weather, packages with tiles should be kept in a warm, closed room for about a day.
If it is necessary to lay roofing sheets made of bitumen piece material In cold weather, a small enclosed space is set up on the roof of the structure - a slatted frame covered with plastic film is mounted. To create the required temperature inside a limited volume, heat guns are used.
Base for roofing
The base for installing a bitumen piece roofing means a rafter system with a continuous sheathing. To ensure the correct functioning of the roofing pie, with inside a vapor barrier membrane is installed on the rafter legs. Insulation is laid on the outside and a diffusion membrane is attached, which removes moisture from the heat-insulating layer and does not let it inside. Counter battens are placed along the rafters on top of the membrane.
Laying soft tiles requires a flat, continuous base made of edged or tongue-and-groove boards or sheet materials – OSB boards, moisture-resistant plywood. The moisture content of the lathing material should not exceed 20%.
The sheet material is laid with the long side parallel to the cornice. The boards must overlap at least two purlins and be attached to each rafter leg. The joining of sheathing elements is carried out on a support, while the joints of adjacent rows of sheathing should be located on different supports.
It's important to leave expansion joint between the sheathing elements - wood materials change their linear dimensions under the influence of temperature and moisture.
The roofing pie, which includes bitumen shingles, must be well ventilated. This will significantly reduce the formation of ice on the surface in winter period, since the transfer of heat from the premises of the house to the roofing will be reduced. In summer, the ventilation gap, the height of which should be at least 5 cm, reduces the temperature inside the roofing pie, resulting in less overheating attic room. To ensure sufficient air circulation to remove moisture from inside the roof, special holes are left in the lower part of the roof (in the eaves lining), and an exhaust duct is installed in the ridge.
Lining layer
Installation of flexible tiles requires the use of special lining material. Piece bitumen coating used on pitched roofs with a slope angle of at least 12°. If the slope of the slopes is 12-30°, a waterproofing lining is attached over the entire surface of the continuous sheathing. A slope angle of more than 30° requires the installation of waterproofing material in the valleys, along the eaves, above the chimney pipes and ventilation slopes, in the places where the roof meets the walls, and around the attic windows. This allows you to reliably protect places where there is a high probability of snow and ice accumulation.
The principle of installation of the lining layer depends on its characteristics. The composite material made of polymer film and bitumen filler is self-adhesive: it is carefully laid on the sheathing and rolled with a roller to ensure tight adhesion and remove possible bubbles. Polyester waterproofing material is installed using bitumen mastic and is additionally secured in the top and side parts with a pitch of 20 cm using nails with wide flat heads, which are then treated with mastic. The lining layer is formed from strips of rolled material laid parallel to the cornice. The longitudinal overlap should be 100 mm, the transverse overlap should be 200 mm.
The technology for laying soft tiles provides for certain principles for installing the lining in areas of probable leaks. The width of the waterproofing layer is:
- for valleys - 500 mm from its axis in each direction;
- for the ridge - 250 mm;
- for end and cornice overhangs – 400 mm.
To ensure the tightness of the overlaps, they are coated with bitumen mastic.
Installation of planks
To protect the sheathing from rain moisture, gable and cornice strips are installed. Installation of cornice strips (drippers) is carried out on top of the lining layer. The instructions require installation of elements with an overlap of at least 200 mm. Fastening elements should be arranged in a zigzag (in a checkerboard pattern) in 10 cm increments. Pediment strips are designed for the ends of roof slopes. Fastening is also carried out using roofing nails installed in 10 cm increments.
The valley waterproofing carpet is laid after installing the planks on the slopes. The color of the carpet is selected taking into account the color bitumen shingles. The material is fixed with nails in 10 cm increments. If there are vertical structures on the roof slopes, a waterproofing coating is also laid around them.
If the arrangement of the chimney passage through the roof is planned to be carried out after installation of the finishing coating, when planning the roof, you should note the place where it will be located.
You can learn how to properly prepare a roofing system for the installation of soft tiles from the thematic video.
Installation of roofing material
First of all, the installation of cornice tiles is carried out - a special element of a soft piece roof. Not all manufacturers offer special shingles for eaves. In this case, you need to use a strip of material that is cut out from ordinary shingles - the petals are cut off from it. Stepping back 2 cm from the eaves overhang, the resulting elements are glued.
