Which Material Should You Use For A Flat Roof?

The most common types of roofs are flat roofs and sloped roofs. While sloped roofs don’t require much consideration, flat roofs do because they have a level surface, which is why all kinds of elements need to be considered like rainwater collection, damage from moisture, effect of direct sunlight, maintenance, etc. A sloped roof mostly lets off all kinds of dirt and water that falls over it, thus leaving very less room for worrying about maintenance and cleanliness. So, let us look at the possible materials that you can use while building a flat roof.

Built up roofs

These are the most traditional kinds of roofing systems. Built up roofing consists of applying tar and gravel in molten form to create several layers over the roof, creating a watertight seal to prevent leakage. Thus, this kind of roofing doesn’t let you worry about moisture and water. Also, this kind of roofing is very environment-friendly as it uses asphalt, which is a bi-product of petrol, diesel, and heating oil. However, building such a roof takes a lot of time because of the various layers that need to be created, and because of the weight of the material that is being used, which may require additional supporting structure. But, once built, the maintenance required is very low, and the life span is quite huge. Thus, even though appearing costly while construction, it proves to be cost-effective in the longer run.

Felt

Felt is available in sheets and is affixed with a blow torch, with approximately three layers per roof. These three layers incorporate vapour control, reinforced felt, and cap sheet. Here, you can choose the colour of the top layer as per your choice and requirement, to suit the entire building’s appearance. Also, it is very simple to repair the felt sheet by just torching a patch onto the damaged area. However, installing felt roofs requires professionals to do the job.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is composed of strands of glass that combines to form a single sheet. It is a very expensive roofing material, but is light and strong, with a smooth and clean finish. It has a long life and requires very low maintenance. But, the drawback here is that it can only be used on small sized roofs, because using it on larger areas can make it weak due to expansion and contraction. Here also, professional involvement is required.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a great alternative to glass. It is very light in weight, and has an impact resistance of 200 times that of glass! Thus, it is easy to handle and install, while being extremely sturdy. Moreover, it can be installed as a DIY, without the need of any professional assistance. It also doesn’t require any additional tools and machinery as it can be easily cut with sharp-toothed scissors, and can be easily drilled without worrying about any cracks or breaks. And, one exceptional quality here is that unlike glass, it doesn’t let in the harmful UV radiations of the sun. Thus, it lets in maximum of only safe levels of sunlight! Furthermore, polycarbonate is available in a variety of types, textures, and colour to choose from. Tuflite Polymers is one of the most reliable polycarbonatesheet manufacturers you can approach, where you can get the finest quality polycarbonates, while choosing your own type and colour from the wide range available.

EPDM

This is a kind of rubber roofing, which portrays amazing water resistance capabilities. The material is resistant to both fresh water and salt water, which is why it is used in all kinds of tubing, seals, and pond liners. An added benefit is that this roof can be installed as one single whole sheet, thus eliminating the concern for waterproofing the seams within the roof. In addition, it is also environment-friendly as it is made of recycled rubber. Moreover, it also maintains the temperature between weathers, with a lifespan of around 30-50 years. But again, this requires the involvement of professionals.

After learning about all the pros and cons of the possible materials, choose the one that suits your requirements the best.