What is best material to use for flat roof?

Answer 1

There is no guarantee against leaks with ANY flat roof. The best material, but a little spendy, would be the rubber roof membrane. Make sure you get a written guarantee with the installer.

Answer 2

Roof Material

Answer 3

colourbond lasts the longest. maybe zincallume too. but dont ever get a galvanized roof. they rust out so easily. and the above is right, there is never any guarantees with roof leaks. the installer may come back 1, 2 or 3 times to silicone seal spots up before the roof will be perfect, but general its pretty good. i live in australia and the best roofing u can use here is colourbond.

Answer 4

You can install rubber membrame roof. Big box stores has different sizes available. You are creating a water problem though with thoughts of railing and posts around the top of this roof. You will need exposed or concealed gutters for it to drain in to. Sketch out the roof and railing on paper - see if it really fits the design of your house.

Answer 5

I am a fan of EPDM rubber roofing after having a large building repaired with it. Great warranty and the company sent the roofers who installed it.

Answer 6

what about SPF roofs?

Answer 7

First of all, all roofs have some slope,("Low Slope") roofing is generally held to a minimum of 1/4" per lineal foot of pitch per foot. So while the structure can be built "Flat" you use insulation to build the "pitch" you need into the roof for drainage.

Let's say that you've just bought an old building on main street, and are renovating it for a 1st floor retail business you will run, while the 2nd floor will be your home. The building footprint is 5000 SF. The building is stand-alone construction, with multi-wythe brick walls, and uniformly high 48" high parapet walls. The parapet walls are capped with terra cotta tiles.

You plan on operating the "Whole Earth Coffee and Tea Emporium" and living above it, raising your family there, and living out your lives there at 212 No. Main, and you hpe that it will be a "Family" business and legacy for generations to come.

The roof will be drained by an internal roof drainage and overflow roof drainage system. The roof will be insulated to a minimum R-30 & tapered insulation, (no vapor barrier). Roof access will be via a roof stair and a 30" x 6'-8" insulated roof hatch.

There will also be a a price alternate to add an alternate roof walkway system around the perimeter of the roof edge, and to all roof top equipment, and a raised 40'-0" x 40' x 0" roof top "Patio" area built out of galvanived steel subs-structure support system, polywood deck system, and painted galvanized steel rail system. (Base bid will be a roof top walkway system around roof access and to only roof top equipment.)

Roof Membranes:

There are basically 7 roof membrane systems to use as low slope roofing that would be appropriate for your building. They very in price and in length of service life. (Note that each of these roof systems should be inspected twice a year, for routine maintainence. Also note that the less direct traffic on a roof membane the longer it will perform. The roof systems that I list for consideration are as follows:

All of the roof membranes listed below are installed over 6" of fire proof polyisocyanurate insulation, either hot mopped onto the deck or mechanically fastened to the deck. THe Poly iso will be installed in two 3" layers - with staggered joints, minimum joint separation shall be not less than 8" apart from adjacent insulation seam. I have also list the most expensive roofing systems first to last. (Note that the procing will vary depending on where you live, and which roofing systems are the most popular materials and instaltions that are in use.

1. Three, 4 & 5 Ply BUR, (Built-Up-Roofing) systems. Rolled roofing strips overlapped and "Hot mopped" into one another an onto the roof surface. 3 ply roof - 15 years, 4 ply roof 25 +s, 5 ply roof 30 + years. The Topping on the roofs can be a "Flood & gravel" coat or a "Cap sheet" finish.

2. Coal Tar roof system. This is a roof system that contains cancer causing agents in the coal tar - but it is not dangerous to anyone or anything - until tear-off time. This is a self healing roof - because it has such a low flash point. This is about a 50 year + roof.

3. Light Guard Ballasted system. Cold adhere a fleece backed 45 mil EPDM membrane to the surface of the membrane roof system, (including tapered insulation), and when entire roof area is covered with roof membrane, and membrane connections are made at drains, and at parapet wall counter flashings, (up 15" on the wall and terminaterd in sawn in reglets, the membrane held in the reglet with plastic wedges, filled with sealant, secure the counter flashing (at the base of the parapet wall just above the "fold", by securing it with a termination bar at the base of the wall above the fold, and at the top of the membrane just below the reglet, (secure term bar with 11/2" Rawl's Nylin Nails with Brass shafts and plastic bodies. @ 6" O/C. around entire perimeter of the parpaet walls.

4. PVC roof membrane Systems. Reinforced, welded seam, mechanically fastened system - available in white finish, is extremely tough membrane, anti fungal, and will support ponding water on "low slope" roof installations. Can be installed directly over old roofs as a retrof fit system - with very little prep, requires no ballast.

5. Fully Adhered / Mechanically fastened 60 & 45 Mil EPDM membranes, with taped seams. 45 mil will provide 15 - 20 years of service + under warranty, 60 mil will provide 25 - 30 years of Warranty service. Providwe with cold adhered Dyna Flex walk way pad systems.

6. Ballasted EPDM Systems. 45 & 60 Mil systems loose laid over insulation and then held in place by smooth river washed stone ballast, and potato ballast at corners ans roof edge fields.Ballast applied, (Typically), @ 10 lbs per SF.

7. Derby Gum Rolled roofing. An economical Composite cork & gum resin based rolled roofing application that provides for a light quick and economical roof membrane. Does not support roof traffic, So put it on & stay off of it.

Well this mis just a quick overview - hope it helps. contact me with more questions if you want,