How to make the roof of the bath with your own hands

Most owners of private houses build a bathhouse on their site. Laying the foundation and erecting the walls is only part of the job. It is also necessary to properly make the roof with your own hands, since it will depend on how much the building can withstand precipitation. Only a set of correctly performed works can guarantee you a high-quality result and comfortable conditions in the bath. This can be achieved if you follow the step-by-step instructions for building your own hands.

Bath roof designs

Before proceeding with the construction of the roof in the bath, you need to choose the best option. It should be as simple as possible, but reliable, as it is needed to protect the building from rain and snow.

Most often, baths are:

• attic;
• unattractive.

The design of the roof itself depends on this. It also affects the frequency of the bath. For one that will be used all year round, it is best to choose a gable with an attic, as it is warmer. There you can equip a room for relaxation.

Summer baths are usually built without an attic, but designed to install a tank of water for heating under the sun. Such a roof is easier to build.

According to their shape, roofs can be:

• lean-to;
• gable;
• multi-slope.

Shed roofs are the simplest. Usually used when attaching a bath to the main house or other building. At the same time, the rafters firmly rest on opposite walls at a certain angle of inclination.

The optimal angle of inclination is 20–30 °, but if the bath is built in areas with high levels of precipitation, then this parameter increases to 45 °.

Gable roofs are arranged on separate structures. They consist of two parts, connected to each other at an angle. For areas where a large amount of snow falls in winter, the connection angle should be quite sharp (from 45 to 80 °) so that precipitation can easily go off and not press on the roof from the outside. And in areas where frequent winds - a minimum slope, so that in case of strong gusts it does not fly off the bath.

Multi-pitched roofs are usually not built on small baths, as this is not entirely rational and convenient. But if a large bath complex is being built, then it will be appropriate here. It has a beautiful appearance, and allows you to arrange additional rooms under its arches (rest rooms, billiard rooms, storerooms, etc.). The disadvantage of the roof is the complexity of its construction.

That is why masters often choose this option.

How to make a gable roof scheme

The best option for a small bath is a gable roof. It is inclined and hanging. The first option for greater stability is equipped with additional wooden stops. Hanging systems rely only on Mauerlats or ceiling beams. At the top, the rafters are held on crossbars.

Installation preparation: dimensioning, drawings

For convenience, all calculations will be made for a bath with a side of 5 m. It is recommended to build it from sawn timber, and use the top row as a Mauerlat.

Before making rafters, it is necessary to make all the necessary calculations and measurements, as well as determine the angle of the roof and the dimensions of the wooden elements.

Certain loads act on the roof system:

• the mass of rafters, lathing and the roofing material itself;
• weight of workers;
• the probability of natural disasters (they are not taken into account in our country, since they have a low percentage of the probability of their occurrence).

When calculating the thickness and width of the elements of the truss system, take into account the totality of all types of loads.

The lower elements of the rafters are placed on the Mauerlat, and they bear lateral and vertical loads. Horizontal ones are placed on crossbars. The ridge part of the rafters takes over the compression forces in the horizontal direction. Rafter spans are subject to the greatest degree of bending.

When calculating the load, it is necessary to use correction factors that depend on the height of the house.

There are also snow load values ​​​​depending on the climatic zone.

Belonging to a certain climatic zone can be viewed on a special map.

The choice of material for the roof

The wood that is used to build the truss frame should have a minimum number of flaws (primarily knots and cracks).

Pine or spruce boards are most often chosen for the construction of the bath roof because of the high degree of strength. This wood is easy to work with. Experts recommend using grade I lumber, well treated with antiseptic and antifungal agents. But for a small bath, grade II or III material is suitable.

It is possible to use glued timber with a high degree of strength without signs of deformation. But this material is expensive.

• 20% (if the inside of the bath ceiling is completely sewn up with finishing materials);
• 23% (if some elements of the roof will be outside, for example, a canopy over a veranda or terrace).

Timber for roofing should be dried naturally (in a dry room at a low temperature) for 2–3 years or in special chambers at the highest possible temperature.

There are a large number of materials for roofing:

• ondulin;
• metal tile;
• soft tiles;
• ruberoid;
• slate;
• euroslate;
• metal profile.

The most popular and affordable materials are metal tiles and corrugated board, which are distinguished by their low price and long service life.

The corrugated board is made of galvanized steel with a special coating. Its main difference from a metal tile is the thickness of the metal. For example, profiled sheets with a thickness of more than 1 mm are not intended for roofing.

The advantages of this material:

• high performance;
• ease of installation (sheets are easy to pick up according to the exact size of the roof slope);
• light weight;
• affordable price.

