Bituminous shingles in last years has become one of the most popular roofing coverings, thanks to its original appearance, imitating classic ceramic tiles. Simple technology fixing shingles with a self-adhesive layer makes it easier self-installation material, but before starting installation work on the roof structure, thorough preparation is required. In this article we will tell you how the device is made roofing pie under soft tiles.
Soft roofing is called bitumen shingles, which are made from fiberglass or polyester impregnated with modified petroleum bitumen or synthetic rubber. The outer surface of the shingles is sprinkled with basalt or mineral chips to add color, texture and mechanical strength material. Soft tiles are produced in the form of tiles with a figured edge, the length of which is 100 cm, width 30-45 cm, and thickness 0.3-0.45 mm. This roofing has the following features:
- A light weight. Square meter soft roof weighs no more than 13 kg, which makes it possible not to burden the structure of the rafter frame with additional elements.
- Flexibility. The material has high elasticity and flexibility, so it can easily be installed on roofs of complex shapes.
- Durability. The service life of a roof with such a coating is up to 70 years, and it does not require special maintenance.
- Resistance to factors external environment. Soft roofing is valued for its high moisture resistance, tolerance to ultraviolet radiation and temperature changes.
Note! It is not recommended to install soft roofing on structures with a high risk of fire, as it is a flammable material. To reduce the likelihood of fires, the installation of the rafter frame is carried out with mandatory treatment with fire-retarding agents.
Nuances of work
The soft roof is fixed to the base using a self-adhesive layer of low-melting bitumen on the underside of the material, protected by a polyethylene protective film. The construction of a roof made of bitumen shingles can only be carried out under certain weather conditions:
- The ambient air temperature should not be lower than 5-10 degrees, since otherwise the bitumen layer will have to be forcibly heated using a construction hair dryer or gas burner, risking damage to the tiles.
- The ambient temperature should not exceed 25 degrees, so that when installing the roof, the bitumen layer does not melt and flow down the slope.
- performed in dry, non-rainy weather on a dried base to prevent rotting of the rafter frame and finishing coating during operation.
Important! Roof shingles should be stored in a dry place, protected from direct sun rays place to prevent melting of the bitumen adhesive layer. It is not recommended to remove the protective film from the shingles to prevent sticking of the material before installing the covering.
Base requirements
The installation of a soft roof begins with the preparation of the base, the strength and reliability of which determines the service life and moisture resistance of the structure. The process of creating a roofing pie under bitumen roof must be performed strictly in accordance with technology. The base provides the following conditions for flexible tiles:
- Mechanical strength. A soft roof is laid exclusively on a continuous sheathing, since it is not capable of holding its shape on its own. Therefore, the base for installing the coating is made from sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or particle board.
- Smoothness. The lower surface of a flexible roof is easily damaged, so installation is carried out on an underlay carpet; however, the base does not interfere with planing, freeing it from knots and nicks.
- Smooth surface. Installation of a roof made of bitumen shingles does not tolerate curvature. Any misalignment of the sheathing will result in gaps between the shingles.
- Ventilation. The ventilation gap between the bitumen tile roofing and the rafter frame must be at least 50 mm to avoid the “greenhouse effect” and the occurrence of condensation.
Please note that the compliance of the base the right technology guarantees a long service life of the roof, absence of leaks and mechanical damage to the frame.
Preparation technology
The roofing pie, with which a soft roof is installed, consists of a layer of vapor barrier, insulation, waterproofing, counter-lattice, sparse lathing, lining carpet and finishing coating. The quality of the design depends on the correctness of the calculation, sequence and compatibility of materials. Preparing the roof for soft tiles is as follows:
- First of all, it is necessary to check the condition of the rafter frame. All rotten elements must be replaced. Re-treat with fire retardant and antiseptic.
- Fix vapor-permeable membrane waterproofing on top of the rafters with overlapping strips. The waterproofing material is fixed with a construction stapler with sagging to avoid rupture in case of leakage.
- Counter battens 3-4 cm thick are nailed on top of the waterproofing to ensure ventilation gap. Then, perpendicular to the rafters, a sparse sheathing of edged boards is fixed in increments of 30-50 cm.
- Sheets of plywood or OSB are nailed onto the additional sheathing, leaving a gap of 1-3 mm between them.
- On solid base lay a lining carpet, on which a soft roof is subsequently laid.
Experienced craftsmen note that the installation of a high-quality, reliable base makes a bitumen roof more durable and resistant to mechanical damage. Therefore, during the work process, you must strictly follow the technology and recommendations of the manufacturers.
Video instruction
At the dawn of history, man learned to cover the roof of his home with various soft materials. Today there are many types of them . The soft roof installation video shows how convenient it is to cover your home with such flexible and pliable materials. What options are there for arranging a soft roof? What is the technology for installing soft roofing? These questions are asked by everyone who is interested in the opportunity to equip the roof of their home with the help of modern and beautiful roofing materials.
