Choosing Roofing Material for a Flat Roof
A flat roof is a basic form of a roof that is preferred by many individuals. Once you know that you want to put a flat roof on your dwelling then you need to choose the roofing material. Here we look at a flat roof and look at your choices for materials.
Choosing the right type of material for your project is a cinch if you are a roofer by trade. If on the other hand you are not that well versed in what roofing is all about then it can be confusing and frustrating to decide what the best material is and what you should steer clear of.
When it comes to roofing construction of a commercial nature flat roofs are the most common choice. Many houses are also constructed with flat roofs. In particular houses that are found in climates that are very arid tend to be flat.
When it comes to roofing,
you have probably seen plenty of flat roofs but have not paid a great deal of attention to them until the time came for you to do some roof construction of your own. Now you are noticing roofs everywhere you turn to!
A roof that is flat has in some cases no slope to it whatsoever while in other cases it has only a small amount of slope. Rafters are not necessary for this kind of roofing which means that money is saved on the materials used to make it and time is saved as well. Every roof that is flat, no matter whether it is on a house or a commercial building shares a few commonalities. These include a membrane that is waterproof, gutters as well as downspouts, a curb that makes its way around the roof, and a hint of a slope that provides rain water a place to drain off of the roof.
A flat roof can be broken down into four different kinds. There is the built-up roof, the roll asphalt roof, the single membrane roof and the sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) roof. Only you can decide which type of roofing material is the optimum choice for your house, cottage or business. If you like to do your own construction then the roll asphalt roof is the preferable choice. The built-up roof can be undertaken by someone who is experienced in this area but if you take this route you should call in an expert to do the underlayment or the waterproofing as this can be tricky to do on your own.
The built-up roof is the most economical of the four types because it lasts the longest. This roof can last you anywhere from 10 to 30 years. A number of layers of roof felt and tar are used to construct this roof. Crushed gravel is then used to keep all of the other materials in the proper place. Crushed gravel offers the roof protection from the burning rays of the sun. The only problem with this choice is that it is very difficult to repair if there is a leak, on account of the gravel that was used.
A roll asphalt roof will last approximately a decade and can be found on many garages, sheds and cottages. This roof is constructed with asphalt, felt and crushed gravel. Roof cement is required as is galvanized nails. This roof is the easiest to construct but can also have its share of problems when it comes to fixing leaks.
The last two types of flat roofs include the spray membrane roof and the SPF roof (or sprayed polyurethane foam roof). If you choose one of these types of materials then you will have a roof that lasts anywhere from 10 to 15 years. The downside is that you will have to hire a specialist to install the roof for you. There are very specific tools that are required for this purpose.
