Residents of the post-Soviet space staunchly associate flat roofs with multi-storey standard houses. Modern architectural thought does not stand still, and now there are many solutions for private houses and cottages with a flat roof that look no less interesting than pitched structures.
Peculiarities
Cottage with a flat roof has a stylish and modern look. Basically, such designs are stylized in a special way, choosing the directions of minimalism or hi-tech. Traditional styles for buildings with such a roof will not be suitable, since such roofs have only recently been developed properly, therefore, any of the classical styles will look ridiculous here.
Of particular interest is how exactly the roof will be used: either for its intended purpose, or as an additional open tier-terrace. It is necessary to decide on this issue in advance in order to competently draw up a project plan.
Materials
For the construction of 1-story cottages with a flat roof, they are used various materials, however, it is worth keeping in mind that not all of them are suitable for the Russian climate. In winter, precipitation falls almost throughout the entire territory of Russia. a large number of snow, which greatly increases the load on the flat roof. Therefore, you cannot make walls from light and insufficiently strong materials. In this regard, popular frame buildings will not be suitable, but there is another prefabricated option.
Materials for floors and walls differ. If almost all durable types are suitable for walls (monolith, brick, wood), then for the roof you will have to choose the type of building material more carefully.
Reinforced concrete slabs
Hollow or flat reinforced concrete slabs used in modern construction for floor coverings. They are strong enough to support the weight of a flat roof.
Plates have many positive qualities:
- strength;
- durability;
- good sound and heat insulation characteristics;
- speed of installation;
- resistance to corrosive phenomena.
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The main disadvantage of the material is that it is produced only in standard sizes, this must be taken into account when creating the project. Reinforced concrete slabs are suitable for floors only in a house that has a reinforced foundation.
Corrugated sheet
For floors, a special corrugated sheet is used, which is called load-bearing. Like the previous option, it is perfect for installation as a flat roof. Load-bearing corrugated sheeting is very popular mainly because of its low cost. This material costs significantly less than all the others. However, the low price has not stopped it from establishing itself as a durable and versatile material that has an excellent ability to withstand the heavy loads that a flat roof is subjected to.
Load-bearing corrugated sheeting weighs much less than reinforced concrete slabs, so it is optimal for creating flat roofs in an average climate zone with little precipitation in winter.
Monolithic concrete
This material used for floors quite rarely due to the complexity of installation. Here you first need to prepare the mixture, after which you can fill it. Only true professionals in their field can do this. However, it should be noted that monolithic concrete It works well as a flat roof, but only if the manufacturing and installation technology has been fully followed.
Modern one-story houses with a flat roof are not usually built from traditional materials. Modern developments that can withstand and harsh winter, And summer heat. At the same time, they are easy to work with, and the construction itself does not take much time.
SIP or sandwich panels
Every self-respecting construction agency has standard projects in its catalog one-story houses with a flat roof made of SIP panels. Please note that it is best to order cottages made from this material. Construction requires special technology, so it can be difficult for a beginner to work with sandwich panels.
Speaking of virtues panel houses, one can note their low thermal conductivity and high noise insulation characteristics. Construction costs much less than using brick. At the same time, abandoning the pitched roof also plays a significant role.
Flat roof
We are all accustomed to seeing flat roofs only multi-storey buildings Soviet built. There is an opinion among many that such roofs are boring, and real home should only be equipped with a pitched roof. In the light of recent architectural developments, this belief can be argued, especially if we remember the many advantages of such roofs.
It must be noted that one-story houses with flat roof It will only be possible to stylize it in a modern direction. The flat roof itself looks futuristic, and you need to use this free space.
Advantages
There are many benefits of flat roofs.
- Easy to install. The construction of a flat roof can be completed in record time.
- Reliability. If you organize the roof in the right way, it can withstand a lot of weight. Moreover, if something happens, repairing such a structure is much easier than repairing it. rafter system.
- Excellent thermal insulation. Regardless of what type of flat roof structure was chosen, it will perfectly retain heat inside the house.