As the name suggests, this type of roofing is flexible and elastic. You can see and feel these qualities with your own eyes only if you touch them with your hands or watch a video. Installation of soft roofing on complex roofs, thanks to these properties, often becomes the only option. Soft roofing materials have many other advantages:
- no installation difficulties, no need for bulky equipment and a large number of workers;
- such a roof itself is a waterproofing material, so additional layers are not needed at all;
- due to the low specific gravity, the load on the structural elements of the roof is significantly reduced, which makes it possible to save on other materials;
- ease of repair. In case of damage, only a small area is changed;
- there is no strong noise during rain, which is important for residential premises located on the attic floor;
- when installing a soft roof, the installation technology is such that almost no waste remains;
- Corrosion is not dangerous for such materials, since they do not contain a metal component;
- The cost of some materials is not high.
This type of roof, like any other, has a number of disadvantages:
- The fire resistance of soft materials is weak, since they are often based on bitumen. To a greater extent this is true for roofing felt and roofing felt. Modern technologies made it possible to increase fire resistance to acceptable levels;
- Under a soft roof, the installation of continuous sheathing is required, which increases the total cost of the work. The exception is , which is somewhat stiffer than other materials, so its installation is possible on the sheathing with small gaps;
- weak thermal insulation properties, which makes necessary styling insulation.
All these pros and cons are inherent to varying degrees in certain materials for soft roofing. The installation technology is also different for everyone.
Installation of flexible tiles (video)
Types of materials for soft roofing
Materials for installing soft roofs are of the following main types::
- Bitumen mastics. Rarely used in private construction, as they are mainly used to cover horizontal or slight slope surfaces.
- Polymer membranes. Made from polyvinyl chloride and other polymers. They are glued to the prepared screed using adhesives.
- Roll coverings. There are self-adhesive ones or those that require heating.
- Soft tiles. The most popular and expensive material. Thanks to the variety of shapes and colors, it has gained great popularity. It is a piece product.
- Ondulin. A slate-like, ribbed sheet material made from cellulose and bitumen. Possesses the properties of hard and soft roofing materials.
All these materials are completely different technology laying soft roofs. The installation of a roof requires careful selection of the most suitable one.
Installation of flexible Shinglas tiles (video)
Installation of a soft roof: technology for laying rolled materials
Rolled roofing materials include: roofing felt, roofing felt, glass roofing felt, steklomas, tekloizol and euroroofing felt. They all have similar production technology. A layer of bitumen mastic with polymer components is applied to a base made of cardboard or fiberglass. If ordinary roofing felt and roofing felt, belonging to the first generation of materials, are not very popular today due to their short (5 years) service life, then the rest are actively used in construction. Modern roll materials have several colors and a 20-year service life. This allows them to cover the roofs of industrial buildings, hangars and outbuildings.
Roll materials are not very convenient when installing a soft roof. The installation technology is too complex and time-consuming. It's important to remember that this type materials can only be laid on a roof with a slight (up to 30 degrees) slope. Before starting the main work, the base is leveled, waterproofing and vapor barriers are laid, mastic and primer are prepared.
Gluing begins from the farthest corner from the point of rise to the roof. The material is glued to the base using mastic, which is heated with a burner. In the case of a self-adhesive coating, this condition is not necessary. Usually several layers are laid so that the joints overlap the next layer. Their number depends on the angle of the roof. If the roof is flat or inclined no more than 5 degrees, then 4 layers are necessary, up to 15 degrees - 3 layers, and above 2 layers are enough. Each layer of glued material is rolled with a roller.
Helpful advice! If air bubbles are detected on the roof surface during operation, it is necessary to cut them with a knife. After this, press the cut area tightly until the mastic flows.
The use of roll materials is more justified in the construction of large industrial facilities or apartment buildings with flat roofs. For private housing construction A roof made of soft tiles is better suited.
Installation of a soft roof (video)
Installation of a soft roof: technology for laying piece materials
Soft or bituminous shingles are small-sized piece materials. Its length is 1 m and its width is 33 cm. Thanks to this, all installation work can be done by one person. Each canvas is divided into 4 parts in the form of different geometric shapes and resembles classic tiles.
Before laying soft tiles, the base is prepared. The sheathing must be continuous. It is often made from plywood or similar sheet materials. If necessary, a lining carpet under the soft tiles is laid over the entire surface or in individual places that require special attention. It is a special roll material that promotes additional waterproofing.
Laying sheets starts from the cornice. The main thing is to lay the first row evenly, then it will be easier. The sheets are glued with mastic and punched with nails at the perforation points. At the final stage, the ridge and wind sheets are installed. A typical representative of bituminous shingles is the soft roofing shingles, a video installation of which shows the simplicity of the work carried out, even on complex roofs of private mansions.
Helpful advice! It is best to install asphalt shingles in hot weather. This promotes better adhesion of the material.
Whatever the soft roof made of piece materials, the use of a lining carpet under the soft tiles, insulation and vapor barrier is an indispensable condition for its normal functioning.
Do-it-yourself installation of bitumen shingles (video)
In recent years, roofing using soft coverings has become increasingly popular, since this material has many advantages. In addition to excellent operational and technical qualities, such a roof can be installed by yourself, without the involvement of experienced craftsmen.
