Roofing made of bituminous soft tiles is easy to use, durable and aesthetically pleasing. Its big advantage is that independent installation is quite possible. The technology is not the most complicated, the weight of the fragment is small, it is attached to an adhesive base, and is additionally fixed with roofing nails. So you can do the installation of soft tiles with your own hands even alone.
Roofing pie for soft tiles
The attic under the roof can be warm or cold, depending on this the composition of the roofing cake changes. But its part from the rafters and above always remains unchanged:
- waterproofing is installed along the rafters;
- on it - bars with a thickness of at least 30 mm;
- solid flooring.
Let’s look at these materials in more detail - what and how to make them from, what features each of them has.
Waterproofing
Waterproofing membranes come in one, two and three layers. Single-layer membranes are the simplest and cheapest, they perform only a double task - they do not allow moisture to pass into the room and release vapors to the outside. In this simple way, the attic is not only protected from the penetration of condensation or precipitation that suddenly seeps in, but also excess moisture that accompanies human activity is removed from the air. Single-layer membranes are poorly represented on the market. They are practically produced by one company - Tyvek.
Two- and three-layer membranes are more durable. In addition to the waterproofing layer, they also have a layer that gives greater tensile strength. The third layer, if there is one, is the adsorbent layer. That is, even if a drop of condensate forms on the surface of the membrane, this layer absorbs it, preventing it from spilling onto other materials. With sufficient ventilation, moisture from this layer gradually evaporates and is carried away by air currents.
Three-layer membranes (for example, EUROTOP N35, RANKKA, YUTAKON) are desirable if your attic is insulated and mineral wool is used as insulation. It is afraid of getting wet and when humidity increases by 10%, it loses half of its thermal insulation properties.
If there is a cold attic under soft tiles, it is advisable to use a two-layer waterproofing membrane. In terms of strength, it is much better than single-layer ones, and the price is only slightly more expensive.
Lathing
Sheathing strips are placed on top of the waterproofing film, parallel to the overhang. They are necessary to create a ventilation gap. It will maintain normal humidity of roofing materials.
The sheathing is made from coniferous boards (mainly pine). The thickness of the boards is at least 30 mm. This is the minimum gap that will ensure normal air movement in the under-roof space. Before laying, the wood must be treated with an impregnation that protects against pests and fungi; after this layer has dried, it is also treated with fire retardants, which reduce the flammability of the wood.
The minimum length of the board for sheathing is at least two spans of rafters. They are attached and connected above the rafter legs. You cannot connect them anywhere else.
Flooring
The flooring for soft tiles is made continuous. The materials are selected based on the fact that nails must be driven into it, therefore they are usually used:
- OSB 3;
- moisture-resistant plywood;
- tongue and groove boards of the same thickness (25 mm) with a moisture content of no more than 20%.
When laying flooring under soft tiles, gaps must be left between the elements to compensate for temperature expansion. When using plywood or OSB, the gap is 3 mm, between edged boards 1-5 mm. Sheet material is fastened with seams staggered, that is, so that the joints are not continuous. The OSB is secured using self-tapping screws or rough nails.
When using boards as flooring, you must ensure that the annual rings of the wood are directed downward. If they are positioned in the opposite direction, they will bend in an arc, the soft tiles will lift, and the tightness of the coating may be compromised. There is one more trick that will keep the wooden flooring level even if the humidity of the boards is above 20%. When laying, the ends of the boards are additionally secured with two nails or self-tapping screws driven close to the edge. This additional fastener will prevent the boards from bending when drying.
The choice of thickness of material for flooring under soft tiles depends on the pitch of the sheathing. The larger the pitch, the thicker the flooring is needed. The best option is frequent pitch and thin slabs. In this case, a light but rigid base is obtained.
Another point concerns the installation of flooring under soft tiles around the chimney pipe. For a brick pipe whose width is more than 50 cm, a groove is made behind it (pictured). This design resembles a mini-roof. It separates rain streams, they roll down the sides of the pipe without flowing into the under-roof space.
After installing the flooring, its geometry is checked. The length and width of the slope at the top and bottom, the height of the slope on both sides are measured, and the diagonals are measured. And the last check is plane tracking - the entire slope must lie entirely in one plane.
Soft tile roofing technology
When purchasing, you will most likely be provided with instructions in which the installation of soft tiles will be described step by step and in detail, indicating all the exact dimensions that this particular manufacturer requires. These recommendations should be followed. However, it is worth getting acquainted with the order of work and their volumes in advance - in order to understand the intricacies of installation and the required amount of materials.
Let’s say right away that you need to handle soft tiles carefully when laying them - they don’t like being bent. Therefore, try not to bend or wrinkle the shingles unnecessarily (this is one fragment consisting of a visible and mounting part).
Overhang reinforcement
The drip bar is installed first. This is an L-shaped sheet of metal coated with paint or a polymer composition. Polymer coating is more expensive, but also more reliable. The color is selected close to the color of the bitumen shingles.
The drip strip is installed along the roof overhangs
The purpose of the drip strip is to protect the sheathing, rafter sections and flooring from moisture. One edge of the drip is placed on the flooring, the other covers the overhang. It is fastened with galvanized (stainless steel) nails, which are driven in in a checkerboard pattern (one closer to the fold, the second almost at the edge). The fastener installation step is 20-25 cm.
The drip strip is sold in two-meter pieces. Having laid the first element, the second is fastened with an overlap of at least 3 cm. If desired, the gap can be closed: coat the joint with bitumen mastic and fill it with sealant. At the same stage, hooks are installed, or at least nailed, which will hold the gutters.
Laying a waterproofing carpet
Regardless of the angle of the roof, a waterproofing underlay must be laid in and along the slope. It is sold in meter-wide rolls. An adhesive composition is applied to the bottom side, covered with a protective film or paper. Before laying, the paper is removed and the valley carpet is glued to the flooring.