Before installation, markings must be applied to the roof. Chalk lines indicating the location of rows of material make it possible to lay shingles exactly parallel to the eaves. The vertical line marks the middle of the slope. To make the roof look aesthetically pleasing, the covering is installed from bitumen tiles taken randomly from several packs. This allows you to level out differences in shades of the material.
Laying of flexible tiles begins from the middle of the eaves overhang - the shingles are installed to the right and left of the first. Protective film is removed from the roofing elements immediately before installation. The shingles are pressed tightly to the base, and then additionally secured with roofing nails driven in above the groove: 4 pieces for each shingle.
If the roof slope angle exceeds 45°, it is recommended to use 6 nails for fastening shaped bitumen tiles.
The first row of shingles is positioned so that their lower edge is 10-15 mm higher than the lower edge of the eaves tiles. Laying is carried out with the expectation that the petals of the bitumen elements cover the joints of the eaves shingles. The ends of the petals of subsequent rows should be above the cutouts of the previous layer or at their level. In the places where the shingles join the gable strips, the material is cut off along the edge of the roof, the edges are glued using bitumen mastic, and they need to be coated by 10 cm.
To avoid damaging the bottom layer of tiles, when cutting off excess material, you should place a small board or piece of plywood under its edge.
Arrangement of the valley
Installation of tiles requires a special approach to creating a reliable and durable valley structure. Before laying ordinary tiles, a waterproofing lining is installed under the valley, to which the flexible tiles are fused using a hot air gun or fixed using bitumen-polymer mastic.
Work on arranging the valley should begin with a slope with a flatter angle of inclination or a slope with a shorter length.
On the slope opposite to the selected one, parallel to the valley axis, at a distance of 30 cm from it, a line should be drawn. The shingles reaching this line from the first slope (with an overlap of the valley axis) are cut along the line and secured with mastic or fused with a hot air gun. This method is used to install all shingles that come from a gentle (or short) slope. Then a line is drawn on this slope, parallel to the axis of the valley and spaced 10 cm from it. The shingles reaching the line from the opposite slope are cut exactly along the line, and their upper corners should be trimmed by approximately 60°.
Roofing nails can be used at a distance of at least 30 cm from the valley axis. Therefore, when arranging it, the material should be glued or fused.
Ridge covering
The ridge covering is laid after the installation of ordinary tiles is completed. Cornice elements can be used for these purposes. In other cases, the material is cut from ordinary shingles:
- if the shingle petals are rectangular in shape, they are cut off, and the remaining wide strip is mounted on the ridge;
- The shingles, which form a pattern of hexagons when laid, are cut into hexagonal fragments, from which the ridge covering is made.
To simplify and secure work on the roof ridge, scaffolding should be installed.
Straight strips are heated with a hot air gun, bent along the axis and laid on the ridge with an overlap of 50 mm. Each strip is fixed with 4 nails.
Everyone knows that laying roofing material will have a positive final result only if you strictly follow the installation instructions and follow the recommendations of specialists. This applies to all roofing materials, including bituminous shingles. And if you decide to use this particular material for roofing own home, then you will have to make sure that the installation instructions become a Talmut for you during the work.
Stages of covering a roof with bitumen shingles
Let’s immediately make a reservation that bitumen shingles can be used on roofs whose slope angle is at least 11.5°. This is approximately a 1:5 ratio.
Stage number one - preparatory
Preparatory in the sense that it is necessary to prepare the roofing system, or, more precisely, the roof sheathing, for the bitumen shingles. So, the sheathing for this roofing material should only be solid, so the elements here will be either moisture-resistant plywood or OSB boards, or edged tongue and groove boards. As for the boards, they must be very dry, humidity should not exceed 20%.
It is very important to secure the sheathing tightly; it must be very strong and fairly level. A small difference in plane can be covered by bituminous shingles. There are several serious issues in the construction of sheathing.
- The joints of two adjacent elements should only be on load-bearing elements roofing structure. That is, in the rafters.
- If boards are used as sheathing, then one board should cover two spans in length, that is, it should lie on three rafter legs.