Soft tiles are light in weight, have an attractive appearance, a high degree of tightness, a long service life, and a low price. It can be installed on roofs of various configurations. Raindrops do not knock on the surface of such a roof - only a quiet rustling is heard.
Features of soft tiles
The basis of this modern coating for roofs are fiberglass sheets impregnated on both sides with rubber bitumen, characterized by moisture resistance and tightness. Thanks to the above properties, installing a soft tile roof has become so popular.
The presence of a special coating on a flexible roof increases wear resistance and prevents rolled products from sticking together. has proven itself as an ideal coating for structures if their angle of inclination is at least 11 degrees.
Tools for installing flexible roofing
If desired, a home craftsman can carry out the work of arranging a soft roof alone. In this case, the maximum slope of the slopes has no limitation.
Before laying a soft roof you need to prepare:
- hammer;
- trowel for working with mastic;
- durable gloves;
- cornices and end strips;
- ridge-cornice strip;
- roofing nails;
- waterproofing carpet;
- sealant;
- mastic.
Arrangement of the ventilation system
Intended this system for circulation air masses, which is required to prevent the formation of condensation at the base of the roof structure. If you neglect the ventilation system, over time the wooden rafters will begin to rot, and in the cold season, ice and icicles will become a constant occurrence.
Its constituent elements are: a base with a thickness of at least 5 millimeters, air gaps between it and the waterproofing layer, vents and outlets. When creating natural ventilation, special openings are arranged, placing them evenly.
How to lay underlay carpet
Metal is used to make cornice strips. These elements serve to protect the edge of the sheathing. Installation of the eaves strip of soft tiles on the overhangs of the eaves is carried out on the lining. Pediment strips are also made of metal, which are fixed at the ends of the roof.
The valley carpet is used for additional protection roofs from atmospheric precipitation. This material is selected taking into account the color scheme of the flexible tiles. In places where leaks most often occur, and these are eaves overhangs, valleys, and end parts of the roof, it is advisable to lay a lining layer.
In this case, the installation is carried out in a certain direction - from bottom to top, and an overlap is observed, equal to 10 centimeters in the transverse direction, and 15 centimeters in the longitudinal direction. The joints of the blades are usually lubricated bitumen mastic.
Ridges and valleys should be strengthened by 25 and 50 centimeters, respectively. At the same time, a lining layer is installed on both sides of the valleys, and along the eaves overhangs and ends it is laid to a width of at least 40 centimeters.
The underlayment must be nailed to the base using galvanized roofing nails at intervals of 20 centimeters.
Preparatory stage before installation
It starts with preparation. The base on which the flexible tiles are to be installed should be made solid. Since soft tiles do not have sufficient rigidity, they require durable sheathing. For the base, you can use moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of 9 millimeters, OSB, edged or tongue-and-groove boards.
Sheathing material should be purchased in winter and used in summer. In this case, the width of the boards should not exceed 100 millimeters. It is better when the base material has the same thickness. The moisture content of lumber should be a maximum of 20%. The planks are laid staggered, maintaining a gap of 10 millimeters.
The roofing pie must be made with the following layers:
- waterproofing laid on the rafters;
- thermal insulation from mineral wool, if you plan to install an attic;
- roofing waterproofing carpet mounted with outside overlapping bases.
The nuances of installing flexible tiles
There is a certain technique for how to properly lay a soft roof if the work is done independently:
- First of all, this requires dry weather, in which the temperature environment does not fall below plus 5 degrees. If the installation is still carried out in winter, the tiles are kept indoors at room temperature. You can also use a hot air burner.
- A shingle - a sheet of soft roofing made from several tiles - is attached to the surface with nails or using a self-adhesive layer available on back side tiles Under the influence of sunlight, the sheets begin to be soldered both to the base and to one another. If the temperature outside is sub-zero, this process does not occur and, accordingly, the insulation does not turn out to be of high quality.
- Tiles should be used from 5-6 packages at once, choosing one shingle at a time in order to avoid significant differences in shades if it becomes necessary to restore the roof with products from a different product batch.
Selection of bitumen-polymer composition
Before the soft roof is laid, a mastic is selected that will create a continuous elastic surface that can withstand different types of impacts on the base. According to the technology for laying flexible roofing surfaces, to install rolled material on the roof, you need to use hot and cold mastics.
Cold bitumen-polymer compositions are used for arranging the internal layers of the roofing structure, and hot ones are used as the outer covering. Cold mastics include bitumen and roofing felt, and hot mastics include roofing felt and tar.
The process of preparing bitumen mastic
Mastic can be purchased at the store, ready for use, or you can make it yourself. This will require bitumen, which makes up approximately 80% of the composition, and filler. Take 2 parts bitumen and 1 part filler, resulting in cold mixture. The bitumen is heated to 180 degrees and diesel fuel and filler are simultaneously prepared. The contents of the two boilers are mixed after the water in the bitumen has evaporated.
To prepare hot mastic, bitumen is first heated in a boiler to 200 degrees, and then filler is slowly added to it. During the process, the temperature of the mixture should not be less than 160 degrees.