Installation of a waterproofing carpet begins with laying it in the valley. Roll out the material to a meter width, distributing 50 cm on both sides of the bend. Here it is advisable to do without joints, but, if necessary, the overlap of the two canvases should be at least 15 cm. Laying proceeds from bottom to top, the junction is additionally coated with bitumen mastic, the material is pressed well.
Next, the waterproofing carpet under the flexible tiles is laid along the eaves overhang. The minimum width of a carpet on a cornice overhang is the size of the overhang itself, plus 60 cm. The bottom edge is located on top of the drip edge and can bend down a few centimeters. First, the carpet is rolled out, trimmed if necessary, then the protective film is removed from the back and glued to the backing. Additionally, they are fixed along the edges with stainless steel or galvanized nails with a large flat head (step 20-25 cm).
At the horizontal joints, the overlap of the two sheets is at least 10 cm, in the vertical direction - at least 15 cm. All joints are additionally coated with bitumen mastic, and the material is crimped.
Underlay carpet
Underlay carpet, like waterproofing carpet, is sold in meter-wide rolls, the back side is covered with an adhesive composition. The installation method depends on the roof slope and the profile of the selected bitumen shingles.
When using bitumen shingles with cuts (such as Jazz, Trio, Beaver Tail), regardless of the slope, the underlayment is spread over the entire surface of the roof.
Installation of underlayment often requires trimming. This is done using a sharply sharpened knife. To avoid damaging the material below when cutting, lay down a piece of plywood or OSB.
Front (end) strip
Pediment strips are mounted on the side sections of the overhangs. These are strips of metal bent in the shape of the letter “L”, along the bend line of which there is a small protrusion. They protect the laid roofing materials from wind loads and moisture. The gable strip is laid on the flooring on top of the underlay or waterproofing carpet, fixed with nails (stainless steel or galvanized) in a checkerboard pattern with a pitch of 15 cm.
These planks also come in 2 m pieces and are laid with an overlap of at least 3 cm.
Marking the slope
To make the installation of soft tiles simple, markings in the form of a grid are applied to the underlay carpet or flooring. This is done using a paint cord. Lines along the eaves are drawn at a distance equal to 5 rows of tiles, in the vertical - every meter (the length of one shingle of flexible tiles). This marking makes installation easier - the edges are aligned using it, and it’s easier to track distances.
Valley carpet
More valley material is laid on top of the already laid waterproofing carpet. It is slightly wider and serves as an additional guarantee of no leaks. Without removing the protective film from the bottom side, it is laid, trimmed at the bottom in the overhang area, and the boundaries are marked. Stepping back from the 4-5 cm mark, a special mastic with increased fixation, Fixer, is applied. It is applied from a syringe, with a roller, then rubbed into a strip about 10 cm wide with a spatula.
The valley carpet is laid out on the mastic, the folds are smoothed out, the edges are pressed. Stepping back from the edge by 3 cm, it is fixed with nails in increments of 20 cm.
Connection to a brick pipe
To bypass pipes and ventilation outlets, cut-outs are made from valley carpet or galvanized metal painted in the appropriate color. The surface of the pipe is plastered and treated with a primer.
When using a valley carpet, a pattern is made so that the material extends onto the pipe by at least 30 cm, leaving at least 20 cm on the roof.
The pattern is coated with bitumen mastic and placed in place. The front part is installed first, then the right and left.
Some of the side elements are wrapped onto the front part. The back wall is installed last. Its parts extend to the sides.
With proper installation on the flooring around the pipe, you get a platform completely covered with a valley carpet. Before laying the tiles in this place, the surface is coated with bitumen mastic.
The tiles overlap the laid carpet on three sides, not reaching the walls of the pipe 8 cm.
The upper part of the junction is sealed using a metal strip, which is attached to dowels.
All gaps are filled with heat-resistant sealant.
Output of round pipes
There are special passage devices for the passage of ventilation pipes. They are positioned so that the lower edge of the element extends onto the tiles by at least 2 cm.
Having attached the passage element to the roof, trace its inner hole. Along the applied contour, a hole is cut out in the substrate into which a round pipe is inserted.
The back part of the skirt of the passage element is coated with bitumen mastic, adjusted to the desired position, and additionally secured around the perimeter with nails. When installing soft tiles, the penetration skirt is coated with mastic.
The shingle is cut as close as possible to the protrusion of the penetration, the gap is then filled with mastic, which is covered with a special coating that protects against ultraviolet radiation.
Start strip
Installation of soft tiles begins with laying the starting strip. Usually these are ridge-eaves tiles or row tiles with cut petals. The first element is laid on one of the edges of the slope, with its edge touching the gable strip. The lower edge of the starting strip is placed on the dropper, 1.5 cm away from its fold.
Before installation, the protective film is removed from the back, the shingles are leveled and laid. Each section of bitumen shingles is fastened with four nails - in the corners of each fragment, 2-3 cm away from the edge or perforation line.
If a cut of ordinary tiles is used as a starting strip, some of it will lack adhesive. In these places, the substrate is coated with bitumen mastic.
Installation of soft ordinary tiles
There are flexible tiles with an applied adhesive mass, protected by a film, and there is a composition that does not require a protective film, although it also fixes the elements well on the roof. When using the first type of material, the film is removed immediately before installation.
Before laying bitumen shingles on the roof, open several packs - 5-6 pieces. Laying is carried out from all packs at the same time, taking one shingle from each one in turn. Otherwise, there will be obvious spots on the roof that differ in color.
The first shingle is laid so that its edge does not reach the edge of the starting strip by 1 cm. In addition to the adhesive composition, the tiles are also fixed with roofing nails. The amount of fasteners depends on the angle of the slope:
When installing soft tiles, it is important to drive the nails in correctly. The caps should press against the shingles but not break through the surface.
