Roofing Made Of Flexible Tiles (soft, Bituminous), Characteristics And Reviews, As Well As Features Of The Device And Technology Of Laying The Material

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

All about the roof of flexible bituminous tiles: features, installation technology, operating rules and recommendations for repair

Despite the fact that the technology for the construction of a soft roof was developed in the United States back in the 20s of the last century, this material was forgotten by builders for many years. They remembered about flexible roofing relatively recently, and in just a few decades, soft tiles have become a real hit among roofing materials in Europe. A unique coating with excellent performance not only meets all the requirements and makes the roof memorable, it is often simply irreplaceable. It's time to talk about the scope and advantages of bituminous tile roofing, as well as share the secrets of installation, operation and repair.

Content

• 1 Features of shingles

  • 1.1 Pros and cons of a soft roof
  • 1.2 What fasteners are used for the installation of flexible tiles
  • 1.3 How to calculate how many shingles you need
• 2 What tools will be needed for arranging a soft roof
• 3 Roofing from bituminous tiles

• 4 Features of installation of a roof made of soft tiles

  4.1 Table: the dependence of the thickness of the lathing on the distance between the rafters

• 5 The most common mistakes in installing shingles

• 6 Operation of a roof made of soft tiles: features of care and repair

  • 6.1 What determines the service life of a bituminous tile roof
  • 6.2 Maintenance of soft roofs
  • 6.3 Repairing damaged areas
• 7 Video: installation of a soft roof made of bituminous tiles

Features of bituminous tiles

Bituminous, flexible or soft tiles are the names of the same material - roofing sheets 100x33 cm in size with cutouts in the form of a hexagon, rectangle, triangle, etc. special modified bitumen.

Bituminous shingles are represented by coatings of any shape and color

Two-layer impregnation makes the soft roof moisture resistant and resistant to external influences, and the synthetic or natural base provides high strength and flexibility. In order to make the shingles attractive in appearance, as well as to protect against mechanical damage and ultraviolet radiation, the outer layer is covered with basalt granulate, slate chips and other mineral materials. The reverse side of the soft roof can have a self-adhesive backing with a film protection or sand sprinkling, which serves to prevent sheets from caking.

The tile covering is suitable for installation on roof slopes with a slope of more than 12 degrees and can be used both for arranging new roofs and for renovating old roofs

The uniqueness of soft tiles lies in the fact that this roofing material allows you to cover a roof of any degree of complexity, even if it has a truly bizarre shape.

When reconstructing old roofs, arranging the roof using a soft coating will be preferable due to the fact that with its help it will be possible to reduce the load on the tired elements of the rafter system. Due to its flexibility, bituminous tiles allow you to create slopes of any configuration. This is used by the owners of country houses, creating roofs of the most bizarre shapes.

Pros and cons of a soft roof

When choosing a roofing material, it is impossible not to pay attention to the beautiful bituminous tile coatings. Of course, the question arises about the advantages of this type of roof.

Meanwhile, it has many advantages over more traditional materials:

• the ability to withstand wind load, due to the solidity of the coating from individual sheets;
• high wear resistance due to the use of natural stone, fiberglass and rubber-bitumen composite;
• resistance to damage to the roofing by fungus and mold. Moss and lichen do not grow on the surface of bitumen and stone chips;
• simplicity and speed of installation, which is provided both by the material itself with a ready-made adhesive layer, and by additional elements provided for by the laying technology;
• the possibility of arranging the roof of any, even the most complex configuration;
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation and acid attack;
• small weight of shingles, which rarely exceeds 5-7 kg per 1 sq. m, therefore, requires the arrangement of the rafter system without the use of additional supporting structures;
• repair and replacement of individual sections of the roof takes a minimum of time and effort;
• the ability to withstand shock loads - neither hail nor thrown stone can damage the roof;
• bitumen and fiberglass have low thermal conductivity, so flexible roofing is well suited for arranging roofs over residential premises;
• no noise from falling drops or hail due to the high soundproofing and shock-absorbing capacity of the bituminous rubber coating;
• corrosion resistance;

• The materials that make up the soft tiles have minimal electrical conductivity, so lightning will never strike such a roof.

