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An Overview of Roofing
An Overview of Roofing
CHAPTER
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An Overview of Roofing
CHAPTER ONE
however, the available hay was needed for animal fodder and other purposes. Settlers searching for an alternative roofing material found it, literally, at their feet. Kansas bricks, made of sod, soon became the roofing
standard. The sod bricks were heavy and difficult to manage, and, even
worse, they often leaked during heavy rainstorms.
Time marched on and so did the search for the perfect roof. Today
there are many fine roof coverings available. Asphalt shingles and roll
roofing, clay and ceramic tile, metal, slate, wooden shingles and
shakes, and cement panels and tiles are used mainly for residential
projects. Built-up roofing (BUR) and single-ply membrane roofs are
typically used on commercial structures.
Before we take a look at roof classifications and materials, lets consider the three factors that architects, builders, designers, and property
owners must address before they choose a roof.
AN OVERVIEW OF ROOFING
Wind Resistance
UL also tests shingle performance against high winds. To qualify for
the UL wind-resistant label, shingles must withstand continuous test
winds of at least 60 miles per hour for two hours without a shingle tab
lifting. Wind-resistant shingles demonstrated their effectiveness under
hurricane conditions during the winds brought to Florida in 1992 by
Hurricane Andrew, which at the time was the worst hurricane ever
recorded in the United States.
Self-sealing asphalt shingles that bear the UL wind-resistant label
are manufactured with a factory-applied adhesive. Once the shingles
are applied, the sun activates the preapplied thermoplastic sealant and
each shingle is bonded to the one below it. Although self-sealers originally were developed specifically for high-wind areas, they are standard in most parts of the country today.
CHAPTER ONE
shingle is the most economical in the long run because the cost of
materials and labor is amortized over a longer period of time. Keep in
mind that while the labor cost to apply the shingles varies with the
product, it is the same whether the life expectancy of the shingle is 15
or 25 years.
Estimate the probable annual cost of a new roof by adding the cost
of labor and materials and then dividing the total by the shingles
design life. The formula for determining the annual cost of use is
Total cost (materials and labor)
= annual cost of use
Design life
Classifying Roofs
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) classifies roofs
into two major categories: low slope roofs and steep-slope roofs.
Slope is defined as the degree of roof incline expressed as the ratio of
the rise, in inches, to the run, in feet (Fig. 1-1). For example, if the
span of a roof is 24 feet and the rise is 8 feet, the pitch is 8 24 or 1 3.
Expressed as a slope, the same roof is said to rise 8 inches per 12
inches of horizontal run. If the rise of the same roof span were 6 feet,
the pitch would be 1 4 and its slope would be 6 inches per 12 inches
of run. Whether a particular roof incline is expressed in pitch or slope,
the results of area calculations are the same.
AN OVERVIEW OF ROOFING
F I G U R E 1 - 1 Degrees of slope.
Membrane Components
Low-slope membranes are composed of at least three elements: waterproofing, reinforcement, and surfacing. Some materials within the
membrane might perform more than one function. The waterproofing
agent is the most important element within the roof membrane. In BUR
and modified bitumen roofing (MBR), the waterproofing agent is bitumen. In single-ply roofing, the waterproofing agent is synthetic rubber
or plastic (for more information, see Chaps. 7 and 8).
The reinforcement element provides stability to the roof membrane;
it holds the waterproofing agent in place and provides tensile strength.
In BUR, reinforcement is typically provided by organic or glass-fiber
CHAPTER ONE
Membrane Classifications
Low-slope roof membranes can usually be grouped, or classified, into
the general categories reviewed below. There are, however, hybrid systems that might not fit into a category, or that might be appropriate in
several categories. A brief overview of each category is provided here.
For specific information, please refer to the referenced chapter.
BUILT-UP ROOFING (BUR)
BUR, which uses asphalt or coal tar products, is by far the oldest of the
modern commercial roofing methods. Many commercial buildings in
this country have BUR roofs. The large number of 20-, 30-, and even
40-year-old BUR roofs that are still sound attests to the systems durability and popularity. Roofing materials continue to evolve, however,
and improvements are continually being made to asphalt and coal tar
pitch, the basic bitumen components of BUR. Asphalt tends to be more
popular with most roofers than coal tar. (See Chap. 5.)
