Most apartments in multi-story buildings have balconies, but not all of them have roofs. Due to their absence, rain, snow, and sun can negatively affect the wall of the building, resulting in its destruction. Therefore, it is worth considering the process of how to make a roof on a balcony with your own hands. Below we will list all the building materials suitable for its manufacture, what types of roofs there may be and what you should pay attention to at the very beginning of the process.
First of all, you need to understand what benefits a roof on a balcony has in general. Here are a few positive points:
If you decide to make a roof on the balcony with your own hands, then it is worth settling this issue with the competent authorities. For example, one or another roof structure can disrupt or spoil the design of the entire building. Therefore, it is important to first draw up a drawing of the roof, with which to go to the housing office. And then act based on the decision of the Housing Office.
By installing a roof on the balcony, you will have the opportunity to get several additional square meters of living space by glazing the balcony.
Attention! You should be extremely careful, as working at heights involves the risk of falling. It is extremely important to carefully consider each of the stages.
It is worth highlighting roofing materials that would be ideal for such a purpose, namely:Let's look at each of them, getting acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages.
Polycarbonate
It is a super durable material. Its structure is a transparent cellular polymer. Moreover, the weight of one sheet reaches 10 kg, while its dimensions are as follows: width - 2.1 m, length - 6 m, thickness 4 mm.
Ondulin
For a long time, this bitumen sheet enjoyed high popularity. But today experts do not recommend its use. It consists of many layers of paper impregnated with bitumen. Its color fades quite quickly, and if moisture suddenly gets inside, there is a chance that the ceiling will warp. Its service life is no more than 10 years. For these reasons, there is little demand for it, even though its weight does not exceed 6 kg.
Corrugated sheet
Corrugated sheeting – galvanized corrugated steel. It is perfect for covering the roof of a balcony. In addition, an additional advantage is that its structure has greater coating rigidity. For example, the value NS 16 indicates a corrugation height of 16 mm. And this is quite enough to create a reliable and durable roof.
Metal tiles
It is a universal material with a protective coating. Its main advantage is its good resistance to temperature changes. Its thickness is 0.7 mm and its weight is up to 5 kg. As for coverage, there are several types offered:
Canopies may differ in installation method and shape. For example, the shape can be straight or semicircular, and the installation can be dependent or independent. Now let's look at the whole process in more detail.
Installation of a dependent structure requires a lot of effort and investment. A frame is assembled, which is made of plastic, wood or metal. After it is mounted, all that remains is to put the roof on it. Advantages of this design:
Installation of an independent roof is carried out to the wall. In this case, a stand and frame are not constructed. Its device is simple and does not require serious effort. The roof is secured with dowels, but such a simple design still has many disadvantages:
Semicircular
As a result of the complexity of the design, it is very difficult to create one yourself. Therefore, you have to purchase a ready-made form. It is produced by different methods: heating the polymer, gluing fiberglass or bending metal.
Straight
The simple design has become especially popular. To make a roof for a balcony, we recommend thinking through a preliminary design. It must indicate the type of material, as well as calculate its consumption. Next, decide on the installation method - independent or dependent, and also how the balcony will be insulated.
For work you will need the following materials:In addition, you will need the following tools:
One cannot ignore the fact that the choice of visor directly depends on your capabilities and desires.
Dependent roof
This type of roof will be more reliable, unlike an independent one. This design can withstand heavy loads. It is also worth noting that dimensions and materials may vary:
Insulated room. Many people use the balcony to store important things, while others install heating and arrange a personal office. There are no restrictions in this regard.
Independent roof
This type of roof differs significantly from the one described above in its design. In addition, its installation is much faster and costs much less. Follow the following sequence of work:
Thus, the main work is being done to create roofs on the balcony located on the top floor. Now we will take a closer look at tips and recommendations for sealing, insulating and waterproofing the roof.
In order to prevent leakage during the spring-autumn period, it is worth waterproofing and sealing it. First of all, this is important if you plan to do the interior decoration of the balcony.
If we talk about sealing, then in this case all joints and seams between the window, walls or fence and the floor are closed. For this, a special sealant is used. If such joints are outside, then it is better to seek help from experienced climbers. A huge number of types of sealant are offered, for example, thiokol, silicone, polyurethane and acrylic. Each of these types has its own disadvantages and advantages.
