The roof has gone. Can an energy efficient house have a roof without an attic? One-story or two-story house

shed roof, according to modern architects, is of the main decisive importance in the development of not only economy class housing, but also stylish housing. After all, the forces and costs that usually go to the construction of a multi-slope can now be directed to the exterior. For example, building a pool in front of the house or adding a barbecue terrace. And the rest of the shed roof is not inferior at all in anything.

Therefore, it does not mean at all that a house with a pitched roof will turn out to be unsightly or too simple. On the contrary, after playing with the slope and direction of such a design, roofing material and interior space, you will get a unique architectural project that none of your friends will definitely have. And our website will make such a house inexpensive in construction and modern both inside and out!

Architectural Benefits of Shed Roofs

Of course, where gable roofs have existed for thousands of years, everything unusual seems ugly and ridiculous. But the Eiffel Tower in France in the early years of construction embarrassed the locals with its "simpleness".

The fashion for shed European villas came to the Russian expanses quite recently. And until now, individual architects are rebelling against this trend, calling mono-pitch roofs exclusively "barn" and arguing that clients do not even look at such projects.

But in fact, not only the customers of their future "dream house", but self-builders with golden hands are increasingly making the roofs of their buildings precisely shed, with different angle, direction and combination with other roofs. Because, apart from the more dynamic look that only a sloped plane can give, shed roofs are actually more functional and even economical.

Most often in world practice, shed roofs can be found in Finnish houses, who are known for their pleasant combination of modesty and restraint:

In warm and hot countries, houses with a shed roof are especially popular: no insulation is needed from the inside, the design always looks original, and such a roof is much cheaper in terms of costs. So the northern countries began to adopt this useful fashion.

For example, not so long ago, a new type of residential building was created in Norway - high-tech, with a shed roof with a slope of 19 °. It generates energy on its own solar panels on the roof: the atrium has enough thermal mass to store enough heat during the day and release it all night. And not only to give, but also to provide the whole house with electricity.

And for water heating of walls and floors, rainwater heated by the sun is used, which flows down the shed roof directly into the drain. With a conventional gable or hip roof all this would not be possible to implement!

Is it worth it to make a “one-slope” for a residential building?

Until recently, shed roofs could not be called popular in Russia. It so happened historically that due to the winds and heavy snows in this country, it was gable roofs that proved to be the most practical, which were sharp in snowier regions, and gentler in more windy ones.

And purely visually, the indigenous population is accustomed to seeing roofs with a slope of at least 30-40 ° on houses, where there is a traditional attic for storing a variety of things. And shed roofs carry such inconveniences:

An incomprehensible space at the upper Mauerlat. You don’t use it under the attic, but the attic turns out to be unusual. Leave without an attic - then the whole geometry interior will seem broken and cause discomfort.
On a shed roof, rainwater exerts twice as much pressure as on a gable roof. Why? It's simple: all the liquid that gets on it flows along one slope until it falls to the ground. And if you take and break this slope in half, a “house”, now the water will be divided at the ridge into two streams. And this is twice the amount and influx. This is why shed roofs are problematic in terms of leaks, especially if the choice of roofing material is wrong.
A shed roof is one integral plane, and this is a real sail. That is why, during storms and strong winds, it is precisely such roofs that suffer in the first place.
The need for a strong truss system. The load here is always distributed less than that of a gable roof, and therefore the rafters will have to be made thicker and stronger.
A complicated ventilation system, which is sometimes not paid any attention at all, and then they are surprised at the short service life of such roofs.
Another disadvantage of such a roof is that it will have to be cleaned during heavy snowfalls, otherwise the roofing material and the building system may break. And on ordinary days, on the contrary, the snow itself descends from such a roof, and not like an avalanche, but gradually.
Unpopularity of experiments. Even more: neither the rich nor the poor want to risk their own investments in construction, and the designers completely fall into despair from any unusual roof.

Because of all these reasons, shed roofs in our country in 99% of cases are found only in baths, garages and summer country houses. Although at the same time, in a region with little snow and not very windy, such a roof could bring many bonuses, including the same unusual stylish design.

Frame houses with a pitched roof are considered the most energy-efficient. This does not take into account the fact that the area of the southern wall in such a house will be the largest, and the northern wall - the smallest. Now see the difference with gable projects? Moreover, the northern side itself is still being built without windows, and serves as one of the walls of the utility room: a boiler room, a boiler or a supply room, where garden tools. But the presence of an attic under the roof in private construction is already considered obsolete.

A shed roof is remarkable in that it has:

Simple design. So simple that with a small private construction, they don’t even make particularly accurate calculations for it. There is no need to adjust the slopes to each other, to achieve the identity of their weight and load on the walls. There is no need for complex support systems, which are often found in other types of roofs.
High practicality. In addition to the main functions of the roof, with a minimum angle of inclination, it is also used as an open area for a variety of purposes.
Reliability. Due to its simplicity and unpretentiousness, such a roof is actually also the most reliable among all others.

And from practical aspects let's highlight the following:

The ability to arrange a house without an attic and the problems associated with it.
The original geometry of the ceiling, which is used as a separate design element.
The absence of a ridge and cracks under it.
The ability to drain rainwater and snow from the roof in only one direction - where the slope is inclined. This is important if people are walking right in front of your house (like on the streets of the city) or if you have laid out a beautiful garden and do not want to flood it in the rain.

And, of course, simplicity construction works:

Know-how: shed roof combinations

There is one new architectural fashion: the gable roof, which consists of two single-slope, but not joined at the ridge. And technologically we are talking all the same, about two separate shed roofs, which are built according to all the rules. And in the middle they place either a flat part, or outdoor terrace between the two halves of the house. An incredibly successful and functional solution, we note, which allows you to add more natural light to the house.

