Ever since people had houses, they have been tirelessly improving them. One of the ways to increase the useful area of ​​​​your home is a roof terrace. This useful device has been known since very ancient times. In the Old Testament, there is an instruction to fence the roofs of houses for safety, since almost every house in ancient Judea had a flat roof and a terrace arranged on it.

In addition to a reliable fence, the construction of a modern terrace on a flat roof of a private house requires the solution of many issues:

• what should be the roof under the terrace;
• how to arrange a fence;
• what kind of flooring to choose;
• how to properly arrange an exit from the house to the terrace;
• what will be the design.

Answers to all these questions should be sought by evaluating the features of the place where the terrace is planned. This may be the roof of an extension to the house, the roof of the garage adjacent to the house, the actual roof of the house. It is best, of course, to plan a terrace at the design stage, but many managed to acquire this convenient and useful corner for relaxation in an already built house.

In many Russian cities, such an architectural phenomenon as a terrace on the roof of a house is gaining popularity. You can equip it both in a private house or in a garage, and in a multi-storey building. The roof on which the terrace is equipped is called exploited. You can equip the area in any design using a variety of materials. Learn how to turn the top deck of a building into a place to hang out with friends.

A roof terrace or veranda must be equipped in compliance with certain rules. To maximize the life of such a roof, the following must be considered:

• Execution material. Floor coverings, fencing and furniture should be made of weather resistant materials. Most often, wood is used for this, which is resistant to frost.
• Waterproofing. All materials must be impregnated or coated with a waterproofing agent so that moisture does not accumulate. Wood that has been soaked with moisture quickly rots.
• Gutter. The floor must be equipped with a drain, which will prevent the accumulation of water on the roof of a private house.
• Safety. When constructing a terrace or veranda, all necessary safety standards and rules must be observed. Railings are being erected without fail.

Features of arranging a terrace on the roof of a multi-storey building

The veranda on the roof of an apartment building should also take into account all of the listed features, but security needs to be given much more attention. There are some disadvantages of arranging a terrace on a multi-storey building:

• Availability of communications. Hoods, antennas, air conditioners and other utilities can interfere with the arrangement of the veranda or adversely affect the design.
• Pollution. The city has a high level of both dust and noise pollution, so maximum comfort cannot be achieved.
• Visibility. If the house with a roof terrace is not the highest in the area, then the residents of neighboring houses can interfere with rest.

But the biggest disadvantage of such a terrace is the legal complexity of the arrangement. The process for obtaining a permit for arranging a terrace is as follows:

• collection of consents of each tenant of the house (access to the place of rest is also provided to each tenant without fail);
• professional survey of the building covering to determine the allowable loads;
• obtaining permission from the building management company.

Expert opinion

Sergey Yurievich

Thus, the arrangement of the terrace on apartment building requires effort and time, but the result can exceed all expectations.

Foundation preparation

The floor of the veranda on the roof should be flat, but not 0 degrees in level. A minimum slope must be present to ensure water runoff. Polystyrene concrete or expanded clay concrete will help to set an angle of 1-2 degrees.

The base must have several protective layers. Vapor barrier from a special membrane will save the floor from decay. Waterproofing will not allow rain and snow to wet the base of the floor. Thermal insulation is not always used, however, in winter, due to the cold roof, the temperature in the house will be lower. The best thermal insulation material is polystyrene foam. The floor covering is a roofing material, which you can choose from a variety of options.

floor laying

Flooring helps to significantly improve the appearance of the veranda. It is it that basically determines the style in which the exploited roof will be made. The difficulty lies in choosing a floor material that will be resistant to atmospheric and biological influences. The floor on the roof of the house can be covered with one of the following materials:

• Ceramic tile. Strength, aesthetics, durability. But the material has a lot of weight, so it is not suitable for every building.
• Special deck board. Natural moisture resistant material that will create a cozy atmosphere. The downside is the high cost. The best material is larch.
• Thermowood. Wood treated at very high temperatures and pressures. Strong, durable, weather-resistant, but not cheap material.
• Wood-polymer board. An artificial material that allows you to cheaply sheathe the floor under a tree. Installation is quick and easy.

fencing

For safety reasons, the terrace on the roof of even a one-story house must be equipped with a fence. You can make a parapet from the most different materials, the most popular of which is wood. The simplest design consists of balusters and handrails. Both elements can have a different shape, which allows you to create an individual design of the fence.