  

  Soft tile cover is able to withstand all weather conditions

As you can see, the high-tech material has enough advantages. However, it is not worth idealizing bituminous shingles - such a roof also has disadvantages:

• the high cost of soft tiles, as well as the need for arranging a continuous sheathing, reduce the competitiveness of the coating, even if we compare it with metal tiles, not to mention cheaper materials;
• debris accumulates on a rough surface, which entails the need for frequent cleaning;
• water absorption of bitumen is 10 percent or more, which forces the use of moisture-resistant materials for the manufacture of the crate;
• low frost resistance, which can lead to cracks and other damage. According to this indicator, bituminous tiles are very much inferior to other coatings.

As for the common opinion about the fire hazard, which is associated with the use of such a flammable material as bitumen, the soft tiles of popular manufacturers do not burn and are extremely difficult to ignite.

What fasteners are used for the installation of flexible tiles

Flexible tiles, although they look like separate roofing plates, are attached to the base in the same way as any other roll material. However, the usual fasteners for mounting such a coating are not suitable. In most cases, special galvanized nails are used, which are also called roofing nails. Their caps have a diameter of 8–12 mm and are not painted, since during installation the fasteners are overlapped by the next strip of flexible material. On the working part of the nails, there are notches that prevent their spontaneous dismantling. The length of the hardware depends on the thickness of the wooden base - the sharp edge should not pierce the battens and counter battens so as not to damage the waterproofing layer.

Nails for soft tiles have an enlarged head and jagged edges on the working part. This prevents their spontaneous dismantling.

When installing flexible roofs, other fasteners are also used:

• self-tapping screws with a press washer - when using OSB or plywood crate;
• stapling staples - to speed up installation;
• toggle buttons;
• roof screw dowels - to connect the sheets of thermal insulation to each other;
• protective plastic nail caps, made to match the roof.

You should be very careful about the choice of fasteners, since it depends on them how well the installation will be carried out.

How to calculate how many shingles you need

The calculation of the amount of soft tiles is easy to do. To do this, it is enough to calculate the squaring of the slopes and add to this area a small amount of material "for cutting". This value depends on the complexity of the roof and is:

• for simple gable structures from 2 to 5%;
• for hip roofs - up to 7%;
• for complex roofs with valleys, turrets, etc. - from 7 to 10%.

It must be said that during the installation of a flexible bituminous coating, there is practically no waste left, therefore this factor can be ignored.

When calculating the amount of bituminous shingles, the size of individual shingles and their number in a pack must be taken into account

What tools are needed for arranging a soft roof

As you know, the quality of the work performed, the speed and the absence of injuries among the performers depend on how high-quality the instrument will be. To equip a soft roof, you will need the following tools:

• special knife with a hook-shaped blade for cutting shingles;
• knife with a straight blade for cutting underlay carpet;
• spatula and gun for applying an adhesive layer;
• a hammer;
• nail puller;
• construction cord;
• bubble or laser level;
• roulette;

• marker.

  

  A special knife with a hook blade is best for cutting roofing sheets of soft tiles.

As you can see, there is nothing specific in the list. The only exception is the roofing knife with a hook blade. Outwardly, it resembles an ordinary construction or wallpaper cutter. The difference is the configuration of the cutting edge - the presence of a sharpened hook allows you to cut shingles with less effort. When working with such a tool, the cutting accuracy and mounting speed increase. When choosing a roofing knife, you should not save money by buying a cheap product with a plastic handle. The work takes place at a great height, therefore, the first time it falls to the ground, the tool may be damaged. Best of all are the Stanley tile cutting knives, whose bodies are made of light-alloy metal.

Bitumen shingle roofing

The structure of a roof made of soft tiles practically does not differ from the device of hard roofs. This is due to the fact that a soft coating of this type is used on slopes, the slopes of which have a slope of more than 12 degrees, and the material itself, in terms of characteristics, is close to a metal tile. As noted earlier, the huge advantage of flexible bitumen tiles is that they make it very easy and quick to erect even complex roofs.

