How to properly lay soft tiles. Flexible tiles: do-it-yourself installation with step-by-step photos. Finishing complex areas with flexible tiles
Scientific and technological progress has not spared any branch of human activity, including the production of building materials. Nowadays, there are many products that are used for roofing, soft tiles are especially popular among them. It is worth noting that any roofing material will last the entire time (or even longer) guarantee period, if the installation technology is followed. Advantage bitumen shingles over its competitors are as follows: it forgives minor installation flaws, it can be used to cover roofs with a slope of 11 degrees.
Soft tiles can be used to cover roofs with a slope of 11 degrees.
Laying flexible tiles in winter is not best idea, most manufacturers recommend carrying out all work at positive temperatures (from +5). The fact is that the sheet with “tiles” needs to be attached to wooden base and underlay carpet, the surfaces are fastened with a self-adhesive layer, the tightness of the coating is ensured only in bright sunlight, which gradually “melts” the adhesive substance. But in minus temperature you can start preparatory work: install rafters, wood flooring, insulate the structure, produce vapor and waterproofing.
If there is no other way out and you need to put the house into operation in the winter season, then these recommendations are especially for you! First, erect a metal or wooden structure on top of the roof, cover it with a special noise-dustproof or simple plastic film. Inside, the “second roof” will be heated by diesel heat guns, so you can maintain the optimal above-zero temperature. By the way, the “warmhouse” also allows you to carry out plastering work.
Laying bitumen shingles
As a base for bituminous shingles, a material with a flat surface (for example, OSB, tongue-and-groove plywood or edged board) and a humidity of no more than 20% is suitable. Place the joints of the boards where the supports are located. The thickness of the plywood and boards should be optimally correlated with the pitch of the rafters; as an example, we list some values:
- With a rafter pitch of 60 cm, the thickness of the board should be 2 cm, and the plywood should be 1.2 cm.
- With a step of 90 cm, the thickness of the board is 2.3 cm, and the plywood is 1.8 cm.
- With a step of 60 cm, the thickness of the board is 3 cm, and the plywood is 2.1 cm.
Why is ventilation needed? There are at least two points here:
- To reduce the formation of icicles and ice on the roof in winter.
- To drain water from sheathing and roofing material.
Most often, a rolled insulation product is used as a reinforcing lining, which is mounted from the bottom up with an overlap of 10 cm. Seal the seams with glue and secure the edges with nails in 20 cm increments. If the slope of your roof is 18 degrees or more, it is possible to install a spacer layer only in the valleys, on eaves overhangs, near chimneys, where the roof adjoins the vertical walls.
We install eaves strips, gables, valley carpet, ordinary tiles
To protect the sheathing from moisture, install metal eaves strips (droppers) on the eaves overhangs (at the top of the lining carpet), with an overlap of 2 cm. Nail them with roofing nails in a zigzag manner, step 10 cm. Pediment strips are also installed with an overlap, but narrower 2 cm (step – 10 cm).
To increase the waterproofness of the structure in valleys, lay a valley carpet on top of the lining layer that matches the color of the tiles. The step between nails is 10 cm. Next, it’s time to use self-adhesive eaves tiles; lay them along the eaves overhang, joint to joint, removing protective film. From the bend cornice strip retreat 2 cm, nail the elements near the perforation points, and after the fastening point, cover with ordinary tiles.
To avoid color discrepancies, it is recommended to use roofing elements mixed from several packages. Start laying ordinary tiles from the center of the eaves overhang to the end parts of the roof. Remove the protective film, place the tile in the intended place, nail the element (4 nails above the groove line; if the roof slope is more than 45 degrees, then increase the number of fasteners to six).
Start laying soft tiles so that the edge of the first row is located 1 cm higher from the bottom edge of the eaves product, and the “petals” hide the joints. The “petals” of subsequent layers should be flush with the cutouts of the elements of the previous row. At the end, cut the material along the edge and glue it (a strip of glue is about 10 cm). Leave a 15 cm open strip at the bottom of the valley.
Ridge tiles are obtained by dividing the tiles into 3 parts at the perforation points. Install the elements with the short side parallel to the ridge, nail them with nails (two on each side). Now a little about! Antenna holes are supplied rubber seals; smoke - need to be insulated.
Consumption and method of applying sealing adhesive
For sealing overlaps of row tiles on the valley carpet and lining carpet, junctions, passages ventilation systems You need bitumen glue. Let's talk about composition consumption:
- To process the overlaps of the underlay carpet (the width of the glue application is 10 cm), you need 0.1 liters of glue for each linear meter.
- To process the overlaps of ordinary tiles onto the valley (the width of the glue application is 10 cm), you need 0.2 liters of glue for each linear meter.
- To glue a private soft tiles on the end elements (the width of the glue application is 10 cm), you need 0.1 liters of glue for each linear meter.
- To process brick walls and pipes (over the entire surface), you need 0.7 liters of glue for each linear meter.
Before work, of course, you need to clean the base from dirt, bulk materials, oils; Apply bitumen solution to dusty and porous surfaces. For glue, you will need a spatula; make the layer thickness about a centimeter. Seams in brickwork Grind the compound flush with the tiles. Gluing will occur in just 3 minutes (complete drying takes from one day to two weeks), hurry up! At low temperatures, warm up the glue before applying the composition.
Caring for flexible tiles
We list the rules that will help increase the service life of the structure:
- Check the condition of the roof twice a year.
- Sweep leaves and other small debris from the surface with a soft brush as carefully as possible, so as not to damage the coating.
- Ensure free flow of liquid from the roof, and do not forget to regularly clear the funnels and gutters of debris.
- When cleaning the roof in winter, leave about 10 cm of snow on the roof, this will protect the material from frost. Do not use to remove ice sharp objects, which can damage flexible tiles.
Flexible tiles today are one of the most popular materials used as roofing for roofs. There are several reasons why it has become so widespread in our market.
Firstly, in terms of all possible colors and shapes, it occupies a leading position among all types of coating. Today, each brand of bitumen shingles is represented by at least 40-50 types various options, so even the most picky buyer will always be able to find the option he likes. Secondly, in terms of convenience and speed of installation, this is also the most successful, from a technological point of view, coating option, which does not require the use of special equipment and tools. Due to its low weight, the work of lifting and delivering directly to the work site is simplified. Thirdly, having the properties of elasticity and flexibility, this type coatings can be used on any type and shape of roof, even those with radial curvature. The last advantage characteristic only of this type of coating is that with the advent of bituminous shingles, it became possible to implement projects for some forms of roofing that were previously impossible to carry out technologically. It should be noted that such material is affordable.
Before installation flexible tiles it is necessary to carry out a number of activities that are related to the arrangement of " roofing pie" In this article, I will consider all the stages of work associated with laying bitumen shingles, which must be completed after the installation of the rafter system is completed.
Installation of waterproofing film
The first stage of work involves laying a waterproofing (windproof) film. In this case, you can use a diffusion membrane film, since the flexible tile coating does not contain elements susceptible to corrosion. In this regard, there is no need to apply additional measures to eliminate this type of impact on the material. This class of insulation is quite widely represented on the market, but the most optimal and often used in construction is the waterproof film of the Czech company Juta, called Jutafoll 110-D. When purchasing, pay attention to the “D” marking, since this letter means that the film is waterproofing, and not, for example, intended for use in the range of negative temperatures, unlike other markings that are intended for indoor use only. The number 110 is not so important, since it indicates the density of the film. If this parameter is higher, then this will only have a positive effect on the technical characteristics.
Installation of the membrane is quite simple. The first roll of film is rolled out along the eaves overhang across the rafters and nailed to them with pre-prepared slats. It is convenient to shoot the film with a staple gun before doing this. The slats will act as a counter-lattice and perform the function ventilation gap between the waterproofing film and the main sheathing. These measures are taken to organize the circulation of air flow, thereby preventing the collection of moisture in hard-to-reach places. Also, given the fact that the air has good thermal insulation properties, these measures are designed to solve the problem of heating in summer and freezing of the roof in winter (the formation of ice and icicles is excluded). The height of the slats is chosen within 25-50 mm, the width should be strictly equal to the width of the rafter leg. They are cut into lengths of 150 cm, as is the width of the film.
The lath does not overlap the film to a distance (an overlap of at least 12 cm is made at any membrane joints). In all cases, galvanized rough nails are used for installation, the length of which is selected depending on the thickness of the counter-lattice (the length must be at least +50mm of its thickness). On all roof ridges, the film is not extended 5-10 cm to its end due to the fact that the movement of air under the roofing starts from the eaves and ends at the ridge, so such a gap is made for it to escape outside. The film can be glued together with double-sided adhesive tape, but this is not a necessary condition.
Lathing and final surface preparation
Next, the final sheathing is placed on top of the counter-lattice. Any board (both edged and unedged) is suitable as a material, the thickness of which is selected in the range of 25-30 mm. The material must be dry before installation (with relative humidity no more than 20%) and must be treated with a fire-bioprotective preparation. Also, when using edged boards It is necessary to completely remove the tree bark, since in the future this can lead to woodworms getting in between the bark and the wood. The distance between adjacent boards should be no more than 30-35 cm (depending on the thickness of the board used). The length of the nail is chosen such that, when nailed, it pierces both the sheathing and the counter-lattice and fits tightly into the rafter by at least 2-3 cm.
The peculiarity of flexible tiles as a covering is that the roof plane must be smooth and even before laying it. Therefore, if an edged board is used as a flooring (this option is allowed by the manufacturer), then differences between adjacent boards are not allowed to exceed 2 mm. This must be carefully monitored to avoid fractures and kinks of the tiles during installation.
It is better to start installing OSB boards on the roof from the hip.
I recommend using moisture-resistant OSB-3 board as flooring. The thickness is usually chosen 10-11mm. Unlike a board, when used, it produces an ideal plane; also, having moisture-resistant properties, it does not warp or warp throughout its entire service life. When laying, it is necessary to make 3-5 mm gaps between each sheet of slabs to prevent their swelling at the joints, since the linear dimensions of the material will change with fluctuations in humidity and temperature. To nail the slabs, galvanized nails 3x30 with a large head are used. The nailing pitch between nails is 25-30 cm.
Then they proceed directly to laying bitumen shingles. First, lining carpets based on fiberglass are rolled out. They are an additional waterproofing material between the OSB-3 board and bitumen shingles. If the roof slope is less than 18 degrees, then underlay carpets must be laid over the entire roof plane. But even with large angles Tilt carpets must be laid in the following places:
- On the eaves. This is one of the most important places especially in winter period, since when the snow melts, ice and icicles form in these places, and in this case the load in the parts of the roof under consideration increases.
- On the gables. Such places are most susceptible to moisture ingress during slanting rains.
- On skates and ribs.
- In valleys (joints of roof planes). Here it is necessary to use carpets with color tinting of the main roof covering.
- In places various connections and junctions of walls, chimneys and others.
In valleys, the carpet is laid with an overlap of 0.5 meters.
The distances from the edges of the cornices should be about 1-2 cm, since in hot weather the underlay carpets may heat up and straighten. They need to be nailed only in upper parts at a distance of 20-25 cm, and all joints should be made with an overlap of about 10 cm. Then the cornice and pediment strips are installed from of stainless steel. To do this, you need to use the same 3x30 galvanized nails with a large head. The planks are nailed in a checkerboard pattern in increments of 15-20 cm. At the joints there is a mandatory overlap of 15 cm, secured with two nails.
After this, they proceed to laying the first row of tiles. According to the standards, it has rectangular shape(without petals). Preliminarily all points of contact metal strips with bitumen shingles it is necessary to coat bitumen mastic. The mastic has a fairly thick consistency at room temperatures, so to make it easier to work with, you need to preheat the container with the product. It is applied to the surface of the tiles using a narrow construction spatula. The thickness of the applied layer does not exceed 1-2 mm, since it does not contain adhesive base, and with thick seams, the lubricated surfaces can simply come apart. One shingle is nailed with four nails at the top. If the roof slope is more than 60 degrees, then two additional nails must be used.
The second and subsequent rows of tiles are nailed with an offset of half a period (1/3 or 2/3 depending on the chosen shape of the tile itself). Every 3-4 rows must be checked for horizontalness, or pre-marked for the upcoming row (a thread with colored talcum powder is ideal for this purpose), but this is quite painstaking work and takes a lot of time. When adjusting, bitumen shingles have to be cut. For this it is better to use short knife with a blade pointed at the end. It is necessary to cut from the back side of the tile, placing a piece of a flat board or plywood under it, to prevent accidental damage to the previously laid tile. A knife is drawn along the mark about 3-4 times, then the shingles are bent along the cut line, and the tiles are easily divided into two parts.
To work on roofs with a slope of more than 30 degrees, a number of additional measures should be taken to increase the convenience of work. The first thing you need to use when working is a safety cable or rope. The second is the use of temporary slats, which are nailed to the slope, bending the petals of the already laid tiles. Otherwise, during installation you will have to constantly keep the rope taut, since you will not be able to stand on such slopes on your own. And thirdly, the use of overalls (construction overalls) for competent and functional distribution of the necessary tools into pockets and loops for quick access to them.
In areas of ribs and ridges, the installation of tiles is carried out with an overlap (the sheet run is bent 10-15 cm to another plane of the roof and nailed). Then the tiles are cut into individual petals and mounted on top along the line of the ridge (rib), and each subsequent petal is nailed in such a way that the places of the nail heads are covered from the previous tile element.
There are several basic methods for installing shingles in valley areas. The first is that the tile elements are laid end-to-end on both roof planes. The second involves laying tiles within 10 cm of the center line. The latter method is preferable both aesthetically and practical point vision, since a kind of hollow is formed between the two roof slopes, which simplifies the drainage of rainwater, and thereby prevents the formation of local areas in which moisture can collect in the future. In valleys, the use of nails closer than 30 cm from its center is not allowed; for this, the contact points of the underlayment and tiles are coated with mastic to a width of 10-15 cm. The upper parts of the petals of each row are carefully cut at an angle of 60 degrees.
The final stage
At the junction of walls and chimneys, the tiles are placed on vertical plane to a height of 20-30 cm, having previously coated the joints with bitumen mastic. Then, in the place where the tile ends, an abutment strip is installed on top of it, and all the resulting gaps are thermally resistant silicone sealant. It is advisable to install metal boxes around chimneys and pipes, using basalt-based insulation as an insulator. They significantly improve the hydrophobic properties at the joints, preventing all kinds of leaks in complex areas of the roof.
Aerators are necessary for air circulation in the inter-roof space.
At a distance of a maximum of 50-60 cm from the roof ridge, it is necessary to install aerators, which serve to remove air from the inter-roof space and, thereby, allow for proper air circulation. The number of aerators is selected from the following calculation: one aerator for every 25 square meters roofs. Currently, ridge aerators have also become widely used, which are a structure with an air gap installed directly in the area of the entire length of the ridge. All joints and overlaps around the aerators must be treated with mastic.
It is worth noting that everything installation work the tiles must be carried out at a temperature environment at least 15 degrees, at lower temperatures you should use a hair dryer, heating the tiles in places of kinks. On too sunny and hot days, you need to postpone the installation of the roof, not only for the safety of your own health, but also because the tiles begin to melt easily, and when moving on the coating, marks and dents remain, which in the future will not look aesthetically pleasing.
It is unlikely that there will be an owner who will refuse to have the roof of his house covered with reliable, but at the same time affordable roofing material. And if you properly plan your own installation, the structure will not only be well protected from possible damage and bad weather, but will also significantly save a significant amount of money.
An innovative material, which is a flexible tile with a bitumen base (also called roofing tiles), has similar qualities. Of course, such a roof cannot be called the easiest to make yourself. However, it is not the most difficult either. You just have to understand the technological intricacies of installation, and high-quality performance of such work will be quite possible.
Innovative material
Flexible tiles are small in size flat sheets. This one has one figured edge. Its base, as a rule, is fiberglass or fiberglass. However, there are types that are made on organic cellulose, that is, felt. The base of such roofing material is coated on both sides with an impregnating composition, the main component of which is bitumen.
The front part of the flexible tiles is sprinkled with basalt granulator painted in a certain color. Sometimes mineral chips act as a dye. This or that color is given to the tiles special technologies, thanks to which it is preserved for many decades. The powder present on the roofing tiles gives it more beautiful view, and also protects the surface from various atmospheric phenomena, increases its wear resistance and neutralizes the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Sometimes it happens that in some places the sprinkles simply fall off. Such a defect occurs only with materials from the economy segment, and it can also be easily eliminated with glue and mineral chips corresponding color.
Positive characteristics and disadvantages
Flexible tiles can be laid on single- and multi-slope roofs. Due to the fact that this material has small sizes and has plasticity, it is simply irreplaceable when arranging roofs of complex shapes (multi-slope, dome-shaped, round). In addition, this coating looks great on buildings of the most various styles architecture.
Among positive qualities flexible tiles can be distinguished:
- durability (about 30 years);
- significant range operating temperature, which allows the use of such material in both southern and northern countries;
- resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
- undemanding to special care;
- ease of installation, which eliminates the need to involve specialists;
- low weight, which rafters of small cross-section can easily withstand;
- a small amount of waste remaining after installation;
- high degree of maintainability;
- good adaptability to changes in the geometry of the building that occur during its shrinkage;
- the ability to withstand strong gusts of wind (with additional reinforcement with 6 nails);
- good heat-saving and sound-insulating properties;
- resistance to acids and negative impact lichens, mosses and fungi.
Among the shortcomings are:
- high price;
- greater consumption of materials required for arranging the sheathing.
Where to start installing the roof?
Soft roofing material is used for slopes with a slope above 12 percent. If the roof is flatter, then there is a high probability of leaks at the joints. How to lay flexible tiles in this case if you want to use them?
For small roof slopes, it is necessary to lay a continuous special underlay carpet, helping to protect the top layer from moisture.
IN last years soft material gained great popularity. However, not all developers know how to lay flexible tiles. The instructions for its installation explain that such material must be placed on a lathing, which differs from the usual one installed for metal tiles or ondulin.
A kind of foundation intended for flexible tiles is the Mauerlat. The rafter system rests on it.
How to lay flexible tiles? It is worth keeping in mind that these do not like unevenness, height changes, unnecessary bends and protruding nails. In this regard, the Mauerlat bars must be laid strictly horizontally. In this case, for the lines that connect the ends of the mauerlats at the ends of the building, an angle of 90 degrees must be observed.
How to lay flexible tiles? For it, it is necessary to prepare either a solid base or knock down the sheathing with gaps of no more than 0.5 cm. This is where the difference between this system and any similar other system ends. Otherwise, an approximate roof pie made of flexible tiles consists of laid on the rafters vapor barrier film, on top of which there is insulation. Next on the roof is placed waterproofing film, OSB board and underlay carpet. This entire structure is completed with soft roofing material.
How to lay flexible tiles on an iron roof? To do this you will need to level its surface. Of course, flexible tiles can be laid over existing material, however, in this case, its ridges will be visible visually, and the presence of air gaps near them will reduce the service life of soft slabs. Using the option of leveling the surface, a sheathing of slats or OSB sheets is laid on top of the iron.
The bases for roofing material may be different. Let's take a closer look at them.
Continuous sheathing
This is the first version of the base, which is made from tongue-and-groove or edged boards, joined end-to-end or with small gaps. It is advisable that entire boards be laid without splicing. If such an arrangement is not possible, the joints should be located above the rafters with the edges carefully secured. When solving the question “How to lay flexible tiles?”, height differences should not be allowed. Otherwise, the tiles laid on such boards will accumulate water, and therefore there will be a high probability of water leakage.
Arrangement of slab material
The base for flexible tiles can be made differently. In this case, the sheathing, made of unedged or edged boards, must be laid slab material. It can be moisture-resistant OSB, DSP, gypsum fiber boards or plywood. The thickness of such sheets should not be less than 9 mm.
How to lay flexible tiles on OSB and other boards? According to the instructions, such a substrate must be fastened so that the seams located in one row necessarily overlap another. In order to compensate for expansion during temperature fluctuations, a small gap (from 3 to 5 mm) can be left between adjacent sheets.
Features of lathing installation
How to lay flexible tiles? Due to the fact that the material is not affected by mold and fungi, it does not deteriorate or rot. However, it is laid on wood, which is damaged when high humidity. What needs to be done in this regard? All wooden structures must be treated with antiseptic impregnations. However, that's not all.
In order for wood to serve for many years, it must be subject to natural ventilation. For this purpose between waterproofing layer and the base under the roof slabs must leave gaps of 5 mm. Sometimes for this purpose they arrange a counter-lattice, to which the base is attached. In addition, special ones are made around the perimeter of the roof. ventilation holes, placing them in overhangs. To prevent birds and insects from entering such openings, they are covered with nets.
Features of work at different times of the year
How to lay flexible tiles? It must be installed on a clean, dry and level base. In this case, the work is carried out in several stages. It is advisable to start them in warm time year, when the air temperature is more than five degrees above zero. This will allow the coating to become airtight, which will create certain ease of use. It is advisable to comply with this condition because if it gets on the material sun rays bitumen is heated. This process allows it to fuse with the plates into a single whole. Only in this case the coating, which consists of separate sheets, turns into a monolith.
How to lay flexible tiles in winter? If it is necessary to carry out work in the cold season, you will need to use infrared heaters or heat guns. Only in this case will it be possible to heat the material so that the installation conditions are close to summer ones. But you should not lay flexible tiles in severe frosts, even if you have heaters on hand. In order to avoid downtime in work, you can start installing roof building structures, installing and laying thermal insulation.
Additional waterproofing
This is the first stage of installation of flexible tiles. A layer of additional waterproofing is laid in valleys, along overhangs, as well as in places adjacent to the building, on ridges and attic windows. This layer will serve as additional insurance against leaks in places where the greatest accumulation of water will be observed.
The waterproofing carpet is fastened with roofing nails in increments of 40 cm. Along the lower edge this distance should be more frequent (10 cm). The second layer must be laid on top of the first layer. In places where there is an abutment with a wall or pipe, the material should extend onto them by 5-10 cm.
This task is not faced by those who solve the question “How to lay flexible tiles on a gazebo with your own hands?” After all, in this case there simply won’t be a pipe.
and end strips
This is the second stage of the ongoing work on laying flexible tiles. It is necessary to protect the ends and cornices from water flow. To preserve the roofing material, it is necessary to fill the eaves strips along the entire roof overhang. They are secured with nails, which are driven in every 10 cm. Moreover, one of them should be located at the bottom of the plank, and the second along its top, and so on. Adjacent planks are laid with an overlap of 5 cm.