Valley design
Using a painter's cord, mark a zone in the valley into which nails cannot be driven - this is 30 cm from the middle of the valley. Then mark the boundaries of the gutter. They can be from 5 to 15 cm in both directions.
The upper corner, which is turned towards the valley, is trimmed
When laying ordinary tiles, the nails are driven as close as possible to the line beyond which nails cannot be driven, and the shingles are trimmed to the floor of the gutter laying line. To prevent water from flowing under the material, the upper corner of the tile is cut diagonally, cutting off about 4-5 cm. The loose edge of the tile is smeared with bitumen mastic and fixed with nails.
Pediment decoration
On the sides of the slope, the tiles are cut so that 1 cm remains to the edge (protrusion) of the end strip. The upper corner of the shingle is cut in the same way as in the valley - a diagonally 4-5 cm piece. The edge of the tile is coated with mastic. A strip of mastic is at least 10 cm. Then it is fixed with nails, like the rest of the elements.
If the flooring in the area of the ridge is made continuous, a hole is cut along the ridge, which should not reach the end of the rib 30 cm. Bituminous shingles are laid up to the beginning of the hole, after which a special ridge profile with ventilation holes is installed.
It is fixed with long roofing nails. Several elements can be used on a long ridge; they are connected end-to-end. The installed metal ridge is covered with ridge tiles. The protective film is removed from it, then the fragment is fixed with four nails (two on each side). The installation of soft tiles on the ridge goes towards the prevailing winds, one fragment overlaps the other by 3-5 cm.
Ridge tiles are ridge-eaves divided into three parts. There is a perforation on it, and the fragment is torn off along it (first bend it, press the fold, then tear it off).
The same elements can be cut from ordinary tiles. It is divided into three parts, without paying attention to the drawing. The corners of the resulting tiles are cut off - about 2-3 cm on each side. The middle of the fragment is heated with a hair dryer on both sides, placed in the middle on a block and, gently pressing, bent.
Ribs and bends
The ribs are covered with ridge tiles. A line is drawn along the bend at the required distance with a paint cord. The edge of the tile is aligned along it. The laying of flexible tiles on the edge goes from bottom to top, each fragment is glued, then, retreating 2 cm from the top edge, it is fixed with nails - two on each side. The next fragment extends 3-5 cm onto the laid one.
Soft roofing (bitumen shingles) is today one of the most popular materials for arranging pitched roofs of various types and configurations. Among the advantages of soft tiles are:
- light weight - minimal load on the roof structure and the building as a whole;
- tightness - reliable protection of the under-roof space, walls and foundation of the building from moisture and winds;
- good sound insulation characteristics - even heavy rain or hail on a soft roof will not drum, but rustle quietly;
- attractive appearance - a roof made of soft tiles looks status and expensive, no worse than natural metal tiles;
- long service life - about 30 years, of course, with timely preventive maintenance and routine repairs;
- ease of installation and maintenance - a soft roof can be installed with your own hands in a matter of days, and one person can handle all stages of the work.
Photos of a soft roof: several successful examples
What is a soft roof?
Soft roofing is a material consisting of a fiberglass base and rubber-bitumen impregnation, which is carried out on both sides. It is through the use of rubber bitumen that soft tiles acquire properties such as moisture resistance and tightness. A special coating is responsible for the wear resistance of this roofing material, which, moreover, prevents individual plates from sticking together during storage and transportation.
Let's watch a video about how bitumen shingles are produced at the factory:
Soft roofing can be laid with your own hands only on those pitched roofs whose slope angle exceeds 11°. The maximum roof slope level is not limited.
What tools and equipment are required to install a soft roof?
As already mentioned, laying soft bitumen shingles can be done alone. Your arsenal should include:
- the tile itself;
- mastic for gluing it and a trowel;
- sealant for finishing seams and areas where the roof covering abuts walls, pipes and other structural elements of the roof;
- hammer and roofing nails;
- strips for decorating cornices and ends;
- plumb line and pencil;
- waterproofing membrane;
- gloves.
This video shows a more accurate set of tools for installing a soft roof with your own hands:
Preparing the roof structure for laying soft tiles
The main difference between bitumen shingles and other types of roofing materials is that soft roofing is mounted only on a solid solid base. Metal tiles, for example, are laid on a sheathing made of wooden beams. In this case, the gap between the beams does not in any way harm the roofing.
Important! Bitumen shingles do not have such a rigid structure as metal tiles or slate, so they are mounted on OSB (oriented strand boards), edged or tongue-and-groove boards, and moisture-resistant plywood no thinner than 9 mm.
If you have chosen a board as the basis for a soft roof, then experts advise buying it in winter and using it in summer. The time during which the board lies in the stack will only benefit it, since the level of moisture in the wood will be balanced (ideally 20%). The optimal board width is about 100 mm. It is very good if all the boards are the same, for example, sawn with a band saw.
Video instructions for preparing the base for a soft roof:
If you are planning to organize a warm attic, then the roofing “pie” should have, in addition to a rigid base and the bitumen shingles themselves, other layers (in order from the inside to the outside):
- waterproofing membrane laid on top of the rafters;
- thermal insulation layer, for example, mineral or basalt wool;
- vapor barrier;
- lathing for fastening the base of a soft roof.
What areas of the roof require special attention?
Before the soft roof is laid and secured to the roof with your own hands, it is necessary to carry out work to strengthen a number of areas:
- Installation of under-roof carpet, which is a non-woven fabric impregnated with bitumen and special coating, on eaves overhangs, roof ends, and valleys. The roofing carpet is usually the same color as the shingles. The canvas is glued in the direction from bottom to top and with an overlap of 150 mm horizontally and 100 mm vertically, coating the joints of the carpet with mastic. There should be 500 mm of lining fabric on both sides of the valley, and 250 mm at the ridge. The ends and eaves overhangs are finished with under-roofing carpet to a width of 400 mm. The canvas is secured using roofing nails in increments of 200 mm.