- Again, regarding the boards. The rafter system is subject to changes in temperature and humidity, so it is necessary to leave a small gap (2-3 mm) between the boards. This is compensation for changes in board sizes.
- Such a roof, covered with bituminous shingles, must be equipped with ventilation system. Therefore, even at the stage of constructing the roof, it is necessary to leave gaps at the eaves and at the ridge.
Stage number two - laying the lining layer
What is underlay carpet? This is a rolled bitumen-polymer material, which is covered with sand on top and a plastic film is attached to the bottom. Laying is done with the sand layer facing up.
It is necessary to pay attention again to the slope of the roof slopes. If this is not less than 11.5°, then there is no point in laying underlay carpet over the entire roof area. The main thing is to close the refractions of the structure and the extreme planes that are most subject to loads. These are valleys, ridge, cornice, gables and junction points.
Attention! At the corner of the valley, the lining roll must be laid lengthwise, and the overlap between two adjacent strips must be glued and secured with roofing nails.
It is better to apply several strips of glue. But glue cannot be applied under the entire plane of the laid roll.
All other areas are covered with strips of lining material and secured to the sheathing with nails. The overlap of the elements with each other is 10 cm.
If the covering of the lining layer is continuous, then the installation can be carried out either parallel to the cornice or perpendicular to it. As shown in the photo below.
In this case, each laid strip must first be laid out, allowed to straighten out a little, and then pulled lightly with your hands. The surface of the slope should have a smooth surface without bubbles or distortions. The strips are mounted overlapping with an offset of 10-15 cm. Fastening every 10 cm is done with roofing nails.
Now you need to install and secure the metal strips that are mounted along the edges of the roof slope. Namely at the cornice and ends roofing system. Specialists often call these strips cable strips. All metal strips are laid on top of the lining layer with a slight offset along the direction of laying. Offset - 20 mm. The planks are fastened either with roofing nails or self-tapping screws. The fastening line is a zigzag, installation points are every 10 cm, as shown in the video. At the pediments special shape with a side that serves as a stiffener and drainage of rain and melt water.
Attention! If the cornice of your house has a curved shape, then the metal cornice strips are installed in small pieces (segments), forming a curved line. The length of the element must be determined by the roofer himself, who will cover the roof with bitumen shingles.
And one more very important point. After the entire roof plane has been covered with lining material, another strip is installed at the valley locations. Its edge at the cornice should cover the installed metal strip and be glued there. In this case, fastening along the installation is carried out only with nails every 10 cm (see video).
As for the roof ridge, here the lining material is laid overlapping relative to different slopes. That is, along one slope, the upper edge of the lining is spread, not reaching the edge of the roof by 5 cm. In the second slope, the roll passes through the ridge to the first slope to a depth of 15 cm. It turns out that the overlap creates a continuous layer that completely covers the ridge. This can be clearly seen in the photo below.
Stage number three - laying bitumen shingles
All preparatory stages passed, you can proceed directly to covering the roof with bitumen shingles. The installation instructions state that installation should begin from the bottom, moving upward, as, in principle, with all roofing materials. But asphalt shingles have one point regarding the beginning of this construction operation. So the instructions say that the roofing elements are laid end-to-end along the eaves, and overlapping along the rest of the area.
Wherein cornice tiles it is necessary to lay it a little deeper into the slope, approximately 2-3 cm. Installation must be accompanied by aligning the edges of the material strictly along the cornice. Doing this with an open cornice line will not be difficult. The elements are fastened with nails closer to the cut point of the roofing material (see video). Before installing the strips of bituminous shingles, do not forget to remove the protective polyethylene film from the back side. The same will apply to elements that will be installed in the main areas.
It is necessary to begin the installation and fastening of sheets (shingles) of bitumen shingles from the middle of the slope, placing them further to the edges of the roofing structure. The first row is laid so that it completely covers the cornice row. In this case, the petals of the top row should cover the perforation of the cornice row. The element must be secured with four nails, positioned 4-5 cm above the perforation site. If the angle of the roof slope exceeds 45°, then it is recommended to add two more nails to one shingle and hammer them into the upper corners of the roofing element.
