House Roof Construction

Introduction:

House roofs are built to take a lot of beating. They take the brunt of all weather conditions and must remain leak proof. House roofs must be weather tight, secure, durable, attractive, and elastic enough to withstand severe temperature shifts without deteriorating.

House roof construction techniques have been refined so they have considerable strength and durability to protect the home in all weather conditions. A wide variety of roofing materials has been developed during the last few decades that will last many years if not decades.  Homeowners and builders have a vast selection of different types of materials to choose from.

A contemporary roof, regardless of shape or surface material, consists of a variety of components: wood framing, sheathing, underlayment, flashing, gutters, and shingles or other types of finished surface.

The roof deck is made up of sheathing and, in most cases, underlayment called roofing felt. The type of deck depends on the finished roofing material. Most call for plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) panel sheathing. Houses with wood shingles, tile or metal call for spaced-board sheathing.

Roofing felt is sandwiched between the sheathing and the surface material on most roofs. This heavy, fibrous black paper saturated with asphalt helps repel any water that might find its way past the finished roofing material.

Flashing helps repel water wherever the roof surface is broken by dormers, intersecting roof planes, as well as along the roof’s edges. Flashing is traditionally made from galvanized steel, aluminum, or vinyl material. 

All these roof elements join together to form an exceptionally strong and durable roof that will last for decades with very little maintenance. If you are a DIY homeowner and plan to replace your roof, insure that you use the best roofing material that will protect your home from all weather conditions.