- Installation of metal eaves strips on top of the roofing carpet on the eaves overhangs.
- Fastening gable strips at the ends of the roof.
Mandatory conditions for installing a soft roof
- A soft roof can be installed with your own hands or with the help of professionals, but the surface must always be dry and clean. This means that installation work can only be carried out in warm weather. The lower temperature limit is plus 5°C. If there is still a need to lay bitumen shingles in winter, in frost, it is recommended to use a hot-air burner, and also pre-condition the roofing material for several hours at room temperature.
- Why does a freshly laid soft roof need warmth? In addition to the fact that the shingle - a sheet of 3-4 “tiles” - is attached to the base with nails, it has a self-adhesive bitumen backing on the inside. Under the influence of solar heat, sheets of soft tiles are soldered together and also glued to the base of the roof. If it is cold outside, this does not happen, which means that the tightness of the roofing carpet cannot be guaranteed.
- During installation, soft roofing must be taken out from several packages at the same time. This technique is useful because different batches of the same type of shingles may have slightly different shades. By combining them, you will get an original roof, and also make it easier for yourself to find sheets of the right color in case of roof repairs.
Roof ventilation equipment
Do-it-yourself soft roofingis a process that consists of several stages, the first of which is the organization of a ventilation system. An unventilated roof is a direct path to the rapid destruction of rafters due to rot, as well as the transformation of condensation accumulating on the roof into ice and icicles at sub-zero temperatures.
This is what the soft roof ventilation diagram looks like
Ventilation outlets and vents located under the eaves, as well as the gap between the base of the soft roof and the tiles themselves - all this ensures air circulation in the under-roof space, and therefore timely removal of vapors.
Useful video on the topic - ventilation of soft roofs in the ridge area:
Mastic for soft roofing
In addition to roofing nails, the process of installing soft tiles also uses a fastening method such as mastics. They are made on the basis of bitumen. The highest quality mastics contain polymers.
Important! The use of mastic increases such a characteristic of a soft roof as elasticity, which means that the likelihood of deformation of the roofing carpet during operation, in particular, due to sudden temperature changes, is reduced.
The video shows several examples of using mastic for the repair and installation of soft roofs:
Mastics can be cold or hot. Cold mastics are used to connect sheets of soft tiles from the inside, and hot mastics are used to seal the roof from the outside. In addition to the bitumen base, mastic usually also contains a filler: it can be ash, gypsum, lime or polymer fiber.
Is it necessary to buy ready-made mastic? Video of making a primer for bituminous shingles
You can make mastic for installing soft tiles yourself. You will need two separate containers. Place 2 portions of bitumen in one, and 2 portions of diesel fuel and a portion of filler in the other. Warm up the containers at the same time.
Important! The bitumen should be heated to 180° until all the water has evaporated. After this, mix the contents of the two containers and get cold mastic.
Here is a detailed video on how to make mastic for a soft roof at home:
Hot mastic is prepared differently. Bitumen is heated in the boiler to 200°, and then filler is gradually introduced. Make sure that the temperature does not drop below 160°. When the mastic is ready, its quality is checked in 2 stages:
- Apply a little mastic to the surface located at an angle of 45°. The mixture should not drain;
- wait until the mastic hardens. In a high-quality composition, cracks do not form.
Laying bitumen shingles. Video instructions from professionals
The first stage is the treatment of the wooden base of the roof with a composition containing bitumen and diesel fuel. Next, the surface is coated with mastic, on top of which glassine and roofing felt are laid. Sheets of soft tiles begin to be laid from the center of the roof slope to the right and left, forming rows from the eaves to the ridge. So, your diagram: from the center - to the sides, from below - up. First, the film protecting the self-adhesive bitumen backing is removed from each sheet. Next, the tiles are nailed to the base with 4-6 nails.
Another important rule: sheets of soft roofing in different rows should be spaced apart, that is, their joints should be shifted. This is necessary to improve the moisture-proofing properties of the roof. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that each subsequent layer overlaps the previous one by 7-10 cm. Along the edges of the roof and at the joints of the covering with pipes and other communications, shaped trimming of the tiles is carried out. Its edges are carefully glued with mastic.
Features of installing soft roofing in the area of ventilation pipes and chimneys
A roofing carpet made of bituminous shingles around pipes, antennas and other utilities is laid quite easily if you mark and plan everything in advance, and also purchase special passage elements. The joints between the roof base and pipes are reinforced with the under-roofing substrate, which was already mentioned above, and then coated with mastic. The tiles are laid on top of the mastic, and then those same passage elements.
Helpful advice: to be sure, treat the joints between the passage element and the tile with sealant.
This video takes a closer look at how to bypass chimneys and other roof elements:
When the soft roofing is laid to the very top of the roof slope, use special ridge elements that cover the upper parts of both slopes, glued to mastic and nailed.
How are current repairs carried out?
How often you will have to repair bitumen shingles depends on the choice of base for the roofing: wood, cement, concrete screed, etc. Repair can be reduced to sealing cracks that have appeared in the coating or to completely replacing individual sheets of tiles.
In any case, before starting work, it is necessary to clean the damaged area. This will not be difficult if you have to remove the entire sheet. If you need to repair a crack, use anthracene or solar oil and a rag/stiff brush to remove the coating from the tiles.
If the flaw is so serious that not only the tile itself, but also the substrate is broken, first prepare a filler mixture containing mastic and sand/sawdust. The defect is puttied with this composition and only then a patch is applied. Please note that in all cases the mastic must extend beyond the perimeter of the patch by at least 200 mm.
