Flat Lead Roof Construction

On a basic level flat roof construction comes in the form of roofing timbers or joists as they are more commonly known or steels that are laid across two uprights walls in most cases.

Flat lead roof construction.

One of a series of instructional videos produced for the lead sheet association in this case showing how to install a flat roof in lead. Traditional lead roof coverings are normally weathertight but not watertight. Flat roofs are an ancient form mostly used in arid climates and allow the roof space to be used as a living space or a living roof. The steels or rsj s rolled steel joists are often built into one or both walls to give added stability to the roof structure.

For additional stability you can also use steel joists that are built into one or both of the walls. The slope of a roof is properly known as its pitch and flat roofs have up to approximately 10. The national roofing contractors association defines a low slope roof as. When a hot roof surface is suddenly cooled by rain the pressure in.

This will give additional stability to the roof structure. A new lead bay fitted in a simple one piece bay like this one the lead is nailed into the upstand underneath the guttering the drip is then beaten nice and tight over the edge of the roof and trimmed to about 50mm. In general a warm roof is preferable from a construction angle but it does lead to a higher roof profile which isn t always acceptable from a planning perspective there a number of variations of the warm roof referred to as hybrid roofs which introduce different elements. Thicker lead is used on longer bays joints along the length should be stepped to prevent rain seeping up through capillary action.

Flat lead roofs should be laid with a slight fall. The basic construction of a flat roof starts with roofing timber that is laid across two upright items usually two walls. Our basic fitting guides are designed to assist installing rolled lead sheet in a range of roofing applications including flashings valleys gutters and flat roofing. A flat roof is a roof which is almost level in contrast to the many types of sloped roofs.

Lead should be laid in bays sections with joints between the bays formed over a wooden roll.