The concept of a “living roof” appeared recently, in late XIX century in Paris. People liked the vegetation on the roof so much that now everyone can arrange a similar miracle for themselves. Designers use the special term “green roofing,” which is increasingly becoming popular and widespread throughout Europe, and our country is no exception. Therefore, if you want to equip a green corner, then you should read this article, which discusses information on how to make a lawn on the roof with your own hands. According to experts, you need to be patient, have a small budget, and also have a lot of desire, and then the result will please you.

In addition to the fact that this element is all the rage these days, and every person dreams of equipping it at home, there are a number of other advantages of a green roof:

• Saving space. A living roof is perfect option for those who do not have a plot of land or it is too small. If the roof is securely reinforced, then you can safely walk on the lawn, do yoga or relax.
• Ecology. All materials that are used for the construction and installation of the roof emit when heated harmful substances, but if it is covered with a green carpet, then this problem will be canceled.
• Electricity generation. If finances allow, then in addition to a lawn on the roof, you can install solar panels that will supply the house with electricity, which will lead to significant savings in resources.
• Moisture absorption. Almost all the moisture that falls on the roof during rain will be absorbed into the soil, and with good waterproofing you don’t have to worry about roof leaks.
• Durability. At making the right choice plants for greening the roof can extend the service life of the roof several times, since a sufficiently large layer will reliably protect it from the influence of ultraviolet radiation and precipitation.
• Additional heat and sound insulation. Thanks to the greening of the entire roof area, you can immediately notice a reduction in noise coming from the street, as well as comfortable temperature in the rooms.

Since the sun's rays will warm up the lawn, the soil, and only then the roof, the rooms in the house will not heat up, and in the summer heat a comfortable microclimate will be created.

Before developing a green roof, you need to familiarize yourself with the types of vegetable roofs.

Extensive is a lightweight option that uses a small layer of soil up to 15 cm high. When choosing plants, preference is given to those that are unpretentious and do not require special care. Landscape designers recommend evergreens that are carpeted. This option will do for light structures, roofs of summer houses, gazebos, garages.

Intensive - a complicated version, during which it is necessary to strongly strengthen rafter system to create a roof garden with a lawn, paths and even a gazebo. Shrubs, small, ornamental or exotic trees, lighting is being done. The soil thickness must be at least 1.5 m for the root system to develop well.

Flat or pitched roofs. The ideal platform for creating a lawn is a flat roof, on which you can arrange an intensive version of landscaping. On pitched roof A simple lawn will also look beautiful.

In many modern multi-storey buildings and business centers, the roof is covered with intensive landscaping with a swimming pool. To develop such a project, you need the help of a specialist.

At the first stage, it is necessary to strengthen the entire roof of the house so that it can withstand heavy loads. After this you need to treat the surface various compositions by type of primers or water repellents. To protect the material from exposure to soil and high humidity lay a root-protective film, in addition, it will protect against the soil sliding down.

When choosing soil, you should give preference to a fertile substrate in which plants will germinate quickly. It is also worth using a geo-textile that will separate the drainage and the soil so that they do not mix.

If the roof has a large slope, geogrids should be used to prevent the vegetative layer from sliding down. You can purchase them in specialized stores.

Since the lawn on the roof is not new technology, then we can say with confidence that today only durable and safe materials are used to create it, and the installation process is quite simple.

1. To create a lawn on the roof, you must have a solid foundation in the form of sheathing or concrete floor, so if your roof is covered with tiles, then it needs to be disassembled. Flat and flat slab also not suitable, necessary minimum slope at 5–10° so that excess moisture goes to the drain.
2. After this, you can proceed to the main layers. First it is laid protective waterproofing, which will not let moisture from rain and watering into the house. Polyethylene film or liquid rubber laid on the roof surface and secured with screws.
3. The next step will be laying the thermal insulation layer, which consists of cork slabs. They are laid end to end using special glue.
4. Protection against root formations, which are quite actively developing in good soil, which means they can damage the roof. You can find it in specialized stores waterproofing materials with root protection.
5. In order for water to be retained and constantly nourish the plants, a drainage layer is necessary. For these purposes, expanded clay is used, which can be found in any hardware store and it's inexpensive. Geotextile filtration is also installed to prevent the drainage from becoming clogged.
6. To securely fix the soil, use a sheathing that will retain all the soil. In most cases, a plastic geogrid with low weight is used.
7. When choosing soil, you need to carefully study all the plants that will grow on the roof. A regular lawn requires a small layer of 10 cm. Do not forget that a suitable base should be porous and light.

The waterproofing layer should be as durable as possible; it is better to lay it in two layers. If a defect appears somewhere, then it will have to be re-laid over the entire area. When choosing moss for roof landscaping, you can skip the insulation layer, since this plant performs all the functions of thermal insulation.