If a bubble of water has formed under the roofing carpet, cut it, determine the location of the leak, restore the waterproofing, and then proceed according to the scheme already described.
Upon completion of the repair work, it is necessary to reapply the coating to the cleaned area. Usually, sand is used for this, which is placed on the mastic that has not yet hardened. If you neglect this step, the mastic may dry out when exposed to sunlight and quickly crack.
This video demonstrates the repair of a soft roof near a ventilation hole:
So, soft roofing made from bitumen shingles is an easy-to-work and durable material, which is also inexpensive. If you strictly follow the technology for laying a soft roof and purchase high-quality tiles, mastic and other accessories, your roof will look attractive for a long time and reliably protect the house from wind, moisture and drafts.
Installation of sheathing: we equip a reliable base for different types of roofing
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Nowadays, you can implement any architectural idea and make the roof of a residential building reliable and beautiful with the help of flexible tiles. Particularly popular among all types of such material is Shinglas bitumen tiles, which have a fairly reasonable price, which has significantly influenced its popularity. Let's look at how the Shinglas soft roof is installed; instructions for using it are given below.
Before we talk about how to work with flexible tiles, you need to familiarize yourself with them a little. Some knowledge about it will help you decide whether it is worth purchasing such material for use in building a house and whether you can work with it yourself.
Shinglas tiles were developed by specialists from the TechnoNIKOL company and since 2001 they have been produced at a plant built in Lithuania, and since 2005 at a plant in Ryazan in Russia. This roofing material was developed taking into account all the climatic features of the Russian Federation, and therefore is considered one of the best for creating roofs in private construction.
Shinglas - bitumen shingles
Shinglas flexible tiles consist of several layers and have a base made of fiberglass. Thanks to this, it not only acquires high strength and density, but also does not lose elasticity. On both sides, fiberglass is coated with a bituminous composition - this is why soft tiles are also called bitumen. And the thickness of these layers affects the resistance of the tiles to water, precipitation and other environmental factors.
The bitumen layers, in turn, are covered by the lower and upper layers of tiles. The bottom one has a protective coating made on the basis of polymers - due to it, the tiles acquire durability and resistance to various factors. The layer plays a special role when the installation technology is violated. The top layer, coated with basalt chips, is not at all afraid of external influences and gives the tiles a beautiful appearance.
The lowest layer of soft tiles is an adhesive mass resistant to low temperatures, which is based on polymer substances. Due to this, the roof will rest securely on the base.
On a note! To prevent individual roofing parts from sticking together during transportation, the adhesive strip has a special protective film made of silicone. If necessary, it can be easily removed.
A few words should be added about the basalt coating of tiles. Basalt is perhaps one of the most durable types of rocks, which is not afraid of either wind or water. The topping is represented by three fractions, and the desired color is given to it by paint applied using a special dyeing technology - the method of high-temperature firing. The paint adheres so well to the basalt surface that the roof retains its original appearance for many years.
Advantages of Shinglas tiles:
- high tightness rate - 100%;
- light weight, which will allow you to avoid strengthening the roof rafters;
- the material does not rot or rust;
- high flexibility, allowing the material to be laid on roofs of any configuration;
- resistance to chemicals;
- economy and practicality - the ability to easily store and transport, and the amount of waste from the material is minimal;
- frost and moisture resistance;
- tiles are not afraid of exposure to winds.
Prices for flexible tiles Shinglas
Shinglas flexible tiles
Material characteristics
Soft roofing Shinglas is available in various color variations - there are 22 of them in total. Moreover, the material can have a different number of layers. The most popular types of Shinglas roofing are materials from the Jazz, Country, Ranch and Continent series. At the same time, the “Rancho” tile is two-layer, and the “Continent” has three layers.
Flexible tiles Shinglas (Shinglas “Classic”)
On a note! The main difference between all types of tiles from different series is the color of the top decorative layer and the weight of the bitumen layer.
Table. Properties of various types of Shinglas tiles and components.
| Index | Ultra | Jazz | Classic | Valley carpet | Underlay carpet | Ridge-eaves tiles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base material | Fiberglass | Fiberglass | Fiberglass | Polyester | Polyester | Fiberglass |
| Waterproof | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Pack weight | 28.5 kg | 30 kg | 26.1 and 33 kg | 46 kg | 40 kg | 24.5 kg |
| Weight 1 sq.m. finished coating | 9.5 kg | 13,5 | 9,4 | 4.6 kg | 9.5 kg | 4.9 kg |
Series “Finnish tiles”
Naturally, the more layers a material has, the more expensive it is. The main advantages of a two-layer type of soft roof are as follows:
- it has a long service life, and the warranty period for it is 3 times longer than for a regular single-layer one;
- the strength of such material is higher, which means it is much more reliable in operation;
- installation of such tiles is simpler than single-layer tiles, since the layers are glued together at the factory and do not have to be combined with each other during construction;
- Outwardly, such tiles look more beautiful than ordinary ones. The texture and texture are clearly visible on it. Due to this, the material allows you to hide some roof imperfections.
On a note! Double-layer tiles are also used to cover complex-shaped roofs with towers and other decorative elements.
What is required for installation
What materials, in addition to the tiles themselves, may be needed to install a Shinglas roof? This is a lining layer produced by TechnoNIKOL, also called lining carpet. It is a roll of polymer-bitumen material made on the basis of polyester. The thickness of the base is no more than 2 mm. The material is highly durable and useful for waterproofing.
You will also need to purchase a valley carpet, which is also sold in rolls and is made from polyester. However, unlike the lining layer, the material is additionally coated with basalt granulate.
