For many, a flat roof is associated with urban multi-storey buildings, faceless and monotonous. But we are ready to surprise you! A flat roof in a private house will be a pleasant discovery for you if there is not too much snow in your area, but the winds are strong enough. The fact is that in winter all snow accumulations from such a roof will simply be blown away. And the main thing is that not a single strong hurricane can blow off the roof, which simply does not exist! And also a whole ocean of possibilities opens up before you, which now you can build over your head: a cafe, a dance floor, a mini-garden and even a whole greenhouse!
The main thing is only to know about all the intricacies of the construction of houses with flat roof, and everything will work out. And we will now reveal all the secrets.
- Such a roof is much smaller in area than the flattest pitched roof. And this is saving on materials.
- Such a roof is being built much faster than a gable, and even more so a hip one.
- Comfort and safety of all rafter work. You still need to manage to fall from such a roof!
- Convenient subsequent repair and replacement of roofing.
- Unlike a gable roof, dismantling the old flat roofing is usually not necessary - this is additional waterproofing and protection. The new cake is made right according to the old one, which saves a lot of time and effort.
- The ability to use the roof as an additional useful area where you can set up a flower garden, make an open terrace and even build a greenhouse.
- The ability to install transparent roof elements (with careful waterproofing), and thus make a view of the night sky.
- Possibility to build a house with a laconic architectural form. Minimalism is at the height of fashion!
And now - about the cons and disadvantages:
- Such a roof generously accumulates snow in itself. After all, he now has nowhere to slide, and the snow itself often causes leaks.
- On especially generous days, the snow will have to be mechanically removed, which often damages roof covering.
- The structure of the roof is becoming more complicated: now gutters are needed, which, in addition to everything, also clog up.
- The difference is that water drains off the pitched roof quickly enough (and it happens that it does get into the under-roof space). But on a flat one, it generally stands!
Control of the moisture content of the insulation and the general condition of the roof should be regular. - But, despite the fact that for her arrangement building materials much less is needed than for a pitched roof, a flat roof in terms of installation is much more complicated. Let's just say much more different subtleties and nuances that are important to know about.
That is why many have fair doubts about the reliability of such a roof. But the European and overseas experience of private residential houses with a flat roof is successful, and therefore you can safely get down to business.
Consider only such points:
- There is much more snow in Russia than in warmer European countries.
- Only worse than snow a big difference summer and winter temperatures, which are not designed for all foreign roofing materials.
And here technology decides everything!
What is a flat roof?
So, what acts as the supporting base of a flat roof:
- Reinforced concrete slab.
- Roofing sandwich panels.
- Reinforced steel sheet.
And thanks to the fact that they learned to make a flat roof "breathable", i.e. with internal ventilation, now it has become possible to use completely non-breathable waterproofing - roofing material similar to it.
Any roof that we call flat, in fact, still has a slight slope: to one side or purposefully towards the drainpipe.
Here is the simplest example of a flat roof for a private house:
Types of flat roofs: unexploited and inverted
Of course, unexploited roofs are cheaper. And the exploited ones, which are correctly called "inversion", include additional materials.
A separate type of flat roof of a residential building is exploited. Those. the one on which people will walk and what objects will stand. This is the same garden, or sports ground, or outdoor cafe. All this creates considerable loads on the roof, and therefore its device is already different from the one that is intended only to protect the house from precipitation.
So, the main difference in the arrangement of traditional and inverted roofing is that in the first layer of thermal insulation is located under the waterproofing, which is quite logical, and in the second - above it. But in the second version, the waterproofing is more protected from ultraviolet rays and temperature differences... This design is more durable and functional: you can safely arrange a lawn on it or lay paving slabs.
And now in more detail.
Unused Roofing: Standard Pie
But on an unexploited roof, a person can also occasionally climb - for the same repair, for example.
Those. In a traditional flat roof, the top layer is waterproofing, and it is this that is subjected to all mechanical and thermal stress.
A separate type of it is a roof with a pressure layer, which is designed for the fact that a person can walk on it from time to time:
Inverted roofing: reverse pie
The standard slope of the inverted roof is 5-7%. The inversion method assumes that the layer of thermal insulation is already located on top of the waterproofing, which now also serves as a vapor barrier at the same time.
Moreover, the pie of inversion flat roofs can be very different. It all depends on what you are going to arrange on the roof: a terrace, a mini-pool (and this is not uncommon) or a garden. But the base will still be common: a monolithic screed is made, which levels the entire surface, then waterproofing is laid and all this is covered with insulation. And on top already - cement-sand mixture or rubber cover.
Note that the active operation of the roof is frequent damage to the insulating layer, due to which moisture makes its way to the insulation and freezes in winter. Over time, the entire roofing cake deteriorates, and therefore without ventilation system a flat roof is indispensable.
Cement-sand screed is able to even better distribute the pressure layer on the heat insulator, but it must be additionally reinforced with a grid against cracking.