A roofing cake is arranged under the shingles, which includes the following layers:

• rafter system;
• crate;
• vapor barrier;
• thermal insulation;
• waterproofing.

In general, very strict requirements are not put forward for the soft roof truss system, as is the case when erecting a structure for slate or metal tiles, due to the low weight of the roofing material. As for the crate, on the contrary, more serious requirements are put forward for its arrangement.

The roofing device for bituminous tiles has slight differences from the roofing device made of metal tiles in terms of moisture protection and vapor barrier

A solid base of boards, plywood or OSB is constructed under the soft roof. Since the lathing must be flat, the latter option is most preferable due to the fact that among other sawn timber it has the highest moisture resistance, and, therefore, is less prone to warping.

The design of the roofing cake, which is equipped with a tiled covering, depends on which roof it will be installed for - insulated or cold. In the first case, the base includes insulation and related materials, therefore, the conditions for ventilation of the under-roof space are additionally put forward.

A roofing cake for a “warm” roof consists of the following layers:

• vapor barrier;
• boards or slats of a rough crate;
• thermal insulation;
• waterproofing film or SDM membrane;
• counter-lattice, which creates a ventilation gap;
• sheathing sheets or boards;
• lining carpet;
• soft tiles.

It should be noted that all the elements of the roofing pie are arranged in the order of work, that is, a vapor barrier is laid on the rafters, then the slats of the rough sheathing and then on the list. In this case, the insulation is placed on top. At the same time, there is also a technology of roof insulation "from below", according to which mineral or basalt wool is kept below the level of the crate. In this case, polypropylene twine, attached to the elements of the rafter system, is used to fasten it.

Roofing cake for shingles consists of several protective layers, which allows you to reliably protect the roof from all external influences

If a cold roof is installed, then there is no need to install thermal insulation, and the roofing cake consists of lathing and counter-lathing, lining material and bituminous tiles.

Features of installation of a roof made of soft tiles

The advantages of a roof made of bituminous shingles will manifest themselves only if the technology is carefully maintained during its construction. Firstly, it is necessary to strictly observe the requirement regarding the slope angle of the slope of 12 degrees, otherwise it will not be possible to provide the required level of waterproofing. Secondly, installation work must be carried out at an ambient temperature of at least 5 °. At lower temperatures, the adhesive properties are reduced, and the material itself becomes stiff. In such conditions, it will not be possible to carry out a high-quality installation.

When installing a soft roof, you should adhere to the technology and follow the instructions of the manufacturer of the flexible coating

The soft roof is laid on a continuous sheathing of OSB-boards or moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 12 mm. And also as a base can be used a boardwalk made of dry lumber with a thickness of 25 mm or more. The thickness of the OSB or plywood lathing depends on the pitch of the rafters and is calculated in accordance with the table below.

Table: dependence of the thickness of the lathing on the distance between the rafters

Sheathing material	Distance between rafters, cm
	60	75	90	120	150
	Lathing thickness, mm
Plywood, OSB board	12	fifteen	18	22	28
Board	20	22	25	thirty	40

A lining carpet is laid on top of the lathing. The edges of individual strips are laid with an overlap of up to 15 cm and glued with a special bitumen - polymer mastic. On the surface of the slopes, the lining is additionally attached with nails, which are hammered in with a step of 25 cm.

After the installation of the lining layer, they begin to fasten the cornice and end strips. They are installed along the edge of the roof so that each subsequent element overlaps the previous one with an overlap of 5 cm or more. Fastening is carried out with nails, which are staggered with a pitch of 10 cm to ensure reliable fixation. The edges are glued with mastic and fixed with roofing nails.

Fastening of cornice and pediment strips should be carried out with the necessary overlap of 5 cm or more

The topcoat starts with a row of eaves that have no cutouts. After that, tile strips are laid, which are fastened with nails. The distance between the fasteners is regulated by the manufacturer, depending on the angle of inclination of the roof. Each subsequent sheet of soft roofing is oriented so that the tiles of the upper sheet partially cover the cutout between the two tiles of the lower row.

