2017-08-18T16:10:38+03:00
In this article you will find instructions with step-by-step photos and video tips on how to make a soft roof with your own hands using the example of a roof.
Preparatory stage
Installation of a soft roof begins with the arrangement of a new or repair of an existing crate:
1. After installing the truss system, the inside of the roof is covered with a vapor barrier film, which is overlapped and fixed with bars.
2. Insulation plates are located between the rafters. Their thickness, density and number of layers are determined by the architectural features of the roof and the climate of the region.
3. From the outside, the insulation is closed with a superdiffusion membrane. On top of this layer, bars of the counter-lattice are installed - they are attached along the rafters, create the necessary ventilation gap and form an additional frame for OSB or plywood.
4. Finishing stage - installation of the crate. Its type depends on the slope of the roof. At 9-20 degrees, it is necessary to mount a solid base under a soft roof made of moisture-resistant plywood FSF, OSB-3, DSP, boards. At 20 degrees and above, a sparse base is allowed from a board with a thickness of at least 25 cm or a bar with a thickness of at least 50 cm. The two extreme elements of the crate are mounted with a reduced gap of 30 cm, the rest - with a step of 32 cm.
5. In the case of a continuous crate, another layer of roofing cake appears - rolled bituminous waterproofing is laid over the entire surface.
Important! This manual gives the maximum allowable batten spacing. If possible, it is better to make a more frequent or continuous crate.
Do-it-yourself installation of a soft roof
Before starting installation, be sure to check whether the roof slopes are even. If there are deviations, it is necessary to draw a strictly vertical line - you will be guided by it when centering the sheets.
When carrying out work, do not stretch the sheets by more than 10 mm and follow the instructions with step-by-step photos exactly.
Stage 1
Laying must begin on the side of the roof opposite to the prevailing winds. Mark the overhang of the first row with a stretched rope. The optimal length is 3.5-5 cm. Secure the first strip by driving nails into the top of the wave strictly at an angle of 90 degrees.
Follow a certain order of hammering.
Use a special filler to protect the cornice gaps from birds, snow drifts and debris. If necessary, the holes are easily pressed through with an improvised tool of a suitable diameter.
Stage 2
Lay the second row, starting with half a sheet. At the corner joint there should be 3, not 4 overlaps - otherwise, deformation of the roof is possible. Drive in nails, fixing both sheets at the same time. Install the following blades in the sequence shown in the figure. Make sure the locks match. For marking sheets, you can use an ordinary colored pencil.
Important! Installation of Onduvilla is possible at temperatures from -5 to +30 degrees. In the cold season, the speed of work depends on the condition of the repair compositions. With strong cooling, the adhesive properties of the mounting tapes are lost, and the sealants become more viscous. Therefore, consumables should be stored in a heated room, and during installation - kept in pockets.
Features of the installation of roofing elements
Mounting forceps
Fasten the end beam with a size of 40 * 40 mm along the bottom of the slope crate. Install gable elements, placing them along the edge of the roof from the eaves to the ridge. The overlap should be 8 cm. The transverse lines serve as a good guide. Mounting options for components are clearly shown in the photo.
Mounting the skate
Decorate the ridge elements. To do this, install covering aprons with an overlap of 4 cm on both slopes. Fasten the skates over them, taking into account the angle of the roof slope. If you use Ondulin roofing elements, the gaps must be closed with Onduvilla filler. In the same way, the ribs of a multi-pitched roof are formed - in this case, the joints of the slopes are additionally sealed with a breathable tape.
Onduvilla ventilated skates are also used to protect the slope joints. First, lay a breathable insulation pad along the rib, then close it with a roofing element with an overlap of 8 cm. Install special end caps on the ends of the ribs.
Installation of valleys
For laying the valleys, an additional crate is required. Install 50 mm thick timbers on the inside corners of the roof. The distance between their center and the rafters should be no more than 21 cm. Mount a solid boardwalk at least 70 cm wide along the slope line.
Lay underlayment waterproofing to protect against leaks. Here you can use Ondutis superdiffusion membranes. Make sure that the overlap of the canvases is at least 30 cm.
Fix the valley on the resulting base. Installation of roofing elements is carried out in the direction from the eaves. The starting gutter is installed with an offset of 5-7 cm, which allows you to set the valley flush with the cornice line. The subsequent parts are laid with an overlap of 15 cm and fixed in all corners with wide-head nails.
Connection design
To carry out the work, you will need an Onduvilla covering apron and a specialized Onduflash-Super metal-coated tape. To begin, lay the apron around the chimney/along the wall and nail it into each wave of soft roofing.
Close the apron-to-wall/pipe joint with an appropriately sized strip of tape. Make sure that the sealing material extends at least 10-15 cm onto the vertical surface.
To fix the top edge of the tape, use metal profiles or wooden planks.
After finishing work, cover the bottom of the tape with an additional sheet of Onduvilla soft roofing.
Ventilation outlets
Use additional elements to ensure complete tightness of the connections and avoid future leaks. Onduvilla ventilation pipes perfectly match the "native" soft roof, and deflector caps reliably protect the channels from debris and precipitation. Installation is carried out as follows:
- Cut an appropriately sized hole opposite 3 or 4 Onduvilla sheets. To do this, draw a line that coincides with the axis of the wave, and measure along it 13.5 cm from the top edge of the sheet. Set the leg of the compass at the end of the line and draw a circle with a diameter of 12 cm. Carefully cut it out with a jigsaw.
- Mount the vent pipe. Make sure that the profile of its base coincides with the waves of the soft roof.
- Lay the Onduvilla sheets over the base and secure the vent pipe with branded nails.
Video installation of a soft roof
Take a few minutes to watch the video. The plot highlights the features of a soft roof and typical mistakes of novice builders.
Important nuances
Prior to installation, Onduvilla must be stored in a horizontal position. It is advisable to keep the original packaging. If it has been damaged, it is necessary to protect the opened pallets from moisture and dirt. The soft roof cannot be stored near heating devices, the minimum distance is 1 meter.