The outermost elements of the shingles that will cover the gable strips must be cut exactly to size. And these edges must be glued. The glue is applied in several strips 1-2 mm thick. The length of one adhesive strip is at least 5 cm. After that, the glue is spread over the surface of the lining material with a brush, and the edge of the shingle is pressed with your hands with little force. The element must be secured with a roofing nail.
We return to the valley. On the laid lining material, two parallel lines are drawn from the corner of the valley on both sides at a distance of 15 cm on each side. This can be done with a marker using a ruler or colored thread. You just need to make marks at the lower and upper edges of the valley, connect them together with a thread (pull it well, which will require two people), lift it and release it, a clear line will be drawn on the surface of the valley material.
The edges of the material must be cut along the lines. It's better to do it construction knife, having previously placed a knife blade under the material small board. Now the bitumen shingles are laid in place, and the intersection of the shingles and the backing strip is marked on it. The tile element is trimmed along the resulting line. Now the bitumen shingles themselves need to be fixed, for which you need to use glue applied to the lining along the edge of the cut to a width of five millimeters. Additional fastening with roofing nails is required.
The most difficult operation in this entire installation process is laying bitumen shingles at the junction points (see video). For example, to a stove chimney. There are several positions that you need to know and strictly follow.
- It is necessary to install along the entire perimeter of the pipe at the bottom of the junction wooden slats with a triangular cross-section. Size: 50x50 mm. You can use a cornice for these purposes.
- The underlay carpet is laid on top of the installed batten.
- After which a row of bitumen shingles is installed adjacent to the vertical plane of the chimney.
- Now the valley carpet is laid on top of the installed elements. It should cover the pipe itself in height by 30 cm, and in width protrude beyond the perimeter of the junction by 20 cm.
- A metal junction strip is installed on top of the laid valley carpet, which is fastened with self-tapping screws to the surface of the chimney. Be sure to fill under the bar silicone sealant, which will ensure complete sealing of the joint.
- On the side of the pipe, ordinary bitumen shingles are laid on top of the valley carpet, or can be laid under it.
And the last element of the roof is the ridge, which is also covered with bitumen shingles (see video). To do this, a strip is cut from the valley carpet, the width of which should be such as to cover the ridge and slopes to a height of 50 mm or more. Fastening is done with nails. After that, shingles under this element are laid on the ridge itself, which are called ridge shingles. In principle, for this you can use cornice elements, which are simply cut to the required size. The ridge tiles must be secured with nails, which will be covered by adjacent shingles, because the installation is done with an overlap (5 cm).
Attention! If a hip roof is covered with bituminous shingles, then the installation of ridge panels begins from the lower edge of the rib near the eaves. IN gable roofs installation begins from the middle of the ridge.
Soft roofing is a type of covering that has long been familiar to most people. Not so long ago, one of the most widely used materials for roofing various designs was an ordinary roofing material, which also belongs to this category roofing decking. In fairness, it is worth noting that the old roofing material was not particularly durable and high performance characteristics, so it required periodic repairs.
Today, thanks to new technologies, soft roofing material has undergone significant modernization. It is produced in various options, including in the form of bitumen. Such coatings already have a long service life, combine high quality, excellent waterproofing characteristics and a very elegant appearance. Therefore, many do not realize that modern soft roofing is still the same roofing material, only produced in improved variations.
The technology for laying a soft roof made of bitumen shingles is quite complex and requires large quantity various materials, since the design of such a coating consists of several layers, which is why it deserves the name “roofing pie”. Therefore, if a decision is made to make self-installation coatings made of this material, you must carefully study all the recommendations that should be followed when performing work.
Distinctive features of soft roofs
Before deciding to choose a soft roof, you need to have an idea about this material and evaluate its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of soft roofs
There are different types of soft roofs, but they all have very high physical, technical and operational characteristics:
There are several points that can be called disadvantages of this roofing material, but, to be honest, they are very arbitrary. So, such “disadvantages” include:
- The installation of a “roofing cake” is quite complex, requiring strict adherence to all technological recommendations.
- Any soft roof is laid only on a solid solid base. And this, in turn, will entail additional work and, accordingly, expenses.
However, as can be seen, negative aspects in the arrangement of a soft roof - much less, and therefore, more and more often, the owners of mansions opt for it.
