Remove Debris Before Putting Down The Rubber – After corner beveling, the next step is putting down the rubber. Make sure to move out or sweep all the debris and residues from the surface before putting the rubber. Otherwise, debris may puncture the new rubber sheet.
- For rubber putting, you can consider the EPDM in a customized size.
- Ideally, you can use it shears or a sharp knife efficiently.
- Measure the size of the roof before cutting the rubber,
- So, you can adjust it later on the roof easily.
- Moreover, fold the excess sheet from the corners instead of cutting.
- In the case of a large roof, you may also need to glue up the ends of rubber for firm placement.
If there is any stack on the roof, cut a hole in the rubber carefully and slide the rubber down over the stack hole. After placing the rubber down, it’s time to glue it down with a large paint roller over a pool extension. You can also go for other alternatives according to the type and size of rubber’s Not cleaning the deck thoroughly before installing the rubber is one mistake that I see a lot of roofing companies in Phoenix make.
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Can you DIY a flat roof?
DIY FLAT ROOFING: A COMPLETE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR DIY NINJAS Just because you have decided to go the DIY way and create a flat roof for your home doesn’t mean that your wife and friends are right when they tell you that you will end up with an inadequate roof.
- Your DIY flat roof project can end up being a memorable and extremely fulfilling venture.
- You must have your installer kit and all the right materials ready before you get down to business! Materials needed for DIY flat roofing Flat roofing differs in design and size, but for a Do-it-Yourself flat roofing ninja, I’d recommend that you instead try your hand on any one type that you can comfortably construct.
The following are the basic materials to enable a smooth flat roof installation:
- Joists or Roofing timber
- Steel Joists
- Rubber EPDM membrane
- A water-based adhesive.
- Copper flashing.
- Foam strengthened with fiberglass.
- Insulating material.
The three other mandatory materials that you must avail are:
- Hot tar and gravel – called Built-Up Roof, the combo forms a waterproof layer. You will, however, mix the hot tar with the smooth, stone-like gravel.
- Modified bitumen – the single-ply rolled roof serves to form a cover that would protect it from water and ice. For a quick application and an increased effectiveness, be sure to choose a peel-and-stick system.
- Rubber membrane – is a critical part of this process. You probably have heard of the most common primers like EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) or natural rubber. The best thing about it is the fact that it’s durable and can be fastened using the right adhesive.
- The Simple, 6-Step Process for DIY Flat Roof Installation
- Local newspaper like the have actually vouched for this 6-step process and how effective it has been for their local readers.
- Step #1: Framing the roof
Because a flat roof isn’t actually flat because of the ‘slight incline’ that ensures an optimal water runoff, you must observe this. To get this done, just use any 2x4s – convert them into long wedges and nail to the joists.
- Step #2: The Plywood
- Add a layer of 5/8-inch plywood sheathing with small gaps that would accommodate its expansion and contraction as well as the normal movements.
- Step #3: The Underlayment
This is that soft, protective base made of IsoBoard or any other fiberglass-strengthened 1/2-inch-thick rigid foam. After cutting the board to size, fasten it to the plywood sheathing using the right screws. Make sure they fit snugly against one another, for the good of the rubber.
- Step #4: Working on the corners With a flat roof, water shouldn’t collect on the inside corners.
- To prevent this and ensure a good transition, you’ll need 2x4s cut into the proper size and screwed into the joint connecting the roof and the wall.
- Step #5: Doing the dry-fitting and securing it with glue Next is laying the rubber.
But you must ensure the surface is smooth and debris-free so that the rubber sticks to the IsoBoard. Gluing the two together shouldn’t be hard either since you simply need to spread the glue over both. Step #6: Working on the edges The inside vertical corners might pose a bit of a challenge.
- But once you cut and overlap the EPDM rubber and subsequently use the adhesive to hold it down, no more vertical sections will peel off again.
- Another way to reinforce this is to use special metal brackets called termination stops.
- Once everything is done and the roof is yet to dry, just fasten a lead-coated copper flashing on the front edge of it.
And yup, your work is done!
What is the correct slope for a flat roof?
