Often there is a situation when people want to increase the living space in their own house by erecting an attic roof. This idea can be put into practice with your own hands, but you should know all the nuances of construction in advance. As a result, a new room will appear, which requires minimal financial costs. There are several options for making a room under the roof. The most demanded in our days is a gable roof. Installation of this design is quite simple, even for a beginner in the construction business.
How is the project developed?
The design of the gable roof attic requires the destruction of slopes at certain angles. After that, the space under the desired roof will automatically increase. Many do not know how to make a gable roof with your own hands. If there is a reconstruction of an old building, then you need to remember some design points. It is believed that the attic roof is much heavier than the gable surface.
The first step is to check the condition of the foundation of the building. You should examine the walls, make sure that they do not collapse over time. It is necessary to understand whether the building can withstand heavy loads associated with the construction of a gable roof. In the case of planning this type of roof at the initial stage of construction of a private house, it is necessary to do a project with a reinforced foundation and solid walls.
Work on the project of the attic floor with a gable roof is one of the most important stages in the construction. If errors are made in the calculations, this can lead to premature destruction of the building. An incorrectly chosen angle of inclination of a gable roof can result in a deformation of the roof itself. Cracks in the walls may appear due to excessive stress on them. Given all the nuances listed above, when developing a project, you should entrust its preparation to architects. If a person is confident in their abilities and wants to try to independently develop a draft gable roof, they should work in special architectural programs on a computer. In them, you can accurately calculate the required angle of the roof.
There is a certain document (SNiP) on which all calculations are based. It is called "Loads and Impacts." How to make a gable roof with your own hands? Need to study this document.
When it comes to choosing an attic project that a person is going to implement with his own hands, one should take into account how the dimensions of the future room depend on the angle of the roof:
- Permissible dimensions of a gable roof are indicated in SNiP. The ceiling height in this case should be more than 2.2 meters.
- There are buildings with direct slopes of the roof. In this case, the angle of inclination will be reflected in the width of the future room.
In order to increase the room across the entire width, they make a broken mansard roof. The height of the ceilings immediately increases across the entire width of the room. The angle at which the lower rafters are placed is usually not more than 60 degrees. The angle for installing the upper rafters is chosen by the owner of the premises independently. Typically, the choice is influenced by the preferences of the owner, as well as the estimated load on the roof. Weather conditions will vary in each area.
Roof elements
Starting installation work on the roof, the necessary materials should be prepared. The construction of a mansard gable roof requires a large amount of materials. For a roofing cake you will need:
- High-quality waterproofing. There must be a vapor barrier.
- Do not do in this work without a heater. The rafter pitch depends on it . Installation of rafters of a gable roof is a rather time-consuming process. In order to spend less material, it is necessary to lay the rafters so that between them the slab comes in end to end.
- The roofing material itself, which affects the type of battens. It can be solid or sparse. Each option has its pros and cons.
To make a quality roof, it is worth considering how the entire roof system will be ventilated.
What materials will be required?
For the construction of a gable roof mansard with your own hands will need the following materials:
- A beam, the cross section of which should be 50 to 100 millimeters.
- Boards measuring 150 by 50 millimeters.
- Unedged board, the size of which is chosen based on the general requirements of the project. Boards are selected, focusing on the height of the attic floor of the gable roof.
- Special wire with a diameter of not more than four millimeters. Usually choose annealed.
What tools will be needed?
To build an attic floor with a gable roof, you will need to stock up on the following tools:
- Fasteners. These include screws and nails. Do not do without a building level, as well as a plumb line.
- Tape measure and sharp knife.
- Ax, hammer. To install the rafters of a gable roof, you will also need an impact drill and other tools.
To perform attic work efficiently, and most importantly quickly, do not save on the tool. It is better to buy a reliable kit once than to constantly run to the building materials store when something breaks again.
What is Mauerlat and how is it made?