The technology and scheme for laying bituminous shingles are provided without fail by the coating manufacturer, which simplifies the work of the contractor

For the design of the ridge, sheets of cornice tiles are used. To do this, it is divided into parts in the places allocated by the manufacturer (most often, small perforations are used for this purpose). The resulting shingles are folded over the ridge and fastened with a nail fight along the outer edge. In this case, the edge of each subsequent sheet should overlap the attachment points of the previous tile.

The most common mistakes in installing shingles

Starting to install a soft roof without the necessary experience and theoretical training, novice builders often deviate from the technology and make a number of mistakes. The most common are:

1. Errors in the design of the roof associated with the wrong choice of roofing material. Installing soft shingles on slopes of less than 12 degrees increases the risk of leaks.
2. Violation of the temperature regime. Installation of the roof at low temperatures can lead to material damage and insufficient strength of the joints of individual shingles. In addition, when warming, the flexible coating will expand, and waves may appear on its surface.
3. Installation of roof tiles on a wet crate. Due to the impossibility of moisture evaporation in the future, problems arise associated with the appearance of fungus and mold in the lining carpet, on the crate and elements of the rafter system.
4. Too large a gap between the elements of the lathing, which leads to the deflection of individual parts of the roof and weakening of the nail connections.
5. Incorrect or weak fastening of the wooden base. Insufficient fixation of sheets or boards of solid flooring leads to "self-pulling" of the nails with subsequent damage to the roofing, as well as breaks and deflections of individual tiles in those places where the elements of the sheathing are adjacent to each other.
6. Violation of the rules for laying the first row of tiles. As a rule, errors of this kind with a high degree of probability lead to leaks and rotting of the extreme elements of the rafter system.
7. Poor fastening of shingles sheets. In strong winds, individual sections of the tile covering will rise. In this case, the tiles will begin to break, and its pieces will come off the shingles. During a downpour, water will flow under the roof covering.
8. Laying packages with tiles on uneven surfaces, and as a result, fracture and delamination of individual plates. Very often, installers lift several bundles of tiles onto the roof at once and put them on the ridge - this is definitely not worth doing.
9. Careless arrangement of valleys, chimneys and ventilation pipes. With insufficient protection of roof elements of complex configuration, leaks appear in local places.
10. The procedure for arranging the roofing cake in the valleys has been violated. Failure to comply with the technology of laying the roofing cake in the valleys with one hundred percent probability leads to leaks.

11. Incorrect calculation of the ventilation gap. Lack of ventilation in the under-roof space leads to excessively high temperatures in summer, ice build-up on the eaves in winter and condensation in the off-season.

    

    Violation of the technology of laying soft tiles often leads to the destruction of the roofing

It will be very difficult to notice errors in the installation after the last shingle has been installed. When installing shingles with your own hands, you should strictly follow the technology and listen to the recommendations of professionals. If a team of builders will be engaged in the construction, then you should choose responsible executors who have been working with this material for a long time and give a guarantee for the work performed.

Operation of a roof made of soft tiles: features of care and repair

Flexible shingles have a lot of operational advantages, therefore they are one of the most favorite materials for designers and owners of private houses. Nevertheless, the reliability and durability of a roof made of this material depends not only on adherence to construction technology, but also on how thorough and timely the care will be.

What determines the service life of a bituminous tile roof

We will not talk about the fact that the durability of a soft roof depends on the correctness of its arrangement, since this is understandable. Let's talk better about what other factors can shorten the life of this technologically advanced and quite expensive material.

How long flexible roofing will last depends primarily on the quality of the raw materials. Unlike “no-name” companies, well-known manufacturers of soft tiles use only modified SBS bitumen, which allows us to establish a warranty period of 25 years. With regard to practical operating experience, such a roof can stand for more than 50 years with proper installation and systematic maintenance.

Many factors affect the life of a tile covering, and the most destructive of them are climatic conditions:

• sharp temperature drops;
• critical decrease or increase in temperature;
• heavy rains;
• formation of ice.

