What is bitumen roofing
The popularity of shingles confidently rests on the traditional “three whales” of low-rise construction. This is an attractive price, long-term serviceable coverage and extremely simple laying technology.
An important advantage is the ability to cope with the roof with their own hands. Only for flawless results of the work need to know how to install shingles should be equipped with a construction that should be taken into account in the installation to form an ideal coating.
The specifics of the structure and application
Flexible shingles is one of the varieties of soft roof, made on the principle of roll materials. In technical and technological essence it is a modified roofing felt, improved in terms of strength, aesthetics, durability.
For ease of laying and the formation of spectacular form it is cut into elements with a shaped outer edge. They are called shingles, shingles or tiles, stacked by analogy with wooden roofs according to the principle of “fish scales”.
In the manufacture of flexible shingles used the same technology as in the manufacture of roll bitumen-polymer version of the roof covering. Its structure involves several important layers, these are:
- Fiberglass. Serves as the basis of this roofing coating. It is the glass fleece that provides high strength, resistance to chemical, atmospheric, mechanical, biological aggression.
- Bitumen-polymer coating. Naplyatsya top and bottom on the glass fleece, forms the structure of the material itself and a perfect waterproofing protection. Bitumen, oxidized and supplemented with polymeric components, has almost zero moisture absorption.
- External mineral dusting. Granulate treatment of the front side of the roof creates the impression of expensive natural stone or copper coating. The second role is to protect the outer surface of the material from external negativity that occurs during the operation.
The back side of the tiles-sand or close the plastic film, so that during transport and storage they do not deteriorate, sintering with each other. Before laying the film or sand is removed in order to stick to the prepared for the arrangement of the roof surface.
Production of various brands of shingles is now engaged in a lot of companies, among which there are both foreign and domestic representatives. Each manufacturer seeks to make its own contribution to the process, to create a product with unique properties and technological advantages.
On some, the back side is completely covered by a self-adhesive bituminous composition, bonding tiles with the base and with each other, while others have this substance applied only in strips. There are differences, but they are insignificant.
As a result of laying, the technology is not much different from all manufacturers, all varieties of material under UV rays sintered together into a continuous carpet and reliably bonded to the substrate.
The advantages of using bituminous shingles
Shingle flexible roof produce a vast array of colors, textures, decorative diversity. In the abundant assortment is difficult not to find the necessary design material.
In addition to the above priorities, justified by the peculiarities of manufacturing, to the pros and cons of cut into shingles asphalt shingles include:
- Unlimited technological possibilities. Using this type of material can equip any roof architectural complexity, regardless of the chosen configuration and size of slopes. Shingles can be easily mounted on bulbous domes, polyhedral hipped structures.
- Combinability. The result is in excellent harmony with the exterior of low-rise and multi-storey buildings, made in any of the currently popular architectural styles. Suitable for classical and vintage styling, and for newfangled design trends.
- Simple installation. Familiar with the rules of installation, arrangement of a roof with shingles can be carried out independently. In turning to the builders do not need to hire a large team, the work can easily handle a couple of people.
It is impossible not to note the remarkable insulating qualities. Bitumen tiles after sintering in the sunlight to form a waterproof carpet, cutting off all attempts to the atmospheric water in any form to prick the thickness of the roofing system. Flexible roof perfectly dampens external noise interference, not letting outside sounds into the arranged housing.
A valuable advantage is rightly considered to be repairability. If one or more adjacent shingles damaged, you do not need to remove the entire roof and lay a new one, it is enough to replace the damaged part of the roof.
It is desirable to change the damaged area on the material with a similar color and quality, for which it is recommended to stock up on a pack of the same series of material from which the entire roof is composed. However, the appearance of piece roofing allows some variation in color, so it is acceptable to use a slightly different color.
Disadvantages of asphalt piece roofing
No matter how hard the developers and manufacturers of roofing, the ideal option for roofing is not yet available. Flexible asphalt shingles similarly have a number of disadvantages, including:
- Slope limitations. Least possible for the laying of the slope of the slopes is 12ยบ. For flat designs piece roofing is not suitable, because before sintering tiles has a lot of holes that can let the water. They can become a cause of leaking and an obstacle to the bonding of tiles.
- Laboriousness of installation. Despite the simplicity of the technology, laying will still require much more time than when equipping the roof with a large-sheet material, for example, a profiled tin roof or metal roofing tiles.
- Incompatibility with conventional roofing felt. As waterproofing underlay mat is unacceptable to use conventional ruberoid, capable of “pulling” bituminous components from the roof covering, which eventually leads to the destruction, and in some places and bloating of the roof.
In addition, the working life of conventional ruberoid significantly less than its improved counterpart, which make shingles. Unwise to arrange a laying of coverage, which will serve less.
Bitumen coating deserves close attention owners of suburban property. It looks great, serves for a long time, protects the roof structure. The information we offer will help in independent roofing work and in supervising a team of hired builders.