The roof or deck is the central part of a house; it is the one that protects us from the weather, the climate, the sun or the cold, the wind, and the danger, says roofing advisors. More than the walls, a roof over our heads is indispensable protection for humans. We feel vulnerable in the face of the open sky.
That is why we have to take special care when building our house, whether we do it ourselves or whether an architectural and engineering firm creates it.
Even if it is an already built house, the roof or deck is a point that should be verified before making any movement; check the conditions of the waterproofing, insulation, and interior finishes, and make the necessary adjustments before anything else.
In this book of ideas, we present you with some economical building materials for roofs, both indoors and outdoors, to make them look beautiful. Don’t miss them!
Aluminum And Cardboard Profiles For Interiors
You can build a beautiful gable roof without the need for large steel armatures or expensive wood structures.
Inside, fiberglass or polystyrene sheets are placed, and underneath, in the horizontal structure, the sandwich sheets are placed.
Aluminum And Cardboard Profile For Exteriors
This option consists of assembling scissors made of the aluminum metal profile, which is an extremely lightweight material that can correctly load individual plasterboard sheets for exteriors, which are insulated and waterproofed.
Metal And Acrylic Profile
An effective option for terraces or service courtyards and roofs is to install a structure made of metal profiles that are light and easy to place, using angles that are anchored to the walls or sidewalls.
The acrylic plates are placed on them, which must be no more than 60 centimeters apart. These can be engraved, frosted, or opaque to allow for homogenous and subtle lighting.
Wood And Paint
Wooden structures covered with wooden slats or boards are classic because of their ease of installation and cost since economical and resistant wood, such as cured pine, is used.
The idea of an economical wood deck is to leave the structure exposed so that it doesn’t look so rustic; if it’s not to your taste, you can paint it in a neutral color, either white or cream, to mimic the pieces and lock with the full span. Don’t forget the exterior waterproofing; it’s indispensable!
Brick Vault
Clay brick is a very noble, welcoming, warm, beautiful, and structurally reliable material under certain circumstances. One of them is the work of vaults on roofs. The brick shape found on joists gives it support and strength, as well as generating an original design and adequate light and climate management. Brick is the most economical material on the market.
Painted Vault
The vault has received a coat of paint to exalt the fashion, style, and color of the place. It is an excellent decorative resource to draw attention to the brick walls, the wooden floor, or the art on the walls, or to reflect the natural light that enters through the windows.
Wood And Tile
Leaving the apparent structure, this roof is excellent for terraces or extensive house galleries. It is a simple structure with wooden beams and thin bars every 60 centimeters, with a slope of 2 or 4 waters. On the structure, the clay tiles are directly seated, or they can be of tejamanil with small wood plates seated one on the other. It gives a fresh and welcoming atmosphere to the place.
Reeds On Steel
Roofs on patios and terraces can be very economical structures, as they are not supposed to carry machines or weights of any kind.
A good option is to assemble a structure with steel beams and a grid with columns, sides, and angles in between. On this structure, some thin planks or bars can be placed transversely, and on them, reeds or small dry cane or bamboo rods can be secured to protect from the sun without limiting light or ventilation.
Metal Profile & Fabric
A variant of the previous structure is to place fabrics instead of acrylic in such a way that they can be retracted and allow the sun to enter or close and prevent sunbathing.
One of the advantages is that the fabrics can be easily replaced or removed, washed, reassembled, and tensioned to work correctly.
Apparent Concrete Slab
Although concrete is not the most economical material, it can be considered as long as it is used in a monolithic structure with the indicated steel and without further finishing.
The idea is that the slab towards the interior is bare, leaving the electrical installations apparent using rails and cables supported. On the outside, it must be adequately insulated and waterproofed. By not having soffits, ducts, and interior finishes, you can save your money and use it to install contemporary industrial-style lighting; doesn’t that sound better?
Lightweight Joist Slab
This slab consists of steel and concrete reinforcement, forming a series of transversal and longitudinal beams. The insulating material, preferably polystyrene, is placed. Underneath and laterally, wooden formworks must be placed for the enclosures and to load the slab.
Once the foundations are secured, the concrete is injected into the structure. Underneath, it must be perfectly formed and supported by bars to prevent the concrete from hanging or breaking when it sets.
Sheet Steel Cover
This cover can work by itself as a structure and as a ceiling due to the versatility of its material, design, and format. It is perfect for giving an industrial or contemporary touch to the home, where a series of steel beams hold corrugated sheet metal plates of your design of preference.
It is mandatory to cover the structure with special paint steel that is anti-corrosive and non-toxic because it will be inside the home. On the outside, you should ensure precise waterproofing for the region. On the inside, the design of the gutters will create perfect sets of shadows and supports for the first lights.