Shed roof houses are recognized all over the world as the most favorable in terms of energy saving. Which is not surprising, because the cube also takes the first place in this regard, and what then is such a house, if not a cube?

Now we will reveal a secret to you: it's all about compactness. Any structure is said to be compact if it has, as far as possible, the minimum area of all external surfaces. So, a house is sometimes built according to rather intricate projects, when almost every room has three external walls, plus an even more complex roof. And sometimes it happens that the rooms have only one such wall, and the roof is generally shed.

What is the point? The fewer such external surfaces that are in contact with the cold outdoor air the house itself will be warmer. That's why compactness is so important in construction!

In this design, everything is simple: shed roofs are built according to the same patterns, but are based on two parallel Mauerlat-runs. And the main plus is that such a non-spacer construction does not “push apart” the walls of the house with its pressure, and, therefore, to the very frame structure already much less requirements for strength. True, in such a house there must be at least two internal walls.

And also in modern architecture appeared relatively recently a new style: roofs combined into a single whole, which have a slope in different directions.

Modern frame house: from the foundation to the roof

A frame house with a shed roof is a structure made of lumber and fixed wood panels. The frame of such a house itself must be built either from metal or from hardwood timber. It is solid, while the rafters on the roof should be made just from conifers. Now let's explain.

The fact is that solid woods tend to keep their geometric shape and not change over time: they do not dry out, do not shrink, do not twist. And, of course, in bending, due to such properties, they work poorly. But conifers are just good because they do an excellent job with dynamic loads, which is why the walls are made static and strong, and the rafters are more flexible and withstand both shrinkage of the house and a slight deflection due to snow.

Although wonderful houses are obtained on a metal frame:

Foundation for a frame house

under a small cottage the easiest way to make a columnar foundation. But, if you are building a solid two-story frame house with a shed roof, the technology will be a little different.

The fact is that a simple columnar foundation is no longer suitable here. A frame house, worse than any other, endures seasonal ground movements, subsidence of the earth, or other similar problems, and therefore experienced builders advise making a slab foundation for it. This one takes all the dynamic loads on itself, and the integrity of the frame is preserved.

Therefore, for a two-story house, make just such a foundation:

Or a more modern insulated Swedish stove:

Technologies of frame construction of walls

In total, there are two main technologies for frame construction.

Frame and panel technology

In this case, the frame house is built from different individual building materials: beams, cladding, insulation, interior decoration, vapor and waterproofing. All this is attached to the frame in its sequence, and as a result, we have a house that is no worse than a timber building in terms of quality.

Here is a good example of construction using this technology:

And the main components of a house built using this technology look like this:

Frame-panel technology

To assemble such houses, it is initially done detailed project, according to which shields of the required size are already manufactured in the factory. We are talking about multilayer panels, which already initially include inner lining, insulation and all types of insulation. All you have to do is attach these shields to the frame of your house, which only takes two days in total. As a result, the whole house, from design to roof arrangement, is built in just a week.

So, insulated SIP panels are the most popular in frame-shield technology. SIP is Wall panel, which is designed to carry longitudinal loads. Frame house by Canadian technology, which just involves the use of SIP, turns out to be especially warm and holistic.

And during construction frame house From such a material, the following question arises: should the roof be made from the same material, or is it still traditional? With beams, rafters and lathing? The fact is that everything here is decided by the length of the overlap.

So, with small spans, up to 5-6 meters, the shed roof of a frame house may well be from SIP. It will be already insulated, durable and easy to perform. Moreover, SIP has good bending strength. But for large spans, it is better to build a traditional floor and reinforced rafters. After all, you can’t make SIP out of SIP complicated roof, but just a single-sided one is quite easy:

It is only important to know how to properly connect floor beams with such walls:

Shed roof device on a frame house

A shed roof in the design world is also called a monoslope. Modern architects see a house with such a roof somehow differently than a shed or hip roof: lighter, airier and more stylish.

A shed roof behaves remarkably where spans are from 6 to 8 meters. Usually, the slope of the slope is made to the north, and large windows are equipped in the southern facades. Often, external insulation of such a roof is practiced: on top is extruded polystyrene foam, which is filled with a cement screed, and on top of it is a roofing carpet.

What is also good, the drainage system in such a roof is simplified and is needed only on one side, and not on two or four at once. But this is not necessary: on a slope oriented to the south, solar collectors are often equipped abroad.

Step 1. Design

A shed roof of any format always differs from a gable one in that here the rafters are not connected in the ridge, but are attached to the walls of the building with both ends. Those. there is no skate at all. The only exception is the run on which the layered rafters are attached, but it never exceeds the level of the entire slope in height.

If you are building using frame-panel technology, then it will be easiest for you to create a wall difference:

But if you use sip panels or the walls are already made at the same height, then you will have to make roof trusses.

Slanted rafters in a pitched roof are made when the building has an internal strong partition. After all, the longer the rafter leg, the more there is a danger of its deflection or eversion. And therefore, if it is possible to support such rafters, you need to use it.

In this case, a run is attached to the carrier partition:

Now we make the rafters twice as short - so that each of them rests on the wall with one end, and on the run with the other. And be sure to check the angle of inclination of such rafters with a laser level - it must completely match. And outwardly, such a roof will not differ from simpler shed roofs.

But in general, the shed roof rafters can be in all of these options:

Although the rafters in the shed roof of a frame house can be generally non-expanding:

Hanging rafters are good because they can be built directly on the ground, in the form of ready-made farms. After all, their main difference from the layered ones is that the load is now transferred to the rafter triangle itself, and not to the walls of the building. And this is quite reasonable, because most often shed roofs are arranged just on small buildings, such as a bathhouse, a garage or a change house. And the walls of those usually do not please with a special fortress.