Subtleties of flat roof insulation
A layer of thermal insulation for a flat roof is required. For comparison: a gable roof is insulated only when it is equipped with residential attic, and in all other cases, the maximum is laid mineral wool on the attic floor. But for a flat roof, insulation is always necessary.
The fact is that without a heat-insulating layer in a flat roof, condensation will constantly appear on the ceiling in the house (such a roof will just be the cold part onto which water vapor will rush). And this is bad not only because repairs have to be done, but also because the whole structure deteriorates so much.
You can insulate a flat roof both from the outside and from the inside - the difference is small. More importantly, in how many layers a particular roof needs to be insulated - in one or two.
Thermal insulation materials must be attached to the base of the roof mechanically, both screws or dowels, and glue. Sometimes the mount is not used at all if the heat insulator is located from the outside, and paving slabs or pebbles are pressing on it.
Why two layers? The fact is that the first layer of thermal insulation on a flat roof performs the function of insulation, it is from 70 to 200 mm thick. And the second, from 40 to 50 mm, is designed to distribute all the loads. And the thickness of both layers is important to calculate accurately, based on climatic features terrain and future use of the roof itself.
With two-layer insulation, all joints should be staggered, in a checkerboard pattern, so as not to fall on each other. Moreover, in the places where the plates adjoin the walls and the parapet, it is additionally necessary to make heat-insulating sides. A cement-sand screed is able to even better distribute the pressure layer on the heat insulator, but it must be additionally reinforced with a mesh to prevent cracking.
Correct drainage system
But this is already a difficult task. Flat roofs are bad because they are completely open to rain. But everything can be solved! The main thing is to correctly organize the drain, and for convenience, we have opened this issue for you in the following schematic illustrations:
Internal ventilation device
One more important point when arranging flat roofs - ventilation. The fact is that if moisture accidentally enters the insulation, it no longer evaporates - it only accumulates. As a result, the insulating material rots, and the waterproofing swells. And there are many reasons for leaks: broken waterproofing, mechanical damage to the upper layer of the roof, cracks and harm from frozen water.
A damp heat insulator is also bad because of it, bubbles and cracks appear on a flat roof in the summer heat - all due to the active evaporation of water. As a result, the roofing also collapses. And if moisture eventually gets under the old screed, then the entire roof begins to flake off. This is why a flat roof needs to "breathe".
For this purpose, the so-called aerators are used on it. It looks like simple plastic or metal pipes covered with umbrella caps. They should be placed evenly over the entire roof area, preferably at its highest points. The essence of such a mechanism is that different pressures are created inside the roof and the air begins to create flows, simultaneously capturing with it all the excess moisture vapor.
In practice, it looks like this:
In addition, in any living space, water vapor rises to the ceiling. Moreover, they often successfully overcome this barrier (the water molecule is very small) and get into the insulation, which is bad for him. That is why vapor barrier is required. And not the one that is usually used to insulate the attic, but dense, made of high-quality polypropylene or polyethylene. A bituminous membrane is even more reliable.
Choosing the right roof covering
So what is used as a coating for these roofs?
Option # 1 - bitumen and polymer-bitumen materials
Such roofs are the cheapest for the owners of private houses. Basically we are talking about roofing material and euroruberoid. These are rolled roofing sheets, based on synthetic fabric, and on the sides - bitumen. As an elastic and frost-resistant material, bitumen serves as an excellent protection and waterproofing.
Moreover, the installation of bituminous roofing on a flat roof is absolutely simple, you only need gas-burner... The rolls are easily fused together.
But such a roof has a significant drawback - fragility. And also the fact that the roofing material does not breathe at all, i.e. it is vapor-tight, and therefore it is imperative to arrange ventilation for such a roof, unless you want the insulation to rot in a year:
Option # 2 - liquid rubber
Such roofs have the huge advantage that they do not contain any seams. As we have already said, the disadvantage of a flat roof is, first of all, that snow accumulates on it, which then causes leaks.
But there are some subtleties here. So, liquid rubber for a flat roof needs to be taken only two-component, preferably the highest quality. And it is extremely important to correctly apply this material to a flat roof: evenly, avoiding unnecessary layers and savings in certain places. So, where the paint was applied unevenly, problems should be expected after 8-10 years.
Option # 3 - PVC, TPO and EPDM membranes
Roofing membranes are valuable as a covering for flat roofs in that they allow steam to escape to the outside. After all, whatever the vapor barrier used, moisture still at least a little, but gets into the insulation, and not only from below, but also from above - after heavy rains, for example.
There are three types of membranes for the device of such a roof: TPO, PVC and EPDM. The most popular is PVC membrane, it is also the most flammable. The EPDM membrane is more durable and affordable, but if mechanical damage occurs in it, nothing can fix it, while the PVC membrane can be melted with a hairdryer. In addition, the joints of the EPDM membrane must be glued with a special tape, which is much less reliable than the welding of PVC sheets.