The number of soft roof fans is growing like a snowball. And this is not surprising - just remember the visual appeal and operational advantages of one of the most modern coatings. But there could be even more supporters of flexible roofing materials, if they knew that installation could be done without involving a team of roofers. Today we will try to fill this gap and share not only construction technology, but also the secrets of experienced craftsmen.
The structure of the soft roof
Before talking about the roof structure with soft roofing, I would like to briefly mention the features of this unique material. In fact, it is a modified roofing material. That's just the basis of flexible tiles (hereinafter we will call them shingles) is not a banal cardboard, but a stronger and more durable fiberglass or polyester fabric. Improvements have also been made to impregnation. The waterproofing of soft tiles is provided by a modified polymer-bitumen composition, thanks to which the critical temperature points have been shifted to higher values.
The multi-layer structure allows you to make a soft roof durable and completely waterproof.
Basalt or slate chips are applied on top of the flexible tiles - it not only determines the design of the coating, but also makes it more resistant to mechanical stress, ultraviolet radiation and other external factors. From below, the tiles are covered with an adhesive layer, which is covered with a protective film. In some cases, a fine mineral dressing is applied to the lower surface - then the adhesive part is a wide strip in the upper part of the shingles.
Roofing pie construction
The multi-layer structure makes flexible tiles not only strong, but also durable - some manufacturers give a guarantee for their products for up to 25 years. As a rule, soft roofing materials easily overcome this boundary. Of course, we are talking about those cases when the base of the soft roof complies with accepted standards, and the laying of the material is carried out strictly according to the prescribed technology.
Studying the device of roofs with bituminous tiles, we immediately divide them into two types:
- cold,
- warm.
The first are built for cold attics. Many websites and print publications sin by pointing out the inexpediency of arranging simplified roofing pies for residential buildings. Like, if the house is intended for year-round use, then its roof must be warm. This statement is fundamentally wrong - most of the private houses of the old housing stock were cold. Moreover, the cold roof has its advantages. And the biggest one is durability. In winter, frost is practically not formed on such a roof, which, as you know, is one of the worst enemies of shingles. In addition, the simplest roofing cake is well ventilated, which means that the wooden frame will always be dry. As for energy efficiency, for thermal insulation it will only be necessary to insulate the attic floor. As you understand, its area in any case will be less than that of the roof.
When using a cold roof on a residential building, it is necessary to insulate the attic floor, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is noticeably smaller than that of the roof structure So, the structure of the roofing cake for cold roofs includes:
- step (sparse) crate made of wooden beams or steel shaped pipes;
- solid flooring (from plywood, OSB or skid boards);
- insulating lining;
- bitumen coating.
Roofers working as part of professional teams often recommend installing a superdiffusion membrane under the lining carpet, arguing that the wooden base is more protected from moisture. A rather controversial statement, which I personally can only call wastefulness. A conventional waterproof lining leaves little to no chance for the wood frame to get wet due to snow or rain. Such actions on the part of specialists can only be explained by the desire to earn a certain amount for an operation that requires minimal labor. As for the warm roof, in this case, the installation of moisture-resistant coatings is mandatory due to the use of thermal insulation.
A warm roofing cake allows you to use any attic space for year-round use For attic insulation, fibrous materials are most often used, which, when wet, can lose most of their unique abilities - that's what they need to be protected. From below - from moist air, and from above - from leaks. In this case, the roofing cake should have the following structure:
- rails for mounting cladding panels;
- vapor barrier waterproof film;
- thermal insulation layer;
- waterproofing windproof vapor barrier membrane;
- counter beam;
- sparse crate;
- solid flooring;
- lining base;
- flexible bituminous coating.
You may object that the slats installed from the attic side have nothing to do with the roofing pie, and you will be absolutely right. However, we nevertheless indicated them due to the fact that in our case they also act as fasteners for the lower layer of vapor barrier.
Video: correct installation of a roofing pie is easy
Tiled roofing technology
Roofing made of soft bituminous tiles is similar to tiled only visually. Not only the installation technology differs, but also the operational characteristics, service life, maintenance and repair procedures. And although the work on the construction of a shingle roof cannot be called too complicated, you will have to carefully follow the manufacturer's recommendations. It is best to divide the construction process into several stages:
- Procurement of materials and preparation of tools.
- Preparatory work.
- Laying of insulating materials.
- Arrangement of counter-lattices and battens.
- Solid foundation construction.
- Laying the top layers of the roof.
- Installation of additional elements and arrangement of passages.
By organizing your working hours in this way, you will not only minimize the number of possible errors, but you will also be able to make the most informed decisions about attracting outside help.
How to calculate how much and what materials will be needed
The first thing to do when starting mathematical calculations is to draw up a detailed drawing of the roof or create at least an elementary sketch indicating the exact dimensions and features of each slope. The calculation itself includes the determination of the geometric dimensions and the number of main parts of the structure:
- additional elements;
- valley carpet;
- lining layer;
- ventilated ridge or roof aerators;
- timber for step battens and counter battens;
- boardwalk;
- soft cover.
I must say that the accuracy of the calculations carried out affects not only the cost of the roof, but also the timing of the work. For this reason, we will understand the features of the calculation of all components of the roof in as much detail as possible.
Additional molding
To finish and protect various parts of a soft roof, several types of extensions are used:
The presented additional moldings are produced in the form of strips of a standard length of 2 m. However, in order to determine the number of certain strips, the length of the area in need of protection should be divided by 1.9 or 1.85. This is due to the fact that aprons and planks are not mounted end-to-end, but with an overlap of 10–15 cm wide.
If the roof structure includes grooves and junctions with vertical surfaces, then their waterproofing is provided by a special valley carpet. Manufacturers produce it in the form of 1 × 10 m rolls, presenting a choice of several colors to match the tiled flooring.
When choosing a valley carpet by color, it is not at all necessary to get exactly the color - a slight desynchronization of tones will play a plus, making an ordinary roof extremely stylish and expressive When calculating the total length of the carpet, you should make a margin of 20 cm for each valley - you will need it for the correct installation of the lower part of the joints.