- Cheapness. Compared to pitched ones, flat structures are much cheaper both in terms of materials and time consumption.
- Easy to install equipment. Antennas, air conditioners, and various service communications are much easier to locate on a flat surface than on a slope.
- Interesting view. If the house itself is decorated in the style of “minimalism,” then a laconic roof without a slope will perfectly complement the overall look.
- Additional area. If desired, the roof can be strengthened and used to organize space for a playground, garden or recreation area. Some even make a swimming pool here.
Flaws
There are not many disadvantages, but they still exist.
- No matter how good the roof is, there is always a chance that it will leak. In case of flat design the risk increases many times over, because it is subject to heavy loads due to the fact that the snow does not roll off.
- If you plan to use the cover for your needs in winter, snow and ice will have to be cleared off manually.
- The construction of a flat roof must be carried out in full compliance with the technology, otherwise there is a risk that it will leak or will not withstand the loads and collapse.
Varieties
Pitched roofs are divided according to several criteria, including the method of use and the type of installation of materials. As a rule, the name of each of the characteristics speaks for itself.
By method of use
Roofs can be used or unused.
Used roofs are those that are used not only as roofs, but also as additional space for spending time. Reinforced systems are used here, allowing not only to place heavy equipment on the roof, but even to organize a “green corner” here, planting a lawn, flowers and even trees. Equipping a structure of this type costs quite a lot, and it is important to factor into the project in advance what weight load the roof will be subject to.
Unused roofs are much cheaper due to the fact that they do not need to be additionally reinforced and equipped with waterproofing. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the snow loads to which the roof will be exposed in winter.
By type of installation of materials
There are classic, inversion and breathable roofs.
Classic types are usually used when designing unused roofs. This is due to the fact that they have a lower load resistance coefficient. Moisture or mechanical stress can be detrimental to these roofs.
The layer layout looks like this (from top to bottom):
- top surface material (waterproofing);
- bottom welded material (waterproofing);
- screed (if provided);
- insulation;
- vapor barrier layer;
- overlap
Thus, an unprotected waterproofing layer quickly becomes unusable.
The inversion roof looks exactly the opposite, as can be understood from the name:
- ballast (gravel, crushed stone or other heavy material);
- vapor barrier;
- hydrophobic insulation;
- waterproofing;
- protective substrate (primer);
- overlap
Such flat roofs have a long service life and are optimally suited to the roofs in use.
Both classic and inversion designs can be breathable. They are equipped with aerators or deflectors to provide additional ventilation, because there is no gap between the flat roof and the house, as is the case with pitched roofs. This leads to insufficient air exchange, which is why organizing a ventilation system is so important.
Project
When designing a one-story house with a flat roof, it is extremely important to pay close attention to the type of roof. Here the roof is the most important component. Russian companies have been engaged in such design for a short time, so contact only trusted agencies.
The type and shape of the roof always depended on the region and the natural and climatic conditions that existed in it. In northern lands with a lot of rain in summer and snow in winter, they were historically used different types pitched roofs. This has a completely rational justification - this way precipitation rolls down faster, and the roof is more likely not to leak.
In some places, a dome acted as an alternative to a pitched roof. As an example, we can name such a traditional type of residential building for some peoples as the yurt.
The dome, like a pitched roof, is quite effective in removing snow and water. In addition, it copes well with wind loads - which is a serious threat to the familiar sloping roof with large overhangs.
But the hot southern regions could afford to make a very slight slope for water drainage. For example, in ancient Greece, one-story houses with a flat roof with a slight slope, an open courtyard and a pool into which water flowed were common.
However, this is all about the past. Modern construction technologies allow us to do what was previously considered irrational and even impossible. And flat roofs gradually penetrated into all regions, increasingly displacing other options. Look at any major city. And in Lately and in private houses, flat roofing is gradually replacing the traditional pitched roof.
