Which Materials Are Best For Flat Roofs?

Whether for homes or industrial properties, flat roofs are proving increasingly popular. We looked at a number of materials and design ideas for flat roofs, and any advantages or disadvantages they may give.

Synthetic Membranes

In recent years, environmentally friendly synthetic membranes have grown hugely in popularity when it comes to roofing. As recently as five years ago, these were shied away from as the cost was prohibitive. However, as the environmental benefits of these products has come to light, and demand has risen, the cost has subsequently lowered significantly.

Using a synthetic membrane means you can take full advantage of natural light and, despite being thin, when stretched to high tension these materials can hold a lot of weight, meaning they will hold massive amounts of rain and snowfall. If the sound of rain irritates you, these roofs give an added bonus in that they will dull the sound, making you almost oblivious to the fact that it is raining at all.

The downside? If there is one, it is perhaps that you will need to wait for a specialist engineer to repair any leaks, as unlike other materials it isn’t easy to do yourself.

Gravel

When it comes to flat roofs, gravel is still the most common and well-known material to use. The difficulty with gravel and asphalt, however, is that if you are looking for a very strong and high quality roof, you will pay a lot more for strengthening the general structure of a building.

Gravel roofs are relatively straightforward to produce, however, and as they are so common the price is usually the cheapest among the various services builders can offer. They are also suitable for any type of building, whether residential or industrial.

The biggest issue with gravel roofs is that damage to the structure can be difficult to detect, and this is particularly a problem when it comes to leaks. Due to the many layers of asphalt and gravel required to construct a roof, you can often find that, while you may have a leak at one point inside, the starting point could be metres away when looking externally. If you can locate the problem yourself, however, it is relatively straightforward to repair.

Metal

Metal is a popular option for flat roofs, however it is best avoided if you can help it. Metal definitely has its advantages, in that is relatively light and long lasting, so you will not need to worry about roof maintenance, strengthening and repairs within the usual 5–10 year timeframe. A flat metal roof can cause a problem when the weather is nasty, however, especially if there is little wind meaning you end up with significant snowfall, for example, atop your roof.

Although metal is known for being strong, heavy snowfall or even rain can still cause issues for a flat metal roof.

Harworth Estates are one of the largest landowners in the UK. They provide residential and commercial properties, industrial units to let, office space, development land.