So decide: if your building is not distinguished by the monumentality of the walls, make hanging rafters, and if it is more or less strong and there is an inner wall, then layered. The choice is pretty easy!

Step 2. Mauerlat cutout

Decided? Then specify the future angle of inclination of such a roof and make a template for the rafters:

And the cut itself needs to be made in order to support the rafters of the shed roof on the Mauerlats. The main task of the Mauerlat is to compensate for the horizontal unevenness of the walls. That is why, when laying it, be sure to arm yourself with a building level.

Step 3. Making rafters

For this task, you will need the following fasteners:

And how difficult your rafters will be depends on what load is planned for them. The higher, the rafters should be more reinforced from the inside:

Step 4. Calculation of the crate

As soon as you fix the rafters, go to the crate. The smaller the slope of the shed roof, the more often the crate should be (up to a solid one):

And on steeper slopes - whatever your heart desires, just calculate in advance the weight of the roofing for the whole house and foundation:

It remains only to lay the selected roofing and arrange a spillway. Which, fortunately, in a shed roof is done on one side only:

Step 6 Glazing

Since relatively recently, a new fashion has appeared in frame construction: cleanliness, conciseness and a lot of glass surfaces. What is most easily achieved by frame technology, for which the presence of a shed roof instead of massive and clumsy multi-pitched roofs is a real outlet:

The easiest, according to modern architects, way to bring more light and lightness into a frame house is to make transparent inserts into the roof or completely transmit some part of it. For example, above a covered veranda or part above an attic. And in fact, we are not talking about glass at all, but just about modern roofing polycarbonate, which is more often used monolithic or corrugated. There is a separate article about this on our website, but here we will note only some technical points.

When choosing the thickness of the polycarbonate that you are going to use for the construction of the roof, calculate in advance the climatic and static loads. You have probably seen a photo where beautiful, durable greenhouses have completely broken roofs in the spring? And all because when buying, the owners decided to save on quality, without calculating, such tons of snow fall in harsh Russian winters. You wouldn't want something like that to happen to your roof, would you? After all, replacing the top of an ordinary greenhouse is not difficult, but replacing the roof of a house is a real problem.

You need to fasten profiled polycarbonate sheets to the roof using the same fastening that is used for the metal profile. These are self-tapping and self-drilling screws of the STSD type. The sheets themselves are fastened together with special profiles, which are equipped with rubber seals EPDM. All this is necessary in order to beautiful roof did not flow. There is also a special connecting aluminum profile- for polycarbonate P-6066. It consists of a special clamping bar and a sealant, but it already needs to be fixed with self-tapping screws directly to the pipe or crate.

In addition, if you have leftover polycarbonate (after all, standard sheets are produced), use it for glazing utility rooms:

And the excess from another roofing cannot be applied in this way.

A house with a shed roof, built using frame technology with a competent approach, will be the most modern and stylish!

The article will give a comparative description of the three most common types of roofs, showing the pros and cons, the conditions for their use and important points construction.

Selection of a roof for a private house

The scheme of the roof of a private house

The architect or designer sees the harmonious combination of the roof with the overall architectural idea of the house as the main factor in choosing the shape of the roof. But the task before the architect, first of all, is set by you - the customer. How to choose the type of coverage? Everything is not so difficult if you figure it out) You can read about the coating structures and types of roofs in the articles of our portal and, and this article will describe the four most used types of roofs:

Mansard second floor;
Full second floor and attic roof;
Full second floor and mansard roof;
Combined option.

Roof types

First of all, when choosing the type of roof, before you start designing a house, ask yourself the following questions:

Will the second floor be residential or non-residential. You can use it as a full-fledged floor, or you can use it as a storage room for equipment, “unnecessary” things, etc. Do you want this floor to be used in the future (not immediately after construction is completed).
What is the minimum and maximum height of the second floor. Usually it varies from a minimum of 2.5 meters to a maximum of 3-3.5 meters, it is not recommended to do more or less than these sizes.
Do you need full-size (1/5 -1/8 of the floor area) windows on the second floor or can they be minimal (with an area of 0.7-1.5 m2). In any case, it is necessary to ensure full illumination in the room, usually the window area is 1/4-1/5 of the floor area than less room the smaller the windows can be.
If you are limited in the height of the house under construction, consult with the architect if you will shade the neighbors, thereby reducing the insolation of the neighboring cottage. It is also important to take into account legal aspect- the attic floor is not considered a full-fledged floor, that is, if it is not possible to officially build on the second floor, it will be necessary to get by with an attic.

After analyzing the answers to these questions and comparing them with the three types of roofs in the article, you will set a task for the architect and be able to understand which type of roof suits your conditions.

Roof with second attic floor

This is the first of the types modern roofs, it is a roof that serves as the walls of the second floor, that is, the living space is located directly under the roof. Such roofs can often be found in holiday villages, in villages.

Attic scheme gable roof with living quarters directly under the roof

The mansard roof gives the house an architectural expressiveness. The height of such a roof from the ceiling to the ridge is usually 2.5-3.5 meters, in the case of a sloping roof, 0.7-1 m from the ceiling to the beginning of the roof bevel. At first glance, such a solution may seem advantageous, since there is no need to build the walls of the second floor and already arrange a roof on them.