But the cheapest membrane in its sector is PVC. But it has such significant disadvantages as low resistance to ultraviolet rays and the fear of contact with bitumen, various oils and even styrofoam, otherwise the service life is significantly reduced.
Bonding EPDM membranes requires professional skills. TPO membrane, like PVC, is also hot air weldable. It is not afraid of ultraviolet light, it is more chemically resistant and can be stacked directly on polystyrene foam or old bituminous roof without geotextile. But its service life is less than that of EPDM, therefore, for the installation of a flat roof of a residential private house, we recommend using a PVC membrane.
So, the cake of a flat roof device with a PVC membrane is traditionally made like this:
- Step 1. We arrange a monolithic floor slab.
- Step 2. We put a tear-resistant vapor barrier film.
- Step 3. We make a slope of insulation or screed.
- Step 4. We put the insulation. In private construction, this is usually 35 density foam, and on top is XPS at 50 mm, which is even stronger.
- Step 5. Now geotextile, 300-500 g per square meter.
- Step 6. Moving on to waterproofing - this is the PVC membrane. The density of the insulation is enough to walk on such a roof. But, if you plan to make an open terrace on the roof, then the pie needs to be continued further.
- Step 7. Again, lay geotextile - now directly on the membrane.
We put a rubber tile or a reinforced screed 5-7 cm, on which we already put the paving slabs. Ballast is required to make a screed.
And also such roofs are made of rubber, polymers or even foil. Unlike bituminous ones, they are strong, fire-resistant and firmly adhered to the base. Achieve a slight slope using expanded clay or concrete screed.
How to achieve 100% waterproofing?
The main task when installing a flat roof is to make all joints and abutments as tight as possible. Indeed, such a roof is most affected by moisture, hail, temperature extremes and debris carried by the wind. Therefore, the sealants used for sealing such joints must be of high quality and resistant to any influences. This is also a kind of expense that you have to go to.
For the same purpose of waterproofing, it is recommended to make a flat roof slope of at least 2%. Few? In fact, this is quite enough so that all atmospheric moisture does not linger on the surface, but flows down into funnels and pipes, and from them into a septic tank, soil or sewer. Therefore, even at the design stage, you need to think carefully about the future drainage system.
Moreover, the drainage itself is made both internal and external. So, the internal drainage system consists of fittings - funnels located throughout the roof, which take in the flowing water and direct it into pipes that go through buildings, but are isolated from living quarters. The only drawback of such a system is that the pipes are clogged with small debris and leaves, for which it is advisable to equip them with special filters and periodically clean them.
External drainage systems are already fixed along the outer walls of the building. Of course, it's easier to clean when they get clogged, but in cold weather they often freeze over. For this, it is customary to additionally supply them with electric heating in the form of cables.
As for the material for the internal and external drainage system of a flat roof, then PVC or metal is quite suitable. Both options have their pros and cons. So, polyvinyl chloride does not corrode, but it is more fragile than metal.
In order to prevent the gutters from freezing in winter, equip them with roofing thermal cables.
Green area on the roof: fashionable and sustainable
Greenery and recreation areas are often lacking not only for the inhabitants of the "stone jungle", but even for the owners of private houses. The thing is that the same beautiful garden furniture it is not always possible to leave the house in the yard, and beautiful rare flowers in the garden bed are often trampled by pets. Therefore, it is not surprising that the green area on the roof has become fashionable among the owners of cottages. Especially if the exit to it goes directly from the bedroom and no one else can disturb your morning peace with a cup of coffee.
There is also a fashion for some cafes to make the roof flat, and put a small greenhouse on it. All the greens are immediately on the table! And it is beneficial, because bringing fresh dill or onions to the kitchen is not so easy, and it is economically profitable - there is where to send kitchen waste. And it is difficult to understand who borrowed this idea from whom: enterprising residents of private houses with flat roofs, or the best minds Catering... But what is the location closed ground profitable is a fact: rodents will not dig under the beds, insects and pests will not get there (as well as pests in the form of neighbors), and the fact that it is always a little hotter on the roof is only a plus for the same tomatoes. But the main thing is to correctly calculate the loads on such a roof during construction!
And the roofing pie is often standard: waterproofing on the floor, thermal insulation, geotextiles, drainage and again geotextiles. And on top of it, you can already have both the ground and the beds:
Or in this version for more powerful floors:
A flat roof is a huge space for any imagination. Designers and architects love to implement a variety of projects for her: a garden, a greenhouse, a jogging track, a mini-beach with sun loungers, and much more. Some craftsmen even manage to make a parking lot on it!
Not everyone likes modern construction. This is immediately clear when projects of houses with flat roofs are mentioned in the conversation. Most developers don't like appearance, but after living in such a structure for some time, their idea changes. It is due to its minimalism that this house is considered stylish, but the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Russia are accustomed to pitched roofs, they simply cannot imagine a roof without a slope. In this article, I will try to reveal in as much detail as possible all the charm of a house with a flat roof.
