Today, people increasingly prefer flat-roofed houses for their country cottages, appreciating a number of obvious advantages associated with this design. The main and most attractive advantage is the possibility of actively using this roof. You can place a small pool, greenhouse, or garden on the surface, install external split-system units, or simply relax after a long day in a comfortable lounge chair. In this case, everything depends on the homeowner’s imagination. In this article, we will examine in detail the designs of such houses, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
Structural features of a house with a flat roof
Flat roofs take up much less space than various sloping roofs. Additionally, selecting a flat roof makes sense because of the considerable cost savings. Furthermore, builders can construct a flat roof much more quickly, which greatly decreases the time needed for construction.
Your roof will not be completely flat, as such structures always have a small slope of three to five degrees directed towards the center of the house. Due to the slope, in rainy weather, the water will flow into the gutters, which are better to make heated to prevent them from freezing in winter. Besides these indoor gutters, builders typically construct several external gutters as well.
Opponents of flat roofs argue that due to the characteristic design, the roof will have a greater load, for example, in winter when there is a lot of snow. However, the advantages here are much greater, and if the house is warm enough, the snow will constantly melt, and the gutters will come into effect.
Important! Today, a large number of durable and reliable materials are being produced, which provide architects and builders with a wide range of possibilities.
Taking into account the roof structure and unique features of the house, a variety of roofing materials can be chosen. For example, people often use bitumen-polymer mixtures, offering hundreds of distinct options to choose from. Flexible and lightweight membranes have also gained popularity nowadays. Additionally, one can opt for buying a pre-made, reliable system designed for constructing a flat-roofed building.
The choice of the right coating depends not only on the specific features of the house construction but also on its location.
Houses with flat roofs: design options
Flat roofs can come in various forms depending on how they will be used, and therefore there are two different types of designs: those for further exploitation and those without it.
Since both solutions have not only positive but also negative aspects, it is important to carefully consider all arguments before ordering a project for a house with a flat roof.
In any case, it is not worth saving on the roof when building a house, as it is not only protection for the structure against all major and minor natural disasters but also a noticeable aesthetic component visible to others.
Exploitable flat roofs
Flat roofs allow homeowners to utilize all the space on top of their house, but there are several important factors to consider when constructing such a roof. First, you need to prepare a sturdy foundation, which could be either concrete screed or corrugated sheeting. When designing a roof for frequent use, ensure it can comfortably accommodate people walking on the surface. In addition, it is important to note that the constant pressure from foot traffic on the roof can cause leaks over time. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure good protection against moisture and rain, as mentioned earlier.
The simplest option for arranging a family relaxation area on the roof is to create a regular lawn. A combined coating, such as terrace boards in harmony with a neat grass lawn, is also often used for a cozy flat roof arrangement. This option is more suitable if the family plans to have occasional picnics under the stars on the roof.
You can place lightweight garden furniture on the roof, where it will stay permanently. Additionally, consider installing a special glass panel directly into the ceiling to let light into the floor below.
To shield against wind gusts and prying eyes, install special wooden screens directly on the roof’s surface. Adding small decorative plants in portable containers will enhance the coziness, and you can easily remove them from the roof during winter.
You can often find a small pool installed on the roof. If the weight permits and the foundation and wall structure are strong enough, you can even create a mini-beach on the roof. To help cope with the heat, install small awnings near the pool to provide ample shade. You can also place large plants with sprawling leaves in the vicinity.
Non-exploitable flat roofs
If there is no desire to utilize the roof, there is no need to worry about constructing a base with increased rigidity or carefully selecting the best and most reliable insulation materials. Small bridges are constructed in several places for periodic technical maintenance of such a roof. The cost of such a structure will be much lower, but its service life will be slightly shorter.
Non-exploitable flat roofs can be effectively used for various technical purposes, such as satellite dish installation or mini-observatories. Many homeowners install solar panels on their roofs, which is very practical. The weight of these panels is generally not significant, so if the equipment is installed correctly, the roof will not be damaged.
Note that solar panels on the roof not only help reduce family electricity costs, but also add another element to the house, especially if it is designed in a high-tech style, which is logical considering the square shape of the house.
Specialists also distinguish the so-called inversion option for building a house with a flat roof. Sometimes this modification allows you to create a certain style for the entire building, taking into account the creative idea that the designer is trying to implement.