The lining layer is arranged both over the entire area of \u200b\u200beach slope, and partially - it all depends on the steepness of the surface. If the roof slope is more than 1:3 (18 degrees), then only areas prone to leakage are protected with a roofing carpet:
- internal corners of adjacent slopes;
- ridge part;
- ribs;
- areas with fractures of slopes;
- edges at pediments and cornices;
- ventilation outlets.
When laying the insulating carpet, it is necessary to make an overlap of 10–15 cm. For this reason, its calculated quadrature should be 1.1–1.15 times the total area of the slopes. If the lining is partially equipped, then the length of the strips of the roofing carpet corresponds to the length of the parts of the roof prone to leakage.
The lining carpet can be laid both along and across the slope The width of the lining with partial waterproofing should be 40-50 cm. An exception can be made only for skates and external corners, reducing this value to 25 cm.
Skate air elements
When calculating the number of ridge aerators, it is assumed that one element 1.2 m long is able to provide ventilation for about 25 m 2 of the under-roof space. If point air elements are used, then the total area of \u200b\u200badjacent slopes should be divided by 5 - that is how many square meters of the roofing pie "serves" one such element.
The design of the ridge aerator allows you to organize ventilation of the roofing pie on roofs of any configuration Note that point air elements vary in height. Steep roof slopes are equipped with short ones, and gentle surfaces are long.
Lumber for battens
For the arrangement of the crate, a wooden beam with a section of at least 40x40 mm is used, as well as a board 25 mm thick. The length of the counter beam is the easiest to determine - it is equal to the length of the rafter legs. As for the sparse lathing, the total length of the wooden elements is determined based on the standard step width for shingles - 37 cm for rafters located at a distance of 0.9 m from each other. Therefore, the length of the rafter leg in centimeters should be divided by 37 and multiplied by the width of the roof - this will be the desired length of the beam, which will be needed for the crate of one slope.
solid base
Sheets of plywood or OSB used for arranging a solid base should be mounted apart, that is, with overlapping seams. For this reason, when determining the area of \u200b\u200bthe material, an amendment must be made:
When determining the amount of plywood or OSB in sheets, it is recommended to make a sketch of their location on paper with the most dense laying - this way you can avoid wasting material during installation.
Covering and roll materials
In the process of laying, two types of tile shingles are used - ridge-cornice and ordinary. The first are produced in the form of packages designed for 12 p.m. m of skate and 20 linear meters. m eaves. When calculating the latter, the same correction factors are used as for a solid base (simple roofs 3–5%, combined roofs up to 10%). To determine the number of shingle sheets, the total quadrature of ordinary shingles is divided by the area of one bituminous strip. One pack of soft tiles is usually designed for 3.5 m 2 of roofing - knowing this number, it will not be difficult to calculate how many packs you will need to buy.
Before installation, tile shingles from different packs must be mixed - this will eliminate the appearance of non-uniform color sections of the roof The amount of materials that will be needed for a warm roofing cake is calculated with the following tolerances:
- waterproofing and vapor barrier - at least 4%;
- roll thermal insulation - according to the area of \u200b\u200bthe slope;
- plate insulation - up to 4%.
It is easy to see that the amount of roll and slab insulation practically does not depend on the complexity of the roof. This is due to the fact that such materials are easily joined together and do not affect the appearance of the structure.
What tools and supplies will be needed
In addition to roofing and wood materials, the following equipment and tools will be required during the work:
- saw;
- a hammer;
- scissors for cutting metal dobor;
- metal spatula for mastic;
- roofer's knife (different from the usual hook-shaped cutting part).
In addition, you should purchase ordinary nails, which will be needed for the construction of a wooden base, and special ones for fixing a soft roof. The latter are distinguished by a wider cap (diameter 8–10 mm) and a length of 25–30 mm. Fasteners that are used in automatic pistols are also suitable - such hardware has a length of 40 mm. The number of nails is calculated based on the consumption of 4 pcs. per shingle or 500 grams per 10 m 2 of roofing.
For a one-time use, it is not necessary to buy a special tool - you can get by with replaceable hook-shaped blades for a regular construction knife During the installation of flexible tiles, you will need bituminous mastic, designed for waterproofing building structures. Its volume can be determined by the roof area - for every 10 m 2 of coverage, up to 1 liter of liquid mixture will be required.
The price of bitumen mastic is affected by both the type of material (cold or hot applied) and composition. The cheapest is bitumen-polymer waterproofing, while the most expensive is recognized as bituminous polymer-aluminum coating. The latter is highly resistant to heat aging and UV radiation. In our conditions, bitumen-rubber mastic will be enough - it has an average cost and has good installation and operational characteristics.
Preparatory work
The preparatory stage includes several steps:
- dismantling of the old roof (if necessary);
- installation of a crate frame;
- installation of heat-insulating and accompanying layers;
- solid foundation construction.
The arrangement of a warm roofing pie is carried out in the following sequence:
Table: determination of the thickness of a solid base for a soft roof
Before, we have already talked about the need to lay slab material apart. In addition, thermal gaps of about 5 mm should be left, otherwise, in the summer heat, sections of the roof will bend in an arc. On each side of the ridge, gaps of 70–80 mm are left to create effective ventilation for the roofing pie.
It should be noted that for a cold roof it is enough to build a sheathing and boardwalk - the need for other elements is eliminated due to the maximum simplification of the design.
Video: how to build a solid base for shingles
Step-by-step instruction
The manufacturer provides for the laying of bituminous tiles at an outdoor temperature of up to -15 ° C. Since installation during the cold period requires additional heating equipment and the cost of heating materials, it is best to start work in the warm season, choosing days when the temperature rises above 20 ° C. In this case, the bituminous component will be warmed up due to solar heat, which will make it possible to obtain a strong connection of all layers of the roof.
Laying soft roofing can be carried out in winter - the main thing is that the temperature does not fall below -15 degrees In order to properly allocate time and effort, we suggest using the step-by-step instructions for laying a soft roof on your own.