Scheme of a gable mansard roof without internal walls

But this is not entirely true, since such a roof has many disadvantages:

The space in the corners of the roof is significantly reduced, especially with a triangular roof shape. So the roof bevel starts at a height of 0.5-1 m from the floor level, which prevents an adult from standing in the corner of the roof in full height. A broken roof shape can help save the situation a little (a steep slope is attached to the lower part of the attic, and a gentle slope to the upper part).
Living space is difficult to arrange in a convenient way, pick up and arrange furniture.
There is no possibility of a full-fledged device window openings, so you have to use skylights, which are 1.5-2 times more expensive than ordinary windows at a price (a special reinforced frame and tempered and reinforced glass, the cost is from $ 300) and installation costs. Special requirements apply to window frame roof window.

roof window

It should provide high-quality thermal and physical characteristics and correct installation, waterproofing, sealing the slopes of such a window is one of the most milestones. Also applicable dormer windows , which require a structural device and are difficult to install - for the installation of such a window, it is necessary to make an additional frame emerging from the plane of the main roof frame (this will add extra valleys and skates), which increases the material and labor intensity of such work (arranging joints, trimming roofing materials, buying additional elements roofs). It is also important to have a drawing of a dormer window, with a detailed study of the window with the main roof frame.

dormer window

In these types of roofs, there is a need to combine structures, insulation and waterproofing in a roofing pie, which complicates the installation of the roof and makes it more expensive than an attic roof. Thermal insulation layer fastened to the outside of the roof, while always leaving circulation gaps so that the moisture that forms from the condensation of steam on the underside of the roof is ventilated by air movement. If a kitchen and a bathroom are placed in the attic, in which a significant amount of steam is formed, then a layer of vapor barrier should be laid on the inside of the ceiling. There is also the possibility of making a mistake in choosing a “pie”, which will lead to leaks that will appear in the interior; in this case, repairs are more difficult to perform than in the attic roof.

Attic Roof Pie

1. Insulation.

2. Vapor barrier.

3. Internal crate.

4. Interior lining of the attic.

5. Rafters.

6.Waterproof windproof vapor permeable membrane.

7. Lathing for roofing sheets.

8. Roofing.

In such roofs it is not recommended to use metal roofs, since in summer it will be too hot under such a roof and to ensure comfortable conditions you need a fairly large roofing cake(with a thickness of 250-300 mm, due to an increase in insulation) or it will be necessary to use reflective insulation, which will affect material costs.
If you have a desire to complete the construction of a full-fledged floor during the operation of the house, then it will be difficult to do this, since it will be necessary to completely dismantle the attic floor and build a full-fledged floor with a roof, which will increase the cost of construction by 20-40%. It is necessary to invite an engineer to conduct a survey of the house, calculation bearing capacity existing foundation, walls and floors in order to determine whether it will be possible to complete the floor without strengthening the structures. Strengthening existing structures is a very complex, painstaking and expensive process (for example, the cost of strengthening the foundation is 20-50% of the cost of building a new one).

Output: Do not arrange an attic floor in the house permanent residence without extreme necessity, since it will come out less functional and convenient, and the advantage of such a device can only be called a certain picturesque silhouette of the house.

Complete second floor and roof with unused attic space

This option represents a full-fledged second floor with load-bearing and self-supporting walls on which roof structures are based. In this case, the roof has an unused attic (the attic space is usually not heated) and the space on the second floor is residential. The attic acts as an air gap between the living space and external environment, while it should be borne in mind that in the attic it is necessary to provide a passage with a height of at least 1.4 m along the entire room. The height of the residential floor is taken from 2.5 to 3.5 meters. Usually stored in the attic household supplies. The second floor comes out fully functional, and without “inconvenient areas”.

Scheme of the complete second floor and attic roof

Rafter legs.
Horse bar.
Racks.
Struts.
Crate.
Roofing material.
Mauerlat.
Metal connecting elements.
Internal bearing wall.

In the event of a roof malfunction, it can be easily repaired by gaining access to the structures and the “pie” of the roof in the attic. It is possible to complete additional floors, for this you just need to dismantle old roof. These are the main "advantages" of such a roof. This is the most common roof option in modern cottage construction.

The disadvantages of such a roof are:

There is a need to build the walls of the 2nd floor and the attic floor, which will lead to an increase in the cost of construction by 10-20% compared to a mansard roof.
It is necessary to constantly provide (make the necessary gaps, properly arrange the layers of the roof, etc.) and maintain ventilation (ventilate the attic space, clean the ventilation gaps annually from the accumulation of debris and dirt) of the attic space (unlike the mansard roof, where it is necessary to ventilate the roofing pie and residential space separately), so that the air does not stagnate and the roof structures and the roofing “pie” do not rot, for better snow melting.

Cold cover ventilation

a, b - through the attic space, c - with airflow and through the attic space, d - double airflow.

Attic roof features:

You need to make an exit to the attic. Usually arranged in the form of a hatch with a vertical metal staircase or use a ready-made "mansard staircase".
Roof insulation in this case is arranged in the attic floor, and the waterproofing carpet is directly on the roof, which facilitates the installation of the roof and reduces the cross-section of the wooden structures of the roof.

In general, we can say that the use of such roofs is the most common, despite the increase in the cost of construction, life under such a roof is more convenient.

Full second floor with an attic under the entire roof area without an attic

The third version of the roof is a combined first and second view. A full-fledged second floor and a mansard roof above it, in this case there is no overlap between the living room and the attic room, this reduces the cost of materials and its construction. With such a roof, you will get a lot of free space, a high ceiling.

Full second floor and mansard roof

The main big "plus" of such a roof can be called the visual appeal of the interior space, for example, skylights built into the roof in addition to ordinary windows will give a lot of light in living rooms. A good designer can easily beat such volumes. A house with such a roof must have a rigid and stable load-bearing frame due to the fact that the roof and walls of the 2nd floor are one rather high structure and have low rigidity.

Scheme of the complete second floor of the house and a mansard roof

Cons of such a roof:

It is necessary to heat and light such a large volume (it will be necessary to heat not only the living space, but also the space under the roof, and this is from 50 m3, which is not residential).
The space under the ceiling is not used.
Roof spacer to provide rigidity to roof structures.
Purchase and installation of skylights.