Mauerlat means the base of the rafters. It is usually made from timber or from a very durable board. Mauerlat is placed on the long walls of the building, if it is planned to build a gable roof. This base is necessary to ensure high-quality fastening of the lower part of the rafters. Mauelat is also needed to evenly distribute the load on the walls of the house.
To fix the desired structure, metal studs will need to be installed in the concrete monolith beam. Another mounting option may be a special wire, which is placed in brickwork. In order for the base to serve for a long time, it is necessary to provide good waterproofing of the beam. He should not get wet in the rain. High humidity should be avoided. You can buy roofing material.
It happens that when the roof frame is erected by its own forces, the rafters touch the upper part of the wall with their beveled side. In this case, you can not do without installing Mauerlat.
In some projects, the width of the attic is almost the same as the width of the house. In such a situation, the rafters will touch the supports. Supports are constructed from special beams. They are laid perpendicular to a long wall. Beams are mounted in the same way as Mauerlat. Waterproofing is required.
How to make a supporting structure?
To make a quality frame for a gable roof, you need to start by fixing the supports. They are required for racks, which should be symmetrical to the axis of the house. The width of the attic will correspond to the distance between the installed supports.
First make arches in the shape of the letter "P". Install the racks, and then bind them together. Racks are made mainly of high-quality timber. Its section should correspond to the section of the support. Racks should be placed vertically, they should be mounted throughout the plumb line. It is important to check how smoothly the jumper is secured. It should be horizontal to the uprights.
When the second arch was made, the entire structure is leveled. A cord is drawn horizontally between the arches, the size of the arches is checked. If necessary, the structure is dismantled. Based on the position of the cord, mount the remaining arches. Their number is directly related to the step of the rafters, which is reflected in the project. Each of them is mounted on a rack. In this case, the frame has the desired stiffness.
Some fasten racks with arches with metal staples. In the process of using the attic area, the roof will experience constant pressure on the uprights. To ensure the reliability of the structure, it is better to install additional braces. Each arch is connected at the top with a wooden jumper. It is located parallel to one of the walls of the house.
How to install the rafters?
Installation of the rafter system of the attic gable roof usually takes place in several stages.
Two types of rafters are harvested . Those located below usually have an acute angle. They combine Mauerlat with racks. The upper rafters are installed immediately on the arched structure. The rafters of the mansard gable roof must be securely fixed. Before proceeding with the installation of such legs, it is necessary to apply preliminary marking to the place where they will be located. Installation begins with the extreme rafters to the pediment. In some cases, pruning is necessary.
When the project indicates that the roof should have overhangs of the slopes, a special cut is made in the rafter's foot. As a result, the element should touch the support with a horizontal cut. Fastening is carried out using metal staples or through nails. So that the rafter legs with the Mauerlat are connected more reliably, it is better to additionally secure them with a fired wire. Its diameter should be no more than 4 millimeters. It is permissible to use a wire with a diameter of 3 millimeters. In the same way, the remaining lower rafters are fixed.
During the construction of especially large houses, whose length is more than eight meters, professionals are advised to put a rafter with a ridge beam. With this design, the load is distributed evenly throughout the resulting frame.
In the center of each pediment, you will need to install a rack. Do not forget to check the verticality using a plumb line. The ridge beam should be installed on top, horizontally.
Why is it important to accurately determine the height of the skate in each project?
Many people do not pay due attention to such an important issue as the height of the ridge. It must be determined correctly. The angle of inclination of the upper rafters will depend on the obtained value. It turns out that the rafter legs on one side should touch the ridge beam, and on the other - the erected arched system.
It happens that the upper rafters form the letter "L". In this case, the legs will go with the butt joint. Sometimes resort to the use of special pads. They can be made of wood or metal. As a rule, the first pair of rafters, if installed correctly, is subsequently used as a template.
What is included in the last stage of the erection of the roof structure?
At the final stage of work, the installation of the crate is done. It is permissible to do it yourself, without resorting to outside help. There is a laying of waterproofing. It should be remembered that it is necessary to make a clearance for ventilation. Roofing is laid. From the inside of the attic there is an installation of thermal insulation, as well as vapor barrier. It is important to secure the casing well.