If your neighbors’ balcony is not glazed, then there is a high probability that precipitation may penetrate into your area. That is why there is a need for the manufacture of high-quality waterproofing. If you are not going to glaze the balcony, then simply screed with a slight slope towards the street. After all, a roof without glazing cannot save you from rain and snow.
Typically, waterproofing is performed in two ways: using rolled material or mastic. As for the first, it cannot be called practical. Roll material is produced on the basis of bitumen or polymers. Typically, when using roll waterproofing built on a bitumen base, a gas burner is used, and when using polymer waterproofing, glue is used. The work is very labor-intensive.
It's another matter if you use special mastics. It is ideal for waterproofing slabs and canopies. This mastic is resistant to chemical and mechanical influences. It tolerates temperature changes and ultraviolet rays well. The mastic is applied using a brush or roller. When applied, it does not flow and forms a seamless and elastic coating. The service life of this waterproofing is 25 years.
To insulate the roof, it is worth using a double layer of penofol, foil-coated glass wool, polystyrene foam and other available materials. The installation process itself goes like this:If you decide to use special sheets for insulation, then the work will proceed according to the following principle:
Attention! When choosing insulation, you should pay attention to its quality. It is important that it does not absorb moisture.
Most people living in apartment buildings - especially on the top floor - need a high-quality roof for a balcony or loggia that does not leak and will protect them from all kinds of weather. Very often you can see that the roof over the balcony is presented in the form of a reinforced concrete canopy, which is not always appropriate. How to properly make a roof with your own hands? Let's start in order.
When a roof is being erected over a balcony, the most important thing is safety. Often work is carried out on the top floor, so any carelessness or shortcomings can lead to dire consequences. But installing a roof from scratch should begin with welding the support, laying the sheathing and corrugated sheeting. This should only be done on the ground, after which everything is secured at the required height.
The presence of a roof is important for balconies on the top floors
Before you make a roof on the balcony with your own hands, you need to coordinate all the details with the service company or local administration. By failing to do this, they may force you to carry out dismantling for a number of reasons. For example, the commission will point out that the roof over the balcony spoils the overall appearance of the building, and this, in turn, is confirmed in the relevant regulatory act.
Take a closer look at the neighboring houses, look at how everything is done on their top floor. It is quite possible that no one will notice the alterations, but it’s not worth the risk, because installing a roof on a balcony is difficult and takes a long time.
When relying on any specific engineering solution, it is worth taking into account many operational nuances and design methods. First, think about whether the balcony is suitable for glazing or not.
However, at present, a balcony with a roof is made with your own hands in various variations, so it is impossible to take into account all the points; it all depends on each specific case.
The basis of an independent roof can be a metal frame
This type of roof is not suitable for glazing; it looks like a canopy and is light in weight. The material used is polycarbonate. The structure is attached to the main wall and assumes the absence of vertical supports. Even despite the cost savings, this option is not very suitable for the top floor, and all because the surface is not strong enough and will not withstand large accumulations of snow.
There are several cases when an independent roof on a balcony would be appropriate: the first - if winters in this region pass without a large amount of snow, the second - if the balcony is initially small in size and has a small projection.
There are also two more undesirable outcomes: windage of the structure, if strong winds prevail; Balcony leaks when it rains heavily.
The roof over the balcony and the interior space will be used more efficiently. At the moment, there are two options for fixing the roof with your own hands: in the first case, additional racks are attached to the wall; in the second, vertical supports predominate, which is significantly more expensive, but is perfect for a balcony that is planned for glazing.
Advantages:
Flaw:
Low cost, ease of processing, small number of tools - all this applies to wood. But there are also significant disadvantages. Since the roof is installed from the outside, it is affected by moisture, temperature changes and ultraviolet radiation, and if the roof is not treated in advance, the balcony simply leaks. Another thing is moisture-resistant plywood; it does not leak. But before using wood boards, they are pre-painted with special compounds that do not include a water component.
Please note that the roof above the balcony will be subject to wind load. When fastening with your own hands, you need to use not only self-tapping screws, nails and bolts, it is advisable to use additional reinforcement elements, namely: plates, corners and others.