But this type of roof is rarely common, it can be recommended to use it when architectural form the roof will be dictated interior design premises.

Combined roof

The combined version of the roof is a hybrid of the above types of roof. For example, you have decided that there will be an attic roof over the whole house, and a mansard roof over the guest and children's bedroom. An important aspect in such a roof will be that over part of the house there will be a combined roofing pie, and over the second part, insulation, waterproofing and vapor barrier will be separated. It is also possible to change the cross section of the rafters in different parts of the roof. In this case, it is necessary to develop a competent roof project, with a detailed drawing of the interface nodes, plans and sections of these two options.

Combined roof scheme: attic and attic

Where the problems of heat, hydro, sound insulation will be solved. Such roofs can often be seen on 2 storey buildings with an attached garage or utility room, so the roof over the main part of the house is an attic, and over the garage the main roof turns into an attic for the garage.

It can be summed up that a mansard roof is a less comfortable, but inexpensive option. Attic roof and combined roof - the most applicable and justified option. A complete second floor with a mansard roof is a rare case, the advantage of which is an interesting interior. Thus, each type of roof has its advantages and disadvantages described in the article and it is worth choosing a roof based on specific conditions and circumstances. And we hope this article will help you with this.

Attention: The prices in the article are indicated at the time of 2009. Be careful.

The roofs of private houses are striking in their diversity. Pitched and flat, covered with tiles or completely transparent, made of their glass - there is room for fantasy to roam. But the roof should perform not only a protective, but also an aesthetic function. This is facilitated by both a variety of geometric shapes and a large selection of materials.

The structure of the roof two-storey houses may be flat or sloped. Accordingly, both the first and the second have their positive and negative sides.

flat design

This type is quite rare in the construction of small (two-story) private houses. This is directly related to its peculiarity: in fact, this roof is not absolutely vertical, but has a slight slope, which is 3 degrees. But, in this situation near a small house, snow and rainwater roll very poorly. Therefore, the reliability and durability in this case is less than that of pitched types.

It is worth highlighting some cases where flat roof outperforms the slope. First of all, if you plan to make a pool, terrace or small garden. It is impossible to carry out any of these solutions with a pitched roof.

Flat roof in a private house

Pitched construction

This type is considered the most practical. The main advantage is a sufficient angle of inclination, which allows precipitation not to linger and roll off. It is believed that pitched construction has great reliability, durability.

Another advantage of this type of construction is the possibility of arranging an attic or attic space under it. If we consider the negative sides of a pitched roof, we can distinguish the following:

it will be more expensive to build it than a flat one, especially if it is of a combined shape;
difficulties in carrying out repairs.

pitched roof

geometric shapes

The pitched type of roofs has a fairly large selection of shapes. Moreover, they can be designed independently, taking into account the loads, selected materials, as well as the design features of the building.

The most common are:

Shed - the simplest option, both in terms of construction and in terms of financial costs. The structure rests on walls different height. It is used both for buildings (garage, barn) and for country houses. However, when choosing this option, it should be understood that the attic device is impossible.

Gable - is constructed from two pitched elements connected to each other with the help of a "ridge". In this case, the slopes do not have to be symmetrical. They can be located at different angles and, accordingly, be of different lengths. On the this moment is the leader in popularity and practicality. It is also positive that under such a roof it is very easy to equip an attic or attic.

Hip - a more complex type in terms of construction, which consists of two slopes of a triangular shape. Construction of this type must be carried out only with the help of professional craftsmen. But on the other hand, the costs are paid off due to high sustainability indicators.

Semi-hip type - a cross between a hip and a gable roof. The ends in this embodiment have the form of a trapezoid. Such roofs often have windows that provide good level attic or attic lighting. In general, is interesting solution, however, it is more difficult to construct than the "classic" gable.

Tent - in fact, is nothing more than a kind of hip. The minimum number of slopes is 3. They are symmetrical, do not have a ridge and converge at one point. It is used in cases where a regular-shaped house is being built (in particular, a square).

Multi-gable - used in cases where the house under construction has a complex shape. Not enough - the complexity of the device rafters. However, the result is a unique design, which, in addition to the main functions, will certainly attract the eyes of passers-by.

Broken, or, as it is called in another way, attic type. This type of roof is popular due to the fact that it has sufficiently large break angles, which make it possible to increase the space of the attic room.

Conical and domed are not used so often. They are usually used because of their decorative form to cover individual elements at home, for example, when a bay window roof is being made.

The combined type has the most complex structure. They combine several types at once - multi-tongue, hip, tent. The positive side of such roofs is their unusual appearance, the possibility of arranging an attic and decorative elements (in particular, windows). The negative side is the high cost of construction, the complexity of operation and repair.

Features of the device in the presence or absence of an attic space

When designing a house, each owner is faced with a choice: an attic or non-attic roof? Both the first and second types have significant advantages, so before making a final decision, it is recommended to compare the positive and negative aspects of both options.

Option number 1: with an attic

In this case, the main advantage is that the roof is quite easy to do. If you have certain skills, you can cope on your own with one or two assistants without involving specialized workers.

The second advantage, which will certainly be "in the hands" of the owners, is the possibility without the need to replace the entire structure. When deciding to build this type of roof, you need to pay attention to the following points:

you need to calculate the load that the roof must carry in order to select the appropriate material;
the angle of the slope of the roof with the attic often depends on the choice of material;
the choice of attic flooring, which largely depends on whether the attic space will ever be used.

Option number 2: without an attic

In another way, this type is also called attic. Its main difference from the attic is that roof structure will play the role of not only the roof, but also the outer walls in the attic. This is a rational and original option. Indeed, in this case, at least one more room is added to the house, which can serve for almost any purpose. And besides, the room will be very original due to the walls with a slope.