Soft roof technology
When a soft roof is laid - step-by-step instruction from the manufacturer will tell the home craftsman how to do it:
- Before starting installation, wooden surface treated with a mixture of bitumen and diesel fuel.
- Next, the base is slowly covered with mastic, glassine and roofing felt are laid. The work is carried out starting from the middle of the cornice and moving towards the ends. Before installing soft tiles, the film protecting the adhesive side of the roofing material is removed from the shingles.
- After applying a layer of cold mastic, wait 12 hours and cover the base with another layer. When hot mastic is used, the layers can be built one after another. Each tile is nailed with 4 to 6 nails.
- When laying rolls, an overlap of 7–10 centimeters wide must be observed. Each subsequent top row is positioned so that the installation joints of the previous one are covered. In this case, the new layer being laid is displaced.
- Excess material is cut off along the edges of the slopes.
How to properly lay tiles around ventilation pipes
Joints near pipes or antennas require insulation and careful fastening of coating materials. Installation can be done easily, but only with the use of pass-through elements. Without these components, the coating will not be sealed. Before laying a flexible roof, you should mark the places where you plan to place ventilation and pipes.
Then you need to create holes, and then glue the edges of the lining material around them using mastic. The upper surface of the carpet, in accordance with the contour of the elements, is smeared with the mixture, glued and fixed with nails. Tiles are placed on top of the mastic. Experts recommend treating the junction of the upper part of the passage element with flexible tiles with special sealants.
When the process is brought to the ridge line, the installation of a soft roof involves the use of ridge elements that need to be bent over it, fixed with mastic and secured with nails.
Soft roof repair
How often the need for repair work on the roof will arise depends on the condition of the base on which the tiles are installed. Cement strainer, elements made of wooden lumber react differently to the roofing - the nature of the damage depends on this.
First of all, determine the need for roof repairs. To do this, assess the extent of damage. If there are holes in the rolled covering, they need to be filled with mastic. Repair work on this type of roof is carried out in a cleaned area.
Since on roll material a special coating has been applied, the surface to be restored should be thoroughly cleaned. Crumbs can be removed using process oil. To clean roofing felts, anthracene oil is used, and for roofing felt, solar oil applied to a rag or brush. As a result, the coating will be removed and the surface will be softened, which is important for further repairs.
Then they move on to the main stage. In case of minor defects, the use of a patch and ordinary mastic will be sufficient. But this method is not suitable when all layers of the coating are pierced.
When simultaneous damage to several layers is detected on the roof, this area is cleaned of old mastic and accumulated dirt, then dried. Next, they begin to prepare the mastic mixture, to which sand or sawdust is added.
The resulting composition is used to putty all places of damage so as to even out their edges. The mastic should extend beyond the repaired area by at least 10 centimeters. Using hard brushes and brushes, the mixture can be applied even to hard-to-reach places.
If renovation work If they are carried out on a small area, then using a regular spatula will be sufficient. If air bubbles appear in the roofing, repairs are carried out in the same way as they were done with a regular hole. The main thing is timely identification of leak locations.
If cracks appear in the roof covering material, it must be cut down to the bottom layer. Then they clean the damaged area from debris and mastic, dry it and fill it with new mastic. When the cracks are small, they can be repaired without cutting them using a patch and mastic.
If small cracks appear on a large area of the roofing surface, it is prepared for repair and covered with heated mastic.
After completing the restoration of the integrity of the soft roof, it is necessary to renew the layer of topping to prevent overheating of the material and, as a consequence, melting of the mastic. To do this, first smooth the surface and cover it with sand. The coating that does not adhere to the roof will be removed on its own over time.
To complete without any problems installation work yourself, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions explaining how to properly lay flexible tiles. You should also follow the recommendations regarding the selection and preparation of mastic. Then the soft roof will last a long time, maintaining its tightness.
Today, soft roofs not only occupy a leading position in the market, but have become a real discovery for designers and architects. Many styles, individual solutions and the possibility of easy implementation on complex roof structures - what more could you ask for? The main thing is to achieve absolute tightness between the shingles, on which the durability of the entire coating depends. And the installation of flexible tiles itself will be within your power, believe me, even if this is your first time encountering this type of work!
Therefore, if you carefully read our tips, you will be able to cover even a large roof with the help of one more person. The fact is that even in the factory, shingles are prepared for gluing by applying a special solution to the bottom layer, and they even make four holes so that you know exactly where to drive in the roofing nails. And now we will tell you about all the intricacies of working with soft roofing.
Once the roof frame is ready, install the vapor barrier as a continuous carpet on the inside of the roof, without gaps, and secure it to the rafters with wooden planks. You will then attach them to the same strips interior lining attics.
Now take care of the vapor barrier. If the attic is cold, then all the moisture will come out of it on its own, using natural ventilation. But in the case of a residential attic, a vapor barrier is necessary. For this purpose, an additional strip is stuffed on the rafters, rolled out vapor barrier film with an overlap and glued with special tape (regular tape is not suitable!).
Next, with outside Place the selected insulation on the vapor barrier film, preferably staggered. Cover the top with a windproof membrane and secure with bars, which will also later serve to create ventilation channels.