Advantages of a flat roof
This trend is explained by a number of significant advantages that this particular type of roofing has. Firstly, it is structurally simpler. That is, its construction requires less time and materials. It's easier to insulate it. This leads to a reduction in construction time and significant cost savings. It is not surprising that in a market economy this type of roofing has become 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 is what we see in numerous projects modern houses with a flat roof.
And this idea has long since begun to migrate from beautiful projects to reality. This is not an architectural utopia, but something that you can implement in your own if you wish. two-story house with a flat roof.
Disadvantages of a flat roof of a house
Of course, the widespread introduction of this type of roofing also has a huge number of opponents who claim significant disadvantages of this solution.
For example, it is often said that flat roofs still leak too often.
And the absence of the usual overhangs for a pitched roof makes the facades of the building more vulnerable, which are not protected in any way from the destructive influence of moisture and, as a result, quickly lose their appearance.
They mention an even greater snow load, which leads to the need to manually clean the roofs. But let's look at each of these disadvantages in a little more detail.
Frequent leaks: who is to blame and what to do
Unfortunately, this is a reality - a huge number of modern apartment buildings with a flat roof regularly need repairs. And residents of their upper floors often suffer from water flowing along the walls and ceiling.
However, it is not the type of roofing itself that is to blame. Remember to panel houses after all, other claims are often made. Poor sound insulation, freezing walls 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 a leaking roof. But not because this type of roof is, in principle, unable to withstand the destructive effects of moisture. But because its installation requires professionalism, a careful approach and high-quality materials.
However, for those so common in panel residential buildings There is another reason for problems with leaks. This is a failure to comply with what are called “operating rules.”
There are different types of flat roofing. For example, one on which you can walk, even plant grass there, organize recreation areas, parks, and swimming pools on it.
If you start studying fashionable designs of houses with a flat roof, you will often find all this there. But standard construction involves a different type of structure. One that you basically can’t walk on.
However, it is not always possible to fulfill this condition in practice. The roofs are cleared of snow, communications are installed on them - and so on. And all of these actions potentially lead to future leaks.
Thus, if you entrust the installation of a flat roof to professionals in your private home and comply with all operating conditions, the roof will not disappoint you.
The destructive influence of moisture: how to save facades
So, critics of flat roofs say that the lack of large overhangs characteristic of a traditional pitched roof leads to the rapid destruction of facades. And, in general, it’s hard to argue - water can even affect mountain slopes, let alone brickwork.
However, do overhangs really protect facades from moisture that well? Imagine slanting streams of rain falling onto the surface of a wall at an angle. The roof overhangs take on some of it, that's true.
But in fact, they really only cover a small strip of the facade from above. The larger the protruding part of the roof, the larger this space will be. But its size cannot be increased indefinitely.
Thus, to protect facades, you need not some special type of roofing, 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 has a large weight, which additionally loads the ceiling. And if it fails, the consequences will be very dire.
However, according to the rules, the design features of a flat roof are calculated taking into account the possible snow load. Thus, if no fatal errors were made during design and construction, snow will not affect the house in any way, no matter what kind of roof it has.
Aesthetic options
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 houses with a flat roof even in the photo, not to mention personal acquaintance.
It is no coincidence that this architectural solution is now at the peak of popularity. Styles such as hi-tech, minimalism, and modernism invariably give preference to roofs with a slight slope. Because this allows you to create a more complex planning structure, implement previously impossible ideas, create expressive and unusual compositions. Such architecture can look very impressive and original.
Photos of houses with a flat roof
Projects of houses with a flat roof
In our country, a flat roof is a rather atypical solution. Therefore, such a house will stand out among other buildings. A flat roof serves in its own way as an indicator of the status of the owner, the breadth of his views and the absence of conventions.