One-storey house with a flat roof
Just a few decades ago, the developers of the CIS countries could not imagine that so beautiful houses can be created in private construction. In addition, thanks to the flat roof, the cost of a finished cottage comes out significantly less than a building with a rafter system.
Houses with a flat roof and their projects are presented in these photos: 
Not so long ago, when there were no materials for high-quality waterproofing of a flat roof, mastic and roofing material were used. These products could not give good time operation, so this type of house was scrapped, and after the release of high-quality materials on the domestic market, most developers did not dare to test them. That is why today in Russia there are so few private buildings with flat roofs.
Modern houses, due to their style, can greatly stand out from the background of others. The fact is that most of the tenants make an internal drain. It is convenient, although a little expensive. Due to the internal location of the drainage system on the walls of the building, you will not see any protruding pipes, and due to its high power, you will rarely encounter blockages. Some people refer to the fact that as a result of the construction, square houses are obtained and they do not want to live in such a box. It is worth noting that this design has a lot of advantages, which I will now tell you about.
Positive and negative sides of a flat roof house
Despite the negative reviews about such houses, the vast majority of them remain unfounded. Many people do not know that due to the lack of a rafter system, the building becomes cheaper by almost a third of the total cost, and this is not a small amount.
IMPORTANT: It is better not to use outdated products as roofing. For example, bitumen and its derivatives (roofing material, mastic) will only last 5-7 years on the roof. When modern products, in the form of polymer membranes or filling solutions, can serve you for about 50 years without any repairs.
Now, let's look at the other side of the coin. The disadvantages of a flat roof include the following:
- Limited choice in roofing materials. Despite the fact that the roofing plane has a slight slope for drainage of water, most types of coverings cannot be laid on it. Suitable materials are products with high waterproofing protection.
- Due to the flat surface in winter time the year will have to carry out multiple cleaning work. Despite its porosity, snow has a serious mass and, with a large amount, can easily destroy an entire building.
- Large heat loss. Due to the simply enormous plane, serious heat losses occur. This can be corrected by stacking thick insulation in several layers. In the process of preventive examinations, this material should be given the most time so that the underlying premises always remain warm.
- Without laying the insulation cord, the internal drain can freeze in severe frosts.
If you do not take into account these disadvantages and create additional elements in order to eliminate them, then a flat surface is the best of all.
Modern houses with flat roofs are built according to crazy projects, if you turn to a good architect, then as a result you can get buildings such as shown in these photos: 
Types of flat roofs
As you know, there is almost always some choice in life. It is the same with the roofing surface. In the roofing area, there are only 2 options for using a flat base surface:
- Make it exploitable
- Make it unexploitable
Before starting construction, at the time of design, it is very important to decide on this issue. After all, if the roof is in use, then the installation of massive elements will be required, which will easily withstand serious weights. In cases where an unexploited surface is installed, then the entire building can be frame. By the way, wooden frame houses are very relevant in America and in warm countries Europe. As for Russia, it is better to use thick walls here, otherwise it will not be sweet in winter.
An exploitable roof is designed to accommodate heavy elements. Often, residents of Europe install recreation areas, workshops, gazebos on their roofs. This is very convenient if you want to relax in the company, but do not want the dirt to be carried into the house.
Roofs that are not in use cannot be used as a recreation area. Often, flooded roofs are laid on such surfaces, therefore, you can move along them only along bridges or ladders. Such materials allow you to save money, but at the same time they have maximum waterproofing performance, so you can fill a pool on such a roof, but of course you should not do this. 
In addition, flat roofs are divided into several types in terms of structure:
- Traditional
- Inversion
- Breathable
A traditional roofing cake has the following structure:
- Base
- Screed
- Vapor barrier layer
- Thermal insulation
- Waterproofing
- Finish coating
As you can see, here the thermal insulation material is under the waterproofing. This is beneficial only if during operation such a cake will not be subject to serious loads, therefore, it is ideal for an unexploited surface.
In the inversion pie, the order of the layers is slightly changed and looks like this:
- Base
- Screed
- Waterproofing (usually roofing material)
- Thermal insulation boards
- High permeable vapor permeable film
- Screed
- Finish coating
As you can see, there are two layers of screed. This is done in order to thermal insulation boards they did not deform under weight and always performed their functional tasks with high quality.
As for breathable roofs, in their structure they can be traditional or inverted, but as additional element aerators or deflectors are installed on them. These devices are very useful when natural ventilation cannot provide high-quality ventilation of the premises, and due to the fact that flat roofs are erected with parapets, the air flow is extremely small.
Find suitable house with a flat roof is not a problem now, just look in the catalog of projects offered by construction companies. If you want a cozy building, then you need to contact the design bureaus directly, otherwise your house will be typical and, as a rule, not very convenient for you or your loved ones. Today, there are more and more houses with an exploited roof. This is due to the fact that additional objects can be installed on it, for example, a recreation area. By the way, finding people on the roof is completely safe, because according to building codes, the minimum height of the fence should be 120 centimeters.