As a result, you should end up with a “layer cake” like this, as roofers like to call it:
We have prepared for you a detailed master class on how and in what order everything should happen:
As you noticed from the photos above, laying flexible sheets on the curved lucarnes was not difficult!
Step 2. Installation of continuous flooring
To install flexible tiles, a rigid solid base is required. Therefore, mount a solid carpet of plywood or OSB boards on the prepared sheathing, with a gap of 3-5 mm, which is necessary for deformation from temperature and moisture, and secure it to the rafters with self-tapping screws.
The main requirement for a base for flexible tiles is a flat area and the ability to fix the shingles with nails. For this purpose, sheets of glued wood shavings similar to plywood or tongue-and-groove boards laid end to end are suitable. Only the board should be as dry as possible so that waves do not form during drying. But it’s a big mistake to use only the sheathing itself, albeit more frequently, for a soft roof, because already in the first season the entire roof will simply go in waves. And photos with such problems become a real asset for manufacturers who scare their customers with such errors.
Once the base is ready, reinforce the eaves overhang with metal strips. These are laid edgewise on the edge of the base and secured with roofing nails, in increments of 150 mm, in a checkerboard pattern:
Step 3. Selecting and installing the substrate
Now is the time to take care of waterproofing. It is necessary in such difficult places as abutments, joints and valleys. Here the canvases are laid from bottom to top with an overlap of 10 cm in the longitudinal and 15 cm in the transverse direction:
We recommend that you use a specially designed underlay rather than roofing felt or similar material, as is sometimes done. The fact is that they also have a finishing roofing covering - different terms operation, and even conditions of use!
And such an attempt to save money will soon lead to swelling of the entire roofing carpet. In addition, no manufacturer will provide a guarantee for a roof that contains materials from third-party manufacturers.
By the way, until recently, lining carpets were practically not used in Russia, and even today many people try to cheat. This is logical, because by the time the roof is built, it often turns out that the planned budget for the entire house is not enough, and concessions have to be made. But, if you want to lay roofing tiles and forget about it for many decades, then do not give up such an important element.
There is always a risk that water will penetrate into the under-roof space, especially in such difficult places as crawl spaces chimneys or contact with an installed antenna. There are also emergency situations when strong winds lift shingles during a rainstorm.
Moreover, choosing a roofing carpet is not difficult, because... it is subject to the same requirements as tiles: to be resistant to temperature changes, provide reliable waterproofing and last a long time. A modern market provides many options, both imported and domestic. Moreover, many factories in Russia today operate on European equipment and the quality of their products is not inferior to their foreign counterparts.
In general, underlay carpets come in two types: self-adhesive and with mechanical fixation. Self-adhesive ones are laid mainly in valleys, and mechanical ones are rolled out over the remaining roof area and fixed with galvanized nails:
Here is the process of installing a regular roofing carpet, which will need to be fixed with bitumen mastic:
Here is an example of working with a more modern self-adhesive roofing carpet:
So, a self-adhesive waterproofing carpet is ideal for a valley. And, if the slopes have a slope of more than 18 degrees, then consider laying the carpet in all places of probable leaks, and these are: ribs, ridges, gable overhang and all exits of roofing elements.
But on a roof with a slope of 12 to 18 degrees, you will need a continuous waterproofing carpet. Before this, we recommend placing a self-adhesive bitumen-polymer material, for example, “Barrier”, on the eaves overhangs, and at the same time strive to ensure that the carpet itself is without overlap - continuous along the entire length:
Also insulate ventilation passages and areas around them in advance. skylights and chimneys. Before installing the flexible tiles, coat all the passage elements with bitumen mastic yourself - it’s not difficult.
Before you begin laying shingles, you will also need to strengthen the eaves overhangs. They need to be fixed with roofing nails in increments of 10-15 cm. Here is an educational video lesson on this topic from the company:
Step 4. Selecting fasteners
To secure shingles, you will need special nails with wide heads. It will be extremely important to nail them so that the head is in the same plane with the surface of each shingle, and at the same time does not “cram” into it. In addition, nails for soft tiles must be galvanized.
Nails for installing soft tiles are divided into the following types:
- Tar paper nails. Their tip is so sharp that when buried in the bitumen layer, they do not violate its integrity. Such nails are produced galvanized or without a protective layer at all. Of course, unprotected ones are the cheapest, but at the same time they are not at all practical and quickly begin to rust. These are only suitable for assembling furniture or constructing temporary sheds.
- Rough nails. They have special teeth on the working rod that are directed towards the cap. These are not easily driven into wood, although it is quite difficult to pull them out even with a nail puller. And most often, during the dismantling process, the heads of rough nails are simply cut off - and that’s it. They fix the roofing so tightly that they are more often used for slate than for soft roofing.
- Club nails They have longitudinal grooves and jumpers on the working rod, and they are less suitable for soft roofing.
We recommend that you use galvanized rough nails with a head diameter of 8-9 millimeters as roofing nails specifically for flexible tiles. They also produce special nails for bitumen shingles, and they differ from their standard counterparts.
