Roofing materials are presented in a large number of species that differ in appearance, parameters and costs. It is important that a coating is made that will be airtight, resistant to numerous atmospheric influences and durable. An excellent choice for almost any roof is the membrane roof. It is ideal for flat roofs or structures that differ in a small slope. It can be applied for unusual and specific roofs. It is used even for foundations or pools as an ideal waterproofing material.
The main varieties of the membrane for the roofing
The following most popular types of membranes can be distinguished, which can be used to form an optimal roofing:
PVC membranes are created from special polyvinyl chloride, which is reinforced with a special mesh organized from polyester. Since the product should have high plasticity, it contains plasticizers in its composition. It has excellent resistance and strength. However, it is impossible to influence the material with bitumen or various types of solvents. Its disadvantages include that it releases volatile substances.
EPDM membranes created from synthetic rubber. They are distinguished by excellent quality and high plasticity. They contain polyester threads, so the material is highly worth. You can fasten individual parts of the membrane exclusively using a special adhesive solution, therefore, very often during operation, repair work is required.
TPO products are formed using polyester or fiberglass. They can be reinforced or can be produced without this process. The main disadvantages of this particular species of membranes include poor elasticity.
Preparation before installation
Before direct work associated with laying the roofing, it is important to carry out some preparation. It should be remembered that the main positive parameter of any type of membrane is that its installation is light and speed. Work is performed simply regardless of what the weather is set.
Some preparatory work should be performed before laying, but they are not considered complex and specific. It is not even necessary to remove the previous roofing if there are no serious defects or unevenness.
Therefore, initially all the disadvantages of the past roof are removed, for which the surfaces can simply be cleaned or unnecessary elements can be cut off. The old roof will not be able to negatively affect the waterproofing parameters of the membrane.
The crate for the material should be created from wood. All parts of this design are reliably fastened with each other. Before the work itself, it is necessary to calculate the calculation in order to determine how much the material needs to be purchased, as well as what fasteners and in what quantity should be bought.
Methods of laying membrane roofs
The styling of this material can be performed in different ways, so you need to determine in advance on this moment. During the choice of specific technology, you need to consider what bias the roof has, as well as what kind of membrane is chosen for work.
4 different methods of this work can be distinguished. You can perform each option on your own, since the work is quite simple and understandable. They are also safe, so no danger to a person or materials used will arise. This is due to the fact that you do not need to use fire or other specific elements.
These methods include:
a ballast method that is considered optimal for even surfaces;
The mechanical version is suitable for roofs that differ in a significant angle of inclination;
The adhesive method is used quite rarely, since it requires the use of expensive adhesive substance;
The heat -welded method is most often used, since it provides a strong and reliable fastening of materials, however, for its implementation, specialized equipment must be possessed.
Features of the use of the ballast method of laying the membrane
Before laying the membrane, a certain training must be done, which involves the formation of an insulating pie:
the base that should be durable and reliable;
vapor barrier layer;
a layer of thermal insulation;
Laying of a glass chloride.
For this method, PVC membrane is usually used. You need to perform work in a certain sequence of actions:
The canvases of the material are laid on the surface of the roof, where they should be well leveled and fixed;
On top you need to lay ballast on the coating, for which various bulk materials are used, such as gravel or crushed stone;
If it is assumed that a strong wind or other significant atmosphere factors will affect the roof, then paving slabs can be used as ballast.
Using the mechanical method of roof installation
It is used for those roofs that have a significant slope. Also, the use of glue is often not suitable, since this is accompanied by the need to spend a lot of cash.
In this case, wooden or reinforced concrete bases can act as the basis for fastening the membrane. Geotextiles are attached from above, which reduces the likelihood of damage to the material.
The membrane is fixed with special telescopic fasteners, which in appearance resemble umbrellas with large hats. They are used together with metal anchors. You can combine such a mount with heat welding.
Adhesive method: main parameters
This method is rarely used, since it requires many monetary investments, and is also considered difficult to implement. Its effectiveness is at a low level. However, it is an ideal choice for roofs, which are difficult and specific.
To create such a roof, vapor barrier and thermal insulation are initially laid. Then an adhesive layer is applied, from above which a membrane is immediately laid out. It is possible to apply glue not completely on the entire surface, but only to the most important areas, but this can reduce the reliability of the fastening.
Using warm welding to install a membrane
This method is considered the most popular. It does not imply significant monetary expenses and can be performed by every person. To do this, you only need to have a high -quality welding machine at the disposal.
With the help of high temperature exposure, fastening of the sheets of the membrane is ensured, which allows you to obtain a strong and durable connection.
Thus, the membrane roof has many advantages. It is easy to install, and different methods can be used that are easily realized on their own.
