2896 Flat roof maintenance

When visiting a friend who has roof top apartment back in October, the workmen were in applying some stuff to the floor of her roof terrace. i didn't take a lot of notice at the time but now realise that i should have asked them what they were using and got our flat roof (hopefully a roof garden eventually ) treated :rolleyes:

Does anyone know what the stuff they use is called ?? And any info from anyone with a flat roof on general maintenance would be appreciated.

We have noticed some slight damp appearing in the rooms where the wall meets the ceiling and following all the heavy rain recently realise we should have done something about the roof before now.

Category
Building/Renovation

Not sure what the gunk is, Lynn but I'll let you know in April when we come over - our man who "does" is currently treating ours!!

Regards
Kath

I think the gunk is this...click on attacment....but what they call it in Italy I have no idea. :confused: With all this talk of dodgy workman, this link maybe needed too! ;) [url]http://www.flatroof4u.co.uk/index.htm[/url]

Interested in your comment;-

"our flat roof (hopefully a roof garden eventually )"

A word of caution - when converting a flat roof to a roof garden - get a Geometra in to check that the roof will take the quite significant increase in loading imposed upon it by the garden.

Oh ..it was a roof garden in a previous life...just not been used as such for a while ...but will get it looked at anyway...only want a few pot plants and a couple of sunloungers up there anyway...thanks for the advise tho'.

Good luck with the roof garden - hope fully it will be strong enough to support a few pot plants and sun loungers!

Try to get hold of Joan Marble's books, "Notes from a Roman Terrace" is particularly good for roof gardening, and lounging.

the product the workmen were using is called "catrame" and means tar as in tarmac,and has to be applied with a brush every hear were the roof tiles join,
you are getting damp inside because the roof has to kept clean and free of any leaves so to let the rain water off through drain pipes you surely have on your roof.

trullomartinafranca

The web sight posted is a great resource. I am in the process of buying a villa and roof work and structural work is needed. I have a question regarding some exposed steel in the structure. The steel supports for the vaulted ceiling is partially exposed and rusted. Has anyone had a similar problem and reached a solution. I am a builder and plan on doing much of the work myself.

My link was more tongue in cheek than of any real use but glad you liked it. ;)