These are made from strong steel wire, which is automatically cut into equal pieces, then the workpiece is sharpened on one side, and riveted into the shape of a hat on the other. If you find these on sale, you can buy them.
But it is important that the nails themselves comply with GOST 4030-63: the diameter of the rod is 3.5 mm, and the diameter of the head is at least 8 mm. The whole point is that when working with specifically bitumen shingles the most unpleasant moment is when the nails, with the next blow, simply sink into the bitumen layer and thereby violate the integrity of the coating. But the expanded cap will not be able to “sink” so easily. And the larger it is, the better it will hold the shingles, which is why high-quality nails for flexible tiles resemble a pushpin. Moreover, for single-layer and two-layer tiles you will need nails with parameters of 30x3.5 mm, and for three-layer tiles - 45x3.5 mm.
By the way, some would-be builders don’t understand why they can’t just heat up sheets of soft tiles and glue them to the flooring, why exactly nails and all the fuss associated with them? In fact, the use of open fire on such a roof is prohibited due to basic fire safety considerations. So, forget about this risky idea and rent an automatic appliance.
Step 5: Place the starting strip
Now let’s move on directly to laying flexible tiles. It starts from the starting line. As such you can take:
- a pattern from ordinary tiles, for example shingles with cut petals, if you are working with collections " Tango" or " Trio»;
- universal ridge-eaves tiles, especially if you work with “ Chord», « Sonata" or " Jazz».
If it's more convenient for you to start with the eaves tiles, lay them on top of the metal strip, stepping back a little from the bend. Next, nail it down, but keep in mind that the longer and steeper the slope, the greater the indentation from the inflection point should be:
Here's what laying the starting strip looks like in practice:
Step 6. Installation of different types of shingles
Now let's unpack the shingles. The main requirement for their installation is dry, warm weather, because it is undesirable to lay bitumen shingles at temperatures less than +5°C, because in areas where it will need to be bent, it will be difficult to avoid cracks.
If you still have to fasten shingles in such conditions, you will need preventive measures: the sheets are heated construction hairdryer and bend over metal pipe about 10 cm in diameter. But it's better not to do that.
Calculate required amount shingles are not difficult: take one sheet, measure the area that will be visible, find out the area of the slope and divide the second by the first. Here valuable advice on how to calculate and prepare flexible tiles for installation:
Of course, if you have a diamond eye, you can get by with detailed calculations, but marking lines serve as excellent guides along which you can align the tiles both vertically and horizontally. Especially if you are laying soft roofing for the first time.
Believe me, tearing off several sheets and reattaching them to fix a jamb is not the most fun. And absolutely without markings, if some element is embedded in the roof or the overall geometry of the slope is broken. Tools such as a hammer, a plumb line and a level will help you in this matter.
As we have already said, usually, for convenience, ready-made shingles are marked with small holes in the factory so that you know exactly where to hammer the nails. If there are none (for example, in the cheapest collections), then simply step back 2-3 cm from the edge and be guided by this illustration:
In each case, the place where the nail is driven will directly depend on the shape of the cut of the tile itself. It is only important that each nail simultaneously pierces both the lower and upper edges of all sheets, and if you are laying flexible tiles on slopes with an angle of 45°, then the upper corners of the shingles also need to be additionally fixed.
The entire procedure for laying flexible tiles is not complicated, here are the instructions for the process itself:
- Before installation, mix shingles from several sticks to minimize variations in shade. The fact is that even in one mail the color can differ so much that you will be surprised, and such incidents will be very noticeable on the roof.
- If the slope is long enough, start laying the tiles from its center and level it horizontally. And the second row is already shifting the shingles to the left or right by half a sheet. Shift the third and all subsequent rows relative to the previous one, also half the petal, left or right, depending on which direction you initially chose.
- You need to start laying tiles on a slope with a lesser slope, and you should approach a steeper slope by at least 30 cm. On a steeper slope, it is recommended to knock off the chalk lines so as not to get lost. Now cut the tiles on a more slope along this new line, and after fixing, coat them with bitumen mastic where there is no self-adhesive layer on the back side.
- Lay the tiles from bottom to top, moving away from the edge of the drip edges. Here you will need to lay special ridge-eaves tiles. By the way, you can replace it with a regular one if you cut the petals.
Now secure the shingles. An automatic tool is good for this, especially if it runs on electricity. The main thing is that when choosing a model, take care of your own safety: the trigger mechanism should be comfortable, with protection against an accidental shot and the ability to remove a stuck nail without any risk. After all, usually a hammer is more intended for minor works for household use, and professional roofers use it extremely rarely.
The only point: if the special roofing nails do not fit the gun, take a ready-made clip of nails with a wide flat head. They differ in that they are connected to each other by a thin wire. This kind of tape is inserted into the chamber and the nail is fed one after another. This is much more convenient when working at heights: you don’t need to look for bunches, you don’t need to expose your fingers to the blow, and the fastening itself will be of better quality than when you are already too tired on the 501st nail. The main thing is to follow the basic technology: the nail must be driven in strictly perpendicular to the plane of the shingle.