Forged railings will emphasize the status of the tenant, since their cost is quite high. They give the building a solid look and keep it for many years.

Aluminum or steel parapet is the most modern type of fencing.

A popular design consists of posts, a horizontal crossbar and glass plates fixed between the posts. A terrace with such a fence will look modern and stylish.

If a specifications buildings allow, the fence can be erected from concrete balusters and handrails or from monolithic slabs. This will create an atmosphere of luxury and increase the reliability of the terrace.

Expert opinion

Sergey Yurievich

Construction of houses, outbuildings, terraces and verandas.

The height of the fence should be from 100 cm according to SNiP standards.

Roof over the terrace

The terrace should be equipped with a roof that will protect from rain and the scorching sun. The roof is an integral part if the site is equipped with exercise equipment, a bed or a seating area, or is operated for other needs.

Stationary

A solid fixed roof can darken a room with windows overlooking a terrace, which will reduce the temperature and lighting in it. If it is possible to install a fixed system of reinforced windows, then this option will be the most reliable. The material will be expensive, but it will be possible to get a practical and reliable design. The installation of a permanent structure takes much longer than other options, and a large amount of materials is used for it. Therefore, such roofs are rare. The rest of the options are more convenient and practical. On the roof of the garage, stationary structures are rarely found, since this requires the construction of racks or walls.

Sliding

most practical and modern version the roof on the terrace is a retractable roof. An umbrella does not allow covering the entire area of ​​​​the veranda, the awning is an unreliable option, since the design may not withstand strong wind, and the fixed roof will block the sunlight. The retractable roof allows you to leave only a small shade for vacationers on a sunny day, and completely protect the terrace from drops of water in the rain. In this case, you can change the shape and size of the roof structure.

Most people install a fixed roof that continues with a retractable structure. Thus, it is possible to obtain the most convenient and functional place to relax, which allows you to save money, since sliding roofs are of low cost.

canopy

The easiest to install is a canopy. It uses lightweight materials that can be quickly assembled and disassembled. The device of a terrace on a roof with canopies allows to create individual, unique design. The color of the material for the canopy must match the overall colors verandas and roofs. A wide variety of materials allows you to equip a terrace in any design. The canopy covers the veranda only partially, so it turns out a great transition from the interior to the landscape.

More popular are seasonal awnings, which are very easy to install. For the warm season, they are attached to special racks. In winter, the canopy is kept in the house so that the cold and moisture do not spoil the material.

Expert opinion

Sergey Yurievich

Construction of houses, outbuildings, terraces and verandas.

One of the types of awnings are awnings. However, functionality and design features marquis distinguish them into a separate species.

marquises

The awning is a fabric impregnated with a water-repellent composition with acrylic, stretched over an aluminum frame. Such a roof completely protects from rain, as well as from direct sunlight. A room with windows overlooking the terrace will have an optimal air temperature and sufficient lighting.

Images: public sources.

The terrace on the roof of the house is a great opportunity expand the living space, add a comfortable seating area with fresh air, create a cozy place for a romantic dinner or, for example, an observation deck that offers a beautiful view of the city. Whichever option you choose, the terrace on the roof of the house undoubtedly has a large number of advantages that will not leave anyone indifferent. That is why we decided to prepare for you inspiring examples of arranging a rooftop recreation area.

The terrace can be located both on the roof of a private house and on the roof of an apartment building. Today we will consider both of these options, as well as dwell on some specific features of the arrangement of each of them.

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How to make a terrace on the roof of a private house

When arranging a terrace on the roof of a private house, the following features must be considered:

• Execution material should be distinguished by increased resistance to atmospheric and biological influences. The most commonly used wood, or rather larch and oak. These breeds are not afraid of snow and frost. Also, preference is often given to exotic breeds, for example, iroko. It is not recommended to use spruce and pine as the main material. These breeds require additional care after several years of operation.
• On the floor of the terrace must be drain planned. This is a very important condition that will prevent the accumulation of water on the roof.
• Also, the recreation area should be equipped in accordance with the standards security. Accordingly, it is imperative to use railings or fences.
• Waterproofing- the last but not least point, which also needs to be paid special attention.