Forming the lining carpet
As a substrate, rolled materials from fiberglass impregnated with a bitumen-polymer mixture are used. You should not refuse a soft base - a lining is needed in order to additionally level the surface, waterproofing, insulation and sound absorption.
Strips of rolled waterproofing can be laid parallel or perpendicular to the horizon line - the main thing is to ensure an overlap of 10 cm along the long side of the insulation and 15 cm at the joints.
From my experience I can say that on steep roof slopes it is best to lay the lining in a vertical direction. And not at all because in this case the likelihood of leaks during heavy rains is reduced. The fact is that under the influence of gravity, the waterproofing panels sag, and folds form on the surface. In order to level them well and properly fix them, additional time and effort are required - one cannot do without assistants. As for gentle slopes, here, of course, the horizontal method of fixation wins, as it is simpler and more reliable. It is only important to start work from the overhang and move towards the ridge. At the same time, each subsequent strip of waterproofing will cover the edge of the previous one and the water will not have a single chance to get under the upper layers of the roofing pie.
Partial underlayment is only possible on roofs with steep slopes When deciding to partially lay the underlay on steep slopes, the most important areas should be protected. So, on both sides of the valley and at the edge of the slope (cornice line), the width of the bituminous waterproofing should be at least 50 cm, while for skates a strip of this size is divided in half.
To fix the lining layer, use a nail fight or fastening with building brackets in increments of 25 cm. In areas prone to leakage (valleys, junctions, etc.), the litter should be glued with a bituminous composition.
The list of materials that are suitable for use as a bituminous base is indicated by the manufacturer in the installation instructions for shingles. It is irrational to replace them with improvised coatings such as roofing material or polyethylene film due to the short service life, rapid thermal aging and other factors.
Installation of valley carpets and additional strips
When choosing a bitumen-polymer carpet for arranging valleys, they are guided by the color of the main coating. For decorative purposes, you can choose a material that differs in tone - this will emphasize the line of each groove and make the roof more expressive. Experts recommend covering the valley with a solid panel 1 m wide, be sure to glue it with mastic to the plank base. If it is required to join two pieces, then the junction is located as close as possible to the peak of the roof. The overlap of the top sheet to the bottom must be at least 20 cm with mandatory fixation with liquid bituminous waterproofing.
The material of the valley carpet is laid over the entire surface of the groove and glued to the base with mastic To protect the edge of the lathing from dripping condensate and sedimentary moisture, a cornice and gable extension should be installed over the insulating carpet. To fix the planks, roofing nails are used, which are hammered in a zigzag pattern at intervals of 10-15 cm (at the joints - up to 5 cm). It is necessary to withstand the overlap of adjacent additional elements of 3–5 cm, placing the edges of the planks along the contour of the eaves or end ledge. It is advisable to fasten the droppers first - in this case, at the corners of the slopes, they will be covered by gable strips.
The joints of the cornice and gable planks are overlapped with reinforced fixation with roofing nails Before installing the cornice and end protection, it is recommended to frame the perimeter of the solid flooring with a rail with a section of 20x40 mm. If an edge is made along the edges of the slope, then the waterproofing is installed on top of it and cut off behind the perimeter line. After that, additional elements are attached.
Cornice tile installation
The horizontal lines of a marking put on a lining simplify installation and allow to lay a tile in equal rows. It is best to form them with the help of linen twine rubbed with chalk. The cord is pulled in the right place and released like a bowstring to leave a mark on the dark surface of the substrate.
For even laying of cornice tiles, it is necessary to apply chalk markings on the lining layer Starting shingles are laid at a distance of 1 cm from the eaves line and fastened with roofing nails. So that the tiles do not come off under strong wind load, the fasteners are hammered at a distance of 25 mm from the edge. Each subsequent strip is laid end-to-end, and the junctions are protected with bituminous mastic.
Installation of ordinary tiles
The main coating is mounted in the direction from the center of the slope, placing the first ordinary shingle with an indent of 2–3 cm from the edge of the cornice strip. To fix soft tiles, it is enough to remove the protective film from the adhesive layer and firmly press the shingle to the substrate.
When laying the lower tiles of ordinary tiles, make a small indent from the edge of the cornice sheets The final fastening is carried out with nails at four points - along the edges of the strip, as well as over the depressions between the inner petals. The top sheets are offset by 1 petal. Thanks to this, the very “tiled” texture appears, and in addition, the joints and fixation points of the soft roof are closed.
The scheme for laying a soft roof provided by the manufacturer makes it easy to understand the nuances of the technology The tiles protruding beyond the edges of the slopes are cut off, after which the cut is treated with bituminous mastic.
Video: soft roof installation technology from the material manufacturer
Arrangement of the ridge and sealing of penetrations and junctions
Ventilation of the under-roof space is provided by air elements installed on top of the ridge. They are attached to the wooden frame with screws or nails. After that, the ridge part is closed with flexible tiles. There are no special strips of soft bituminous coating for external corners - they can be made by cutting out the cornice tiles. The petals cut along the perforation are placed across the ridge and fixed with a nail from each edge. The next element is placed with a 5-centimeter overlap, and for additional sealing, the contact point is treated with bituminous mastic.
The ridge air element must be covered with a layer of bituminous tiles, otherwise atmospheric precipitation will quickly render it unusable Places where pipes, cables and other communication elements pass through the roof slope must be closed with special passage units. They are attached directly to the base even before the installation of the lining carpet.
The junctions with walls and chimneys require special attention, otherwise the moisture flowing down the vertical surface will penetrate inside the roofing pie During the installation process, the upper layers of the roof are let in over the penetration, impregnated with mastic and cut in place. In the same place where the slope is in contact with a brick chimney or wall, roofing materials are let into the surface of a vertical structure. For additional protection, a segment of the valley carpet and a figured metal apron (adjacency bar) are used.
Video: arrangement of a soft roof passage unit
bituminous roofing cost
Doing all the work yourself, you can save a lot, because the total cost of the roof will consist only of the cost of the necessary materials. Depending on the manufacturer, the price per square meter of a soft roof of a budget and medium level varies between 800–1,500 rubles. If we talk about the premium segment, then certain types of shingles are sold at prices up to 4,000 rubles. Of course, in this case, there can be no talk of any independent installation - anyone who can fork out for such an expensive material will find money for a professional team. The services of the latter, by the way, are not cheap - from 600 rubles per square meter of finished coating.