To beautifully decorate the roof, pediment and eaves overhangs, as well as abutment strips, which are made of metal coated with a special composition, are useful. The roof elements are fastened using galvanized nails about 30-45 mm long with a diameter of at least 3 mm and a head size of at least 9 mm. You will also need to purchase polymer-bitumen mastic, as well as ventilation elements made of plastic.
Consumption of materials
Before starting work, it is important to make sure that the purchased material is enough to decorate the roof of a particular house. The consumption of Shinglas soft tiles depends on what series of material will be used. For example, the Shinglas packaging of the “Jazz” series contains 2 m 2 of roofing, taking into account overlaps. And the tiles “Continent” or “Western” are 1.2 m2. Country series material – 2.6 m2. Other types of Shinglas tiles contain 3 m2 of material in packages, taking into account overlaps when laying the tiles.
When calculating the required number of tile elements, it is important to remember the coefficient, which corresponds to the level of complexity of the roof itself - the amount of material waste will depend on this. The amount of waste can vary from 5 to 15%. As for the fastening material, about 80 g of nails will be required to pierce 1 m2 of coating. Mastic will require about 100 g per 1 linear meter of lining carpet, and for a valley carpet - about 400 g for the same area. Mastic is also used to seal joints between materials - in this case its consumption is about 750 g per linear meter.
Attention! The mastic should not be applied too thickly (layer more than 1 mm) or diluted with various chemical compounds. Otherwise, unpleasant swellings will appear on the roof.
Prices for TechnoNIKOL mastic for flexible tiles
Before starting work on installing a soft roof, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with general tips and recommendations:
- When laying the material, it is contraindicated to use elements from different series and different colors. The release date of all roofing elements must also be the same;
- Slight differences in shades of tiles are allowed. To make the tonal imbalance less noticeable, you should print several packages of tiles and mix all the elements together;
- packages containing roof elements must be kept warm. If installation is carried out at a temperature of less than +5 degrees, then new elements for installation should be supplied from a heated room in no more than 5-6 packs;
- in cold weather, the adhesive strip is heated with a heat gun before gluing;
- You can cut the tiles with a knife, placing a board under it;
- the material should not be exposed to sunlight before it is laid, so that the individual parts do not stick together;
- You cannot walk on tiles in shoes in hot weather, otherwise marks will remain on the material.
On a note!
Preparing the base
Shinglas tiles should only be laid on a properly prepared base. And all materials that were used to create the roof must comply with SNiP. The pitch between the rafters will depend on the loads that the roof will experience. It can vary from 60 cm to 1.5 m. The thickness of the wood flooring will depend on the spacing between the rafters.
SP 17.13330.2011. Roofs. Updated edition of SNiP II-26-76. Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).
Table. Dependence of the thickness of the flooring on the pitch between the rafters.
| Spacing between rafters, cm | Wooden board thickness, mm | Thickness of plywood or OSB sheets, mm |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | - | 9 |
| 60 | 20 | 12 |
| 90 | 23 | 18 |
| 120 | 30 | 21 |
| 150 | 27 | 37 |
If an edged board is used to create the sheathing, then the gap between the individual elements should be 1-5 mm. Also, when using a board, it is important to ensure that the growth rings, which are clearly visible on its end part, “look” with the rounded part up.
Flooring made from sheet material must have a gap between the seams of individual panels. Fastening is done with self-tapping screws. If the base is assembled in the winter, then the space between the sheets should not be less than 3 mm - in the summer the tree will begin to expand and if the gaps are not wide enough, the roof will begin to deform.
Soft roofing is a term that combines a number of flexible roofing materials with excellent consumer properties. Its piece and roll varieties perfectly protect the house from atmospheric “misfortunes” and effectively decorate the exterior. They weigh little, do not require effort in cutting and fastening. Among the advantages is the ability to lay the coating yourself.
For an ideal result, it is not necessary to have the skills of a roofer. You need skill, patience, tools and information about how the technology of laying a soft roof differs from other methods and how to properly install a roof.
Materials from the group of soft roofing coverings are modified versions of the good old roofing felt. The new developments borrow from their predecessor flexibility and lightness, which rightfully top the list of advantages. They have retained unshakable water-repellent properties, thanks to which the wooden base and rafter system last longer. The composition has been improved, due to which the period of flawless operation of the materials has increased threefold.
Based on the installation method, the class of soft roofing coverings is divided into three types:
- Roll materials, supplied in the format corresponding to the name. These include bituminous descendants of roofing felt and new representatives, such as polymer membranes. Roll coverings are laid in strips. Bituminous materials are attached by fusing, polymer materials by partial or complete gluing. With their help, they are mainly used to equip flat and gently sloping roofs with slopes up to 3º, acceptable up to 9º. Rolls are in demand mostly in industrial construction;
- Roofing mastics, supplied ready-made or cold to be reheated. Sprayed or applied in a thick layer on flat roofs, resulting in a monolithic coating without seams. Reinforcing mesh is used for strengthening. The scope of application is limited to flat roofs.
- Bituminous shingles, supplied in flexible shingle tiles. Essentially, it is an improved roofing felt material, cut into relatively small sheets. The edge of the shingles is decorated with figured petals to imitate the ceramic prototype. The back side is equipped with an adhesive strip designed for attachment to a wooden base. Glued individually. Additionally, roofing nails or self-tapping screws are driven into each shingle. When a bitumen roof is heated by the sun's rays, the tiles are sintered and transformed into a continuous roofing shell.
In private low-rise construction, the piece variety is actively in demand, because Flat and low-pitched roofs over one- or two-story residential buildings are constructed extremely rarely. Domestic buildings have a “flat” fate, but not every owner will decide to buy membranes and mastics for the roof of a barn. This means that we will pay attention to the installation of the most popular bitumen shingles.
Step-by-step installation of bitumen shingles
Roofs with any slope and degree of architectural complexity are covered with piece flexible material. True, bitumen shingles are not recommended for roofing if the slope angle is less than 11.3º. The material is produced by numerous manufacturers. Each of them strives to provide their own products with unique qualities and properties beneficial to the installer.