If you previously had questions about how to create a lawn on your roof, then after reading this article there should be no difficulties. In such a simple and accessible way you can change appearance roofs of a private house. In addition, this way you can save on roofing materials and at the same time protect the house from precipitation and ultraviolet radiation.

Video

The video shows the step-by-step construction of a green roof:

Norwegian roofs with a lawn instead of tiles is the talk of all neighboring nations. Ironic Swedes have long been drawing Norwegians with grass on their heads instead of hair. Charming lawn roofs have now become as symbolic of the country as popular with tourists as fjords, trolls and salmon.

Grass roofs appeared in Norway and the Faroe Islands in ancient times. It was convenient and economical: construction material at hand, such roofs did not require special care, served for a long time, and even helped to camouflage from enemies.

Naturally, those who care To preserve traditions, Norwegians still lay them now - grass roofs can be seen on modern hotels and restaurants, on private houses and public transport stops. In some villages, almost half of the roofs sway in the wind like green waves. They say they improve the microclimate, provide reliable heat and waterproofing, and stabilize the temperature in the house.

Many craftsmen do such roofs yourself. The technology is described in detail on the Internet. Several private companies also offer the service in Norway. Although new tools are used when laying grass roofs, the basis is still the original technology and many manual labor Therefore, such roofs are somewhat more expensive than ondulin roofs.

First of all it fits several layers of dry bark. To make it waterproof, it can be soaked in sheep fat or blood. Peat, straw, moss are laid on it...

Many people dream of building a cottage with landscape design on the roof a la the Vikings. They say: “Can you imagine when the roof is Mother Earth, how peacefully you will sleep?”

The fact is that in the Norwegian roof there is a real biocenosis in its harmonious balance. Moreover, the roof simply must be wet; grass (and even bushes and trees) feed on this moisture, along with all living microorganisms peaty soil. At the same time, it does not require painstaking care only thanks to unique features Norwegian climate.

Rising this summer on the famous Prestolen rock, using the roots of trees, like steps, you can unravel the secret of the Norwegian fauna. So that thin layer The soil bears fruit so abundantly that it requires almost daily watering. The humidity and raininess of the Norwegian climate, as is known, is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Anywhere else on the planet, a grass roof would quickly dry out and be blown away by the wind.

It’s also clear where the rain comes from. The Gulf Stream reaches Norway. The warm vapors, in turn, hit the mountain range, cool and rain (in Bergen, on a generally sunny day, I opened my umbrella five times!). Norway's water cycle is the most intense in the world. This is where they have 80 percent of hydropower and generally a surplus of energy, which they generously share with Europe. And what is especially valuable, unlike oil, it is a renewable, or rather, inexhaustible resource! That's physics.

That's why main characteristic The thing about a Norwegian roof is that, with all its functionality, it is also alive and fertile!

In eastern Norway behind the mountain range, where the climate is drier - and there are an order of magnitude fewer roofs with grass.

Who saw it for the first time Norway has earthen roofs, reminiscent of the famous English lawn. The fact that it needs to be cut, watered and rolled for 500 years is all a fairy tale for naive foreigners. Modern lawns have long been rolled out, mesh reinforced, planted in squares... After a year it is no different from 500 years old.

But nowhere does it say about the main thing - about its composition. And the whole secret is in the peaty base of the soil of the British Isles. This is why there is no wind erosion there (like ours), this is why the golf ball rolls like on a billiard table. That is why a horse gallops across it without tearing out the turf with its horseshoes, and that is why only on the grass courts of Wimbledon it is possible to cut the lawn to a height of only 8 millimeters (!) - standard for the legendary Grand Slam tournament.

About the same with grass roofs. Their creation is justified only in the conditions of the Norwegian climate and Norwegian turf. In our case, if a craving for roots has awakened, it is better to cover the roof with wood chips.

For several centuries, roofing in Norway was carried out using natural environmental materials. Green roofs in this country do not surprise anyone and are traditional. Since ancient times, the peoples of Scandinavia have made roofs from peat, turf, birch bark and other natural environmental materials.

The descendants of the Vikings, the Norwegians, highly appreciated this method of roofing and managed to preserve green roofs on their houses to this day. Almost until the beginning of the 19th century, turf was universal material, with which they covered the roofs of houses of all classes in Norway.

Over time, materials such as tiles, slate and others appear on the market. roofing materials, which gradually began to replace the traditional Norwegian ecological, beautiful and cute grass roofs. The “advance of civilization” began in the cities, but eventually reached the countryside.

Green grass roofs in Norway were saved from complete extinction by enthusiasts.

They organized and led a movement aimed at reviving ancient folk traditions. At first the museums open air, holiday houses in the mountains... and then green roofs made of grass and flowers again became simply popular and fashionable.