Various types of soft roofs
Soft roofing includes several types of materials that can easily be found on the Russian market - these are flexible bitumen shingles, rolled soft roofing various types, and euroslate (ondulin).
Rolled soft roofing
Roll roofing materials are divided according to several criteria. Thus, the following types of coatings are produced:
- Baseless and having a base for coating.
- Basis for roofing roll materials can be used - fiberglass, asbestos fiber, cardboard, polymers, or several materials can be used in combination.
- Roofing material can be equipped with various protective layers - fine-grained or coarse-grained mineral chips, dusty or scaly powder.
Besides, roll coverings can be divided according to the type of base and installation method:
- Self-adhesive coatings. This material has a layer of adhesive applied to the back side of the canvas and protected by a special membrane, which is removed immediately before installation of the coating.
- Glue-on sheets. These coatings are glued to mastic different ways which are called hot and cold. But in any case, the material is heated to a certain temperature during installation.
- Weldable coatings. This type of covering is fixed to the roof surface using gas burners. The burner flame melts the composition applied to the back side of the soft roofing material, after which the coating is rolled. This type of coating, properly laid on the prepared roof surface, makes it practically airtight and resistant to leaks. In addition, this type of material is considered the most durable of all roll options.
Membrane roll roofing
Membrane coating is a high-tech material that can be made on various bases: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), synthetic rubber (EPDM), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO).
Soft roof
- The PVC membrane, reinforced with ether fiber and containing plasticizers, has high elasticity and resistance to temperature changes. In addition, the material does not fade in the sun, is fire-resistant, comes in an assortment of colors, and can be easily and quickly mounted on a surface. However, this coating has its drawbacks - it is not resistant to organic solvents, bitumen and oils. In addition, when heated, PVC coating can release substances that are toxic to humans into the air, since it is not environmentally friendly.
- EPDM membranes, made from rubber and reinforced with polyester mesh, have high elasticity and resistance to various solvents.
The negative qualities of this material are that it is installed using glue, and the joints may diverge over time under the influence of external factors, which means the roof will begin to leak as the coating loses its tightness.
- TPO membranes made on the basis of thermoplastic polyolefin can be reinforced or produced without it. Polyester or fiberglass is used to reinforce this material. The material sheets are welded together using hot air, and at the welding site a fairly strong and reliable seam. Therefore, the coating has a long service life, high strength and resistance to negative temperatures, reaching up to -60 degrees.
The disadvantages of such a coating include its low elasticity and quite high cost, compared to other membrane materials.
Briefly about the principles of laying membrane roofing material
There are four main ways membrane roofing- this is ballast fixation, mechanical fastening, gluing and hot air welding.
- Ballasting used if the roof has a slight slope not exceeding 15˚.
In this case, the canvas is laid on concrete base flat roof or on a layer of laid thermal insulation. Then the material is stretched, secured around the entire perimeter, and the joints of the sheets are connected using welding or special glue.
Then, ballast made of pebbles, gravel or crushed stone is placed on top of the membrane.
- Mechanical fastening is carried out if Basic structure not designed for ballast weight.
The basis for installing the membrane in this way can be wood, concrete, profiled sheets, as well as any other material.
A layer is laid and secured onto the base insulation material. Most often, high-density mineral basalt wool, specially designed for this application, is used for this, on top of which a membrane is spread and fixed. To fix materials to the base, disk or telescopic fasteners are used, which are installed at the joints of sheets overlapped by 80÷100 mm.
- Membrane gluing is produced using high-quality adhesive mixtures characterized by good strength. The material is glued only along the perimeter of the canvas, at the joints and in problem areas eg around chimneys, on ribs, valleys, etc.
- Membrane welding with hot air- this method more often It is generally used for fastening sheets of membranes.
The work is carried out using a special apparatus that compresses two overlapping sheets using a roller and hot air, the temperature of which reaches 600˚C. The welded joint can be from 20 to 100 mm wide, which ensures the reliability of the connection and guaranteed sealing.
Euroslate or Ondulin
Another option for roofing material, which can also be classified as a soft roof, is ondulin or euroslate. This is a lightweight and reliable wavy material made from a bitumen-fiber mixture with the addition of mineral and polymer additives. Roofing sheets are easy to install and usually have a very long service life. The material is produced in various shades calm tones, from which you can always choose the one suitable for a specific facade design.