As you can see, it is not at all difficult to build a soft roof with your own hands, which, however, does not exclude proper accuracy and following the technology developed by the manufacturer. If you do everything with high quality, then the roof will please with its appearance and trouble-free operation for many years. Otherwise, it is better not to take up the work at all, otherwise the roof will constantly remind you of its existence with leaks and other unpleasant moments.
The services of professional roofers are quite expensive, so if the budget for building a private house or garage is limited, it is worth saving money by doing the roofing work yourself. Of course, the work is not easy and very responsible, but if you prepare well, read the instructions, carefully watch the video tutorials, then any master who knows how to hold a hammer in his hand can handle the installation.
Private construction today is developed quite widely. Many take up the independent construction of outbuildings, trash and even cottages. To cover the roofs of private buildings, most choose a soft roof. After all, this material is very convenient to use.
The material is quite light, it can be used on roofs of various shapes, and the coating is reliable and durable. In addition, the soft roof is quite “quiet”; during rain and even hail, no special noise is created.
What is a soft roof?
Modern soft roofing is a coating based on biologically inert non-woven materials, coated on both sides with modified bitumen. The basis of a soft roof can be fiberglass, polyester or fiberglass.
Modified bitumen is characterized by high resistance to temperature effects and elasticity. In addition, the material has a mineral coating on top, which gives it greater strength and eliminates the risk of gluing the material before installation.
This type of roof can be used to cover roofs of any configuration. Due to its high elasticity, the coating can also be used on such complex roofs as domed or cross. In practice, two types of materials are classified as soft roofing:
- Roll materials. These materials include the well-known roofing material and its more modern counterparts.
- Piece materials - soft or bituminous tiles.
Advice! Roll materials are used on flat roofs, piece - on pitched. The fact is that the installation of flexible tiles on a flat base will lead to its rapid destruction, that is, the created coating will not last long.
Tool preparation
Work on the creation of a soft roof can be carried out by one person, however, it will, of course, be more convenient to work with an assistant. To complete the installation, you will need to prepare: 
- For marking - a tape measure, a coated cord for beating, a pencil.
- To cut the material - a roofing knife and a thick plank.
- For fastening - a hammer, roofing nails, a building hair dryer (for bituminous tiles), a gas burner and a roller for rolling (for rolled materials).
- For sealing - mastic, brush or roller, spatula.
Preparatory stage
In order for a soft roof to serve for a long time, it is necessary to prepare the base well for its laying. It should be as smooth and dry as possible. As a rule, for the manufacture of flooring under the roof, OSB sheets or moisture-resistant plywood are used. You can also use a grooved board.
Advice! It is important that the boards used to create the flooring are well dried. The maximum allowable humidity level is 20%.
In the process of preparatory work, the following operations are carried out: 
- After the installation of the flooring, it is necessary to take measurements to check the geometry of the structure. It will be necessary to measure and compare the indicators of length, width, diagonal length, as well as the level of the plane of the completed flooring.
- Cornice overhangs are reinforced by installing metal slats. They are installed along the edge of the cornice and nailed. The distance between two adjacent hardware is 10 cm, they must be placed in a checkerboard pattern.
- Similar strips must be installed along the gable parts of the canopy. In both cases, the planks are installed with an overlap, the minimum width of which is 3 cm.
- Further, additional waterproofing of the roof is carried out by laying the roofing carpet. On flat roofs, a continuous coating is performed, laying the material with an overlap and smearing the joints with mastic. On pitched roofs, the material is laid in valleys (the width of the roofing carpet in this place is 50 cm in each direction from the center of the corner), on the eaves and at the junctions with any vertical elements located on the roof.
Material laying
Upon completion of the preparatory stage, you can proceed with the installation of the roof. 
Installation of bituminous tiles
Installation is carried out in three stages:
- Laying the first or cornice row;
- Laying row tiles to the top of the roof;
- Installation of ridge sheets.
To form the first row and design the roof ridge, ridge-cornice tile elements are used. They differ from ordinary shingles in the absence of "petals".
Advice! Ridge-cornice tile elements do not have to be purchased separately, they can be easily made from ordinary tiles by cutting off the petals.
- Before installing the tile shingle in place, you need to carefully peel off the protective film from the bottom of the element.
- The first row is laid out parallel to the cornice strip, stepping back 1.5 cm from the edge. Each shingle is fixed at the corners with 4 nails.
- The next row is laid with an indent of 1.5 cm from the first laid strip.
Advice! When laying tiles on a roof with a slope of less than 45 degrees, each shingle is fastened with 4 nails. On steeper slopes, use 6 nails per shingle.
- Upon reaching the gable overhang of the roof, the shingle is trimmed at a distance of 1 cm to the edge of the installed end plate. The edge of the tile is smeared with mastic to a width of at least 10 cm.
- The last row of tiles is laid so that it goes a little on the ridge board. Then they begin to install the ridge tiles, installing overlapping elements and fixing them with nails.
Stacking of roll materials
Installation work in this case is carried out somewhat differently. The work is done like this: 
- Before laying, the rolled material must be unfolded, cut into strips of the required length and kept unfolded for a day. If there is no place to store the unrolled media, then the media roll can be rewound to the reverse side. Rewind the material should be a day before the start of installation.
- The material is laid in 2 or even 3 layers. The number of layers depends on the slope of the roof and the amount of precipitation in a given region.
- A cheaper lining material is laid in the first layer, a material with coarse-grained dressing is placed on top.
- When laying each subsequent layer of roll material, indent by half the width of the sheet. This is necessary so that the joints between the individual strips do not coincide in different rows.
- The fusion of the material is carried out by heating the lower part of the material rolled into a roll. A protective film on the material serves as an indicator of the degree of heating. If the film burns, stop heating and start rolling the material and rolling it with a roller.