There are also disadvantages, for example, low soundproofing characteristics, less attractive appearance compared to metal tiles, short service life (about 5 years).

Advantages of a metal tile:

• high degree of resistance to corrosion;
• excellent sound absorption, which provides multilayer material;
• long service life (about 50 years);
• beautiful appearance.

Despite the positive qualities, it is not suitable for shed roofs, since it is laid only at an angle of at least 14 °. The corrugated board has no restrictions.

Ruberoid is an inexpensive, but short-lived material. It is easy to install, does not require much labor. For a budget roof covering for a bath, roofing material can be called a completely acceptable option.

Slate is an affordable roofing material that is suitable for a bath. It has a fairly long service life (about 40 years), does not require additional care. Installation of slate sheets is carried out quickly, which is very important in the final stages.

The disadvantage of this material can be called a high degree of water absorption, therefore, after 2-3 years, moss and various harmful lichens may appear on it - painting will help to avoid this. The large fragility of slate is also a significant disadvantage. Therefore, it is better to pre-drill holes into which fasteners will be driven in.

What material and tools are needed

In order to build a gable roof for a 5x5 m bath, you need:

• boards (pine or spruce) - 50x150 mm (the distance between the rafters is recommended to be 90 cm);
• unedged board for temporary fixation of rafters;
• edged board - 20x100 mm (length 3 m);
• metal corners;
• metal plates - thickness 2 mm;
• bars - 50x50 mm;
• bolts with washers and self-tapping screws;
• glued plywood, OSB or unedged board for lathing;
• slats - 20x50 mm;
• insulation, vapor barrier and waterproofing material;
• metal tile or corrugated board.

Instruments:

• Bulgarian;
• electric jigsaw;
• stapler;
• a hammer;
• tape measure - length not less than 10 m;
• sharp knife;
• electric screwdriver;
• antiseptics and impregnations.

Construction of the roof of the bath: step by step instructions

To install the roof, you need to follow the following plan:

1. Check the parallel arrangement of the Mauerlat (the degree of run-up is not more than 2–3 cm). Fixation dowels must be laid at the required distances.
2. For a 5x5 m bath, six pairs of truss structures are enough. In order to mount a large number of identical parts, it is recommended to perform one common template, which will greatly speed up the work.
3. To make a template, you need to take three-meter boards, knock them down with a nail at the top. Nail a piece of horizontal rail to one board, which will serve as a template for making the crossbar. Its distance from the ridge should be no more than 40–50 cm. Fix the crossbar on one board, and nail it to the second after determining the angle of inclination of the lines.
4. Raise the template up, install in place of the rafters. Change the angle of inclination and the distance of the takeaway so that the future skate is exactly in the center of the bath. After finding the right place, nail the crossbar to the second board. Strengthen the boards and the ridge with two or three more nails.
5. Put the template structure on the supporting Mauerlat, mark the point of the future place where the rafters will coincide. Connect these elements with a bar and steel corners. Fasten a wooden plank to the template at the point of contact with the supporting element.
6. At the location of the gables, vertically nail the bars. Their height should be similar to the height of the lines. To check the verticality, pull a building cord between them. Check the template along the entire length of the bath structure. Take a step of about 1 m, and look at the angle of inclination. The ridge part should go strictly along the cord. All irregularities can be removed during the creation of the crate. If the error is more than 1 cm, then it is necessary to adjust the template so as to reach the average values.
7. If everything is done correctly, you can carefully remove the template and lay it on the ground.
8. Lay the template on a flat base and attach one leg of the rafters to it. Control the device of the ridge part. Cut knots. Overhanging excess elements of the rafters can be sawn off before installation or after installation.
9. The rafters in the ridge can be connected in several ways. One of them is the connection at the ridge part in half a tree.
10. It is best to connect the lines at a 90° angle. To prevent displacement on both sides, the assembly must be fixed with steel plates. Fasteners should be evenly spaced along the entire length of the rafters.
11. Now you need to make marks at the top and bottom of the rafters. Saw off the top at an angle, as a butt joint will be performed. The cut point should match the top and bottom of the template. It is not recommended to saw off two legs of the sling at once. It is necessary to remove the drawing on each of them from a certain side separately. This node is connected by steel plates.
12. According to the template, it is necessary to mark the point of emphasis of the rafter board in the Mauerlat, fasten the board in this place, which will rest against it. It can be fixed from the bottom of the sling to the edge of the board or from the side. This assembly will withstand significant shear loads, so heavy bolts are recommended for fastening.
13. Place two rafter boards on a flat surface, and check the location of the knots using a template. Remove it and fix the crossbar in place.
14. The upper elements of the slings must rest firmly against each other throughout the cut.
15. Then we bolt the crossbar with an overlap to the legs of the slings. You will need 2 bolts for each sling.
16. The bolt is subjected to compression - even slight fluctuations in the attachment points should not be allowed. To prevent the rafters from cracking when installing the bolts, it is recommended to drill holes for them slightly smaller than the diameter of the bolts by about 1 mm. The excess part of the bolt must be cut off with a grinder.
17. In the same way, it is necessary to install all the other rafters: put them on top of each other, and check that all sizes match.
18. After all the rafters are made, you can begin to assemble the roof frame. First you need to attach the extreme rafters, fix them with pieces of boards. Carefully install each rafter leg, and check the dimensions. Stretch the cord from the side parts at the outlet of the rafters to the ridge.
19. Mark the attachment points of the remaining lines on the Mauerlat in increments of approximately 1 m.
20. Lift each sling one by one, put it along the cords and secure it with boards. Nail them at a certain angle.
21. When all the rafters are exposed, it is necessary to check the accuracy of their placement, then start fastening with steel corners and slats. The corners must be fixed on both sides of the rafters. The result is a stable and reliable system. Now you need to align the length of the slings from below along the cord so that they protrude outside the bath by about 30–40 cm.
22. Under the extreme legs, install additional stops from the boards, which in the future will serve as a frame for sheathing the gables.