Indeed, in addition to the fact that such roofing is simply beautiful and gives aesthetic pleasure, it is quite cheap, durable, stabilizes the temperature in the house, improves the microclimate, providing reliable heat and waterproofing. Therefore, green roofs have become popular again and have become a worthy alternative new building materials.

Rooftop lawn or roof gardening

Characteristic features of the owner’s nature country house or dachas can be called the desire to improve one’s possessions and an insatiable craving for creativity, the ultimate goal of which is the same improvement - the site, the house, utility and utility rooms.

Green roofs- a topic loved by many. What makes this process even more interesting is the expansion of its scope. Over the past few years, it has been gaining popularity in “suburban” Russia. new trend- landscaping... roofs! However, everything new, as we know, is just well-forgotten old. Such floristic delights could be found several centuries ago in northern Russian villages, and in the Baltic states, and in Finland: roofs were covered with moss and turf not at all in pursuit of beauty - this is how the roof was insulated and strengthened, and the thatched roof was saved from fire (from - for overheating in the sun) and rotting (exposure to dampness).

What motivates green roof enthusiasts today? The answer is obvious: this is an extension usable area site through the use of other surfaces, and the creation additional places for landscaping, and the opportunity to give the house (garage, barn, gazebo, pergola, etc.) a non-standard appearance, and even the creation of new recreation areas.

The modern fashion of laying out a lawn on the roof came to us from Europe. Two main methods of landscaping were also developed there. external surfaces: extensive and intensive. It is worth mentioning right away that any landscaping can be carried out only if the roof structure is stable.

Extensive roof greening method

This method has 3 features:

• inability to walk through green spaces;
• the maximum permissible surface slope is 28 degrees.

Irrigation of the surface plays a huge role - if an artificial irrigation system is not provided, take care of the convenience of delivering water to the roof (hose, watering can, makeshift shower).

Characteristic features of the nature of the owner of a country house or dacha can be called the desire to improve his possessions and an insatiable craving for creativity, the ultimate goal of which is the same improvement - the plot, the house, utility and utility rooms.

Green roofs- a topic loved by many. What makes this process even more interesting is the expansion of its scope. Over the past few years, a new trend has been gaining popularity in “suburban” Russia - landscaping... roofs! However, everything new, as we know, is just well-forgotten old. Such floristic delights could be found several centuries ago in northern Russian villages, and in the Baltic states, and in Finland: roofs were covered with moss and turf not at all in pursuit of beauty - this is how the roof was insulated and strengthened, and the thatched roof was saved from fire (from - for overheating in the sun) and rotting (exposure to dampness).

What motivates green roof enthusiasts today? The answer is obvious: this is the expansion of the usable area of ​​the site through the use of other surfaces, and the creation of additional places for landscaping, and the opportunity to give the house (shed, pergola, etc.) a non-standard appearance, and even the creation of new recreation areas.

Extensive roof greening method

This method has 3 features:

• inability to walk through green spaces;
• the maximum permissible surface slope is 28 degrees.

Irrigation of the surface plays a huge role - if an artificial irrigation system is not provided, take care of the convenience of delivering water to the roof (hose, watering can, makeshift shower).

The main “residents” of the roof are: lawn grasses, sedums, and saxifrage. You can also plant bulbous ones. Main principle- planting plants that require minimal care and bloom in different time. With a successful selection, you can get a garden of continuous flowering.

Extensive roof greening can be done on your own. Evaluate the surface being treated. What is its condition: how reliable is the foundation, what load can it withstand, what is the quality of the roof? Think about the location of the future oasis. It is necessary to take into account the direction of the world, illumination, intensity of “sunbathing”, openness to winds and precipitation. Choose plants to plant with this in mind.

In addition to drought, there is another enemy of the roof garden - stagnant moisture. In this case, it not only harms the roots of plants, but also significantly increases the load on the load-bearing surface. So for roofs with a slope of less than 4 degrees you will have to equip drainage system. Or forcefully form the desired slope.

Preparing the roof surface for landscaping

If necessary, the base is treated with special compounds: primers, fungicides, water repellents. Then a root protection film is laid on it. Remember how a seed blown by the wind onto the roof of a building grows into a decent-sized tree, mercilessly crushing even granite with its roots. The film will allow the roof to avoid this fate. The geo-fabric or can help reduce the load on the roof and avoid soil sliding.

The basis for planting is usually fertile layer or substrate (layer thickness 5-20 cm). The mixing of soil and drainage layer that occurs over time will be avoided by separating them with a thin geotextile. The roof slope must be well reinforced. At a large angle of inclination, the vegetative layer can be prevented from sliding using geogrids.

