This may make it less ideal for rainy or snowy climates. Why Are Flat Roofs Less Common For Houses?Īlso known as low slope roofs, flat roofs are less common in North American residential construction because the low slope of a flat roof has an increased tendency to collect water rather than shed, like its more steeply pitched alternative. Explore the following guide to answer many of your flat roof-related questions: Whether choosing a roof design for a new home, or replacing/repairing a current flat roof, IKO Industries offers much of the information needed to make informed decisions for a lasting, sturdy cover for your investment. This roof type is easier to install over large surfaces and is the most common choice for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.įrom the start, you’ll likely have questions, including: is a flat roof the right choice for a home? Is it more expensive that a steeper pitched alternative? Is it harder to install? What about ongoing maintenance? Any typical mall, warehouse, apartment building or school usually features a flat roof. Can you have a flat roof with shingles?įlat Roofs Are Everywhere – But What About Homes?įlat roofs are a familiar sight throughout North America. Modified Bitumen (or Polymer Modified Bituminous Materials).Examining Flat Roof Myths–What Are The Drawbacks?.Why Are Flat Roofs Less Common For Houses?.Flat Roofs Are Everywhere–But What About Homes?.At vent stacks, he would stretch a special rubber collar over the pipe and glue it to the EPDM, then seal it with glued strips of uncured rubber and a bead of tri-polymer caulk. Because seams are so vulnerable, he would also glue a 12-inch-wide strip of uncured rubber (which, unlike EPDM, has no “memory,” meaning it can be stretched without springing back and wrinkling) onto the seam itself. Had there been a seam to contend with, Tom would first clean it with a special solvent, then apply a black rubber-to-rubber adhesive. Working in sections, he finishes the rest of the roof, smoothing out air bubbles with the now-dry roller before gluing the edges up the wall and parapet and 6 inches down over the front of the roof. He doesn’t pick up the rubber or it will stretch from its own weight, then spring back, causing it to lay down unevenly. So after letting it dry to the touch, he gets down on his knees and carefully spreads the rubber over the iso board, pushing as much from the inside of the fold as he can to prevent wrinkles. Like ordinary contact cement, the glue goes on both surfaces and bonds instantly the moment the two meet. Using a ¼-inch-nap paint roller on an extension pole, Tom spreads the glue over the exposed section of iso board and the corresponding folded-over rubber. Step 1 The Importance of Building it Right So we watched Tom put down EPDM on a small section at the project house to learn how a pro makes a flat roof smooth, strong, and watertight. It’s so easy, in fact, that a handy homeowner could do it himself. He sealed them all with a glue-down EPDM rubber membrane system, a favorite of his because it’s light, quick to install, and requires no special equipment. “If you build and flash one right-and keep it clean-a good flat roof won’t leak,” says TOH general contractor Tom Silva, who had seven different flat roofs to contend with on the Cambridge project house. Fortunately, modern materials for covering flat roofs have improved considerably over the past two decades some carry warranties of up to 20 years, approaching those for sloped roofing. And their horizontal lines abound in the West and in urban areas.īut flat roofs take a pounding from harsh weather, which is why they rarely last as long as a good sloped roof. Traditional homes often have sections of flat roof-over shed dormers, above porches and garages, and on balconies. Of course, you don’t need to live in a modern house to deal with a flat roof. Yet for historic Modern-style buildings like This Old House’s Cambridge TV project, flat roofs are at the core of the architecture, meant to reflect the broad horizontal lines of the natural landscape. Flat roofs aren’t architecturally logical, as rain and snow will shed much more quickly off a sloped roof.
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