Find out the nuances of the technology, how to put it, from a new article on our portal.
Installation of this material can be carried out not only on a solid base, but also on a lathing made of boards 150÷170 mm wide, fixed in increments of 200÷250 mm.
Ondulin is the only material from the soft roofing category that has a fairly rigid relief structure, and therefore can be attached to the sheathing.
Flexible tiles
Installation of ondulin, like any wavy roofing material, is carried out from the eaves. The upper rows are laid with an overlap on the lower ones by 250 ÷ 300 mm, and adjacent sheets located in the same row are mounted overlapping, on one wave. Ondulin is fastened with special screws with waterproofing gaskets and special covers. They are screwed into each wave crest along the cornice and ridge, and in the middle part of the slope - in increments of two to three waves.
Flexible bitumen shingles
Bituminous shingles can be safely attributed to the most popular types soft roof, as it is distinguished by its aesthetic appearance, variety of shades and shapes, strength and durability.
The tiles are made on a fiberglass base, which is impregnated with high-quality bitumen, on top of which mineral chips of various colors are applied. The top mineral coating performs not only a decorative function, but also a protective one, as it prevents mechanical damage to the softer lower layers. used to cover houses with pitched roofs of any size and configuration of any degree of complexity.
Since the most popular material in the soft roofing category is bituminous shingles, its installation will be discussed in more detail.
Installation of roofing with bitumen shingles
First, it’s worth understanding the roofing “pie” that needs to be mounted under the soft tile flooring. It is very important to do this work correctly, otherwise the roof will not be reliable and will not last for a long time, and it will be impossible to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the rooms underneath it.
Approximate sequence of work
To ensure that the sequence of installation of all elements is observed, it is best to make a list of all work in order:
- The first step is installation rafter system.
- Next, a vapor barrier membrane is attached to the rafters from the attic side.
- On top of the vapor barrier, also on the attic side, a timber sheathing is attached to the rafters. It is needed for subsequent installation of the interior lining. attic space, fixing the membrane and creating a rigid base for laying insulation.
- Next comes the installation of insulating mats between the rafters. Typically, mineral basalt wool is used for this.
- The insulation is covered with a waterproofing roofing membrane. It is fixed on
- The membrane is pressed against the rafters using counter beams.
- Next comes the installation of sparse sheathing - the basis for laying a solid base.
- Sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or OSB are fixed to the sheathing.
- The solid plywood sheathing is covered with a lining carpet.
- Next, soft bitumen shingles are laid.
- Fastening the drainage system, covering the eaves overhang with mosquito netting, and then with lining or PVC soffits can be carried out at various stages of installation work - as will be more convenient for the craftsmen.
Calculations of the lathing system for a soft roof
Now knowing the approximate sequence of installation of the “roofing cake”, there is a need to consider them in more detail, since there are nuances that are important to take into account when performing these rather complex technological operations.
The first thing that needs to be determined is what parameters the elements of the rafter system and sheathing should have, and with what step they are installed.
Let's start with the rafters. The cross-section of the timber from which they are made depends on the steepness of the slope, possible external loads on the roof and on the installation step of the rafter legs. The dependence is expressed as follows.
External loads include the weight of the structure itself, with insulation, lathing and roofing material, the mass of possible snow deposits in winter time and exposure to winds. Both snow and wind loads strongly depend on the steepness of the slope, and with an increase in the angle of inclination, the importance of the snow load gradually decreases, but the wind load increases.
Total load expressed in kilograms per square meter, should be evenly distributed over rafter legs. And this, in turn, depends on the step of their installation - the more often they are located, the less load falls on each linear meter rafter beam, and the smaller its cross-section can be. If the value of the distributed load is known, then using the table it is easy to determine the parameters of the required material.
There is a fairly complex physical and mathematical algorithm for calculating the distributed load on rafter legs. But we will not bore the reader with an abundance of formulas and tables, but will suggest using a convenient calculator. The initial data for the calculation will be:
— Region of construction;
— Steepness of the roof slope, degrees;
— Roofing material;
— Features of the location of the house on the ground and its height.