As an example, let's look at one-story houses, or rather their projects in the following photos: 
As you can see, minimalism in all cases is an important component of these buildings. You need to get used to this style, but most of the inhabitants of Russia are not yet ready for this, they prefer a house made of timber and the usual two slopes over their heads.
Base for flat roof
The elements used on the floors depend on the materials used to erect the walls of the building. For example, if load-bearing walls frame, then the floors must be extremely light, otherwise the whole structure may collapse. Today, only a few elements are used in construction for floor overlaps:
- Reinforced concrete slabs (flat or hollow)
- Monolithic concrete layer
- Thick sheets of corrugated board
A heat-insulating and waterproofing layer is not placed on these elements between floors, but upon completion last floor, it is necessary.
As you already know, flat roof roofing pie can be classic and inversion. The latter does not imply that any heavy elements will subsequently be laid on the roof surface. As a rule, such a plane is filled with bulk material or bituminous products are laid on it. You can see how such a one-story house looks like in this photo: 
As for the exploited surfaces, here the variety of roofing solutions is off scale. You can plant trees on the roof, cover the area with a lawn, put up a gazebo, and much more. But the most important thing is of course the roofing. It is very important to consider the nature of your plane here. For example, if you want to put a gazebo, then it would be nice to cover the area adjacent to it with grass or flowers, and make the approach out of paving slabs... Projects of houses with a flat roof allow you to do other things, the main thing is to understand what exactly you want.
It is not uncommon to find a pressure coating on the roof of private houses. They are gravel and soil. The load from such materials is very high, therefore it is suitable exclusively for the types of roofs in use. It is worth noting that their structure will differ slightly from the inversion one, but you can already check this with some designer.
Reinforced concrete slabs with a screed is perfect solution if you are considering projects of cottages in the catalog where they are collected budget options... We lay these elements as a ceiling slab, you will get a sufficiently rigid base to create a good maintained roof.
The cheapest construction option would be a frame building. It should be noted that this method of erecting buildings is very popular in hot countries, but not quite suitable for our climate. Nevertheless, such a building can be used for economic purposes. If the walls are frame, therefore, it is no longer possible to put reinforced concrete elements on top, they will simply crush the structure. You can solve this problem with the help of corrugated board. The metal base is very light, and due to its high rigidity, it will not deform even under strong weights, the main thing is to distribute them qualitatively.
On the roofs frame houses often lightweight materials are stacked. For example, thermal insulation products include expanded polystyrene plates, and instead of a heavy coating, modern membranes are used. Thanks to this, a very light and inexpensive building is obtained, which can be used for any purpose.
Roofing Pie Materials
The roofing cake in a flat roof plays a rather large role, because due to the violation of one layer, others will suffer and ultimately such a chain will get to thermal insulation, and this is the basis of such a structure that retains the heat of the room.
To create a quality cake, you will have to think about how to choose the right materials for the following:
- Vapor barrier
- Thermal insulation boards
- Coating
Project modern home should include polymeric or bituminous membranes as vapor barrier material. As for obsolete polyethylene, it is best to avoid it, as it will not give the cake reliability and will fail quite quickly.
It is a little more difficult to choose thermal insulation products, because there are a lot of them. Fortunately, we have criteria that filter out unnecessary materials. The thermal insulation of a flat roof must be rigid and withstand high static and dynamic loads. In addition, they must be hydrophobic, so there are only a few options left here:
- Expanded polystyrene
- Rigid mineral wool
- Foam glass
- Expanded clay filler
IMPORTANT: Foam glass is very effective thermal insulation material but the price is quite high. If you are planning to build a high-quality building that will stand for more than one decade, then you should choose it.
Expanded clay is a low-efficiency product and is rarely used as thermal insulation. Due to its flowability and large fraction, a very large layer will have to be poured, and this is an additional load on the walls and ceilings. 
As you already understood, the coating should also be light and moisture-proof. This list includes: jellied roofs, membranes and bituminous derivatives such as roofing material.
Gutter system
The flat roof gutter system deserves a separate topic, but I will try to explain everything in a nutshell.
According to building codes, it is impossible to create a drainage system with a slope of less than 15 degrees, therefore, in this case they are not suitable for us. The closest suitable alternative here would be the following:
- Create a system using overhead gutters
- Construct an internal drain
It should be noted that both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, an external gutter system will spoil the appearance of a flat roof building. Of course decide this problem it is possible with the help of design tricks, but this will have to spend additional finances. Concerning internal system, then here I want to talk more openly.
The internal drain is the most optimal solution to remove sediment from a flat roof. For the system to function all year round heating cables are laid in it. They can be purchased in any construction market. In addition, such a system should be created with zero construction.