How to insulate a gable roof attic?
The roof should ensure the preservation of heat inside the house and protect from weather conditions. It is often found that in a room under the attic roof it becomes cold even when the heating is on. In this case, it is necessary to insulate the roof so that it retains heat in the room. Warming a gable roof attic will require time and a responsible approach to work.
It is worth remembering that you will have to insulate each component part of the attic roof. First of all, you need to choose high-quality materials for insulation.
How to choose a heater?
For high-quality insulation, the relevant requirements are:
- It is necessary to use water-repellent material. Moisture should not be trapped in it, otherwise the thermal conductivity of the coating will increase, and other equally important properties will be lost.
- The material used must retain its original shape. This property is very important when operating a building. If the form does not hold, then over time it will "go" to the lower tier of the roof, the upper part will become accessible to the penetration of the winds.
- The insulation should not lose its quality for a long time, so that you do not have to repair the roof after a year of operation.
- The material must be safe for humans and meet all requirements. It is important to choose environmentally friendly material. Do not use coatings that will release toxic substances.
- You should choose a material that is resistant to temperature extremes in a particular region. If a person lives in a cold climate, then first of all you need to pay attention to such an indicator as the frost resistance of the selected material.
Do not neglect safety measures when working with material, as well as during its operation. It is important to purchase a product that will not readily ignite.
What are the methods of insulation?
The main methods of roof insulation include:
- When the insulation is laid between the rafters.
- It happens that the material is laid directly on the rafters.
The first way of laying is widespread in our time. It is the easiest to do roof insulation with your own hands.
In order for the roof to serve for a long time, when laying the insulation, it is necessary to follow generally accepted rules. If mistakes are made when insulating the attic roof, the material may begin to absorb moisture. As a result, the process of rotting the roof can begin.
What are the mistakes when working?
Beginners when working with insulation often make a number of mistakes that lead to the destruction of the roof. These include:
- It happens that they forget to lay a layer of waterproofing.
- In some cases, the desired waterproofing layer is not fixed. As a result, the insulation layer may shift and begin to let cold air into the room.
- Often in the process, they forget about the need to install a ventilation gap. Condensate builds up, leading to a gradual decay of the roofing material.
- Rarely there is a lack of vapor barrier, but this is also unacceptable for the normal functioning of the roofing system with insulation.
In what order should the roof insulation be carried out?
Before starting insulation work, it is necessary to draw up a work plan and adhere to it clearly. Professionals advise to perform the following algorithm of actions:
- It is necessary to measure the distance between the rafters.
- Material for insulation should be taken with a small margin.
- Waterproofing is laid. The material should be laid between the bars in such a way that it fits snugly on the original structure. As a result, it must be securely fixed in place.
- The laying process is carried out from the bottom up. The fewer the seams, the better the work will be done.
- It should be remembered that in the end there should be no gaps, otherwise there will be significant heat loss.
- Between the insulation and other layers it is required to leave space, the distance should be at least two centimeters. It should be remembered that the insulation material gradually begins to expand during operation.
- To allow air to circulate freely, leave a ventilation gap.
- It is necessary to ensure that the material does not sag during installation. To do this, you do not need to leave too large gaps when cutting insulation.
- The next step is to coat the surface with an even layer of vapor barrier.
- It is important to fix the insulation layer with wooden beams or battens. Reiki can be taken as the basis for interior decoration.
What types of insulation are there?
There are several varieties of insulation:
- URSA is considered the most advanced material for warming a gable roof. It is based on staple fiber. It is processed according to a special system. It is believed that this is one of the most resistant heaters. It is sold as mats. Their size is usually 1200 by 4200 millimeters. The thickness of one mat is 150 millimeters. It is important to give them a straightened shape before use. In a few minutes they get a normal look.
- Glass wool is one of the longest used materials for roof insulation. It has its drawbacks, so it is rarely used in our time.