Introduction of a Flat Roof
The roof is the uppermost portion of any building or structure that shields the inside from heat, rain, snow, etc. A flat roof is one with a pitch of less than 10 degrees, which is defined as the slope of the roof. The flat roof is a relatively new development in building, coming entering widespread usage in the early 20th century.
Nevertheless, the majority of the first roofs built by humans were thatched roofs composed of straw, leaves, branches, or reeds. These roofs were often arranged at a slope, or pitch, so that rainwater could drain off them.
As all roofs should have some slope to drain water off or divert water to a scupper for drainage, some people object to the word “flat” being used to describe roof types. Frequently, the phrase “low-slope” is used.
Roofing system for flat roofs
A low-slope roof, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), has a slope of no more than 25%, or 3 inches of vertical rise for every 12 inches of horizontal. Asphalt shingles are the roofing material of choice nowadays. These tiles are excellent at shedding water, but only when they are sloped.
For instance, Florida’s building code prohibits the installation of these shingles on roofs with a slope of less than 17 percent, or 2 inches of vertical rise for every 12 inches of horizontal slope. This is now moving into “flat” roof zone, which calls for a new roofing system, such one that uses a membrane to prevent water incursion.
Characteristics of Flat Roof:
1. It is one of the oldest types of roof and is mostly used in dry conditions.
2. A living area might be built on top of a building.
3. A low slope roof is another name for it.
4. It is one of the most popular roofs in use today.
5. It is often utilized in climates with lower rainfall and above-freezing temperatures.
6. In nations like the UK, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Australia, etc., it is frequently used.
7. Flat roofs have a fairly short lifespan, ranging from 6 to 35 years depending on the
Quality of the materials used.
History of a Flat Roof
Arid conditions, such those in Persian, Arabian, and Egyptian architecture, are where you’ll often find early flat roof buildings. Between 7100 BC and 5700 BC, at an ancient Middle Eastern village known as Atalhöyük, which is now in Turkey, a flat roof building was first discovered.
The first flat roofs in America most likely date to the middle of the eighth century and are of Puebloan design. The oldest building in the country, Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, dates back to between 1000 and 1450 AD, has a flat roof, and is being used today.
Archaic people constructed tipi-like dwellings out of twigs, bush, and mud before this time. Both residential and commercial buildings have flat roofs. They are made of concrete, steel, or wood and feature a barrier of some kind to keep water out.
Flat roofs for homes and commercial buildings
According to a composition by Roofing for Historic Buildings, flat roof construction on commercial buildings started in the middle of the 1800s using pine tar and gravel, whereas almost all roofs on homes appear to have been sloped in early America, with the exception of those in arid climates like New Mexico.
But, it wasn’t until the Modern architectural style started in the 1920s that it truly started to gain popularity in house construction.
Flat roof dwellings started to appear in many states, even those with regular rain and snow, thanks to structural developments brought on by the Industrial Revolution and the use of flat roofs by renowned architects like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright.
As the 20th century progressed, this architectural style became more prevalent. Modern architects still choose flat roofs for homes and the bulk of commercial structures, including strip malls, standalone retail establishments, and warehouses, in today’s architecture.