However, the mansard roof is quite complex in design. To make it yourself, without the involvement of specialized craftsmen, is almost impossible.

Another feature that can be both negative and positive side, is that pitched mansard roofs usually have a kink that needs to be supported inside with beams. Such props can both spoil and transform the interior of the room.

Use of non-traditional materials

At the moment, special attention deserves new materials used for the construction of the roof. Particularly glass. Now it is hardly possible to surprise anyone with a panoramic roof, because more and more construction companies offer to build glass roofs for private houses. Given that this option has become more affordable, it is now possible to fulfill the dreams of a veranda, a bedroom in the attic with glass ceiling or winter garden.

The main geometric shapes of roofs in which translucent structures can be used:

flat;
pitched (1 or 2 slopes);
pyramid;
dome;
arch.

Important! The advantage of this material is that the glass roof performs not only its traditional role. She is also big window which provides illumination of the room.

The frame of this design is made of profiles, which, in turn, can be made of steel or aluminum. In very rare cases wood is used. This is due to the fact that glass roofs are often made over greenhouses and gardens, where a high level of humidity prevails, which naturally leads to rotting of wood structures.

Glass Roof Features:

IN summer period it will get very hot. Accordingly, the room under it (attic) too. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of climate technology and insulation that muffles sunlight in advance.
The glass structure must fulfill its main function - protection from precipitation and wind. But unlike traditional materials for roofing, glass does not overlap. Therefore, all seams must be carefully sealed and insulated.
Glass is different. For roofs, it is better to choose an impact-resistant type or glass that, when beaten, does not leave sharp fragments and edges that can hurt you.
Debris and dirt will be visible on the glass roof. It is necessary to consider easy access to it and the possibility of cleaning.

The roof is an integral part of any building. For private houses, it has a huge variety of shapes, as well as non-standard materials that will make the house a dream come true. The choice depends on the design of the house. Some types of structures can be built independently, which will save money and not resort to the help of specialists.

Users of the site are well aware that the appearance of the house largely depends on the shape of its roof. Any homeowner would like his cottage not only to look spectacular, but also to be functional, warm and comfortable. Therefore, even at the stage of choosing a project, we choose cold attic or warm roof. We will figure out what to do better, more functional and more economically feasible.

In our material, we have collected the most common questions that will help you make a final decision.

From this article you will learn:

What is the attic of the building and what room is called the attic;
What is the difference between a warm attic and a cold attic;
What features can a cold attic and a warm attic have;
Is there any benefit from building a cold attic or is it better to build a warm attic;
How to properly insulate the attic;
How do roof windows differ from ordinary ones.

Attic versus attic

Every year, building land prices are growing more and more, and therefore many owners of their own homes often think about whether there is a way to “increase” the usable area of the house by small area. The easiest option is to increase the height of the house, build a two-story cottage with an unheated attic. Or go the other way and build a house with a warm attic. Both options have their pros and cons, which we will discuss below. And for starters, let's decide what is the attic of the building, and what is the attic.

Vera Vavilova Managing company "DDM-Stroy", Moscow.

An attic is a non-residential space between the ceiling last floor and the roof of the building. The attic is the space between the ceiling of the last floor and the roof of the house, which is already used as a living space.

Due to its design, the attic creates a well-ventilated buffer space under the roof. This means that it is much easier to provide ventilation of the under-roof space in the attic through dormer windows than in the attic.

On two sides, the attic has vertically straight gables, and on the other two facades are formed by surfaces of an inclined or broken roof. Thus, the attic ceiling is also a roof.

Roman NakonechnyHead of the construction department of the company "RonasGroup"

The main difference between the attic and the attic is the purpose of the premises. While an insulated attic is called a full-fledged living space, a cold attic is intended solely for storage.

Anton Borisov Expert of TechnoNIKOL Corporation

By tradition, attic spaces between the ceiling and the roof are either used as a warehouse for household equipment, or not used at all. But the attic can become an additional living space: a guest room, an office or a nursery.

The advantages of the attic, compared with the attic, is that it allows you to create an additional living space, without increasing the overall height of the house and without building an additional floor.

It should be remembered that finishing an attic, like any other room, requires the investment of additional funds, while it is possible to equip an attic at minimal cost.

The advantages of the attic are also the simplicity of its construction and the possibility of easy access from inside the premises of the second floor to inspect the roof, if necessary, repair the roof, in case of leakage, etc.

It should also be remembered that in order to enter the under-roof space, it is necessary to equip a separate entrance leading to the attic. Usually, a hatch with a retractable or folding vertical ladder is made for this.

Sergey Petrov Architect at Home in the Woods

In the attic floor, you can make additional rooms, thereby reducing the area of the house relative to the site, reducing the cost of foundation, roofing and external walls. This is important, because the foundation with the roof is the most expensive elements in the house.

Great advantage attic floor lies in the fact that there you can arrange sleeping areas for adults and children separately. But the attic is just an empty area.

Vera Vavilova

When constructing an attic, you get an uninhabitable void between the floor and the roof. The advantage of an attic is savings. The insulation is laid only on the ceiling, reducing its consumption, and the resulting attic space creates air gap. Gables can remain cold, which also leads to savings.

Unlike the attic, a warm attic requires warming of the gables. Roof insulation is carried out according to the relief of the roof, which gives a much greater consumption of insulation than in the case of an attic.

The attic floor implies a straight ceiling of the last floor, which greatly limits the design possibilities of the room. When constructing an attic, the truss system can be made visible, which gives a unique design to the room and gives a special flavor to the space.

The attic ceiling is not made straight, but along the internal relief of the roof, and you get a large volumetric space that can be beautifully beaten in the interior.

