The cheapest roof Types of roofing materials for different types of roofs
No wonder private housing developers are looking for the cheapest roofing material. After all, the cost factor plays an important role in choosing a suitable roof. However, an economical price should not come to the fore without taking into account other factors: the architectural structure of the roof, the purpose of the building, the weight of the roofing material and the budget allocated for these purposes. That is, one should always proceed from the most advantageous price / quality ratio.
When choosing a roofing material, it is necessary to take into account the architecture of the roof, the purpose of the building, the weight of the material and its cost.
It cannot be discounted that the load from the roof is made up not only of the weight of the rafters and roofing material, but also in winter from the weight of the snow attacking the roof and from the constant wind loads in the area. For central Russia, the last two indicators are usually taken equal to 200 kg per square meter. The angle of inclination of the slope should also be taken into account.
How to cover the roof of the house so that everything suits and comes out cheaper? Having become acquainted with the variety of existing coatings on the market, the choice will not be so difficult.
roofing requirements.
Roofing material must be:
- high strength;
- durable;
- resistant to atmospheric phenomena (frost, heat, moisture, solar radiation, oxygen);
- good sound and heat insulator;
- anti-corrosion;
- fire resistant.
Variety of roofing materials
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Tiled roof types
Ceramic tiles without additional fixation can be used for roofs with a slope of 22-60 degrees.
Tiles are among the oldest roofing materials. Houses in the old quarters of Europe are covered with this particular type of roof with variegated colors. Previously, only ceramic tiles were made, but now the range of material is much more extensive.
These pieces are piece products (the size of one plate is 30 by 30 cm), which have been fired in a kiln and acquired a brownish-red tint. Glazed tiles look more attractive, and it is more convenient to use: neither snow nor rain moisture will hold on it. The weight of one piece after firing is over 2 kg.
The shape of the elements can be different: wavy, tape, grooved, grooved, etc. And at the same time, the mounting options will be different. But the properties of all products are similar to each other. When laying, they try to lay the tiles so that the plate on top covers one third of the bottom.
The use of tiles is advisable for buildings of any number of storeys with a slope of the roof slope in the range of 22-60 degrees. With a greater slope, additional mechanical fixation of each tile is provided by means of a screw or nail. With a weak slope, a high level of roof ventilation and waterproofing are provided.
Advantages: the coating is reliable, durable, non-flammable, frost resistance over 1000 cycles, does not corrode, has a good sound insulation index, is easy to repair (only damaged areas are changed without resorting to dismantling the entire roof). The disadvantages include the severity and fragility of the material, the need for waterproofing, the use of additional fasteners and reinforcement of the crate with a complex roof configuration.
The tile is cement and sand.
Cement-sand tile is very similar to ceramic, but its price is much lower.
A mixture of sand and cement hardens under pressure and is glazed (not always). This is how this tile is prepared. In appearance it is indistinguishable from ceramic products. 1 square meter is equal to the weight of 35-45 kg. Recommended for closing roofs with a slope of 20º-60º. It needs an underlay in the form of a waterproofing carpet. The price is from 10 to 20 $.
Advantages: resistance to external influences (including ultraviolet), high frost resistance. Gaining strength over the years. Minus - heavy material, can give up to 10% scrap during transportation.
Bituminous tiles
The bituminous plate is covered with cellulose, fiberglass or polyester during the manufacturing process. The shade is achieved by coloring. Sheets have dimensions of 30 by 100 cm, their weight is 8-12 kg per sq.m. Price - from 8 to 10 $ per sq.m. Acquired for structures with a slope of more than 12º. Requires a substrate of moisture resistant plywood. The flexibility of the bituminous material allows it to be used on arbitrary roof configurations with different roundings. The bitumen-rubber layer, under the influence of the sun, glues the sheet plates into one monolithic surface.