Despite some differences, the technology for installing a soft roof follows the same scheme. There are small nuances, but they are not important.
Rules for preparing the base
Flexibility is an advantage and disadvantage of bitumen coating. On the one hand, it allows you to significantly speed up the process. After all, it takes a little time and a minimum of effort to form junctions, drill pipes, and arrange valleys and cornices. On the other hand, due to the flexibility of the material, a continuous sheathing is required so that the bending shingles rest entirely on a solid, level base.
You can build a continuous sheathing before installing a soft roof:
- from OSB-3 boards, recommended based on budget cost and sufficient strength;
- from sheets of moisture-resistant plywood marked FSF;
- from tongue-and-groove or edged boards, the humidity of which should not be less than 20%.
The sheet material is laid in staggered patterns such as brickwork. It is important that there are no cross-shaped joints. It is necessary that the weak areas where the slabs join are evenly distributed over the counter-lattice. Gaps of 2-3 mm should be left in the seams, which are required for the free movement of the rafter system during temperature fluctuations.
The boardwalk is installed parallel to the roof overhangs. Also take a running start if the length of the board is not enough for the slope. The place where two boards meet on the slope should be supported by a counter-lattice beam, and four nails should be driven into it. Ordinary boards are secured with two nails on both sides. They must be laid so that there is a gap of 3-5mm between the longitudinal elements. Before work, edged boards are sorted. Those that are thicker should be distributed at the base of the slope, those that are lighter should be sent upstairs.
Ventilation is the key to impeccable service
The excellent water-repellent properties of the bitumen coating are due to the tiny number of pores that can allow moisture and air to pass through. A reliable hydro-barrier works in both directions. Raindrops do not penetrate inside the roof structure, but steam does not escape outside. If vapors do not have a clear path, condensation will accumulate on wooden roof trusses and sheathing. Those. a fungus will develop, because of which you will have to say goodbye to a durable roof.
For long-term, impeccable service, it is necessary to install a roof ventilation system that includes:
- vents designed for air flow in the eaves area. In addition to the influx, they must ensure the free movement of air from bottom to top along the planes of the slopes. Vents are open channels formed by sheathing and counter-lattice;
- ventilation gap between the bitumen roof and the insulation laid on top of the vapor barrier. Designed for washing the insulation with air flow;
- holes in the upper zone of the roofing pie. These can be either the ends of the slopes that are not closed at the top, or specially designed vents with a plastic trunk that resembles a miniature chimney pipe.
Ventilation must be arranged in such a way as to prevent the formation of air pockets in the under-roof space.
Laying insulating carpet
Without exception, all manufacturers of asphalt shingles strongly recommend laying an additional waterproofing carpet before installing shingles. The list of materials suitable for carpet is usually indicated in the instructions. The products specified or similar in characteristics are approved for use.
Replacement is highly undesirable, because a composition incompatible with the coating will prevent the bitumen layers from joining into a monolith and will contribute to swelling. Polyethylene excluded. Ruberoid too, because the service life of a flexible roof is longer. It is unreasonable to lay less durable material under a coating designed for 15-30 years of operation.
The technology for laying an insulating carpet under flexible tiles includes two options, depending on the steepness of the roof:
- Installation of a continuous carpet on pitched roofs with an angle of inclination from 11.3º/12º to 18º. Rolled waterproofing is laid in strips, starting from the overhang, moving towards the ridge. Each strip laid on top must overlap the previous strip with its own ten cm. If it is necessary to join two sections in one row, they are laid with an overlap of 15 cm. The overlap is carefully, but without fanaticism, coated with bitumen mastic. The insulation strips are attached to the base with roofing nails every 20-25cm. Strips of barrier water-repellent protection are laid on top of the continuous carpet in valleys and overhangs, as well as around roof junctions. Then the ridge and convex corners of the roof are equipped with the original insulating material;
- Laying partial insulation on pitched roofs with a slope of 18º or more. In this case, the valleys and overhangs are protected with bitumen-polymer material, and only the edges of the gables, ridge and other convex corners are covered with strips of insulating carpet. Insulation, as in the previous case, is used to border the intersections of the roof with communication pipes and roof junctions. The width of the bitumen-polymer barrier along the overhangs is 50 cm, in the valleys it is 1 m, so that each of the protected slopes has 50 cm. When laying around junctions and pipes, the insulating strip is partially placed on the walls so that the material covers 20-30 cm of the vertical surface.
The installation of a flexible roof with partial waterproofing is allowed by manufacturers, but there are no ardent supporters of this method among them. Naturally, on steep slopes less precipitation is retained, but the circumstances are different: ice, slanting rain, etc. It's better to play it safe.
The bitumen-polymer carpet for valleys is selected to match the tiles. A slight deviation from the color of the coating is allowed if there is a desire to emphasize the lines of open grooves. It is advisable that the valleys be covered with a continuous strip of barrier insulation. But if joining of two pieces cannot be avoided, it is better to arrange it in the upper part of the roof with an overlap of 15-20 cm. There is the least load. The overlap must be coated with bitumen mastic.
Protection of gables and eaves
The perimeter of the roof is equipped with metal strips. They are needed to protect weakened areas of the sheathing from moisture and as roof design elements. The planks are laid edgewise on the edge of gables and overhangs. The edge line should coincide with the roof outline line. Fasten with roofing nails in a zigzag pattern every 10-15 cm.
If there is a need to join two planks, they are laid with an overlap of 3-5 cm, at least 2 cm. The gable strips overlap the eaves at the corners of the roof. In places of end and joining overlaps, fasteners are hammered in after 2-3 cm.