Remember, if some shingle was not securely fixed, then over time it will loosen its fastening and fly off with a gust of wind. And the nail itself, lifted by the wind, will tear the sheet, shaking the neighboring one. And all this will lead to leakage and necessary repairs. Of course, it will not be possible to completely avoid problem areas, which is why periodic inspection of such a roof is necessary.
Now let's look at the features of installing shingles different types. So, before installation, you need to remove the protective film from single-layer shingles, which is always located on both sides of the shingles. Why is she? The fact is that this roofing covering is transported by ordinary trucks both in the heat and in the heat, but we are still talking about bitumen.
But in collections with such cuts as “ Dragon tooth", there is no film, it is only important to choose beautiful drawing or lay it randomly by simply mixing shingles.
And how exactly to work with each type of shingle cutting, the following illustrations will help you:
Next, if you have to work with a complex roof, you have two ways to lay shingles: segmented and seamless. In the first method, divide the corner or cone into equal segments, and lay each of them separately. And in this way, cover the entire roof. The seamless method is already more complicated: it is important to do correct markings ramp and navigate along it. Think and choose the one that seems more convenient to you.
Step 7. Fastening the tiles in the valleys
And now - about the most problem areas roofs. You can organize the valleys, namely the internal curves of the roof, in two ways: open and closed, which is also called the undercut method. The main thing is then to make a triangular strip at the junction of the roof and the wall and place tiles under it.
In addition, if the wall is brick, it must be plastered and treated with a bitumen primer. The upper part of the junction must then be covered with a metal apron, which must be secured and inserted into the grooves, and then sealed:
Step 8. Laying ridge and spine tiles
Next, we will understand the concepts of ridge tiles. As you might guess, these are the shingles that cover the ridge of the roof. All other tiles are called ordinary tiles. By the way, spine tiles are obtained when the ridge-cornice tile is divided into three parts, or they are cut out from ordinary ordinary tiles using the perforation method.
To correctly lay the spine tiles, use a cord to mark off the dimensions of the future ridge - these are two stripes along it, and lay the spine tiles from the bottom up. Then secure the shingles with nails on each side and make sure that the overlap of the overlying shingles overlaps the nails by 5 cm.
The ridge tiles are laid on the side opposite to the so-called wind rose (you can find out about this from your neighbors or from the wind map). Then everything is the same as during the laying of the ridge. If there is no self-adhesive layer in the right places, coat it with mastic.
Now let's move on to the ribs. Here the ordinary tiles should be cut so that there is a distance of 3 to 5 mm between adjacent slopes:
Here's another great tutorial that walks you through the details of the process:
And finally finishing work. The installation of flexible tiles is always completed by installing a ridge aerator. To do this, a special groove is cut along all the slopes, and an aerator is inserted into it. It is fixed with nails and covered with special ridge tiles.
Also, special additional elements are made for soft roofing - these are the lower parts roof passages, which are popularly called “skirts”. And to prevent snow from accumulating behind ventilation and chimney pipes, especially when their cross-section exceeds 50x50 cm, you need to organize a groove. In short, you will need the following elements:
So, your roof is ready, and all that remains is to properly care for it. To do this, once every six months, use a soft brush to sweep away all small debris, leaves and branches, from the roof. The main thing is not to use sharp tools, because it is important not to scratch the basalt chips. And clean your gutters and funnels from time to time.
Fortunately, a roof made of flexible tiles is highly repairable: it is enough to heat the damaged area, remove it and lay new tiles. It's just a matter of one day!
Currently, there is a fairly large number of roofing materials for roofs that have a long service life and high-quality technical characteristics. However, it is worth paying attention Special attention on a soft roof made of bitumen tiles. It is a multilayer material based on polymer bitumen, reinforced with fiberglass and covered on the bottom with a film or sand layer, and on the outside with a mineral powder of basalt or slate. Flexible tiles have high heat resistance and a long service life.
Features and Benefits
Among the main technical characteristics, which compare favorably with other materials, the following can be distinguished:
- Plasticity and flexibility, thanks to which you can lay out roofs of a wide variety of geometric shapes without any restrictions. The material will always fit tightly without losing its properties when bent.
- Minimum amount of waste, since the tiles have small sizes, which allows it to be used more efficiently.
- To cover a roof with tiles, one person is enough, since its weight is relatively small.
- Frost resistance down to -45 0 C and heat resistance up to +110 0 C, which makes it possible to use it regardless of the type of climate.
- High speed and ease of installation.
- The smooth surface allows you to build roofs with a minimal slope to the horizon.
- When various precipitation falls on the surface of the tiles, there is completely no noise.
- The ability to not only choose any color for the roof, but also lay out the image in the form of a mosaic.
- High safety when lightning strikes the roof of a building, since the material does not conduct electric current.
- Lack of sail.
Calculation of roofing material
Before covering the roof with a soft roof with your own hands, it is necessary to carry out calculations of building materials for correct drafting cost estimates. Soft roof differs significantly in design and installation method from other materials and has its own nuances. The first thing you need to measure and calculate is the surface area of the roof.