Creation of a crate

The crate can be rack or solid.

After the installation of the crate, it is necessary to close the end sides of the roof. If you plan to create an attic, then you need to leave room for installing doors and windows.

Warming from the inside

For insulation, you can use mineral wool 10 cm thick. First, a vapor barrier material is laid on the rafter system to protect against moisture from the interior of the bath.

A heater is laid on top of it, and then a waterproofing material that will prevent the penetration of moisture through the small cracks of the roof.

Protective hydro and vapor barrier films are overlapped about 15–20 cm, then glued together with construction tape.

How to properly cover a roof

Laying roofing material is no less important part of the roof structure than its construction. If you properly cover the bath with a metal tile or metal profile, then you can protect all wooden structural elements from precipitation, which will significantly extend their service life.

For laying metal tiles you will need:

Stages of installation of roofing material:

1. The metal tile is lifted onto the roof frame using special belts. The first sheet is laid, carefully aligned along the end part and the cornice. It is fastened with self-tapping screws at the points of junction of the wave to the laths of the crate. They are screwed in a certain order.
2. Laying is done from left to right. The edge of the second sheet is brought under the end of the first, and then they are carefully aligned. If the material will be laid from right to left, then the second piece should be placed with a slight overlap. All sheets are screwed in turn.
3. The first sheet is placed on the slats of the crate with a protrusion of about 40-50 mm, it is seized with a self-tapping screw at the very edge of the ridge and the bottom of the eaves.
4. To mount the second sheet, two pieces of the profile are joined by the side overlap method, so that there are no gaps and distortions. They are interconnected by self-tapping screws under the transverse part of the wave. You need to start connecting from the eaves to the ridge. Thus, 3-4 profile sheets are fixed. A temporary self-tapping screw is unscrewed, the entire row of the metal profile is equal in relation to the eaves.
5. The correctness of the removal on both sides of the block is measured. The sizes matched - everything is done correctly. Now the sheet is fixed with a self-tapping screw thoroughly. All other profiles are fastened at the joints with each other, screwed to the crate.
6. After the work is completed, it is necessary to remove all chips from the metal tile with a soft brush, and slightly tint the drilling points with paint of the same color as the material itself.
7. Then it is necessary to fix the ridge in such a way that the attic is ventilated. It is attached to the metal tile using self-tapping screws at the top of every second wave. The overlap should be about 10 cm in length.
8. A cornice strip is attached, which will protect the frontal board from external factors. To do this, they are laid with an overlap of approximately 50 mm. They are nailed every 30 cm.
9. The end plank is placed on the side board and screwed with self-tapping screws (a step of about 1 m). It is attached to the battens of the lathing through the upper part of the roof sheets with self-tapping screws in increments of 40–80 cm. The plank should overlap the upper edge of the wave.
10. A special insulation is attached before mounting the ridge bar. To do this, the protective film is removed, glued from the edge of the ridge towards the center at a distance of about 25 mm. The ridge itself is attached to the roof in every third wave with an overlap of 10 cm.

Video: how to make a roof for a bath from a log house with your own hands

Only with the correct arrangement of the roof of the bath, you can be sure that it will serve for many years and withstand any environmental conditions. Therefore, the construction of this element must be taken very seriously and responsibly, since it takes on heavy loads, which means it must be as strong and reliable as possible. And then you and your friends will be able to enjoy the rest in the steam room at any time of the year.