When planning to install a soft roof on your own, you should not only carefully study the test installation instructions, but also watch video tutorials in which experienced craftsmen share their experience and craftsmanship secrets. This approach will allow you to prepare well and do the job without errors.
Surely, you have repeatedly noticed that many private houses are covered with flexible tiles, a noble, solid and aesthetically attractive roofing material. You can also equip such a roof, because this coating can be laid on a roof of any complexity, the slope of which reaches 12 - 90 degrees. Bitumen is very light, which makes it easy to install a soft roof with your own hands. Today we will talk about how to cover the roof with soft tiles.
Calculation of shingles
Before buying a soft tile, it is necessary to take into account that the price of a soft roof will depend on the coverage area and the number of additional elements. A feature of the material that is used to organize the roof is to minimize waste during work. It is this factor that allows you to accurately calculate the roof and calculate the required amount of base material.
Let's give an example of calculating the amount of flexible tiles. So, let the gable roof have the following parameters: the length is 6 meters, the height is 4 meters; tilt angle - 32 degrees. Then the total area is 48 square meters (4 * 6 * 2). Keep in mind that one package of shingles is enough for 3 square meters. But be careful, as the area covered is indicated on each package. Then you will need 16 packs (48/3).
Similarly, you can calculate the amount of required lining material and valley carpet. It should be noted that the technology of covering the roof with soft tiles is such that there will always be cut parts and waste. Therefore, feel free to add another 10-15% to the calculated amount. After buying a soft tile, it is necessary to store it in a warm, dry, shady place, folding no more than 12 packs one by one.
Installing a roof sheathing
To lay the bituminous tiles correctly, it is necessary to properly prepare the base. Soft roofing can be laid on an ordinary crate, which can be lattice or solid and is attached to the rafters. The frame is most often made of wood. If you need to arrange a lattice crate, then take boards for this.
In this case, it is desirable to use planed coniferous boards, which have a thickness of about 20-25 millimeters. To create a solid crate, you can use moisture-resistant plywood or chipboard, grooved and edged boards. The moisture content of the material should not exceed 20% of the dry weight. The material is attached to the rafters using ordinary nails or self-tapping screws.
To increase the service life of wooden elements, they must be impregnated with an antiseptic before installation. When creating a crate, calculate in advance the installation step of the rafters and the thickness of the board used for its construction. If the step is 60 centimeters, then you can use a board that has a thickness of 20 millimeters. With a rafter pitch of 90 centimeters, a board with a thickness of approximately 23 millimeters is required.
The joints of the boards must be placed in the places of the supports, and the boards must have a length of at least 2 spans between the supports. When laying a sheathing under a soft roof, it must be remembered that it is worth leaving a couple of millimeters between the individual materials to compensate for the expansion of the wood when it dries.
On the crate between the boards, a gap of 1-5 millimeters is made, between large-panel elements - 1-3 millimeters. Plywood and slabs are laid on the rafters with a spaced seam. You can not leave such gaps if all the wood has been previously subjected to technical drying.
Underlay installation
After arranging the crate under the soft roof, it is necessary to lay the lining layer, the main purpose of which lies in protecting the house from moisture ingress in case of possible leakage of flexible tiles. According to current standards, if the angle of inclination of the roof is 18 degrees or a little more, then waterproofing can only be arranged parallel to the end and cornice edges. It is these areas that are considered the most likely places for leaks.
Things will be different if the roof has a smaller slope angle - from 12 to 18 degrees. The installation technology of such a waterproofing layer provides for its installation over the entire roof area. This layer is mounted parallel to the eaves overhang from the bottom up with an overlap of at least 10 centimeters for transverse seams and at least 15 centimeters for longitudinal ones, fixing the edges with nails at intervals of about 20 centimeters. The seams must be sealed with glue.
To protect the edges of the frame structure of the roof under soft tiles on the eaves overhangs from moisture, metal cornice strips called “droppers” with an overlap of at least 2 centimeters should be mounted over the lining carpet. They are nailed in a zigzag manner with special roofing nails, maintaining a step of 100 millimeters. To protect the lathing on the end parts, gable strips are mounted with the same overlap of 2 centimeters. The strips are stuffed on the cornices and ends over the lining layer.
If the design has elements such as valleys, then it is necessary to lay a special carpet that matches the color of the tiles on both sides. The edges should be fixed with roofing nails, maintaining an interval of 100 millimeters. After fixing, it will not be superfluous to coat the carpet along the edge with bituminous mastic.
Ventilation space device
Without sufficient ventilation in the attic, the microclimate will be disturbed, humidity will increase and condensation will form. Ventilation is ensured by three elements: channels above the thermal insulation, a hole that serves for the inflow of outside air and exhaust holes, which are located in the upper part of the roof.
If the cornices in a residential building are hemmed with siding, then the soffit strips will act as a ventilation gap.
If, when constructing a roof for a soft roof, the cornice is made out with a clapboard, then it is customary to equip a gap between the boards. Ventilation of a roof made of flexible tiles is carried out by means of a ridge, which is customarily laid on a special ribbed profile. But often its throughput is not enough and it is necessary to install special ventilation elements on the roof surface.
If the roof slope is 15 - 40 degrees, then the area of the ventilation space is calculated as a quotient of the total area of \u200b\u200bthe slopes and a factor of 300. And if the slope reaches 41 - 85 degrees, then it is calculated as a quotient of the soft roof area and a factor of 600. Let the total roof area be 50 square meters, the angle of inclination is 35 degrees, and the cross section of the ventilation element is 258 square centimeters.
The ventilation area in this case will be 0.167 square meters (50/300) or 1670 square centimeters. Then the required number of ventilation elements is five (1670/258). The number of ventilation elements that are installed on the ridge is half of their number on the roof slopes, that is, 3.
Installation of soft tiles
Manufacturers of flexible tiles do not recommend fixing it at temperatures below plus 5 degrees, because the shingles become brittle in the cold and the procedure for installing a roof made of soft tiles is difficult, and the lack of heat affects the tightness of the joints. In winter, joints and folds of shingles should be heated with a blow dryer or other device that generates heat flow. To lay the material on the roof in the summer, it must be taken in parts, because the protective film is poorly removed from the tiles heated by the sun.
