Rooftop Deck Flat Roof Deck Construction Details

The basic construction of a flat roof starts with roofing timber that is laid across two upright items usually two walls.

Rooftop deck flat roof deck construction details. What s the difference between a regular roof and a flat roof and why does it require different material. An example of this might be using a roofing membrane such as epdm ethylene propylene diene monomer for your first layer which will provide your waterproofing. When a roof is flat it actually will have a very slight slope water is going to spend a lot more time in one place giving it more time to find a way underneath the roof. Flat roofs are prone to leaking even without decks because of design errors improper materials and improper installation.

Photo by dave holbrook. For additional stability you can also use steel joists that are built into one or both of the walls. Having a manual for warm flat roof construction with details and a summary of rules to follow helps. Flat roofs aren t architecturally logical as rain and snow will shed much more quickly off a sloped roof.

Many homes in new england have walk on flat roof decks with living space under them and 90 percent of these deck roofs leak ruining your rooms. See how one asphaltic tar over concrete roof deck was transformed into an attractive low maintenance roof deck in case history 156 roof deck renovation washington dc. And while we poked a little fun at the missing 4th flat roof on the article from the this old house website we are big fans of this old house too. Materials used for the roof deck should be selected from those listed in bs 6229 2018 it is important to refer to this document for design guidance but for convenience the various materials are outlined below.

The key is in the word flat. Flat roof design guide. A deck located under pine trees will need much more maintenance to clean out debris than a rooftop deck above a high rise. 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.

This article discusses rooftop deck construction details to avoid building leaks or rooftop deck safety hazards. Of course you don t need to live in a modern house to deal with a flat roof. Many roof top patios are built using various roofing applications as the first waterproofing layer with the addition of walkable deck surface over top. The roof deck surface should sloped away from the house a minimum 1 8 inch per foot so the water will.

Stains on sheet rock ceilings popping hardwood flooring wet carpets and rotted framing are just some of the damages that you may sustain as a result of these leaks. Careful detailing of membrane roofs at corners doorways and penetrations is critical for long term performance. The roof below should be cleaned and inspected at whatever intervals is found necessary for each deck. Epdm is the best choice for most rooftop decks.