The pluses include: strength, resistance to decay and rust. Local dismantling and subsequent repair is allowed. Appropriate for triangular, rounded and multi-pitched roofs. Protects from noise. Choice of colors and materials. It is not included in the category of elite coatings, as it is combustible and loses its color saturation from ultraviolet radiation.
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Metal types of coatings
Metal tile.
It is not clear why this metal sheet, stamped like a tile covering, is called a tile. The sheet is steel galvanized on both sides with a polymer layer applied. Thanks to this layer and the resulting shade, this coating was named that way. Sheet weight - 3-5 kg per sq.m. The cost is $ 7-15 per meter. Purpose - for roofs with a slope of more than 15º. A smaller slope requires sealing the joints of the sheets. Installation of sheets: along the slope - by 250 mm or more, across - by 1 corrugation.
With a budget deficit, this choice is considered the most optimal in almost any situation.
The material is easy to install, resistant to shock, weighs little and is cheap. But you should not expect protection from noise from it.
Professional sheets.
The simplest type of metal coatings, represented by corrugated sheets of galvanized steel. Waves have different heights, widths and shapes. The minimum slope for profiled sheets is 10º. It needs a crate with glassine, reinforced with self-tapping screws. It is permissible to lay sheets on top of the previous coating (for example, roofing material).
The material is used mainly for buildings with 1-3 floors. Pluses are: the accelerated and simple installation, durability, reliability. But there is no sound and heat insulation.
Seam metal roofs: steel, aluminum, copper.
They are made from flat, unprocessed sheets. Steel can have a galvanized or polymer layer. Fasten by joining the folded edges. The minimum slope is 20º. Require a substrate on the rafters of an anti-condensate film. Steel is simple, cheap and not prestigious. Will rust if not covered.
From copper, the roof looks more attractive: initially a bright yellow-red color, gradually becoming covered with a greenish patina. In this case, the material, in addition to protection against corrosion, acquires a certain nobility.
However, the price of copper and aluminum is not cheap.
The lightest of all aluminum roofing: it weighs 2-3 kg per sq. m. Steel is heavier - 4-5 kg per sq.m. And copper is the heaviest of all - 10 kg per m.
Despite the decorative effect, fire resistance, low weight and the ability to give different shapes, the seam material does not sufficiently isolate from noise and heat leakage and is not impact resistant.
When it comes time to build your own house outside the city, many future homeowners already have their own preferences about what it will be built from and how it will look. Such things are usually considered in advance: architecture, facade design, windows, etc. Then the project is carefully selected, every little thing is thought over, all materials are carefully selected.
The economic crisis of recent years has reversed this trend. Today, most buyers of suburban housing are trying to save literally on everything. And developers are naturally happy to take advantage of this.
We see how advertising has also changed - that quality has faded into the background, everyone is competing around who will give the lowest price, and the advertised price per square meter of a built house has reached simply indecent values. And all the same, people call such developers, buy something from them, but ask yourself the question - what kind of real estate can it be that costs the price of a barn?
If you look at everything realistically, you should understand that it’s very cheap to build a normal house (not a shed and a barrack) by no means. However, there are 3 things that can significantly reduce the construction budget:
- foundation - you can choose a light and inexpensive foundation on piles;
- walls - you can replace the brick with foam blocks, wood concrete or sip panels;
- roofing - you can choose cheap slate or ondulin instead of tiles, or you can ... choose a flat roof
How to save money on building a roof for a country house?
Most buyers and developers of country houses choose a roof not for functional qualities, but for appearance or on the principle of “like everyone else”. And the choice most often stops on a pitched roof. Meanwhile, there is a much cheaper and more functional option - a flat roof.
The main arguments of the opponents of a flat roof usually sound like this:
- "she's not beautiful";
- “I don’t want my house to look like a gas station”;
- or "a house with such a roof will resemble a box of canned food."
What do you think? We suggest you compare these 2 photos:
Which of these two projects do you think looks more interesting? What about the others below?