When laying tiles, roofers often make the same mistake, as a result of which the roof has a different shade in different places. Remember that tiles in different packages may not be from the same batch, but from different ones, and therefore its color is different. Thus, it is necessary to use several packages of material at once so that the color of the roof is uniform.
To simplify work and ensure smooth lines, before covering the roof with soft tiles on the roof, a chalk marking of the slope is carried out along the crate and lining. Horizontal lines are drawn parallel to the eaves in increments of 80 centimeters. It turns out approximately 5 rows of tiles. Vertical lines are applied along the length of the slope in increments of 1 meter.
Installation of roofing from flexible tiles begins with the arrangement of the zero "cornice" row. Self-adhesive ridge tiles are glued end to end over a metal plank. From the edge of the slope you need to retreat 1-2 centimeters. The tiles on the other side are nailed, and the first row of ordinary flexible tiles is laid on top of the attachment point. If you did not buy ridge-cornice shingles, then you can attach simple shingles to the cornice, but without petals.
The first row of ordinary shingles begins to be laid from the center of the eaves, heading towards the ridge and gables. To move in hot weather on the roof, you need to use special manholes, otherwise footprints may remain on the roofing. First, the protective film is removed from the individual roof tiles from the back and glued to the base. Also, the tile requires additional fastening.
The tiles are fixed with nails, hammering them when laying two adjacent rows. When you drive a nail into the first row, you will also nail the second one at the same time. It is impossible to displace the mount - to drive a nail from the very edge or into the center of the petals, since the soft tile roof device does not allow chaotic fastening, the nail cannot be sunk too much - it is necessary that the hat is on the same level with the roofing.
Approximately 4-5 nails are used per shingle. This is enough, since the bituminous tiles between themselves under the influence of solar heat will stick together and stick to the crate. The length of the nails is selected according to the type and thickness of the crate. The diameter of the nail should be approximately 3.2 millimeters, the diameter of the cap should be 10 millimeters.
When installing subsequent rows of tiles, remember that the lower petals of the material must correspond to the upper ones, which are located on the already nailed row. Along with this, it is customary to shift half the petal to the left or right.
Ridge tiles are obtained by dividing the cornice tiles into three parts according to the perforations. Mount the ridge shingles on the roof ridge, having previously cut the tile, while the short side should be parallel to the ridge. Nail with four nails so that the nails are located under the overlapping shingles with an overlap of 5 centimeters.
Proper connection design
In the process of installing a soft coating for the roof, quite often one has to face some difficulties and various objects to which the roof adjoins. Say, the most elementary object of this type is a stove heating pipe. In the area where the pipe adjoins the roof, a gap is always formed through which moisture flows.
To get rid of this shortcoming, you need to properly attach the flexible tile. To begin with, hammer the rail into the angle between the roof surface and the chimney. It is desirable that it has a triangular shape, like an ordinary wooden plinth. Further, it is recommended to bring the tiles onto this rail and directly onto the pipe. After that, a valley carpet should be laid on top of it, starting from the chimney.
It should cover the entire channel at a height of 30 centimeters from the roof surface. After that, the lower part of the pipe with a carpet and bituminous tiles is placed in a metal apron - lined with sheets of painted tin on all sides. To avoid the accumulation of snow behind the pipe, it is necessary to equip the groove by installing a pyramid with two faces close to the pipe. Thus, both snow and rainwater will fall on the slopes of the groove and flow down the roof, flowing around the pipe.
Sometimes you need to bring some communications through the roof. In such cases, it is best to use passage elements that are made specifically for tiles. They are attached to the base of the roof with nails. Such elements reliably protect the roof from leakage. For example, antenna passages of small diameter through the roof can be made with rubber seals.
Joint sealing procedure
To seal the roof of soft tiles, overlaps of the lining carpet and ordinary bituminous tiles on the valley carpet, passages of the ventilation system and various junctions, a special sealant is used. Immediately before applying the composition, clean the surface of loose materials, oil and dirt. On dusty and porous substrates, first apply a bituminous mortar. Remember that with an excess of glue, excessive dissolution of the bitumen may occur.
The composition is applied to one of the surfaces to be glued with a spatula. Maintain a layer thickness of 0.5 - 1 mm. The width of the sizing is indicated in the instructions. When pasting joints to pipes and walls, apply sealant over the entire contact surface. Grout the seams of the brickwork with mortar flush with the brick. The bonding process lasts 1-3 minutes, depending on the air temperature. At low temperatures, the composition must be heated before application.
Now you know how to cover the roof with soft tiles! In addition, you can always update the roof with flexible tiles without removing the old coating. Laying on top of old new shingles is not much different from laying from scratch. To do this, you need to lay an inverted shingle on the protruding cornice strip and glue it, and cut the protruding part along the cornice. Next, the tile is laid exactly on top of the previous pattern.
The installation technology of a soft roof is relatively simple, so it is easy to do it yourself. Soft roofing is an excellent replacement for traditional materials. It has many advantages: flexible, lightweight, easy to install, inexpensive. To lay a soft roof, you will need to understand some of the intricacies of installing this type of material.
Soft roofing has replaced traditional coatings: slate, galvanized steel, tiles. Several people were required to lay such materials. It also took a lot of time to work. In modern hardware stores there is a large assortment of goods, among which a soft roof also occupies a worthy place. It is presented as piece material, and rolled.
Features of a soft roof
Sometimes soft roofing is called shingles. This is due to its composition - it is made on the basis of bitumen. You should not immediately disparage such material - it has little in common with roofing material. Soft tile is a stronger and more durable material than traditional rolled roofing.
Thanks to the use of modern technologies in the production of bituminous roofing, the new material has received many positive properties. It does not collapse under the influence of high temperatures, it is more durable in the cold.
The Technonikol company is engaged in the production of Shinglas shingles, which can serve from 10 to 55 years. Modern bitumen-based roofing does not tear, does not lose its physical properties when the temperature rises and falls. Due to the addition of various modifiers to the material, the bending strength of the material was increased.