But a house with a flat roof is not just a tribute to fashion and a desire to stand out. If previously only elite apartment buildings, then today it is increasingly becoming an attribute country houses. The flat roof allows you to realize the fantasies that owners pitched roofs and never dreamed of it. This is a luxurious flower garden and a pond with a beach area. Material benefits also play an important role when choosing such a roof. After all, it eliminates the need to design and build a rafter system. True, a flat roof also has significant disadvantages. For example, the lack of under-roof space, and therefore the thermal insulation that it provides.
A house with a flat roof needs an attic with high-quality hydro- and thermal insulation. To do this you will need expensive materials. No matter how flat the roof is, a minimum slope is still necessary. Usually it is 5-15 degrees. This angle of inclination is enough to prevent the roof from collecting rain and melt water. Moreover, on a perfectly flat roof you will have to make a slope, that is, give it some slope. For this purpose, special materials are used - plates with a certain angle. It is possible to use bulk materials. If you are worried about clearing snow in winter, calm down, you don’t have to pick up a shovel. A warm cable will help solve the problem, thanks to which the snow will constantly melt and flow off the roof on its own. However, even what is essentially a disadvantage can also be an advantage. It is not necessary to remove all the snow from the roof. By leaving it there in an amount safe for the roof, you get natural thermal insulation, which means you can save on heating.
If you decide to order a house project with a flat roof, you should remember that such construction may be associated with certain difficulties. For example, during the installation of a roof, all requirements for waterproofing must be met. Otherwise, you will end up with leaks and water pooling on your roof in the future. You can order individual project or buy standard project houses with a flat roof. In any case, you will be asked to choose one of two types of roofing. This can be a lightweight or exploitable flat roof. Lightweight roofing does not require operation. In this case, the beams are laid on top load-bearing walls and are fixed in place. The next step is to install the sheathing, then lay the waterproofing in several layers.
The next stage is laying thermal insulation and installing ventilation vents so that condensation does not accumulate in the insulation. Finally, you need to waterproof the roof using roofing membranes. If you choose finished project flat roof houses and would like to arrange a recreation area at the top, then you need to choose a structure with a solid roof designed for significant loads. There are several ways to arrange such a roof. Concrete slabs can serve as floors. It will not be possible to lay such a roof without the use of heavy equipment; in addition, it needs to be insulated. Also the basis roofing You can put metal support beams. Most modern way– ceramic roofing blocks. This material will give the roof strength, keep heat inside and keep out sounds from outside. Such blocks are resistant to moisture.
Swimming pools and tennis courts, playgrounds and solariums, gardens and walking alleys, but only on the roof! Houses with an exploitable roof have such opportunities: in modern suburban construction they actively compete with traditional houses and offer additional space for use.
The portal site presents a selection of the most popular projects of houses with a flat roof. Their expressive, laconic architecture and the ability to expand functionality due to an open area on the roof will certainly resonate with owners of cramped areas and adherents of modern European design.
Project of a three-story house ""
The exploitable roof of the Vesconti project is suitable for leisure of all generations. Children will be happy to organize a play area here, young people will set up a ping-pong table or organize a party, and the older generation will set up upholstered furniture for an outdoor recreation area.
Project of a modern two-story villa with wood trim in a horizontal layout, open terraces and a built-in garage for two cars.
At the ground floor level, the left side of the villa is occupied by a garage with technical rooms, and the right side is occupied by the combined space of the living room and kitchen-dining room. Adjacent to the living room are: staircase and distribution halls.
Three bedrooms, each with its own dressing room and bathroom, are located on the second floor. The office is also located here. Each room on the second floor has a corner panoramic window and access to an open terrace.
The villa is designed for permanent residence families of 4-5 people.
Modern villa project with brick finishing, cantilevered second floor and built-in garage.
L-shaped in plan, the villa is designed to accommodate a family of 3-5 people and has a simple and convenient layout. At the ground floor level, one wing of the house is occupied by a garage for two cars and technical rooms. The other has a combined kitchen-dining room and living room with access to the terrace.
On the second floor there is an office and three bedrooms, each with its own dressing room and bathroom. The parent's bedroom with an obliquely cut loggia “hangs” in a cantilever above the living room. On the roof of the garage there is an open terrace with a solarium and a barbecue area.