The internal drain is divided into two types:
- Gravity
- Siphon
Gravity drainage is the most primitive sediment removal system. It is not difficult to calculate, and the installation can be carried out by a person far from the construction business. This device includes such elements as: risers, branch pipes, water intake funnels. It is worth noting that the gravity system cannot boast of high performance, therefore, in case of heavy rainfall, it may have problems, as a result of which a huge puddle forms on the roof surface. TO positive aspects developers attribute its low price.
The siphon system is more complex and efficient. She can deal with big amount rainfall without experiencing any difficulties. The essence of her work is that she does not remove water from pipes until they accumulate enough, and then, due to the force of gravity, brings them into storm sewer... By the way, after the process of removing water in the pipes has begun, different pressures are formed from above and precipitation from the roof leaves through the pipe at an even greater speed. Due to this, such a system very rarely clogs up, therefore it does not require practically any attention to itself. The disadvantages include its high cost and problematic device.
Projects of one-story houses with a flat roof
Now that you are familiar with buildings with a flat roof type, then you can start considering some projects.
Rectangular house with garage
The total living area will be about 168 square meters. The foundation is made of MZFL slabs or piles are placed. The roof is flat, and a pvc membrane or bituminous products is used as a covering. The number of living rooms in this project is 3 pieces. The drainage system is internal. The building has no basement. There is a garage. The walls will be built of gas silicate, expanded clay concrete, brick or wood concrete. Thickness load-bearing structures is 400 millimeters, however, they can be increased. Everything described above can be changed within reason.
Such house designs with many rooms and a two-car garage are suitable for young families with children. There is a garage, a living room and two spacious rooms.
High-tech one-storey house
Modern one-story houses must be designed with style. These projects are intended for business people who have work in the first place. However, this building is suitable for a small family as summer cottage option or a country house. The project is compact and has two living rooms, a spacious kitchen combined with a living room and a cozy terrace. As you can see, there is nothing superfluous and distracting.
As for the garage, it is slightly pushed forward. The front door to it is located in the building, it is convenient if you carefully monitor your car and try to repair it as soon as any malfunctions arise.
As a covering on a flat roof, a pvc membrane or bitumen roll products are used. Living area 96 square meters. The number of rooms is two. The foundation is created from slabs 20 centimeters thick or sits on piles. There is no basement in the building, but there is a garage for one car.
This is not to say that houses with a flat roof are so common in our area. Still, we are more accustomed to seeing classic gable or multi-pitched roofs. It is believed that houses with a flat roof look exclusive, even eccentric, and speak of their owner as a great original, a modern person who thinks outside the box.
By by and large, "Flat roof" - the name is rather arbitrary. There should always be a slight but mandatory bias. Otherwise, rainwater or water after melting snow will accumulate on the roof, which, in the end, will lead to serious troubles and costs for repairing not only the roof, but also indoor spaces.
In addition to its direct functions - thermal insulation and protection of the house from atmospheric precipitation- the flat roof can be used as an additional recreational area.
Let's try to figure out how expedient it is to choose a project for a house with a flat roof in our area. To do this, you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of this type of roof.
The advantages of a flat roof
- The flat roof allows you to optimize costs. It is smaller in area than any pitched roof. This allows the developer to save significant amounts on materials.
- Simple form roofing significantly reduces the time spent on installation.
- For the same reasons, repair and maintenance of a flat roof of an already constructed building is incomparably easier than in houses with pitched roofs.
- But the most important advantage of flat roof house projects is the additional usable area, which the owners of the house can use at their own discretion. On the roof of such a house, you can take out some elements of engineering systems, for example, ventilation and air conditioning systems. And you can install solar panels.
- But most often the flat roof space is used as an additional area. comfortable rest... Here you can equip a solarium or a place for sports. By the way, there are even projects that make it possible to equip a pool. The roof garden looks very impressive. Modern technologies allow you to pave the roof with paving stones. And in combination with the lawn and decorative trees, comfortable wicker furniture, garden gazebo with a fireplace, this place will become the center of family recreation.
Naturally, like any roofing system, a flat roof has its drawbacks.
- A more thorough design and installation of the roof will be required, otherwise the reckoning in the form of expensive repairs to the interior is inevitable.
- You will also have to provide additional costs for the organization of internal drains.
- There are certain inconveniences associated with flat roof maintenance. First, it is necessary to constantly monitor the moisture content of the insulation and the tightness of the roof. Secondly, there is always the possibility of clogging or freezing of internal drains. Thirdly, in snowy winters there is a risk of leaks due to the large accumulation of snow. But this disadvantage can be easily circumvented by installing the Antiled system on the roof. True, this leads to additional costs.
Flat roof house project: is it worth doing
It can be said absolutely definitely that with careful design study and competent work of builders, it is worth building a house with a flat roof. Ultimately, you get original housing with additional square meters of usable space and save money on construction works and materials. And Dom4M hopes that you long years live in uyutnolm comfortable home built according to our project.
