How To Build A Pitched Roof Over A Flat Roof

Determine the slope of the roof.

How to build a pitched roof over a flat roof.

If you own a building with a flat roof the first thing your contractor will do is consult a structural engineer to make sure your structure can handle the conversion. Pitched roofs are usually much heavier than flat roofs so an easy replacement may not always be possible. This guide has been submitted by one of the sites members and so it should help to understand what is involved. If you have a flat roof on a part of your property they often are susceptible to problems and so it is now common practice to convert a flat roof into a pitched roof.

You must not build the new roof directly over the old. In this case you can build a new roof over the old with a caveat. What you need instead is a pair of beam rests on the sill plates which would act as the frame for your roof deck. The solution is changing the roof pitch or building a new roof at a higher pitch than the old roof.

When it comes to the disadvantages some property owners are being pestered by leaks. Slopes above 3 inches fall to 12 inches run can use shingles. Building a pitched roof over an existing flat roof it depends on a lot of variables like the condition of the existing flat roof including the state of the joints and the material its made of. If the structure contains windows then you ll need a low pitch for example.

Roofs with a slope of 1 to 3 inches of fall to 12 inches of run should use rolled roofing. To get rid of ponding water problems. Build a stud frame wall at the high end of the proposed roof structure. Unlike sloped roofs flat roofs are susceptible to ponding water.

Flat roofing systems come with benefits and drawbacks. If excessive damage is present you might not be able to do this at all. The process of changing the pitch of your roof. Building a roof deck on a pitched roof needs a different approach of framing beneath the joists.