Design

Now the turn comes to creating a warm and cozy space. Wood, brick and stone are often used as finishing materials. The tree is distinguished by its aesthetic properties. In turn, the other two materials also have very high strength, which will save you from additional repair work on the terrace. Fences, in addition to their main function, are often an element of decor. So, for example, railings can act as a small flower bed if they are wide enough. Accordingly, the flowers will make the space brighter. Wooden fences are often covered with carvings. The railings are also allowed various plants(grapes, climbing roses…).

Legal registration

As for the legal registration of the terrace on the roof of the house, in this case you will not have any problems, since the terrace is being arranged in the private sector, the rights to which belong entirely to you. But as for the design of the roof terrace high-rise building, then the situation is a little different ... We will analyze this aspect in more detail below.

Terrace on the roof of an apartment building

It is possible to equip a terrace on the roof of an apartment building, but this is somewhat more difficult. The following features must be taken into account:

• technogenic landscape. On the roof of any house, there are necessarily various exhaust systems, air conditioning, antennas, in other words, communications. In some cases, they can become an obstacle.
• Pollution. Since the house is located in the city, it will be very difficult to avoid noise and dust without additional space arrangement.
• Visibility. Again, the location in the city provides good visibility from neighboring houses.
• And, of course, in this case, the aspects that we considered earlier are necessarily taken into account: execution materials, waterproofing and security.

Design

As for the design, the situation is very similar to the design of the terrace on the roof of a private house. The main difference is a large number of different communication elements that must be somehow disguised or hidden, but at the same time all design requirements were observed. In addition, attendants often go up to the roof. Thus, it is necessary to create some enclosed space that has good sound insulation, suppressing city noises, as well as sounds from various outdoor units and air conditioners.

Legal registration

Probably, you have a question: is it possible to use the roof of a multi-storey building for arranging a terrace? Oh sure. However, this is somewhat more difficult than in the previous case. According to the law, the roofs of multi-storey buildings are classified as common property. Accordingly, in order to obtain the right to build, it is necessary to obtain permission from all residents of this house. Please note that the terrace will be part of the common property and all neighbors will have access to it. Further, it will be necessary to coordinate the construction with the management company of this house. It is also necessary to conduct a survey of the floor, the loads must be coordinated ... All this will take a lot of time, but believe me, the result is worth it!

Panoramic windows also offer the same beautiful view of the city. We wrote about them in a separate article: Living room with panoramic windows: 25 inspiring examples. Perhaps it will be of interest to you.

The presence of a transparent roof near the terrace is, undoubtedly, the advantage of any structure of this type. Installing structures that will fully or partially let light into the terrace will ensure indoor comfort, as well as improve the illumination of the interior rooms of the house. At the same time, certain requirements are imposed on light-transmitting structures:

• Ensuring a normal indicator of illumination of the terrace, taking into account the required amount of sunlight;
• Ensuring the protection of some areas of the terrace from direct exposure to the sun;
• Possibility of easy and quick removal of dirt, snow, water from the roof surface;
• Ease of operation of structures, their maintainability;
• Suitable strength level.

Terrace option with a transparent roof.

The transparent roof of the terrace can have the most different shape: dome, pyramid, slope, arch, flat surface, etc. For terraces, experts recommend making transparent roofs from profile systems, the use of which allows you to form a roof of any shape: single-pitched, double-pitched, domed and many other types. Many manufacturers will be happy to offer you typical options for use, which will not require serious financial costs and installation difficulties. Of course, if the terrace has a complex shape, then in this case, specialists will be forced to develop individual project profile system, which will entail additional costs.

The profile system on which the glass transparent roof will be installed can be made of different materials.

If the span is large enough, then high-strength steel profiles are used. If the terrace is small, then lighter, aluminum profiles are quite suitable.

In cases where a small system is being installed, plastic profiles are used that are designed for a slight load. Profiles of this type can be used not only with glass, but also with other types of light-transmitting materials.

Transparent materials for terrace roof

As noted above, a transparent roof can be made from a variety of materials. Modern manufacturers for their profile systems most often use strained glass, structural double-glazed windows and various materials based on polymers. The choice of one or another type of material is determined by functional necessity and many other individual factors.

Fully glass roofs over terraces are quite rare. Such solutions are extremely difficult to implement and require serious costs, because each time it is necessary to develop a separate project and carry out a very complex installation. After all, if the roof of the terrace is glass, then it consists of double-glazed windows or individual glass blocks. Double-glazed windows in this case are presented in the form of two or more glasses, between which an inert gas can be in the formed chamber, which, together with the tightness of the entire structure, provides a high level of thermal insulation. That is why such solutions are recommended for use on terraces where there is insulation and heating (i.e. for terraced premises for year-round operation).