MODIFIED BITUMEN ROOFING (MBR)
AN OVERVIEW OF ROOFING
tractors have found the materials easy to use and easily inspected.
MBR systems provide a time-tested, high-performance, reliable roof.
See Chaps. 5 and 6.
SINGLE-PLY SYSTEMS
Aesthetic Considerations
Unlike the case with low-slope roofing material, when designing the
steep roof, appearance is very important. Lets look at some of the
materials used to cover steep roofs. A brief overview of the most common steep-slope materials is provided here. For more information,
please refer to the referenced chapter.
ASPHALT SHINGLES
Asphalt shingles are the most commonly used material for residential
roofing in the United States today. They are made in a variety of styles.
The most popular is the square-butt strip shingle, which has an elongated shape and is available with three, two, or one tab (without cutouts).
Less popular today are the hex shingle and individual shingles which are
available with interlocking or staple-down tabs. Of the three types, the
square-butt strip shingle provides the most attractive roof covering.
Todays generation of dimensional, or architectural, asphalt shingles
has elevated the art of roof design, especially in the residential reroofing
CHAPTER ONE
From a historical perspective, wood shingles and shakes could be considered the most American of all roofing materials. The abundant supply of forested land on the newly settled continent made wooden roofs
prevalent in Colonial times, an era in which the most common roof
coverings in Europe were slate, tile, and thatch. Wood shingles from
trees as diverse as oak, eastern white cedar, pine, hemlock, spruce, and
cypress were used, depending on local availability. Today, wood
shakes and shingles are used for a variety of architectural styles and
effects. (See Chap. 8.)
SLATE ROOFS
As a roofing material, slate is long-lasting and extremely durable. Certain types of slate have a longevity of more than 175 years. No manmade roofing material can make that claim. Like other shingles, slate
is bought by the square. Permanence does not come cheap, but maintaining a slate roof and replacing the few slates that might chip or
break is relatively inexpensive when compared to replacing other
roofs every 20 to 25 years. Chapter 9 discusses the cutting of slate and
its application.
CLAY TILE
AN OVERVIEW OF ROOFING
The reasons for selecting metal roofing are both obvious and surprising. Metal roofing allows the owner or architect to make a design statement. When the roof is high-pitched and part of the integral building
design, the architectural possibilities of metal roofing are not attainable with any other material. When the roof is low-pitched and serves
solely as a functional water barrier, the weatherproofing capabilities of
metal roofing exceed those of any other materials available. Chapter 11
discusses the types of metal roofing available and their application
methods.
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CHAPTER ONE
AN OVERVIEW OF ROOFING
11
sides. The point where two roof surfaces meet at an outside corner is
called a hip. The junction where two roof surfaces meet at an inside
corner is called a valley.
A shed roof slopes in only one direction, like half a gable roof. The
roof has no ridge and the walls that support the rafters are different
heights. The shed roof has several variations. One is the butterfly roof,
where two shed roofs slope toward a low point over the middle of the
house.
In another variation, two shed roofs slope upward from the eaves,
but do not meet at a ridge. The wall between the two roofs is called a
clerestory, and is often filled with windows to let light into the interior
of the house.
A gambrel, or barn roof, has double slopes: one pair of gentle slopes
and one pair of steep slopes. Like a gable roof, the gambrel roof slopes
in both directions from a center ridge. At a point about halfway
between ridge and eave, however, the roof slope becomes much
steeper. In effect, the lower slope replaces the upper exterior walls of a
two-story house. It is common to add projections through the roof,
called dormers, for light and ventilation.
Just as a gambrel roof is like a gable roof with two different slopes,
a mansard roof is like a hip roof. From a shorter ridge, the roof drops
in two distinct slopes to eaves that are the same height all the way
around the structure. Up to 40 percent of the building is roof with the
mansard roof design. In addition to typical residential applications,
mansard roofs are often used for apartment complexes, commercial
buildings, and even institutions such as schools.