Vera Vavilova:

The second floor must have a height of at least 2.5 m in order to live comfortably on it. All external walls of the house and internal partitions you need to raise to the height of the second floor. Accordingly, spend the material and pay for the work. External walls must have adequate insulation, depending on the material of the house. Further above the second floor you have an attic, the construction of which will also take material and payment for labor.

The main benefit of building an attic and a full-fledged second floor is the usable area of the second floor. You get a second floor of equal height, comfortable for living. You do not have a problem whether the cabinet will stand against the wall. You do not have low "pockets" that you need to beat in the interior and think about how they can be used functionally.

Non-residential attic space can be used as a pantry, which also significantly increases the usable area of the house.

Sergey Petrov

Very often they make a cold attic, believing that it is expensive to insulate the roof. However, the pie in the attic, in the floors of the upper floor of the attic, has almost the same view . It is still necessary to insulate the ceiling of the second floor, but it can be much more profitable to reduce the area of the roof and foundation itself, plus the area of \u200b\u200bwalls and ceilings. As an interior designer, I can say that attic rooms with pitched ceilings always become a source of special mood, they are not boring and very picturesque, most importantly – beat them correctly.

But, as with any construction, everything should be approached deliberately, carefully weighing all the pros and cons.

Roman Nakonechny

The cost of building a cold attic can be several times lower than building and finishing a dwelling. If roof insulation is required both during the construction of the attic and during the construction of the attic (these costs are approximately equivalent), then for finishing the dwelling you will need additional funds, such as interior decoration walls, floors, ceilings, space heating, as well as its furnishing.

Many people think that designing an attic is much more difficult than an attic, which leads to a significant increase in the cost of a house project. But, as experience shows, this is not at all the case.

Roman Nakonechny

Designing an attic is slightly more expensive than an attic. It’s just that the project will take into account the living quarters, their location, and the area of the rooms will be given Special attention in order to live comfortably in them later.

The attic will also be included in the project, just the requirements for its location and area will be less, but the work for designing the attic will still have to be paid for by the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. The main thing when designing an attic – carefully consider the height of the walls and ceiling.

Sergey Petrov

Roman Nakonechny

The height of the attic is measured along the side wall, comfortable height walls - from 1.5 m.

With such a height of the walls, it is possible to walk to full height in the attic room, and place either sleeping places or storage places in the lowest places.

Vera Vavilova

When designing an attic, there are a number of nuances that must be taken into account, and which you can not think about when designing an attic floor - the height in the rooms, etc.

In the attic, it is necessary to arrange the rooms in such a way that it does not turn out that the shower cabin does not fit into the bathroom, or that there is nowhere to put a closet in the bedroom.

The height of the second floor under the attic floor is at least 2.5 m - it is comfortable for people of average height and there are no problems with furniture arrangement.

To make the attic functional, side walls they usually raise it by 1.2 - 1.4 m, getting, depending on the size of the house, about 3.5 - 4 m in the ridge. Then you will have a volumetric space that visually increases the area of the second floor due to the volume of the premises.

In the attic room, the roof can start directly from the floor, since in the technical space there is no need to make a full height, it is not needed for storing things. The useful area of the attic depends only on the height of the side wall. The maximum height of the side wall should not exceed 2-2.5 meters, otherwise it will already turn out to be a full-fledged floor, and not an attic.

Sergey Petrov

If you make plans for the second floor in advance with an approximate arrangement of furniture, it will be clear where you can place power elements, for example, poles. Not only will the pillar look very good in rooms with pitched roofs, but it will also carry the load. Truss structures for supporting the roof also look very good. I know from my own experience that with a roof slope of about 30 degrees or more, a little usable area is eaten up, only about a meter under the slopes.

Design features of the attic and attic

If the construction of a full-fledged second floor and a cold attic is carried out according to schemes worked out over the years (the main – pay attention to reliable vapor and waterproofing), then the construction of the attic requires great knowledge and imposes increased requirements on the qualifications of builders. And any mistake made at the attic design stage can lead to costly repairs in the future.

As noted above, the attic significantly increases the "living" area, gives the house expressiveness, transforming it and improving it. The main thing is that all construction work – insulation, vapor barrier and roof ventilation – were carried out in accordance with the established requirements.

If the roof truss system is subjected to heavy loads, then some of its constituent elements must be made of beams of glued laminated timber. These can withstand a much greater load than rafters from regular board. Small spans, the load on which is insignificant, require the use of rafters from a dry planed board with a section specified by the project.

But the most important thing is a properly laid and insulated "roofing cake". It depends on it whether it will be warm and comfortable on your attic floor, whether condensation will accumulate and the roof will leak.

Vera Vavilova

The size of the beams on the attic floor, as in any building, is determined by the length of the unsupported span. If the project provides for a large under-roof space without walls, then the truss system can be reliably and beautifully made from truss structures.

They will help to organize a reliable roof structure, giving the room a unique modern design.

When constructing an attic floor, special attention should be paid to high-quality roof insulation.

Anton Borisov

When it comes to living quarters, it is logical to assume that such a room, first of all, should be comfortable for living and, most importantly, warm, especially if the house is used for year-round living. To make a warm attic out of a cold attic, it is necessary to insulate the floor and roof slopes.

When insulating a roof, the following conditions must be observed:

Moisture should not accumulate in the insulation;
The thickness of the thermal insulation layer must correspond to a certain size (according to the thermal calculation), sufficient to keep the heat in the room in winter and summer.

Therefore, for better job your roof must have a vapor barrier – to cut off the steam coming from the room. It is also necessary to apply a certain thickness of the thermal insulation layer, according to the calculation for a particular region, and it is also necessary to provide a ventilated gap between the thermal insulation layer and the roofing.

Roman Nakonechny

For proper insulation the attic necessarily needs steam and waterproofing. As a heater, you can use mineral wool for pitched roofs. In this case, the insulation is mounted with an overlap in order to avoid cold bridges.