The type and shape of the roof has always depended on the region and the climatic conditions that existed in it. In northern lands with a lot of rain in summer and snow in winter, different types of pitched roofs have historically been used. There is a completely rational rationale for this - this way precipitation rolls down faster, and the roof is more likely not to leak.
In some places, the dome was an alternative to the pitched roof. As an example, we can name such a type of dwelling house, traditional for some peoples, as a yurt.
The dome, like the pitched roof, is quite effective in removing snow and water. In addition, it handles well the wind load - which is a serious threat to all of us well-known sloping roof with large overhangs.
But the hot southern regions could afford to make a very slight slope for water flow. For example, in ancient Greece, one-story houses with a flat roof, with a slight slope, with an open courtyard and a pool, into which water flowed, were common.
However, all this concerns the past. Modern construction technologies allow you to do what was previously considered irrational and even impossible. And flat roofs have gradually penetrated into all regions, increasingly displacing other options. Take a look at any major city. And in recent times and in private houses, flat roofs are gradually replacing the traditional pitched roofs.
The advantages of a flat roof
This trend is explained by a number of significant advantages that this particular type of roof has. First, it is structurally simpler. That is, it takes less time and materials to build it. It is easier to insulate it. And this leads to a reduction in construction time and significant cost savings. It is not surprising that in a market economy, this type of roof is most widespread.
And secondly, a flat roof is a potential opportunity to increase the usable area that you can use. After all, such a roof can be made exploitable - which we observe in numerous projects. modern houses with a flat roof.
AND given idea from beautiful projects has long begun to migrate into reality. This is not an architectural utopia, but something that you, if you wish, can translate into your own two-story house with a flat roof.
Cons of a flat roof house
Of course, the widespread introduction of just this type of roof has a huge number of opponents who claim significant shortcomings of this solution.
For example, it is often said that flat roofs still leak too often.
And the absence of overhangs, usual for a pitched roof, makes the facades of the building more vulnerable, which are not protected by anything from the destructive effects of moisture and due to this they quickly lose their appearance.
An even greater snow load is mentioned, which leads to the need to manually clean the roofs. But let's take a closer look at each of these cons.
Frequent leaks: who is to blame and what to do
Unfortunately, this is a reality - a huge number of modern apartment buildings with flat roofs are in need of renovation on a regular basis. And the inhabitants of their upper floors often suffer from the water flowing down the walls and ceiling.
However, the type of roofing itself is not to blame for this. Remember, other claims are often made to panel houses. Poor sound insulation, walls freezing in some places ... The thing is that during the construction of most of the modern housing stock they relied not on quality, but on speed and quantity. And it was right - the housing crisis was very acute, it had to be solved somehow.
But - yes - as a result, residents of such houses now have problems. Including with the current roof. But not because this type of roof, in principle, is not able to withstand the destructive effects of moisture. But because its installation requires professionalism, careful approach and quality materials.
However, there is another reason for the leakage problems so common in panel residential buildings. This is a non-observance of what is called "operating rules".
There are different types of flat roofs. For example, one that you can walk on, even plant grass there, organize recreation areas, parks, swimming pools on it.
If you undertake to study fashionable projects of houses with a flat roof - all this is often found there. But typical construction assumes a different type of construction. One that, in principle, cannot be walked on.
However, it is not always possible to fulfill this condition in practice. Roofs are cleaned of snow, communications are installed on them, and so on. And all of these actions potentially lead to future leaks.
Thus, if in your private house you entrust the device of a flat roof to professionals and comply with all operating conditions, the roof will not disappoint you.
The destructive effect of moisture: how to save facades
So, critics of flat roofs say that the lack of large overhangs inherent in traditional pitched roof leads to rapid destruction of facades. And, in general, it is difficult to argue - water can affect even the mountain slopes, let alone the brickwork.
However, do overhangs actually protect facades from moisture so well? Imagine oblique streams of rain falling on the surface of a wall at an angle. Roof overhangs take over part of them, it's true.
But in fact, they really cover only a small strip of the facade from above. The larger the protruding part of the roof, the larger this space will turn out. But its size cannot be increased indefinitely.
Thus, in order to protect the facades, not a special type of roof is needed, but modern construction technologies. For example, frame house with a flat roof, lined with porcelain tiles or siding, will be extremely resistant to external influences.
Snow loads
This factor can be very significant in some regions. The snow layer is heavy, which additionally loads the floor. And if it fails, the consequences will be very dire.
However, the design features of a flat roof are calculated according to the rules taking into account the possible snow load. Thus, if no fatal mistakes were made in the design and construction, the snow will not affect the house in any way, no matter what kind of roof it has.
Aesthetic possibilities
Sometimes you can hear that rectangular boxes with a flat roof are uninteresting and ugly. Of course, those who say this have never seen modern flat-roofed houses, even in a photo, let alone a personal acquaintance.