Other features:
- Bitumen during the production of tiles is melted by oxygen - due to this, the melting point has reached 110 degrees.
- Fiberglass is used to reinforce the tiles, which increases the strength of the products.
- The top protective layer contains stone dressing, which performs both protective and decorative functions.
As you can see, modern soft tiles are quite durable and reliable roofing. It is easy to install and requires little maintenance during use. To properly lay a soft roof, it is worth understanding the main stages of work.
Dimensions and Specifications
Soft tile is a piece of material, which has a length of 1 meter and a width of 33 cm. Thanks to these dimensions, installation can be done alone. Each canvas is divided into 4 parts, having the shape of geometric shapes. By its appearance, bituminous tiles resemble classical ones.
Before laying such a roof, it is necessary to prepare the base. The crate is continuous. It is often made from plywood sheets. To minimize the negative effects on the tiles, a so-called carpet is placed under it, which serves as additional waterproofing.
Warming
Installation of a layer of insulation is carried out from the outside. The first sheets are laid between the rafters. Before laying them, you will need to make a rough sheathing from the side of the attic. The most optimal thickness of the insulation layer is 20 cm (2 sheets). Then the counter beam is installed and then the second layer of insulation.
The waterproofing must be laid parallel to the eaves with an overlap of 15 cm. In addition, about 15 cm of the waterproofing membrane must extend beyond the insulation contour. Fasten it with a construction stapler. At the joints, it is connected with a self-adhesive tape.
Lining
After the base is prepared, work begins with the substrate. Such rolled material has become an indispensable part of the roofing pie. It greatly facilitates the installation of a soft roof.
Work features:
- The substrate is attached to the crate with roofing nails. At the joints, it must be glued with TechnoNIKOL mastic.
- If the roof has a slope of less than 18 degrees, it must be completely covered with underlayment. If the slope is from 18 to 90 degrees, the roof is partially covered.
- If the substrate does not fit over the entire roof area, cover the eaves, ridge and valley.
- With a continuous carpet device, the rolls should be rolled horizontally. You need to start from the bottom. The horizontal overlap must be at least 15 cm.
- The joint must be glued with mastic.
The lining will protect not only the roof from damage, but also the insulation and other elements of the roofing pie from getting wet. Care must be taken when installing carpet.
Tiling
After completing the lining, you can begin the installation of a soft roof with your own hands. A shingle is a small piece of roofing. It has self-adhesive areas that are protected by a special film - it is removed before laying.
Laying begins with a cornice and a ridge. For their entire length, universal ridge-cornice tiles are laid. The edges of each element are glued with mastic, and also attached to the crate using roofing nails. The latter should be located at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.
After that, with a coated cord, you need to beat off the guide lines in order to get guidelines. Shingles should be laid on them. So that the roof slopes do not differ from each other in color, it is worth opening each package before work and choosing one element from each in turn. In this case, the difference will not be noticeable.
Installation of a soft roof begins with laying the first row - it is mounted from the middle, gradually moving in both directions. Each of them must be glued with mastic.
Wide-headed roofing nails are used to fasten shingles. Different types of tiles have their own nails. For this reason, it is necessary to read the instructions for the selected roof. When approaching the ridge, it is worth leaving a hole for the aerator.
When laying tiles at the edges, it is necessary to adjust the size of the shingles. To do this is quite simple. The elements are very easy to cut with a knife. Roofing material is cut in the same way when going around dormer windows, ventilation outlets. To make cutting shingles convenient, it is better to put a sheet of plywood under the material.
For the installation of the Katepal soft roof, the same laying technology is used as for the Shinglas shingles. The installation process is shown in the video:
The final stage
At this stage, aerators and a ridge are installed. Aerators are used for ventilation devices. The air flow is directed from the eaves upwards. For this reason, aerators must be installed as high as possible.
They are attached in the same way as the tiles. They are mounted with nails. After installation, they are covered with ridge tiles. To make it more convenient on a steep roof, special scaffolding should be installed. They are not capable of damaging the roofing, but they are securely fixed and help builders move around. Elements that are adjacent to the edges of the roof must be well glued with mastic.
Roll roofing
The rolled material called euroroofing material is also popular. It is laid mainly on flat roofs. Installation is quite simple. The main thing is to follow the instructions:
- After the roll is rolled out, the material must be stretched, all folds must be aligned.
- One side of the roofing material must be heated with a burner - until the special indicator melts.
- As a result, the side is easily glued to the base. After the material has cooled, the roll is rolled up to the place of fixation.
- Fusion is carried out with gradual rolling of the roll.
The roofing material overlap should be 5-10 cm so as not to be mistaken, a special indicative strip is applied along the entire length of the roll. The material must not be overheated - otherwise it will be unusable. High-quality euroroofing material should be homogeneous, not have voids.
Particular attention should be paid to the adjoining roofing material to the ventilation outlets and parameters. All problem areas should be treated with mastic. This will protect the roof from snow and rainwater. With a steep slope of the roof, it is worth equipping snow retainers, as well as properly installing drips and drains, which will prevent roof icing.
When performing a ruberoid roof, it should be understood that the installation technology differs from the laying of bituminous tiles. However, in both cases, it should be ensured that the roof is cleared of debris, sand, stones. Otherwise, the roof will lose its functions ahead of time.
The joints should be treated with mastic. After drying, it will have the same properties as a soft roof. When these rules are followed, even a non-specialist can carry out the installation of euroroofing material.
Results
As you can see, you can install the roof of soft tiles yourself. To complete all the stages of work, you do not need to purchase expensive equipment for installation. You will need a standard builder's inventory. Even when installing aerators, there are no difficulties.
If you follow the above rules, and be careful, anyone who knows how to handle a tape measure and a hammer will be able to achieve what they want when installing a soft roof.
It is better to do the laying of shingles on a hot sunny day. This will allow the shingles to quickly fuse and form a single surface. In order for the soft roof to function longer, it is worth taking care of the lining carpet, steam and waterproofing.