For rectangular roofs, the calculation is simple; just multiply the length by the width of each area, and then add up the resulting areas. If the roof has more complex shape, you need to visually divide it into several simple figures, calculate their areas, and then add them up. After this, the number of packages that will need to be purchased with a margin of about 3% is calculated. Knowing the total area, the corresponding number of rolls of lining carpet is calculated.
Since specially shaped tiles are used on ridges and cornices, you should calculate their lengths at the second stage in order to buy ready-made ones, rather than waste time cutting solid ones and thereby increasing the amount of waste. Based on the lengths of the gables and cornices, you should also buy the corresponding metal strips.
The third stage is the calculation of consumables. To fasten the tiles, nails are usually used, the number of which is determined by dividing the total roof area in square meters. m by 10, resulting in the mass of fasteners in kilograms. The amount of glue is determined based on the sum of the following lengths in meters: end lengths divided by 10, end parts of the roof divided by 5, and places adjacent to the roof walls divided by 1.4.
Note! All calculated values should be increased upward. For ease of calculations, you can make a drawing based on the measurements.
Installation requirements
Laying bituminous shingles should begin on a carefully prepared surface. In addition, the roof base must meet the following requirements:
- The sheathing must be strong and rigid to allow maintenance work to be carried out, as well as to withstand the weight of snow and ice. That's why maximum distance between adjacent transverse boards there should be no more than 150 mm and correspond to the length of the tile element. The size of the boards should be 100 x 15 mm. The distance between the longitudinal boards should be equal to two intervals between the transverse ones.
- The humidity of the boards should be less than 20% and they should be well ventilated.
- Due to thermal expansion, a gap of 5 mm should be left between the boards.
- When laying on wooden OSB panels, the seams must coincide with the rafters to strengthen the structure and prevent the sheet from breaking.
- All wooden parts are treated with antiseptic agents.
Note! Required condition is the provision high-quality ventilation roofs to prevent ice from freezing on the surface of the tiles, reduce the temperature of the sheathing in the summer, and ensure optimal ventilation. Therefore you should leave ventilation holes on maximum height to create an exhaust hood, and in the lower part, for the influx of air masses.
You should not start laying the lining and tile layers at temperatures below +5 0 C, since the self-adhesive layer will not be able to grab and stick with sufficient strength, and it also increases fragility and there is every chance of damaging the roofing material. In winter, you can carry out work on installing sheathing, insulation, and waterproofing. But if urgent commissioning of the facility is required, then you should purchase or rent special heating equipment that can evenly warm the roof and ensure high-quality setting of the layers. This process is quite complex and requires great experience, therefore, it is not worth taking on such work yourself in winter, but it is better to wait for warmer weather, or entrust the work to professionals.
Note! A special lining layer must be laid under the flexible tiles, which simultaneously serves as a strengthening and waterproofing layer. It is a material based on fiberglass coated with bitumen or polyester, with protective coatings in the form of a silicone film on the bottom and a basalt layer on top. Its thickness can be up to 2 mm.
Depending on the angle of inclination, the lining is installed in different ways: up to 18 0, it is laid over the entire surface of the roof, and at a higher angle, in order to save money, it is laid only in the end, eaves and ridge parts. The material is laid starting from the bottom of the roof and ending with the top. Alignment occurs relative to the end and cornice parts. After this, it is secured with nails in the lower part in increments of approximately 200 mm, which ensures sufficient sealing. The next layers are formed by overlapping the previous one by about 100 mm.
Note! In order to protect the cornices from moisture penetration, metal should be installed cornice strips on top of the lining layer.
Laying tiles
Laying the roof with roofing material begins with a cornice with finished tiles. It is laid end-to-end along the slope of the roof and secured with nails. To prevent color unevenness due to the use of elements from different batches, they should be mixed. The tiles can be laid in two ways: at an angle and along the plumb line of the roof.
The first option uses hexagonal row tiles, which are installed from the middle of the roof overhang and ending at the ends of the roof. The first row is laid so that its lower part is located at a distance of 10 mm from the cornice. Each element is secured with 6 nails.
The joints should be covered with the next layer so that the caps from the fasteners are not visible on the surface. The rows are laid at an angle of 45 0. At the ends along the edge, gluing is carried out at a distance of approximately 10 cm from the edge in a uniform layer with a thickness of up to 1 mm. Before applying glue, the surface should be cleaned and degreased. The setting process can last up to 5 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.
In the second option, rectangular tiles are used. The first row is laid along the cornice line in such a way that the joining points overlap. Each element is nailed with four nails. Subsequent rows are formed by overlapping the previous one. This installation option is the simplest.
Ridge tiles in both versions are laid lengthwise from left to right, overlapping with a distance sufficient to overlap the fasteners and with the base glued. In the end parts it is also necessary to install aerators designed for ventilation. In places where the material borders on heated surfaces heating pipes should be applied sealing rubber and insulating strips.
Conclusion
Laying tiles is quite profitable both from an economic and operational point of view. A roof covered with flexible material will meet all modern construction requirements and standards.
Have you already covered the roof of your house with bitumen shingles? Tell us about your experience roofing works With soft material by leaving comments on the article.
Video
Watch two videos on installing bituminous shingles:
