Flat Roof Layers

These flat roof systems contain one layer of rubber or a rubber type material that is applied without heat.

Flat roof layers.

The slope of a roof is properly known as its pitch and flat roofs have up to approximately 10. The number of plies on a roof implies the number of layers i e. On most flat roofs such as epdm tpo or modified it is perfectly acceptable to two layers of roofing. Flat roofs are an ancient form mostly used in arid climates and allow the roof space to be used as a living space or a living roof.

Drawbacks include potential leakage at the seams or from product shrinkage. Modified bitumen is installed in multiple layers multi ply roof each of which is torched to the surface below at every turn of the roll. Rubber is waterproof and is relatively easy to install. Just enough slope to drain water but also flat enough to be a problem if not constructed properly.

Built up roofing bur was the most common type of flat roof before modified bitumen and membrane roofing were developed. It s all about the money. Orient the spade at a 30 to 40 degree angle to the roof and start thrusting a spot in the middle of the roof repeatedly. Plies are the layers of felts fabrics and mats that make up roofs.

Why would you want to recover vs tear off. Of course flat roofs are not flat but have a very slight roof pitch of between 1 4 to 1 2 per foot. However in almost all areas it is not acceptable to install more than two layers of roofing on any commercial building. Four plies denotes a four layer flat roof membrane system.

Always stand on a firm section of the roof and wear long pants long sleeves and safety glasses. Adhesive metal straps or gravel are used to secure the rubber roof systems. A bottom layer or two of insulation board multiple intermediate layers of tar or asphalt alternated with layers of roofing felt and a top layer of gravel. A flat roof is a roof which is almost level in contrast to the many types of sloped roofs.

Flat roofs are hard to replace some observers suggest it s harder to replace a flat roof than a traditional pitched shingle roof because of the labor required to remove its layers especially on older flat roofs. Bur systems are redundant meaning if one layer breaks down multiple remaining layers provide immediate protection. Tar and gravel 2. As the roof is installed more and more layers are added to increase durability and longevity hence the name built up.

But now flat roofs often are constructed with fewer layers because of improved waterproofing technology. Bur consists of many layers.