Of course, a lot here depends on personal taste, but we still think that our buyers and developers are too conservative, and ideas and projects got stuck somewhere in the 80s of the last century. The USSR has long been gone, but for some reason, most summer residents stubbornly continue to build houses "the old fashioned way."
A flat roof can not only give a “chip” to your home project, but it will also cost significantly less. To answer this question, first we will understand what materials both of these types of roofs are built from.
Any pitched roof consists of 3 main elements:
- truss system;
- roofing;
- insulation and waterproofing system.
The main part of this design is the rafters. In private houses, they are made exclusively of wood, and only experienced roofers can do the correct installation of rafters.
Both wood and labor of builders are expensive. And in general, you will have to fork out for the roof, since the cost of its construction, even in the cheapest version, will amount to at least 25% of the budget for building a house. This can also include: roofing, insulation and waterproofing materials, as well as wages for roofers and other specialists. And that's not to mention operating costs.
A flat roof consists only of insulation and waterproofing, and these materials are required by an order of magnitude less than on a pitched roof of the same perimeter. You can also insulate and waterproof such a structure with your own hands: special skills and experience are not required here, the main thing is to follow the instructions from the manufacturers.
Having calculated all the costs, and subtracting the cost of insulation and waterproofing from here, it is easy to calculate that the installation of a flat roof is several times cheaper than the pitched version. In addition, to do it somehow wrong is possible only on purpose.
Features of the operation of a flat and pitched roof
The pitched roof needs constant maintenance and repair. Everything will look perfect until the first serious rainstorm, snowstorm or hurricane, then it begins to crumble little by little.
Wooden rafters, even impregnated with antiseptics and coated with flame retardants, begin to rot after a couple of years, and this process cannot be stopped. Metal is not suitable for creating a truss system for private houses, and other materials suitable for this have not yet been invented.
It is possible to slow down the damage to wooden rafters only if the attic is well insulated and waterproofed, but if the attic is planned to be unheated, then the tree is practically doomed. It is well eaten by mold and all sorts of insects, as soon as even a drop of moisture appears in the attic, a fungus immediately appears.
No wood is required for a flat roof. It is based on concrete floor slabs that do not rot, do not burn, water does not seep through them, and besides, concrete perfectly accumulates heat coming from the interior.
If this ceiling is well insulated from above, then the house will not be afraid of any frost, besides, if a thick layer of snow piles on the roof, it will play the role of excellent additional thermal insulation, and completely free.
On the contrary, in the case of a pitched roof, snowdrifts will not play the role of thermal insulation, but of enormous gravity, which can push through not only the roof, but also break the rafters, especially if the slopes are gentle. Therefore, snow must be constantly removed from such a roof, which, of course, is associated with a huge risk - you can slip and fall down. There is no need to clear snow from a flat roof; you don’t need to climb on it at all in winter.
Hurricane winds are also enemies of a pitched roof, especially if it is covered with light roofing materials: metal tiles, corrugated board or slate. There are frequent cases when, with a strong wind, the pitched roof was simply torn off the house.
A flat roof does not have this drawback, because it does not have a roof covering, moreover, it is not an obstacle for the wind, since it does not protrude beyond the contours of the house. Only an earthquake can destroy it.
And one more advantage of a flat roof is that during heavy rain and even hail, it does not make noise at all, unlike metal tiles or slate. Rainwater, no matter how much it is, flows very quickly from a flat roof along a slight slope, enters the drainage system and is discharged outside the perimeter of the house. The main thing is that waterproofing is done correctly.
By the way, waterproofing materials, in case of damage, can be easily replaced, although they are initially very durable - experience shows that the waterproofing layer on houses with a flat roof lasts half a century or more without major repairs.
In the USSR, houses with flat roofs were massively built and their surfaces were waterproofed with ordinary roofing material and resin. At the same time, such roofs did not leak for a very long time, at least this issue was not on the agenda of repair organizations. These roofs still serve faithfully today, although, of course, their protection is made of better and more modern materials.