Norden belongs to eco-urbanism, is distinguished by minimalism in decor, functionality and efficiency of planning solutions. The project is sold together with a design project for all premises, including layout options for the usable roof, which occupies more than 160 sq.m. and is divided into three independent functional zones.
The project is very spacious and ideal for a large family6. There are not only 4 isolated bedrooms for the owners of the house, but also 2 rooms for staff. All technical rooms are designed here - a boiler room and a garage for 2 cars. A spacious terrace on the first floor and a balcony with a garden on the second will allow you to save directly on the area of the purchased land plot, organizing quality outdoor recreation within the boundaries of the cottage itself.
Project two-story house «
»
Project of a two-story villa with corner panoramic windows, finishing natural stone and a built-in garage for two cars. The villa is designed for permanent residence of a family of 4-5 people.
At the ground floor level the house is divided into two parts. The right one is occupied by a garage and technical premises, the left one is a cross-shaped combined space of a hall with an internal main staircase, a living room, a fireplace room and a kitchen-dining room. The dining room has its own exit to the garden.
On the second floor there are four bedrooms united by a spacious hall, each with access to its own balcony. The bedrooms are interconnected with separate dressing rooms and bathrooms with natural light.
Project of a two-story house with continuous glazing, open terraces and an attached garage for two cars for a family of 4-5 people.
Attached to the main two-story volume of this house is one-story garage with an exploitable roof.
The presentation group of premises is located on the ground floor and opens onto a terrace running along the main volume of the building. This is a spacious hall with an internal main staircase, a living room with a double-sided fireplace and a kitchen-dining room. On the ground floor there is a guest or maid's room with a separate entrance.
Three bedrooms and an office, located on the second floor, are united by a beautifully lit hall and have access to balconies and a terrace located on the roof of the garage. The children's bedrooms are interconnected with separate bathrooms, the parents' bedroom has a dressing room and a bathroom with natural light.
Project of a one-story house with wood trim and beveled concrete walls, enclosing the terrace next to a group of bedrooms. The house is designed for construction on relief, has an outdoor pool and is designed to accommodate a family of 3-5 people.
The planning solution for this house involves dividing it into two parts - presentation and private. The presentation room is a spacious living room with a fireplace area and a kitchen-dining room. The kitchen has a work island and an adjacent food pantry. The presentation part of the house opens onto a terrace with a swimming pool and an outdoor solarium.
The private part consists of two children's bedrooms and a parent's bedroom, each with access to a terrace. At the same time, the parent bedroom has two opposite exits - to the side terrace, enclosed by concrete walls, and to the main one, with a swimming pool.
Project of a three-story house ""
The minimalism of "Alicante" will appeal to many buyers. Simple, but at the same time harmonious, this project will fit into a site even with modest dimensions. And ergonomics interior spaces makes the house functional and comfortable for a family of 5-6 people.
Project of a modern two-story house with a built-in garage, decorative shutters on the facade and colored exterior lighting.
The breading solution of the house assumes that a family of 5-7 people will live in it permanently. On the ground floor level there is a spacious living room with corner fireplace and exit to the terrace. Next to it is an open kitchen-dining room with a work island, dining table and a large food pantry. At the ground floor level there is a bedroom for older family members, which can also be used as a guest room.
Three children's rooms - each with its own mini-office, but with a common dressing room and bathroom, are located on the second floor. There is also a parent's bedroom, designed as a single block with a bathroom and dressing room and having access to a balcony.
Often, when constructing private houses, preference is given to pitched roof, however, there are also buildings with a flat roof, and the result is very interesting architectural objects. If you decide to build this structure, you need to be prepared for some difficulties. There are pros and cons of a flat roof, and the nuances of its installation.