What is the most appropriate angle for Flat Roofing? – Normally, 1:80 (0.72⁰) is the recommended minimum angle for a slope, and this is universal across the vast majority of flat roofing systems, regardless of the materials that they incorporate. In order to achieve this drop, a slightly steeper angle of 1:40 (1.44⁰) should be the aim when installing a flat roof, as this accounts for surface deviations and material deflection among other things.
What is the cheapest flat roof system?
EPDM Membranes Quite possibly the best flat roofing membrane, EPDM is a relatively low-cost flat roof material that offers a number of significant advantages.
Does a flat roof need an overhang?
Guide to flat roofing drainage systems and EPDM With a new structure in the design stages or part-completed, you need to know that your blueprint is going to work. If you are considering an EPDM flat roof for all or part of your building work, then a key question is how water will drain away from the flat surface.
- By its very definition, a flat roof has much less of a slope for water to run off than a pitched roof system.
- This creates something of a challenge when architects and site managers are putting together plans for their project, as they do not want pools of water gathering in places and creating the possibility of a bulge or tear in the roofing material.
In spite of this, a huge number of flat roofs are still planned and delivered each day around the world. The reason for this is that technology has advanced to such a degree that the benefits of flat roofs can be enjoyed without this concern. Flat roofs If you were told that one of the worries when it comes to roofs is the danger of water and other debris gathering, then you would probably avoid flat roofs altogether – surely a pitched roof would be better? That way, water and debris would use its own momentum to fall down the roofing material and into the gutters.
- However, this would mean the end of a flat roof’s advantages: it generally works out much cheaper at the point of construction than a pitched roof and a simpler design can be used for the building overall, due to the foundations required for pitching.
- On top of this, for the room underneath, you are not losing any space to the slope of the pitched roof.
Part of the reason why the flat roof has become a far more viable option in recent years is the emergence of EPDM (otherwise known as Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), as this means that the rubber membrane within the roofing material is far tougher and has a much longer lifetime.
- As a result, wear and tear becomes less of an issue – and attention can turn to drainage.
- Drainage – What are your options? This very much depends on the way it is being used.
- If is a small building with one flat roof, or a room with a flat roof on the side of a larger building, then best practice is to introduce a slight pitch to it – preferably a fall of about one in 80 from the back towards the gutter, so that water will naturally glide down the roof and into the gutters on one or more sides.
As long as the EPDM is properly installed, then the waterproof surface will encourage liquid to enter the gutters, but an important point to note is that an overhang at the gutter edge is required. By adding this overhang, the water flows across the flat roof and goes directly into your drainage system.
- If you are not sure how to add this overhang, look into Sure Edge Trim, which provides a perfect run-off from flat roofs.
- Of course, this simple flat roof will not be appropriate for all applications; sometimes a flat roof may be surrounded by pitched roofs, a wall leading to a higher-level flat roof or some other obstruction.
As a result, there is no clear side to act as the gutter edge and this raises the prospect of water simply pooling. The answer is to look into getting an angled roof drain or top drain, which act as a kind of plug hole for water to fall down. So while the roof can still be pitched slightly, it is aimed at a smaller target.
- In both looks and application it is like altering the target from a golf green to the pin itself – but it works.
- How to ensure a long life-time The installation of the drainage system is of course only the first step towards a top long-term solution; during the roof’s lifetime, a whole host of debris is likely to fall and get caught in the gutters.
Whether you have a gutter edge, roof drain or top drain, this is something to keep an eye on. Essentially, all you need to do is regularly inspect your drains and clear any debris that might have built up – this will most likely be twigs or branches but could easily come about due to a wayward plastic bag or something completely random! In terms of how often to do this, this is difficult to judge and will vary according to the building’s location.
For example, if your garage roof is surrounded by large trees then a build-up of twigs may become noticeable after a matter of weeks or months, whereas a more secluded building may simply require a twice-yearly check. In terms of maintaining the EPDM layer, all you are advised to do is clean it occasionally to prevent any aesthetic issues such as ‘chalking’ (reaction to weathering) or mould.
It is also important to keep sharp objects away from the material, so that you avoid tearing. Other than that, your EPDM membrane should retain its waterproof properties for many years, with your chosen drainage system taking water away from the flat roof day after day.