The concept of "living roof" appeared relatively recently, in Paris at the end of the 19th century. Planting vegetation really liked the people and they often began to mount such a miracle in their homes. Designers use a special term to describe such a solution - "green roof". It is becoming increasingly popular both in Europe and in our country.
Benefits
In addition to the fact that this element is an incredibly fashionable solution, there are a number of other factors due to which it is worth equipping such a garden on your roof.
- Saving space is ideal for those who do not have a plot of land. If the roof is well fixed, then you can move around and relax on the lawn.
- Ecology - all materials used for roof installation emit harmful substances, but if they are covered with a lawn on the roof, this trouble will be neutralized.
- Liquid absorption - all moisture that gets on the roof is absorbed by the soil and plants, so you don't have to worry about it leaking.
- Durability – thanks to the placement of the garden, it is possible to significantly extend the life of the roof, as it will be reliably protected from the effects of precipitation and ultraviolet radiation.
- Additional heat and sound insulation.
Views of gardens
Roof greening can be divided into two main types.
- Extensive - such landscaping involves the use of light soil, the thickness of which ranges from 5 to 15 cm. This is the easiest way to protect the roof from external factors and to create an autonomous ecosystem. For this, exclusively unpretentious plants are used that do not require regular watering and careful care. Extensive landscaping is the creation of a continuous lawn on the roof of evergreens. This option does not imply the presence of a recreation area. Often, such a system is used for the roofs of garages, gazebos, private houses and outbuildings.
- Intensive e - in this case, a real garden will appear on the roof with picnic areas, walking paths, gazebos and even ponds. Of course, for planting shrubs and trees, a reliable foundation is required that can withstand a soil layer of 1.5 meters. Most often, intensive landscaping is used for high-rise luxury buildings, shopping centers, hotels and fairly large facilities.
According to the type of roof on which the lawn or garden will be located, landscaping is divided into two types:
- pitched - inin this case, only extensive planting is allowed;
- flat - both extensive and intensive ornamental turf are used on such surfaces.
It all depends on the financial capacity and strength of the foundation.
Security requirements
It has been said that extensive landscaping is applied to pitched and flat roofs, but it should be noted that their slope should not exceed 30 degrees. If this is not done, then the lawn on the roof will simply collapse down.
A flat roof must withstand a solid load, because a square meter of soil only 5 cm deep weighs up to 100 kg, and the earth is just one of the layers of the future garden. Special lightweight substrates are used to facilitate, but it is recommended to consult a specialist before installing them.
And it is also necessary to take into account that in winter the amount of precipitation will be added to the main weight, all this can increase the load on the roof up to 400 kg per m2.
Landscapers advise planting large trees and shrubs on load-bearing structures to relieve pressure.
Another important point is wind protection. To do this, it is recommended to strengthen vertical structures and make reliable parapets, as well as provide a convenient entrance to the lawn from the top floor.
Preparation
Initially, it is required to seal the entire roof so that it can withstand a considerable load. Then the surface is treated with different compositions such as water repellents and primers. To protect against high humidity and the action of the soil, a root-protective film is laid, moreover, it becomes an active protection against the soil sliding down.
When choosing soil, it is required to give preference to a homogeneous substrate in which the plant will germinate more actively. It is also necessary to use a geotextile that will separate the land and drainage.
Styling features
Because the rooftop lawn is a new technology, it is easy to say that only reliable and durable materials are used for it, and the installation process is quite simple.
- The most important thing for such beauty is the presence of a solid foundation in the form of a crate or cement floor.
- Next, it is possible to proceed to the main layers. Protective waterproofing is required. For this, a plastic film or liquid rubber is used, which is fixed with screws.
- Then you need to lay a heat-insulating layer, which is made up of cork boards. Special glue is used for their installation, and they are placed tightly to each other.
- Next, protection against root formation is mounted. In specialized stores, waterproofing materials with root protection can already be found.
- A drainage layer is required to retain water that will feed the plants. Expanded clay is used for this.
- A crate is chosen as a fixation of the soil, perfectly holding back the entire earth.
- At the time of soil selection, it is necessary to carefully study all the plants that aredesire to grow on the roof. A simple lawn requires a small layer of 10 cm. It must be remembered that the soil must be porous and light.
Flor Depot System
Today, this technology has become very popular. It was developed by the German company Bau-trade. This system allows you to create a lawn on the roof, the degree of which reaches 45-50. Installation requires only three layers. To begin with, waterproofing is completed, on which root protection is covered, and then a special plant mat is laid, the basis for the manufacture of which is foam. Such material perfectly replaces drainage and natural soil. It contains various nutrients and clay materials, which are specially selected for the climatic conditions of Russia and the CIS countries. Next, a small layer of substrate is applied to this rug and landscaping is carried out.
Lawn cost
Very often, rolled lawn is used to simplify landscaping work. Its cost, depending on the type of grass per square meter, starts from 80 rubles. The average price of a quality lawn is 150 rubles per 1 m22. If you choose to buy seeds, then their price is minimal and reaches about 200 rubles per pack.
Planting lawn grass before winter
In order for the vegetation to become well established and grow well in early spring, this planting method must be used. Early autumn is considered the optimal time for sowing, during this period it is not yetcold and not too hot. And it should also be noted that just at this time a sufficient amount of precipitation falls, all this will have a great effect on the growth of grass.
If all processes are carried out later, the lawn on the roof may not be strong enough and eventually not withstand the winter.
One of the main advantages of such seeding is the minimum number of weeds that so often interfere with the development of shoots and root systems. First you need to prepare the soil and level it. A week before planting, you will need to apply fertilizer, which will make the soil more favorable for sowing. It is better to plant on a calm day so that the seeds do not scatter and the lawn on the roof of the house is more uniform.
Roof care
It is necessary to follow the roof in the same way as for an ordinary lawn, provided that it is lawn grass that will grow there. This means that in dry weather, the lawn needs to be watered, as well as mowed once every two weeks with a trimmer. It is recommended to choose a device that is portable and lightweight, which will not damage the roof of an elite house. The best option would be a battery-operated electric scythe. Popular brands for the production of such devices are Worx, Bosch, Gardena and Flymo. It should be noted that it is quite easy to take care of the vegetation on a flat roof, but on a pitched roof it is recommended to hire specialists for this purpose.