The end strips are placed according to the same pattern and at the same intervals. Their installation begins at the bottom of the roof with gradual movement to the ridge.
Laying the valley carpet
In places where roof slopes meet (in valleys), a special protective carpet must be placed. It is thicker than a waterproofing coating due to the required protection of slopes where significant water flows pass. The valley carpet must be rolled out from top to bottom and attached with nails every 10 cm. Such a covering is also important when deciding the question “How to lay flexible tiles on the roof of an octagonal gazebo or any other one with a multi-pitched roof?”
Fastening the cornice strip
Let's consider the fourth stage of laying flexible tiles. This material is similar to the main one, but does not have a figured lower part. The eaves strip is the starting strip and is designed to form an even bottom edge along the entire perimeter of the overhang. The work of this stage should not be skipped by those owners who are deciding the question “How to lay flexible tiles on a gazebo?”
There is a protective film on the reverse side of the strip. It must be removed and this element placed, 1-2 cm away from the place where the cornice strip is folded. After installation, the strip must be pressed. Next, it is nailed in places of perforation and along the edges.
Installation of tiles
This is the fifth stage of roofing work. Pre-prepared packages of tiles should be placed under a canopy or indoors. During installation, they are transferred to the building under construction. It is worth keeping in mind that the material in different packs, as a rule, is slightly different in color. In this regard, it is recommended to open 4-6 packages at a time. You need to take sheets from them alternately. In this case, the roof will be more voluminous, and stripes of different shades will not be particularly visible. This condition must also be met when the question “How to install flexible tiles on a hip roof?” is being resolved.
Laying the material begins from the center, gradually moving to the ends. The lower edge of the first row of tiles is placed flush with the eaves strip. Top edge flexible tiles should cover such a strip by several centimeters.
Horse
This is the final stage of installation of flexible tiles. The ridge is closed after all slopes are completely covered with roofing material.
At this stage, either special tiles are used, or ordinary tiles are cut into separate fragments. The second option is cheaper, because the price of special ridge tiles is twice as high as regular ones.
IN Lately Asphalt shingle roofing has become very popular among developers. This roofing has an attractive appearance, not inferior in beauty to traditional tiles, long service life and high moisture resistance. Thanks to the self-adhesive layer on the back of the shingles, installation soft roof can be done with your own hands even in the absence of professional experience. In this article we will tell you how to properly prepare the base, assemble the sheathing and lay flexible tiles.
Flexible tiles are tiles with a curved edge, made of fiberglass impregnated with modified petroleum bitumen. Laid overlapping, such a roof imitates a rarely used but aesthetically pleasing shingle covering made from wooden blocks.
- The fiberglass that is part of the bitumen shingles can be simple or reinforced polyester. The production technology of this material includes sprinkling the front side with an armoring coating of stone or basalt chips, which gives color and a rough texture to the roof. The advantages of flexible tiles are:
- Durability. The service life of a soft roof based on fiberglass reinforced with polyester is more than 70 years, which fully pays for the cost of installing the roof.
- Weather resistant. Soft tiles withstand exposure to atmospheric moisture, ultraviolet rays and other adverse environmental factors, maintaining performance.
- Aesthetics. The variety of shapes and colors of the material opens up enormous opportunities for creating a harmonious, integral image of the house. Flexibility. Flexible, elastic bitumen shingles are suitable for roofing complex shape With big amount
slopes, valleys and other decorative elements. Important! The technology for laying bitumen shingles is distinguished by its simplicity, so it can be easily done even by a non-professional. Do-it-yourself soft roofing - for the roof of a private house, country cottage, gazebo or townhouse.
Features of working with the material
Before covering the roof with a soft roof, you need to make sure that a reliable foundation is prepared for the work. Also, the technology for installing a soft roof involves performing the work under certain weather conditions.
- If you do not follow the manufacturer's recommendations, you may encounter the following problems: If you lay bitumen shingles at an ambient temperature of less than 5-10 degrees, then the self-adhesive layer on the back of the tiles will not melt on its own. To melt bitumen you have to use gas burner
- or a hair dryer. However, this makes laying the tiles difficult and slow. If you install flexible tiles at temperatures above 25 degrees, self-adhesive bitumen layer melts too much and flows down the slope. Besides, heat
- leads to roof deformation.
If you install the roof in damp weather or during rain, the rafter frame and sheathing acquire excess moisture, which negatively affects the service life of the tiles, leading to rotting.