Pros and cons of a flat roof
It is worth noting from the very beginning that a flat roof for a private house is not a perfectly horizontal surface. It also has a slope, only a small one (from 1 to 5 degrees). The following main advantages of the roof can be identified:
- the ceiling of the upper floor will serve as a supporting structure for the roof;
- the same height of the space under the roof will allow it to be used as a full-fledged room;
- gives the house an original look;
- the possibility of using the roof surface (for example, you can arrange a summer playground there);
- simplifies renovation work and makes them safer.
The disadvantages include:
- strict requirements for the waterproofing layer of the roofing pie;
- the need to install an internal drain;
- high degree of snow load.
From the above it follows that a flat roof is good decision, provided that everything roofing will be carried out efficiently and the requirements will be taken into account.
Base for flat roof installation
What will be the overlap of the upper floor directly depends on design features ceilings throughout the house. As a rule, it is performed using the same material as the ceiling between floors.
The most common options are prefabricated or monolithic ceiling made of reinforced concrete, ceiling on a profiled sheet with metal support beams.
An option is also possible with wooden floor. The fundamental difference from the overlap between floors is the presence of laid insulation and high-quality waterproofing.
Roofing pie options
The type of roofing pie is determined by the nature of its location and purpose. It can be performed in a classic version or made inverse.
A classic roof has the following composition: ceiling, slope made of concrete or expanded clay concrete, vapor barrier, thermal insulation material, roof covering with a high degree of protection from moisture (mainly bituminous materials).
In an inversion design, the arrangement is different: ceiling, slope, multi-layer waterproofing, thermal insulation material, vapor barrier and, finally, a pressure layer. The latter can be made from concrete slabs, gravel, ceramic tiles etc.
The name inversion roofing was given due to the mirror arrangement of the layers of hydro- and vapor barrier in relation to the insulation (unlike the classic version).
This type of roofing is ideal for used roofs. However, the complexity of the technology makes such roofs a rare exception in the field of private construction.
The technology itself is expensive, since the massiveness of the structure makes necessary creation durable ceiling of the upper floor.
Load-bearing structures require detailed calculations at the design stage, and the multi-layer structure of the cake entails significant costs.
Below we will only consider classic version roofing pie, which is often used to equip modern houses with a flat roof.
Roofing material
The material for the roof, namely vapor barrier, waterproofing, insulation and the coating itself, must be selected of high quality.
Vapor barrier is carried out with special membranes, not perforated films. It is undesirable to use polyethylene as waterproofing, since the material does not have the proper reliability.
Insulation for installing a flat roof is selected taking into account the snow load, as well as the load emanating from people working on the roof during repairs.
The insulation must be durable and resistant to wet environments. It could be polystyrene foam, mineral wool with high density, expanded clay.
The efficiency of the latter is not so high, therefore, when choosing it as insulation, it is necessary to achieve a large thickness of the layer being laid. This increases the load on the supporting structures.
The coating is made from rolled materials: roofing felt, linochrome, waterproofing, etc., and self-leveling mastics are also used. Roll material It is considered the most optimal for use when arranging a flat roof.
Roofing technology
The flat roof design involves the following workflow steps. The slope of the roof, albeit small, is achieved by creating a slope.
In this case, you can use bulk material (expanded clay), foam concrete (it is advisable to contact specialists), and insulation material. The slope is covered with a waterproofing layer on top, after which the process of laying the roof covering begins.
The next step is laying the first layer. The roll is rolled out, then it is heated using gas burner and sticks to the base.
It is important to ensure that the panels overlap each other and that the material is applied to all vertical roof objects (parapets, pipes, etc.).
Three layers of underlayment and one finishing layer are laid on a flat roof.
The coating installation stage is a labor-intensive process, especially if it is necessary to use adhesive mastic.
For drainage installations, overhead gutters and an internal drainage system are used.
If all the work related to the arrangement of the roof is carried out correctly, you will have an excellent opportunity to proudly declare the originality of your residential creation. And the photo taken of a house with a flat roof will join the ranks of original design solutions on the Internet.
Photos of houses with a flat roof