All these factors contribute to premature wear of the soft roof. That is why bituminous tiles serve much longer in temperate latitudes.

Another group of reasons that affect the durability of a bituminous tile roof is the design features of the roof. A roof with steeper slopes is faster free of water and snow, so it will be able to stand for much longer sloping. The same can be said for roofs with simple configurations. Naturally, complex roofs with valleys and turrets are more at risk of leaks than conventional gable structures.

Complex roofs are much more susceptible to leaks than simple pitched structures

Manufacturing defects also have a large impact on the durability of the roof:

• Thermal degradation may be the biggest disadvantage. This defect is associated with a violation of the heat treatment regime in production and leads to fragility of soft tiles;
• poor quality roofing can manifest itself in blistering (swelling or peeling of the surface layer);
• excessive softening of the bitumen composition of the underlay, etc.

The influence of production factors is not limited to technology violations. The service life of a soft roof is also influenced by such a factor as the thickness of the shingle. The thicker the protective layers of the tiles, the longer they will last.

The color of the material also plays a role. Light-colored roofs are more reflective of light, including ultraviolet rays, so they will last longer than dark tiles.

Soft roof care

Despite the high performance, bituminous shingles are subject to the destructive effects of the external environment no less than other roofing materials. And at the same time, periodic inspection and the simplest maintenance will greatly increase its service life and postpone the start date of overhaul.

Maintenance of a soft roof depends on the season and consists in cleaning its surface:

• in spring and autumn, fallen leaves and branches, dirt and debris from the drain are removed from the roof slopes. For these purposes, brushes and brooms with medium hard bristles are used;
• moss, lichens and other vegetation are removed with the help of special water-based antibacterial agents;
• damaged areas are immediately repaired and sealed.

Timely maintenance of soft tile roofing is the key to its long life.

Cleaning the roof in winter consists in removing the snow, if its layer can cause a threat of deformation of the roof. It is preferable to remove snow caps not with metal, but with plywood or plastic shovels. It is not necessary to remove snow to the very base due to the high probability of damage to the roofing material. It is better to leave a layer of snow 10–20 cm high.

Repair of damaged areas

Unfortunately, even the highest quality installation and careful maintenance will not be able to ensure the smooth use of a soft roof. Sooner or later the moment will come when damage appears on the surface of the bituminous tile. The integrity of adjacent sections of the roof and the condition of the lathing and rafter system depend on how quickly defects are eliminated. To identify problem areas will allow regular inspection of the coating.

In order to prevent severe damage to the soft roof, you need to constantly inspect the roof. If damage is found, an urgent need to replace the damaged area

Signs indicating the need for repair work:

• cracks and faults on the surface of individual shingles;
• hidden damage to the roof waterproofing;
• the appearance of dark spots, which signal the thinning of the protective layer;
• the appearance of roofing dressing in the drain;
• curvature of individual tiles;
• local swelling and waves on the roof surface.

Depending on the cause of the damage, the repair of a soft roof consists in replacing individual shingles, eliminating leaks at the junctions or replacing defective sections of waterproofing. Most of these works can be done by hand if the defective spot is accurately identified. For this:

1. The shingles are carefully inspected to indicate the expected leakage area.
2. Minor damage can be repaired by replacing parts of individual shingles. For this, the roofing sheets of two rows are removed, which are located above the defective tiles.
3. The damaged area is cut out with metal scissors and replaced with a similar piece of a new roof.
4. After that, the tiles are glued and nailed.
5. If it is not possible to stratify the roofing "pie", then a patch is applied to the defective place.

Video: installation of a soft roof made of bituminous tiles

The advantages of such a modern material as shingles are difficult to overestimate. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that a roof covered with flexible material will serve faithfully only if it is equipped according to all the rules. As for the construction of a roof made of bituminous tiles with your own hands, this process is a rather interesting task. But you shouldn't be afraid. If you strictly follow the construction technology and follow the manufacturer's recommendations, you can count on a long service life of the soft roof without damage and leaks.