The second option is to use extruded polystyrene foam as a heater.

Also, when constructing an attic, special attention should be paid to the ventilation of the insulation.

Sergey Petrov

You can use rafters with a section of 200x50 mm, and take the thickness of mineral wool at 150 mm. Since the insulation must breathe, the difference in the thickness of the rafters and wool, in essence, is the air.

In order for the insulation not to pick up moisture, air vents must be made when installing the attic, otherwise after a couple of years the insulation will lose its thermal properties.

A standard attic roof pie looks like this:

roofing;
crate;
Counter-lattice;
Diffusion film (hydro and wind insulation);
Air gap;
insulation;
Vapor barrier;
Internal lining.

Vera Vavilova

The "roofing cake" of the attic floor must necessarily include vapor barrier, insulation and waterproofing. Under no circumstances can steam or waterproofing be excluded!

Any finishing covering of a roof assumes such filling. The thickness of the insulation must be at least 200 mm. It is more convenient and efficient to use mineral plate heaters. It is also very important to properly insulate the junctions. truss system to the walls. These are weak points where cold bridges can form. Facing panels made of wood or plastic are inserted into the vertical grooves between adjacent rafters. They are inserted from the inner and outer edges of the wall. A heater (200 mm thick) is laid between the facing boards, which protects the areas on the upper edge external walls from the leakage of heat from the room and the penetration of heat in the summer.

Also, when constructing an attic, special requirements are placed on skylights. Since they are exposed to an aggressive environment and are exposed to adverse weather conditions, it is especially important to maintain tightness at the junction with the roof so that there are no leaks.

Features of attic floor insulation

When choosing a house project with a full-fledged second floor and a cold attic, it is extremely important to ensure that the money spent on heating does not fly out the pipe. To do this, it is necessary to properly insulate the attic floor, which is at the same time the ceiling of the second floor and the floor of the attic. After all, rising up, the heat from the house escapes through the attic.

The attic floor pie (step and lag thickness) will largely depend on the thickness of the insulation. And to select the thickness of the insulation, first of all, it is necessary to make a thermal calculation.

According to the same heat engineering calculations, different types of construction - floors, walls, roofs - must have different thermal resistances. Depending on this construction, we end up with different thickness TI. In the attic floor, it is one, and in the design of the attic floor, it is different.

The very design of the attic floor will be similar to the design of the attic floors, namely:

Base;
insulation;
Ballast (prefabricated screed with top coat etc.).

Attic floor insulation can be done in several ways. Depending on the type of base, insulation can be performed both on reinforced concrete floors and on wooden floors. But the main stages of warming are similar in both cases.

Extruded polystyrene foam slabs are laid on a leveled floor base, and then a prefabricated screed or cement-sand mixture. And only then the finish coating is mounted on it.

How to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic.

Also, our forum member talks about creating a lead to the attic. Here you will find a discussion for a "cold" roof. Watch a video about the features of the roof system of aerated concrete houses.

Now the design of the house, which does not provide for an attic space, is becoming more and more popular. In this case, the roof serves as a ceiling at the same time, and a house without an attic will be taller and more spacious. However, such a solution causes some difficulties in terms of saving heat and arranging an appropriate heat-insulating structure.

Methods for arranging an insulating layer

When building a roof, you can use outdoor option insulation installation. However, this is possible only at the stage of building a house - no one will disassemble already finished roof to lay a heater there. Therefore, a different approach is often used - internal insulation. Regardless of the method chosen, it is necessary to correctly lay all related materials and their approximate location is shown in the diagram below.

The choice of insulation

There are a lot of insulation materials on the market. You need to choose based on your financial capabilities, but, first of all, you need to consider that such a roof should be very warm, since there will no longer be additional protection from the cold in the form of an attic. Therefore, it is better to choose from time-tested and fairly effective options:

Sprayed polyurethane foam

Any of these heat-saving materials has characteristic pluses or minuses, however, all of them can provide high-quality insulation of the roof, which simultaneously serves as the ceiling of a residential building.

mineral wool

To install this type of thermal insulation, you will need to purchase an additional special film - a membrane. which misses wet air only one side. In addition to the vapor barrier membrane, you will also need a film for waterproofing the heat insulator from the outside. They are necessary in order to ensure the safety of the insulation and extend its service life. Films prevent water from entering the insulating layer and deformation of the mineral wool as a result of getting wet.

Mineral wool is laid in the openings of the rafter system in such a way that there are no gaps between the insulation boards and the rafters. From the outer and inner sides, the cotton wool is closed with a vapor barrier and waterproofing film. FROM outside, under the roofing material, the presence of ventilation gap allowing excess moisture to be expelled to the outside.

Penoplex

In its composition, it is practically a relative of foam. The method of manufacturing the material is different, but, externally and in their properties, these heaters are very similar. Additional materials in the form of films or membranes is not required here. You can use such insulation as with external works, and with insulation from the inside.

Installation is carried out in the openings between the rafters on glue or, more often, on mounting foam. She also fills all the gaps between the individual plates and other gaps. It is worth remembering that the foam layer, which provides the same insulation compared to mineral wool, will be much thinner.

Sprayed insulation

Spray-applied polyurethane foam is the most modern solution available today. However, its cost will be higher than all other options. At the same time, the roof and ceiling, insulated with polyurethane foam in a house without an attic, will be completely airtight, so it will be necessary to think over the ventilation system of the room.

Otherwise, it will be one of the most effective solutions, since the sprayed polyurethane foam is distinguished by excellent heat retention rates with a minimum thickness of the applied material. At the same time, you will not need to do the work yourself - trained people will do everything, since the technology for applying PPU is not as simple as it might seem and special equipment is required for the work.