Important! The material installation technology recommended by the manufacturers requires installation at a temperature of 5-15 degrees in dry weather. Most often, such conditions develop only in the summer. However, in winter, you can assemble the rafter frame for the roof and prepare the base for laying the roof covering.
Installation of sheathing Before making a soft roof, you need to assemble a high-quality, durable sheathing. The technology for laying bitumen shingles involves the use of a continuous base, which gives rigidity and mechanical strength
- soft roofing. The sheathing must ensure uniform distribution of the weight of the roof between the rafters, so it is created from 3 layers: Counter-lattice. The counter-lattice for soft tiles is made of wooden blocks 3-4 cm thick. It is attached along the rafters of the frame on top waterproofing material
- . The purpose of the counter-lattice is to create a ventilation gap between the rafters and the roof covering.
- Sparse lathing. This base element for soft tiles is made from edged boards measuring 20x150 mm. The boards are nailed perpendicular to the counter-lattice at a distance of 30-50 cm. Continuous sheathing. It is made from, OSB sheets or edged boards, laid solid with a gap of 1-3 mm, compensating for the thermal expansion of the material. To prevent damage to soft tiles, it is necessary to sand or sharpen the sheathing elements so that they are smooth.
Please note that to make sheathing for a soft roof, it is correct to use coniferous wood that has dried up to 20 percent. To prevent premature rotting wooden elements, perform treatment with antiseptic drugs. If the structure has a high risk of fire, then the sheathing is impregnated with fire-retarding compounds.
Underlay carpet
Do-it-yourself soft roofing is laid on continuous sheathing made from particle board or moisture-resistant plywood. An underlay carpet is laid on top of the base - a lining made of moisture-resistant bitumen material that is resistant to mechanical damage. The underlayment protects the roof from leaks, as well as from damage to the bitumen shingles due to irregularities in the sheathing. The coating installation technology recommends:
- If the roof slope is less than 15-18 degrees, lay a lining carpet on the entire surface of the slopes with an overlap of 15-20 cm, since water can be retained on it during the melting of large snow masses.
- If the angle of inclination of the slopes is more than 20 degrees, the lining carpet can be laid only in places that are particularly vulnerable to leaks, where water can accumulate or stagnate. Additional waterproofing is used to protect valleys, the joints of slopes with vertical surfaces, and the ridge.
- Do not use ordinary roofing felt as a lining. Low price does not compensate for the poor quality, fragility and short service life of this material.
Experienced craftsmen advise using the material recommended by the manufacturer as an underlayment, since it is guaranteed to be compatible with the selected bituminous shingles.
Laying
Installation of a soft roof with your own hands is carried out in dry, windless weather at a temperature of 5-15 degrees. If the material is laid on an old rafter frame, then it is necessary to check the condition of the wood and then replace rotten or deformed elements.
- Installation is carried out in the following order: First the ramp is marked horizontal stripes
- It is correct to start laying the material from the bottom of the slope, using the starting strip. Fix the roofing with nails or a self-adhesive layer. If the tiles are self-adhesive, then to glue them it is enough to remove the protective film and then press it tightly to the base of the roof.
- If nails are used to fix the coating, they must be placed no closer than 2.5 cm from the edge, and must be driven flush with the surface of the material.
- The second row begins to be laid on the left side of the slope using tiles, from which 143 mm are cut off from the left edge, thus shifting the pattern of the bitumen shingles diagonally.
- To start, cut off a fragment 286 mm long from the left edge of the third row of tiles in order to also shift the coating pattern in the diagonal direction.
- After completion, the ridge is decorated using a ridge element, junction points with vertical surfaces and valleys.
Note! In order for a roof made of soft tiles to function correctly, it is necessary to equip a ventilation system to avoid the “greenhouse effect” and rotting rafter frame designs.
Video instruction
The technology for laying soft tiles is quite simple and does not cause any particular difficulties, and if you follow the instructions and also have some construction skills, it is quite possible to install bitumen shingles yourself. Proper installation of such a coating is not only excellent protection shelter from adverse weather conditions, but also excellent appearance the roof itself.