But what about a house without an attic?
Of course, attics in our country houses are very popular. The attic floor can only be arranged under a pitched roof, but not under a flat one. And this can be considered the main disadvantage of a flat roof. However, there are three things to consider here:
First: If there was a choice: an attic or an additional full-fledged floor? What would you choose? From the point of view of usable area, it is definitely better to make a full-fledged one with a flat roof. In addition, do not forget that a flat roof can be made exploitable.
Second point: A good attic floor, with a normal ceiling height and a slight slope, will cost a lot, and a bad one (where you can only beat your head) is usually not used or is operated as an attic.
The third: Even through a well-insulated attic, a lot of heat leaves the house. It is impossible to insulate the space under a pitched roof “tightly”, unlike a flat roof.
Conclusion: If it is important for you to save as much as possible on building a house, then the best solution would be to opt for a flat roof - it will cost an order of magnitude cheaper both during the arrangement and in operation.
When building a country house, many craftsmen, not wanting to spend a lot of money on arranging a summer cottage, are wondering what is cheaper to cover the roof. After all, a cheap roof saves almost 15% of the construction budget. At the same time, for the roof, I want to choose not only a cheap coating, but also one that will have good performance characteristics. In the material below, we will analyze the better to cover the roof of a summer cottage, and what are the nuances of working with this or that material.
In order for the master to understand the approximate prices for certain roofing materials, below we offer a rating that will move from cheaper to more expensive coatings. So, today the prices look something like this:
- Ruberoid or euroroofing material - $0.35-0.50/m2;
- Wave slate - $2.1-4.4/m2;
- Profiled sheet - $2.6-4.4/m2;
- Ondulin - $2.7-4/m2;
- Soft roofing material - $4.2-4.7/m2;
- Metal tile - $4.2-4.8/m2.
It is worth knowing that prices may vary slightly depending on the region of the country.
Types of roofing materials for inexpensive construction
If you do not know how to cover the roof of a house cheaper, then below is an overview of the most economical roofing materials for every design taste. So let's start.
Roll roofing materials (roofing material)
This is the most affordable coverage option for those who do not know how to cover the roof in the country house inexpensively. The composition of the standard roofing material includes a cardboard base, bituminous impregnation and protective chips made of asbestos, talc, etc. The advantages of such a coating include:
- Environmental friendliness of the coating;
- Its plasticity, which means ease of installation;
- Excellent resistance to moisture;
- Inertness to temperature changes (cold).
At the same time, despite its low price and all the advantages, the roofing material has some disadvantages:
- As an external coating, this material is short-lived (maximum 15-20 years);
- Increased combustibility of roofing material;
- Exposure to excessive heat from the sun.
The principle of laying roofing material as a roofing material is to make a continuous crate under it. This will avoid sagging of the roofing material over time. In addition, for the density of the finished roof and its degree of load, it is better to cover the roof of a private house in several layers. In particular, three to five layers are laid.
Important: it is desirable to lay the roof covering in such a way that the seams of each subsequent layer do not overlap. And to simplify the work, you can use euroroofing material. One of its edges can be melted, which simplifies the installation of the overlap coating without the use of bituminous mastic.
wave slate
This roofing material has been used for many decades. And yet it does not lose its relative popularity. The composition of slate includes 85% Portland cement and only 15% asbestos. It is these proportions that make it possible to obtain a strong and durable roofing material. You can cover the roof in the country with slate if you want the roof of the house to last at least 25 years. That is how much its manufacturers allocate to slate. However, in reality, wave slate can last all 40 years, provided there are no regular shock loads (falling stones, icy branches, fruits, etc. onto the roof). The advantages of slate include:
- Its relatively favorable cost;
- Increased wear resistance;
- Resistance to burning and temperature extremes;
- Ease of installation.