The most democratic option are polymeric materials.

The transparent roof of them is installed on many terraces in our country. Similar designs are made of polyvinyl chloride or polycarbonate. These materials are different high level resistance to temperature changes, they are completely inert to moisture, have a small weight, so they are easily mounted on the terraces by the owners themselves.

Polymer roof of a light terrace.

The use of polymeric materials in private construction can significantly save on installation and repair work. Polymeric materials (PVC, polycarbonate and others) not only have a very affordable cost, but are also presented on modern market interesting and unusual models that differ significantly from each other. This allows you to make very attractive outwardly structures for private and public use from the same polycarbonate.

Transparent terrace roofs made of structured and monolithic polycarbonate

In modern housing construction, if the owners of the house need a transparent roof on the terrace, then they opt for structured polycarbonate, which has a lot of advantages.

A glass transparent roof of similar dimensions will cost several times more and it will not be possible to install it yourself.

At the same time, polycarbonate roofs provide the following benefits from the use of this material:

• The material gives a minimum load on the supporting structures, because it has a low weight (no more than 4.5 kg per sq. M.). This circumstance significantly expands the design possibilities, which is also important given the relative cheapness of this polymeric material;
• Polycarbonate, regardless of its type, has rather high characteristics in terms of thermal insulation;
• Despite the low weight, the material has a solid bearing capacity;
• When using polycarbonate, you can even make an arched structure, because the material is quite flexible and durable;
• Manufacturers of polycarbonate usually give more than 10 years of warranty for the normal use of the material;
• The material does not ignite when exposed to a direct flame and is inert to most common chemicals.

That is why a transparent polycarbonate roof is better in many respects than a similar glass one, despite the high cost and aesthetic appeal of the latter.

How to make a transparent roof with your own hands

It has already been said earlier that a glass transparent roof for a terrace can only be made by professionals and using special equipment. At the same time, when using polycarbonate, you can make a very good roof for a terrace with your own hands, without resorting to the help of expensive specialists.

Before starting the installation of polycarbonate sheets, it is imperative to consider the supporting supports for the roof.

Technological transparent roof.

Experts note that for transparent roofs it is strongly not recommended to use thick support beams, because they will spoil the entire appearance of the material. Polycarbonate installation works are carried out in the following sequence:

1. The first step is to measure the roof of the terrace structure. markup roofing material should be carried out in such a way that it is possible to lay polycarbonate sheets with an overlap of 1-1.5 cm.
2. After that, holes for fasteners (self-tapping screws, screws) need to be drilled on the polycarbonate. The diameter of the holes to be drilled should exceed the diameter of the fastener by 3-4 mm.
3. Next, you need to screw in the screws, thereby fixing the polycarbonate sheets on the roof. In order not to spoil plastic material, do not apply too much mechanical force when tightening the screws. Everything should go slowly and clearly.
4. When installing polycarbonate sheets between the wall and the roof, it is required to lay plastic caps and o-rings. To provide additional sealing, a profiled type of polystyrene is usually used.
5. If there is a slight slope of the roof, then the space formed under the overlap of polycarbonate sheets should be filled with sealant.

At the same time, polycarbonate sheets can be fastened using profiles. To do this, connecting and end profiles are attached to the rafters, which correspond in size to polycarbonate sheets. After that, plastic limiters are fixed at a distance of 2-3 cm from the edge of the profile and polycarbonate sheets are installed in the profile grooves. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that a gap of 5-6 mm is observed between the material and the profile, which is required in the case of polycarbonate expansion when exposed to high temperatures. Sheets are fastened with the help of special profile clamps. After that, you can remove the protective film and install the plugs.

Elements of the transparent roof of the terrace.

Before starting work on the installation of a polycarbonate terrace roof, it is recommended to draw up a project for the future structure.

If this is not done, then by eye it is quite difficult to carry out such complex and non-standard work with material unusual for many. The cost of polycarbonate sheets on the modern market is relatively low, so there is nothing surprising in the widespread use of these materials. They are used not only for arranging the roof of the terrace, but also as a canopy for an impromptu garage, porch, playground, etc. The material is quite versatile.