Most flex roofing manufacturers recommend installing both types of metal protection over the underlayment. However, the developers of the Shinglas brand recommend placing cornice strips under the carpet, and pediment strips on top of it. Before installing gable and cornice strips on a plank sheathing, they also advise first nailing a block and then attaching metal protection to it.
Formation of passages through the roof
Chimneys crossing the roof, communication risers, antennas, and private ventilation openings require special arrangement. They create a potential hazard in the form of an open path for water leaks. Therefore, before installing the covering, the roof penetration areas are covered with sealing devices or systems. Among them:
- Rubber seals designed to cover small diameter points. Holes for antenna, for example;
- Polymer passage elements used to equip roof intersections with sewer and ventilation risers. They are produced specifically for arranging roofs. The passages are simply attached with nails to the continuous sheathing. Bitumen shingles are laid on top, which are actually trimmed around the passage and fixed with bitumen mastic;
- Plastic adapters for your own roof ventilation. The holes are closed with vents, a ridge element with channels for removing fumes, and perforated devices for cornices.
The rules for arranging passages for large chimneys should be considered separately. In addition to the threat of leaks, they are also a fire hazard. Chimneys are sealed in several stages:
- the walls of the pipe are protected with parts cut from asbestos-cement slabs according to its actual dimensions;
- A triangular strip treated with a fire retardant is installed around the perimeter of the pipe. To make it, you can split the block diagonally. A baseboard is suitable for replacement. The chimney plank is not attached to the sheathing! It must be fixed on the walls of the pipe;
- lay flexible tiles, placing the shingles on the strip;
- Parts are cut out of the valley carpet according to the dimensions of the pipe with the installed strip. The width of the parts is at least 50 cm. The patterns are attached with a 30-centimeter overlap to the pipe walls using glue or bitumen mastic. First, glue the front part, then the sides, and finally the back. The lower edge is placed on top of the laid tiles, the upper edge is inserted into a groove on the pipe wall;
- Finally, the multilayer insulation system is secured by installing a metal apron and treating the joints with silicone sealant.
There is a simpler and cheaper way: the parts of the insulating lining of the pipe are cut not from carpet, but directly from galvanized metal. Then half of the work steps will disappear by themselves.
Wall junctions are sealed using a similar method. Only there is no need to install asbestos-cement protection, and the protected surfaces must be plastered and treated with a primer before installation.
Rules for laying eaves shingles
In order to create guidelines for the installer, it is better to first mark the roof with coated construction lace. Horizontal lines are applied in increments equal to five rows of flexible tiles. Verticals are struck in increments of one shingle.
After preparing and marking the roofing surface, you can safely begin laying flexible tiles, following the algorithm:
- The first to be installed is the cornice row of tiles on the overhang. You can take a special ridge-eaves tile or cut out the starting element yourself by trimming the petals of ordinary ordinary tiles. You need to step back 0.8-1 cm from the edge of the metal cornice strip and glue the cornice shingles. For gluing, you need to remove the protective tape from the adhesive layer and coat the remaining areas with mastic;
- the laid eaves tiles are secured with roofing nails in increments equal to the width of the petal. When driving, the wide head of the hardware must be strictly parallel to the surface of the continuous sheathing. Distortions are unacceptable. Hammer the nails at a distance of 2-3cm from the top edge of the shingles. The fixation points must overlap the next row of roofing;
- The first row of flexible tiles is laid. It’s better to start from the center of the slope to make it easier to align horizontally. You should retreat 1-2cm from the bottom line of the starting row and glue it using the already proven method. Nailed with four nails at a distance of 2-3cm from the groove between the petals;
- It’s also more convenient to start installing the second row from the middle. But the shingles must be moved so that the tab is above the groove of the first row of shingles and the attachment points are completely covered;
- The upper corner of the tiles laid next to the pediment is cut in the form of an equilateral triangle with sides of 1.5-2 cm. pruning is needed to remove water.
You can continue laying shingles according to the linear principle, i.e. laying down a whole row, one after another. You can use the pyramidal method with “building up” from the middle of the slope to the edges or diagonally.
Two ways to construct a valley
Two methods have been developed to form a valley:
- Open gutter device. Row tiles are laid to the valley axis on both adjacent slopes. Only the nails stop driving at a distance of 30cm from the axis. After laying the coated cord, valley lines are marked on the slopes, along which the coating is carefully trimmed. The width of the valley is from 5 to 15 cm. To prevent damage to the soft roof during cutting, a board is placed under the tiles. The corners of the tiles located near the valley are trimmed to remove water, then the back side of the covering elements is coated with mastic and glued.
- Closed gutter device. The tiles are laid first on the slope with the smallest slope so that approximately 30 cm of material is located on the adjacent slope. The shingles are secured at the top with nails. Afterwards, the second slope is covered, then a line is beaten on it, 3-5 cm away from the axis, along which cutting is carried out. The corners of the tiles are trimmed to remove water, and then the cut loose elements are glued to the mastic.
The nuances of laying tiles on a ridge
Upon completion of the installation of the tiles on the slopes, they begin to arrange the ridge. The ventilation ducts in the body of the sheathing must be left open, so a gap of 0.5-2 cm is left between the tops of the slopes. To ensure ventilation, the ridge is equipped with a plastic aerator. It is not very attractive, so for the sake of aesthetics it is decorated with universal ridge-eaves tiles or shingles cut from shingles.
Nail the tiles with 4 nails. Each subsequent element must cover the fasteners of the previous one. The tiles are mounted on the ridges from bottom to top. The ridge is arranged in the direction of the prevailing winds so that the open areas turn to the leeward side.
The video will demonstrate in detail the process of installing a soft roof with explanations of the step-by-step installation technology:
No particular difficulties were found in the construction of a soft roof. There are technological features. If you strictly follow them, you can easily do the installation yourself with excellent results.