Slate also has its downsides. These are:
- Low environmental friendliness (due to the inclusion of asbestos in the material, which is harmful to humans).
- Susceptibility to moisture;
- Brittleness of the coating during installation (it can crack if handled carelessly).
It is worth knowing that in order to lay a roof in a country house from slate sheets, it is necessary to move from bottom to top and from left to right. In addition, each next sheet and row should overlap the previous one by 20-30 cm to avoid moisture getting into the joints. Slate sheets are fixed with special self-tapping screws with rubber washers.
Profiled sheet and metal tile
Profiled sheet and metal tiles are another convenient and profitable material for covering houses from the category of economical ones. Profiled sheet and metal tiles are made of aluminum or steel. At the same time, the configuration of its wave can be varied, which increases the decorative features of the material. Yes, and you can choose any shade of coating. Outwardly, the profiled sheet is somewhat reminiscent of slate sheets, only many times easier. The benefits include:
- Light weight and easy installation;
- Long service life;
- Resistant to burning and temperature extremes.
The disadvantages include:
- Low level of noise absorption;
- The possibility of damage to the coating sheets under shock loads.
Important: they mount a profiled sheet and metal tiles according to the principle of simple slate.
Ondulin
Ondulin is an excellent roofing material, easy to install and at the same time quite light. The composition of such a roofing material includes cellulose fibers, bituminous impregnation and special additives. The top of the material has a protective coloring layer. Outwardly, ondulin resembles slate, only at the same time the sheets of material are lighter and more flexible. The benefits of this coverage include:
- Light weight;
- Ease of installation;
- Moisture resistant;
- Inertness to aggressive environments;
- Strength.
At the same time, ondulin also has its drawbacks. These are:
- Exposure of the upper color layer to fading;
- The flammability limit of the material is only 110 degrees;
- In this case, the coating softens when heated in the sun. Therefore, it can be better used for a summer house / house located in the shade of garden trees with a large crown.
When laying ondulin, several basic principles must be observed:
- Move along the roof from the bottom up and from left to right;
- Each next row is laid in such a way that its edges are 20-30 cm on the previous one;
- At the same time, it is worth making sure that the vertical joints / overlaps of the ondulin are not repeated in each row (they are made with an offset like brickwork);
- Fix ondulin with special nails;
- At least 20 pieces of nails must be used on one sheet of coating, otherwise the coating may deform in bad weather.
Soft roofing material
This type of roofing is ideal if the roof of the house has a complex configuration. The fact is that soft roofing is a very plastic material. The composition of such a coating includes fiberglass, bitumen, basalt or slate chips. The benefits of this coverage include:
- Ease of installation;
- Light weight;
- High level of noise absorption;
- Flexibility of the material;
- Moisture resistant.
- susceptibility to burning;
- The fragility of the roof with prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures.
When laying a soft roof, the following principles should be observed:
- The material is mounted on a continuous surface of the crate, which does not have gaps, etc.;
- Before laying the roof, the crate is reliably waterproofed;
- Sheets of soft roofing are glued onto bituminous mastic;
- Installation of a soft roof is best done with a slope angle of 11 degrees;
- If the angle is from 11 to 22 degrees, then each sheet is additionally fixed with four nails;
- If the angle of inclination of the overlap is more than 22 degrees, then 6-8 nails are used to fix the roofing sheets. Thus, you can cover the roof of a country house can be beautiful and inexpensive.
Important: before deciding which material to choose to cover the roof of a country house, it is worth assessing the weather conditions in the region, the location of the house relative to garden plantings on the site and, of course, assess your financial capabilities. With a competent approach to choosing a roof, you can build a budget-friendly and at the same time strong house, which is what we strive to achieve.
If you are building a house or any other building in your summer cottage, then you will need to invest a lot of money. Many of us try to save money on roofing by using the cheapest materials. Consider the properties of inexpensive roofing, and answer the question of how not to miscalculate with a choice.