Weather
According to the instructions, it is recommended to lay flexible tiles in the warm, dry season, at a temperature of at least +5ºС, but it is still better to +10ºС. This is necessary so that, under the influence of heat, the sheets of bitumen shingles better stick together with each other and with the base, forming an almost monolithic coating layer. At low temperatures, the sheets become fragile and bend poorly, so winter is not the best time to work with this type of coating, but if you plan to lay bitumen shingles in winter and the air temperature is less than +5ºС, then you must keep the material at room temperature for 24 hours and use a construction material a hair dryer for heating the tiles and bitumen mastic for better sealing of the layers. In winter, it is better to carry out partial roof repairs rather than full installation on the entire surface of the roof, especially if laying flexible tiles with your own hands is done for the first time.Roof slope
It is advisable to install flexible tiles on roofs with minimum slope 12º-18º. If the slope is less or the roof is flat, then it is better to choose a different type of covering, since the inevitable stagnation of water will lead to rapid damage to the roof.The main stages of laying soft tiles
Base, ventilation
Any type of roof installation begins with preparing the base. A solid solid base is used as a base for laying bitumen. It must be smooth and solid, since the slightest irregularities will inevitably affect the appearance of the roof. The ideal coating option is OSB-3 board.
Required condition long service soft roof is proper ventilation according to the “bottom-up” principle. At the bottom of the slope, ventilation holes are made through which air enters, and it is drawn out through the so-called ridge vents or aerators. Features of laying the lining layer
Installation of soft tiles is carried out on a special underlay carpet, preferably from the same manufacturer as the tiles. If the angle of inclination of the roof is minimal, i.e. 12º-18º, then the underlayment carpet must be laid over the entire surface of the roof. The underlayment layer begins to be attached from the lowest point of the roof, parallel to the eaves line. Layers overlap each other: upper layer should be 20 cm on the bottom, the edges are coated with glue and nailed with nails with wide heads. Pay attention to good carpet tension! If the roof slope is more than 20º, you can lay the lining only on the eaves overhangs, ridges, at the junction of the slopes (valley), around the pipes, i.e. on the “ problem areas", where there is a high probability of leakage. In this case, the carpet can also be mounted vertically. Also vertical mount carpets can be used for roofs with steep slopes. In any case, before installing the lining layer, it is better to coat the base with bitumen mastic. Then, when the carpet is heated with a hairdryer, the lining adheres perfectly to the base and a continuous covering is obtained. The correct foundation and a well-laid underlayment affect both the appearance of the roof and its protective functions. It is not recommended to use a hydrobarrier or roofing material as a lining material.
Protecting the "edges" of the roof
To drain water and protect the wooden elements of the roof, metal eaves strips are installed along the roof overhang on top of the lining. They should be fastened with nails in a checkerboard pattern and overlapped by 5 cm. The end strips are attached in the same way. These elements strengthen the overhangs and protect wood covering from precipitation, increase wind resistance and give a finished appearance.
Marking for flexible tiles
If laying soft tiles is the first time, it is better to make preliminary markings to avoid curvature of the rows. Tapping is done with a cord on horizontal and vertical lines in increments of 0.8 and 1 m, respectively. This marking will help to align the rows horizontally and vertically, as well as correct distortions if some object is built into the roof: a pipe, a window. You cannot fasten the tiles strictly along these lines! Just follow the direction! It is necessary to mix several packages of tiles so that the roof covering looks uniform, since different batches may have different shades that cannot be immediately noticed. First, 1.5-2 cm from the edge of the eaves strip, self-adhesive eaves tiles are attached joint to joint; in addition, they are nailed with nails with wide heads. You can take ordinary ordinary tiles and cut off the protruding parts, the so-called petals. The first row begins to be fastened from the center of the slope towards the ends of the roof in both directions. If you are installing flexible tiles yourself for the first time, then you should follow the sequence of actions:- Remove the film from the bottom of the sheet (after this you cannot stack the tiles on top of each other).
- Place the shingles on the surface and secure with four nails along the “notches” at least 2 cm from the edge. If the roof slope is large, then you need to fasten it with six nails - drive two along the edges of the sheet for additional fixation.
- Place the next row on top of the previous one so that the “petals” top sheet found the grooves of the previous row and formed a continuous straight line with them.
Registration of “problem” areas
- Having reached end strip, soft tiles need to be cut flush with the strip and glued with bitumen sealant or glue to a width of about 10 cm.
- When laying in valleys, the tiles are laid overlapping on the adjacent slope and cut to one line, additionally heated with a hairdryer and glued with bitumen glue.
- A metal apron should be used around pipes, antenna outlets and in places where soft tiles adhere to vertical surfaces, and be sure to additionally coat the seams with bitumen sealant.
Horse
Eaves tiles, divided into three parts, are attached to the roof ridge. Each part is bent at the desired angle. You can start laying from any side of the ridge. The sheet is glued to the ridge with the self-adhesive side and nailed with four nails. The next (top) tile must be overlapped with the bottom tile by 5 cm to overlap the nails. The outer sheets are glued.
That's it, the roof is ready! 
But most questions arise during the work process, so it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the video materials on installing flexible tiles.