Intensive roof greening method

It is usually carried out by professionals. This comes with a serious responsibility: the load per 1 sq. m of surface with intensive landscaping ranges from 150 to 750 kg. Accordingly, increased requirements are placed on the foundation. On landscaped area It will be possible to lay out not only an ordinary lawn, but also an entire park - with trees, a pond, streams. You can put up a gazebo and lanterns, lay out paths. Lushly blooming and exquisite mixborders will delight the eye all season. A automatic system watering will solve irrigation issues.

Experts recommend landscaping immediately after completion. construction work. It is better if the creation of a roof garden is included in the design project - this will avoid disharmony with the main landscape and architectural appearance of the main buildings.

Carrying out landscape design summer cottage, modern gardeners bring to life the most daring ideas. One such idea would be to create a lawn on the roof of your house.

We understand that such an extravagant way to decorate your site is perceived rather as a fabulous wonder.

But we assure you, this is quite possible. In Europe, roof gardens have long become commonplace. Let's try to make a “living” roof with our own hands.

Types of roof landscaping

The extent and methods of creating “living” roofs can be very diverse. But in landscape design There are two main directions - intensive and extensive.

Intensive landscaping involves the creation of complete garden areas on roofs, in which lush flower beds and even huge deciduous and coniferous trees can grow.

Such gardens are often built on the roofs of expensive hotels, restaurants and other commercial buildings. Ordinary gardeners are unlikely to be able to afford such luxury.

For extensive landscaping they are planting a lawn, ground cover plants or simply placing plants in containers. This method is popular among garden lovers.

In this case, it would be preferable to choose plants that have fibrous root system, which makes the stem more resistant. Various meadow flowers and herbs are suitable for such plantings, lawn grass, as well as saxifrage, sedum and some types of bulbous plants. You can often find various varieties of bluebells and cloves on the roof.

Installation of a “living” roof

A standard green roof consists of six main layers:

— heat-insulating layer;

— waterproofing;

— drainage layer;

— filter layer;

— fertile soil;

- plants.

There is also an inversion option, in which the thermal insulation layer is installed above the waterproofing. Such a roof will be better suited to long-term operation, because waterproofing coating will last longer because it will not be subject to mechanical and temperature influences.

A geotextile fabric is used as a filter layer, which can prevent clogging of the drainage. This is a thermally bonded material in which the fibers practically do not clog and last a long time.

One of the most important layers is the drainage layer. The main thing here is to combine the perforated drainage layer with special pipes. For drainage, high-strength material in rolls is used - polyethylene. high pressure or perforated polystyrene. If you are planning to make a regular lawn, then you can lay slabs of perforated polystyrene.

Water drainage will be carried out according to corrugated pipes having special slots for water drainage. You can also take ordinary asbestos pipes, drilling small grooves in them in advance.

Thermal insulation material – foam glass. This material is most resistant to pressure from the roots and, moreover, has increased moisture resistance. But most importantly, it is environmentally friendly. You can also use polystyrene foam or mineral wool as thermal insulation.

It is necessary to take the installation of waterproofing with full responsibility. The modern market can offer special membranes that have anti-root protection. These can be synthetic or bitumen based materials. For more complex landscaping, aluminum foil is also applied to a membrane with waterproofing.

Carrying out water drainage

Speaking about how to arrange a lawn on the roof of a house, it is worth mentioning drainage. This system must efficiently and, importantly, reliably collect and drain water flows from the roof that form after precipitation and irrigation.

When calculating drainage, the size of the green space, roof slope, soil type and plant type are taken into account. The drains should be evenly spaced.

Features of installing a “living” roof

Generally, it is safest and easiest to do landscaping on relatively flat surfaces. Optimal roof for landscaping it should have a slope of up to 12 degrees. Such a roof can easily withstand any type of soil and plants.

The six-layer green roof pie puts significant pressure on bearing structures. In case of intensive landscaping, the roof must be designed at the construction stage. Extensive landscaping can also be done on an existing roof.

It is better to carry out roof repairs before installing landscaping, as significant problems may arise afterwards and even greater damage may occur. Waterproofing must be coated with chemical protection, that is, anti-root preparations. In this case, the roots will not be able to penetrate inside and will grow along the surface of the waterproofing.

FlorDepot system

IN last years The FlorDepot system, developed by German company"BAU-TRADE". This technology assumes the ability to create lawns on roofs, the slope of which reaches 45-50 degrees. The FlorDepot system has three layers. To begin with, a waterproofing system is installed on the roof, on which a root-protective polyurethane film is covered.

Then a special plant mat is laid, made from polystyrene foam, which is highly resistant to ultraviolet radiation. This mat combines two functions at once - it provides excellent drainage and replaces natural soil.

It contains a set of different nutrients and clay minerals, which were specially selected for climatic conditions in Russia and the CIS countries. This rug removes excess water and retains in itself the necessary amount for normal development plants. A layer of substrate is applied to the mat and the plants are planted.