What to consider when choosing a roof
The modern building materials market offers us a choice of a large number of coatings from which roofing can be made. Each material has its own characteristics. It is important to consider them before purchasing. Pay attention to the following characteristics when purchasing roofing material:
- waterproofing;
- noise reduction;
- fire safety;
- strength;
- life time.
If you need the cheapest roofing, then you should not pay attention to the external attractiveness of the material. It is best to carefully check the quality of the material for the future roof when buying. Often in the construction markets at low prices, you can be offered defective or fake materials that will not meet the declared characteristics.
Another point that must be taken into account when creating a roof project and choosing a material is the type of crate. If you will be laying roofing material or flexible tiles, you will need to make a continuous crate. Otherwise, you can get by with a sparse one.
Slate is one of the most common options that has been familiar to us since the days of the USSR. With its help, you can save on the construction of the roof in only one case, if you do the installation yourself. None of the contractors will be engaged in finishing with this material for a small cost.
This material has a number of disadvantages:
- low reliability (it breaks easily during loading operations and strong hail can penetrate it);
- low frost resistance;
- absorbs moisture, which is very bad during prolonged rains or in winter.
If you want your roof to be made of slate, then you should carefully choose this material. It is best to use sheets covered with enamel or oil paints for the roof. They may not be the traditional gray color, but more attractive. However, these are not all the advantages of enamel coating. It increases resistance to low temperatures and reduces the degree of moisture absorption.
Rolled roofing material is another material that has been used for several decades. It should not be laid on the roof of a residential building, as it has a low fire safety. The main advantage of this material is waterproofing. That is why it is often laid under the final roof covering. For example, under slate or ondulin.
If you are going to use roofing material without additional (finishing) finishing, then you will need to lay it in several layers (usually three or four). Another negative quality of roofing material is its easy flammability.
This material is not suitable for permanent covering of residential buildings. If in the coming seasons you will not be building a roof from more expensive materials, then you should look for an alternative to roofing material. It wears out quickly and can leak in heavy rain.
Ondulin
As well as roofing material, ondulin should not be used as a permanent roof covering for a cottage. It is ideal for outbuildings and temporary structures. Consider what disadvantages a roof made of it will have:
- Ondulin is made from recycled paper. It deforms from any heavy rain. If snow lingers on the roof, then next year you will have to buy new roofing material and do the installation.
- Cleaning the roof of ondulin from snow with the help of special tools is also impossible. After it, dents remain on the material, and if careless, holes can even form.
- Ondulin fades in just a few seasons. This cannot be called a significant drawback, but it directly speaks of the short service life of such a coating.
- Among the sheets of ondulin, you can find a larger percentage of marriage. Bituminous spots are often found on them. Manufacturers and sellers are aware of this feature and are unlikely to exchange sheets with flaws for you.
In the absence of heavy precipitation and snow retention on the roof, ondulin roofing can retain its moisture resistance for only 10 years. This is a very short time compared to modern materials such as corrugated board or metal tiles.
Compared to the roof materials listed above, shingles come with a higher price tag. There are several types of tiles. If you are interested in the cheapest coating, then you should stop at soft tiles, it is also often called flexible. Tiling has several advantages:
- does not corrode, rot and rust;
- does not pass water and moisture;
- does not fade under direct sunlight and does not lose its properties from their impact;
- can be changed in small pieces.
Of the disadvantages of this material, it is worth noting the high cost of the crate. It must be solid.
In recent years, corrugated board can also be called one of the inexpensive roof coverings. It has many more advantages than all the materials listed above:
- does not rust (except when the polymer layer is damaged during installation);
- aesthetic appearance;
- durability;
- withstands significant loads from snow and does not break through hail;
- ease of installation;
- unpretentiousness in care (only once a year it is enough to wash off the settled dust from it with water from a hose);
- snow is easily removed from it or does not linger at all with a sufficient slope;
- bright and saturated colors.