It is no coincidence that this architectural solution is now at the peak of its popularity. Styles such as hi-tech, minimalism, modern style invariably give preference to roofs with a slight slope. Because it allows you to make a more complex planning structure, to embody previously unrealizable ideas, to create expressive and unusual compositions. Such architecture can look very impressive and original.
Photo of houses with a flat roof
How quickly time flies! It's been 4 years since I built an unusual one with my own hands. Vacation home... Many non-standard technical solutions were used in the house, which were practically never used in individual construction in Russia. Firstly, the house is heated with help, and secondly, the house has a flat roof.
Even from the very beginning of construction in 2012, I was constantly told that a flat roof is not for our climate (but for which one?), That it will leak (why?), And in general, with such a roof, the house looks like a transformer box (poor Europeans, they have to live in transformer booths).
But most often they tried to prove to me that it is necessary to constantly remove snow from a flat roof (I wonder why?). Of course, if anyone wants, you can clean, no one forbids. But on houses with a flat roof, there is no need to remove the snow. For example, now I have over 80 centimeters of snow on my roof! And somewhere under the snow she hid.
2. Snow on the roof is an additional and completely free insulation.
By the way, as it turned out, many do not know that a flat roof is not a plane in the direct sense, but a surface with a slope of about 2-4 degrees (in fact, the roof is considered flat if its angle of inclination is from 2 to 20 degrees). And any flat roof must have a drain. It is more correct to make an internal drain for a flat roof, but you can do with a classic external one. At the time of the start of construction, I did not have sufficient knowledge to design and implement an internal gutter, so I made an external one. The advantage of the internal drainage system is the absence of pipes on the façade.
3. Summer 2013, just done. A flat roof is significantly cheaper than any pitched roof (at least because its area is, on average, 1.5 times less than that of a pitched roof). With it, there is no loss of space and such a useless place in the house as the attic. It is easier and easier to insulate it - everything is in the same plane.
Let me remind you of the construction of my roof pie (bottom to top):
1. Precast-monolithic floor with filling aerated concrete blocks- 250 mm;
2. Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam - 150 mm;
3. Insulation and creation of a slope using wedge-shaped plates of extruded polystyrene foam - 0-150 mm;
4. Cement strainer- 50 mm;
5. Two-layer weld-on waterproofing ( upper layer with sprinkles).
4. Another huge plus of a flat roof is that it is not afraid of a hurricane. Watch the chronicles of hurricanes and how easily it rips off and breaks the rafter system on classic pitched roofs.
5. In the summer of 2016, I finished all the other landscaping work and decided to do it.
6. By the way, if anyone does not know, then any concrete floor By default, it has a bearing capacity of at least 400 kg per square meter (usually 600-800 kg / m2). While the snow load for the Moscow region is only 180 kg per square meter. This is the maximum design snow load, which in reality is rarely achieved, but it is obvious that any floor has a huge margin of bearing capacity.
7. Another important advantage of a flat roof is that it has completely sealed joints. While the seams on the pitched roof are not tight, and if the pitched roof is covered with snow and it starts to melt from below (due to insufficient insulation), the pitched roof will leak (especially at the junction of two slopes - valleys). Look at the neighboring houses with pitched roofs- surprisingly, there is snow on them too!
Why isn't a flat roof made by technology leaking? Everything is very simple. Because it is insulated!
It is the insulation that determines the durability of the roof. It is known that the roof accounts for an average of 40% of the heat loss of the entire building. If the roof is not insulated, or it is not insulated well enough, then the heat will rise upward, and the snow lying on the upper roof carpet will melt. With the onset of frost, the thawed snow will freeze again, and when freezing, as you know, water expands in volume. These multiple thaw-freeze cycles will eventually rupture the waterproofing (after 2-3 years) and the flat roof will start to leak.
8. In the last century, when building houses, they did not think about energy efficiency and saving energy resources, therefore, roof insulation was usually not done. This led to the fact that the waterproofing of the roof was constantly destroyed and the roof was leaking.
If the roof is properly insulated, then it has only one "enemy" - the sun and its ultraviolet radiation. But to protect against this, waterproofing is used with a package, or with special additives (if used). And the most effective method protect waterproofing from destructive ultraviolet radiation- make a lawn on the roof, fill in pebbles or lay tiles. By the way, a more promising waterproofing today is a polymer membrane.
A flat roof is even easier to operate than a pitched roof. From a flat roof, snow will never fall on your head or tear gutters. There is no need to clean the snow, and if there is a lawn, there is no need to keep the gutters clean (all water is filtered through geotextiles and they will not be clogged by fallen leaves).
Therefore, a flat roof is the most reasonable roof option, especially for a house from. The main thing is not to violate the technology and not to save on insulation.
And cleaning snow from a flat roof is not only useless, but also harmful - you can accidentally break the waterproofing with the sharp edge of a shovel and the roof will begin to leak.
With all the reports dedicated to the construction of a country house with your own hands in chronological order can be found.