In the last paragraph of the calculator you will need to indicate the expected installation step of the rafters. By changing this value up or down, you can determine the optimal load distribution. And then, according to the table, knowing the length of the rafters, select the required section of the beam (log).
Attached to the calculator are two schematic maps that make it possible to determine the zones of the construction region based on the level of snow and wind load.
Calculator for calculating the distributed load on rafter legs
So, to begin with, we determine the zones using maps and diagrams:
underlay carpet
Now we substitute the known values into the calculator and get the result
Reading time ≈ 4 minutes
The use of a soft roof allows you to carefully and beautifully protect the roof, attic and attic from precipitation. It is possible to install bitumen shingles without the involvement of specialists. For correct execution work, you just need to study the instructions for the selection, use of materials and their fixation.
Preparation for installation of a roof made of bitumen shingles
The main condition for obtaining a high-quality roof from flexible tiles is the preparation of ideal level base. Therefore, after removing the old material, you need to nail plywood or OSB onto a conventional rafter system. Otherwise soft sheets the roofs will simply sag and the house will have to be re-roofed.
Getting started and laying the first rows
To achieve maximum protection of the attic or attic floor from precipitation, it is recommended to use a special substrate. If the roof slope is insignificant (does not exceed 20 degrees), then it is allowed to attach the underlayment only in places where additional elements will be subsequently installed. You should also immediately install metal protective strips for the cornice and facade. After installation of bitumen shingles with your own hands, it is carried out according to the following scheme:
- The eaves layers framing the roof are laid (they can be replaced with the tiles themselves, you just need to carefully trim them). They are fixed over the planks using nails with large flat heads. For additional fixation of the roof, the place where it will be laid is coated with bitumen mastic.
- The first row of tiles is fixed. It is recommended to take sheets from different sets. If they differ slightly, there will be no problems with color differences. The first row should be laid on top of the cornice layers with a slight rise (there should be a distance of about 1 cm from the edge of the end to the tile itself).
- When fixing the tiles, the conditions for laying them out according to the pattern are observed. The excess parts are simply cut off. The sheets are fastened using nails with a flat head. They ensure reliable clamping of the tiles to the base and prevent damage.
The specified instructions for installing a roof made of flexible bitumen shingles will allow you to quickly and correctly carry out the work and eliminate major errors when laying materials. Additionally, you should view educational photos and video materials that will help you see the process of preparing for installation and the laying of the roofing material itself.
Completing work with flexible bitumen shingles
After laying all layers of tiles, care must be taken to maintain high-quality roof ventilation. Therefore, it is recommended to install a ridge aerator in its upper part. It is a long bar with internal dividers and foam inserts. This type of roofing made from bitumen shingles eliminates the penetration of moisture under the roof and the danger of wasps and other insects settling in the attic.
Ridge tiles must be secured over the ridge aerator. It will further protect the aerator and achieve an aesthetic appearance of the roof. After commit ridge tiles You can begin installing the drainage system.
Special requirements for the installation of a roof made of bitumen tiles
A prerequisite when working with a flexible roof is to take into account the rules for laying materials near pipes and during a multi-level transition between individual parts of the roof. Modern technology installation of bituminous shingles application metal strips junctions, passage elements. For example, when transitioning between at different levels roof, you need to fix the cushioning carpet with a strip, and another layer of carpet should be laid on top of the overlap. Then the installation of the tiles themselves is carried out.
When framing a pipe on the roof, you must initially select a passage element for it (used for round pipes). It will protect the roofing material from exposure high temperatures and rapid destruction. The laying out and installation of tiles is carried out after cutting them to the shape of the pipe. Such conditions for laying bituminous materials will eliminate problems with maintaining their original appearance, quality and condition.
DIY installation video of bituminous shingles
The material is lightweight, installation is carried out quickly, accurately, and does not require serious labor costs. To do this, it is enough to follow general rules carrying out installation work and subsequent operation so that a reliable, strong, dry roof remains over your home for more than fifty years.
Installation features
To even out the color of the roof before starting work, we recommend mixing shingles from several packages. With this mixing, the slight difference in color layers (a technological feature) is almost completely “erased.”