To construct such a roof, you need to apply waterproofing to the waterproofing mat. This is crucial not just for preventing moisture from seeping in, but also for shielding against the adverse effects of rapid temperature changes and intense sunlight. This is especially important if the house is situated in an open area that receives direct sunlight during the middle of the day.
Note that with this type of structure, garden furniture can be mounted or a real greenhouse can be installed.
Beautiful house designs with flat roofs
A modern country house with a flat roof that represents a compact one- or two-story cottage, usually with lots of windows and a geometric shape.
An experienced architect can create a non-standard and very beautiful house made of metal, wood, and concrete, based on either strictly rectangular or dynamically shaped rhomboid forms.
Note that very often houses with flat roofs are decorated with facade chimneys, which are laid out with wild stone, giving the building a unique touch and making it cozy.
Now we can consider more original and beautiful options for homes with flat roofs. Recently, due to the fact that styles such as high-tech, pronounced minimalism, and especially constructivism, which are unthinkable without a flat roof, have become very popular, this concise design is becoming more and more common in our daily lives.
Flat roof house in Constructivism style
Le Corbusier, a pioneer of functional architecture, proposed the idea of fully utilizing the unused space on the roof. People have always wanted to place lounges, pools, and gardens on rooftops, but previously there were no high-quality waterproofing materials like there are today, so flat roofs would simply leak. Today, this problem has been successfully solved, so Constructivism has risen from the ashes and is now very trendy.
It’s worth mentioning the most popular options, for example, the decoration of facades in a house built in the classic Constructivism style, in black tones. Currently, this is a real trend in the field of architecture and it is becoming increasingly popular.
Dark shades of walls will give the building a stylish and fashionable look. In modern Constructivism, designers combine metallic structural elements, glass, and exposed concrete with facade cladding made from exotic wood species.
In the widely embraced Constructivist architecture, you won’t find complex curved volumes and shapes; only straight lines and circles are present. These houses are completely devoid of traditional plinths and “grow” directly from the ground. In combination with a flat roof, all of the above will look ultra-modern.
Country houses with flat roofs in the high-tech style
This style continues to be relevant, with its fans preferring to fully adhere to the corresponding design both inside and outside the home.
Characteristic features of a flat roof house in the high-tech style are its pronounced technogenic nature, smoothness of all surfaces, and specific textured finishes. This style always emphasizes showcasing various technologies, so incorporating exercise equipment and machinery on the roof can coexist harmoniously with lounge areas and greenery, fitting seamlessly into the overall aesthetic.
A distinctive feature of the high-tech direction is a large amount of light. Small lamps and several large main sources of lighting can be installed on the roof. LED strip lighting will look stylish around the perimeter of the house.
Private house with a flat roof in the minimalist style
In this design approach, flat-roofed houses are a key characteristic of the overall style. The functionality of minimalism fully corresponds to the geometric shape of a house with a flat roof.
Flower arrangements and decorative grasses with which the space on the roof can be decorated will soften the excessive severity of your home.
It should be mentioned that if the shape of your house is devoid of any protruding architectural excesses, such as balconies, terraces, and especially ledges and bay windows, you will eliminate many problems. Firstly, such a structure will be much cheaper than a regular house with a traditional sloping roof typical of our regions, and secondly, it is easier to arrange a simple roof type.
Minimalist style homes do not claim any special beauty associated with bold architectural forms, but the pragmatic goals of the household will be solved very effectively.
To give the understated and streamlined architecture a touch of expressiveness, consider using contrasting or vibrant color schemes for facade decoration, as well as cutting-edge finishing materials, including both natural and synthetic options.
Unique combinations of colors and finishes, as well as unconventional pairings of textures, can give your home a distinct character. You can choose to plaster the facade or cover it with plastic. A brick facade is an ideal, reliable, and sturdy choice.
Houses with flat roofs, photos of which are abundant on the internet, are becoming increasingly popular. And it’s not surprising. After all, what could be more pleasant than relaxing on the roof with a cup of fragrant tea, chatting with friends, enjoying the scent of plants from a small greenhouse, starry sky, and fresh air.
A geometrically shaped house with a flat roof exemplifies the beauty of 21st-century architecture, showcasing the elegance of form, attractive finishes, and thoughtfully chosen accessories.