As you know, steel structures are strong and heavy. For fastening, it is recommended to use pipes that do not have a round profile, but a rectangular or square cross-section. The roof over the balcony made of duralumin pipes, which weigh little and are protected from corrosion, has especially good performance. The structure is assembled only using bolted (screw) connections.
It is advisable to purchase metal profiles with a small wall thickness so that the structure weighs less.
Metal profile is an excellent material for a balcony roof
The main disadvantage of profiled sheets is noise from dripping water, birds, etc. The advantages include low cost and the ability to choose different sheets.
The strength, durability and corrosion resistance of the loggia or balcony are guaranteed. One cannot help but notice the relatively low cost. In winter, snow easily slides off such a covering, and in summer, the roof above the balcony reflects thermal radiation.
One of the most expensive materials that are installed as a roof is tempered glass.
Long service life, reliability, strength, thermal insulation, protection from moisture - all this can be said about double-glazed windows. The owner does not have to bother with installation, since when ordering glass, the company provides workers who will carry out the installation. For a balcony or loggia, a transparent roof will come in handy.
In addition to the materials described above, in specific cases, you can make a roof from slate, ondulin, bitumen tiles and others.
A polycarbonate balcony is the best solution, since it does not weigh much, is easy to install, and the price is affordable. It is worth choosing polycarbonate of the cellular type, otherwise heat and a large amount of light are guaranteed.
If there is a need to insulate the room with thermal insulation material, then this method is not suitable.
On an open balcony you can make a canopy roof made of polycarbonate
There is more than one scheme according to which the frame is assembled; in each specific case it should be done differently. It will not be difficult for an experienced person to understand this matter, but in any case it is worth paying attention to some features and rules so that in the future you will not have to repair the balcony roof because it is leaking or unstable.
If the house has a pitched roof, then you need to make the same one on top of the balcony, maintaining the angle; if it is straight, you can choose almost any angle. It is optimal to correlate the height of the visor with its width with the protrusion (1 to 2.5). To make the structure more reliable, its load-bearing components must be attached to the wall. In all cases, only anchors are suitable.
It is worth it if the roof over the balcony is made in a dependent design. Most often, PVC panels or lining are used as ceiling cladding; in these cases, penoplex is recommended. But it is not advisable to use mineral wool for the last floor, since it is not indifferent to moisture.
Interior and exterior finishing is the last stage. For interior use lining, siding or drywall; for exterior use lining, siding and others. The main thing is not to forget about resistance to external influences.
In order for the reader to understand all the points in more detail, below are instructions on how to make a roof on a balcony with your own hands. First you need to get:
Sequence of work
The most annoying thing is to notice at the end of the work that the balcony is leaking. Therefore, tight joining of all materials - including insulation - is mandatory. For a completely sealed balcony you need a ventilation hole at the top of the roof. Carefully check the fastening of corner frames, sheathing and roof.
For the exterior finishing of the roof on the top floor balcony, several types of materials can be used:
Profile sheet is considered a very advantageous, stable and durable material in terms of quality and cost. It has sufficient elasticity and is able to withstand wind loads, snow accumulation and other negative external factors without the risk of damage to the roof. It is important to remember that when choosing a profiled sheet as a roofing covering, you must additionally take care of the soundproofing of the balcony. We use 3 mm Guerlain self-adhesive tape, coated with foil.
Using a soft roof requires the construction of a rigid frame, but you will not have to spend additional money on soundproofing the space of a balcony or loggia.
Make a roof on the top floor balcony
Polycarbonate flooring guarantees structural strength, protection from mechanical stress and preservation of an attractive appearance when exposed to ultraviolet sunlight.
Specialists of the ElitBalcon company will perform the entire range of work on installing a roof on a balcony in Moscow and the Moscow region. We will organize a visit from a specialist to assess the complexity of the project, take measurements and determine the estimate. Our specialists have sufficient experience and qualifications and carefully follow the work technology:
The final cost of the work is determined individually, because we do not work on standard projects. The estimate includes the price of heat and vapor barrier, and also takes into account the features of the roof, the type of covering and the complexity of the work.