When installing a new roof, craftsmen recommend using a special underlay carpet over the entire area, which increases service life, increases reliability and durability. If we're talking about about reconstruction old roof, it is not forbidden to lay the material on an existing coating - for example, roofing felt, which is popular in our country.
Remember that, despite its light weight, bitumen roofing material requires a fairly strong rafter system and a rigid base. It will serve as a guarantee of its strength and resistance to all atmospheric or mechanical influences.
Flexible roofing can be installed at different weather conditions. It is better to start work at an air temperature of +5 degrees, and the lower threshold will be -15. In some cases, it is possible to install under more “strict” conditions, but we do not recommend this. If it rains or snows, the installation of the roof will have to be postponed - only dry weather, without precipitation, is suitable.
When working in temperature conditions below 5 degrees Celsius it is recommended to equip construction site temporary premises (“warmhouse”) for maintaining and storing roofing, mastic, ridge-eaves tiles at a temperature not lower than 15 degrees.
The main stages of laying bitumen shingles
Installation work with bitumen roofing material consists of several stages, each of which is important to ensure the highest result of all work. You can read about how to prepare a roofing pie, and in this part of the article we will talk in detail about all the stages:
- Foundation device.
- Installation of metal, cornice, end strips.
- Laying the valley carpet.
- Cornice strip.
- Ordinary tiles.
- Installation of roofing in places of installation openings, in places adjacent to chimneys and walls.
- Laying ridge tiles.
Let's start with the main thing - the foundation for the roof. To do this, you need to choose the type of fastening of the gutters, make sure that the base is level, rigid, and solid. To obtain a prepared surface, builders most often use a combined installation method, consisting of sparse lathing and moisture-resistant plywood or OSB sheets. In this case, the thickness of the plywood/boards is calculated based on the snow load, as well as the pitch of the rafters.
When the base is ready, the stage of laying the lining carpet over the entire surface of the slope begins, parallel to the overhang of the cornice. The upper edge is secured with special roofing nails.
All overlaps must be carefully sealed with mastic.
Attaching additional elements
Installation of metal, cornice and end strips
The planks should be laid on top of the underlayment. Recommended overlap is 30-50 millimeters. They are nailed with roofing nails at intervals of about a centimeter.
Advice! Competent and proper ventilation of the roof is important, because in its absence, unsightly “waves” can spread across the roof, which will lead to deterioration performance qualities and the appearance of the material.
Installation of cornice strip
The ridge-eaves strip (to simplify the process, it is better to choose self-adhesive options) must be laid along the eaves overhang with a slight indentation from the bend of the strip. All joints and fastening points must be covered with ordinary tiles.
Installation of valley carpet
The endow needs special waterproofing. To carry out this process, special carpets are used (two layers are often used - the top layer, matched in color to the base material, and the bottom layer, lining).
Advice! The bottom layer can be fastened with roofing nails at intervals of about two centimeters, and for the top layer it is better to reduce the interval to one centimeter.
The roofing material is glued to the valley carpet using mastic, and the seams are carefully sealed. It is best to use adhesive sealant for these purposes.
Installation of ordinary tiles
As already recommended, at this stage it is useful to mix the packages to even out the shade. Laying of bitumen shingles is carried out from the center of the eaves overhang and is carried out towards the ends. When installing the first row, you need to make sure that the lower edges of the “petals” of the tiles are located 10 millimeters above the lower edge. The first row should completely cover the joints and fastening points.
Advice! Use 4 roofing nails to secure each shingle. 6 - if the angle of inclination exceeds 45 degrees. Don't forget to seal the seams.
Installation of roofing in places of installation openings, in places adjacent to chimneys, walls
Passage areas are sealed with special passage elements. Carefully install the flange of the passage element, after which the roof outlet of interest is mounted on it.
As for the junctions with chimneys and walls, in such places a triangular wooden batten is installed, under which ordinary tiles and lining carpet are placed. It is recommended to glue a strip of valley carpet along the wall using mastic. This strip is placed on the wall and on the slope. You can also use a wall splashback instead.
Installation of ridge tiles
It is optimal to produce using tiles obtained from ridge-cornice strips. Row tiles should be adjusted so that the ridge tiles cover the fastenings of the last row. Each new ridge tile is laid with an overlap to overlap the fastening of the previous tiles.