Many
kinds of roofs have taken shape over the years. Flat roofs are utilized for commercial and domestic segments and in
multi-storey buildings. For industrial
structures inclined roofs are fitted. For aesthetic appeal domes roofs are good.
Most
people usually overlook the roof when looking at a house. Around 25 to 30
percent of the complete cost of construction is normally spent on the roof.
Economical solutions for different varieties of roofs, such as flat, pitches
and arched type of roof, are being developed by engineers.
Some
commonly used materials for roofs are corrugated galvanized iron sheets and
color coated metal sheets that have the drawback of being rather noisy. They also need much upkeep as they tend to
corrode in very humid places.
There
is a great range of materials for constructing roofs. The important criteria when selecting a
roofing material are maintenance, structural economy, durability, safety and
aesthetics. Clay tiles, fibre cement
sheets, colour coated metal sheets, aluminium corrugated sheets and reinforced
cement concrete (RCC) is traditionally used and constitutes more than 50
percent of the market but it is not suitable for sloping roofs.
An
architect says that RCC is commonly chosen for residential use but this slowly
changing as other better options are available like Eternia and Colour coated
Galvanized sheets etc. Architects in
major metropolitan cities use more of a steel framework of pre-fabricated
sheets that are filled with RCC. This
gives quick setting roofing as against the traditional RCC material. It is an asbestos free fibre cement product
that gives safety to the labourer by using polypropylene strips. These strips are a safety device for the
labourer in case the roof cracks. It has a coating of a highly durable pure
acrylic for long term use. Colours like
terracotta red, green, off white and natural grey are available in this.
People
today value time above all things and desire to complete construction work say
within a period of six months. Therefore, they do not mind experimenting with new materials. When concern for the environment
becomes of utmost importance in coming years, building structure will be
lighter and quicker to build.
In
Western countries inclined roofs are gaining
in popularity and look more attractive with vivid colours like
terracotta, red and green. It is simpler
to maintain them as flat roofs have the disadvantage of water collecting in the
rains creating problems of drainage and mosquitoes. Wanting quick construction
is the basic reason for experimentation with new materials.
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