Garage roof repair: how to do it yourself and choice of materials

For men, the garage is not only a place where his car is parked, but also a territory of freedom. Here he can relax calmly or think over a plan of action. Time spent in this place allows you to increase your self-esteem by creating something concrete with your own hands. Therefore, when repairing the garage roof with your own hands, you get not only benefits, but pleasure from the process .

We will go through the main stages of repair, get acquainted with roofing materials and coating methods. We hope this information will be useful to you and will help you arrange your favorite place with maximum comfort.

When is roof repair required?

The main indicators of a violation of the integrity of the roof are leaks. If water collects inside the room after rains or snowfalls, it means the roof has leaked. Any structure becomes unusable over time. Buildings are constantly affected by unfavorable weather factors, and there may be construction defects.

Repairs are carried out if during inspection of the roof the following were noticed:

bloating;
material ruptures;
depressurization of seams;
canvas slipping;
deformation of individual parts.

Ignoring the problem will lead to the destruction of the lower layers of the roof covering, the appearance of fungus and leaks.

Content

The roof of buildings of any type, size and purpose tends to wear out, to the great regret of the owners. Its strength is regularly tested by gusty gusts of wind, hail, heavy rains, birds, abandoned stones and suddenly fallen trees. Similar factors with equal consistency attack the roofs of garages, which sometimes do not cause as much concern among owners as a leaking ceiling in an apartment. Due to absolutely unjustified frivolity, the beloved “iron horse” or “swallow” suffers in a manner not childish, slowly rusting from excess moisture.

Leaks are a clear indicator of a violation of the integrity of the roof or flaws in the construction of the roofing pie. However, you should not wait for smudges to appear on the walls and ceiling. In order not to encounter serious facts that require expensive repairs, it is necessary to carry out preventive inspections of the upper floor of the garage from the outside regularly 4 times a year and monitor the condition of the ceiling daily.

Garage roofs, like the buildings they cover, are a term that combines a wide range of structural varieties. They are erected above standard free-standing boxes, and above garage boxes lined up in a row, and above household structures of vast private estates. They can be single- and double-sloped, hipped, attic, etc. They can be equipped with any of the existing types of roofing materials, the choice of which depends on the status and financial capabilities of the owners.

Types of jobs

Roofs are distinguished by shape and type of covering. During the repair, you can either change the shape or simply update the coating. In case of design changes, consultation with designers is necessary. The work is simple and accessible to most due to the fact that the garage is small in area and low in height.

There are two types of work: major and current repairs.

Overhaul of a heavily damaged roof structure

A complete roof replacement is performed during a major renovation. It is recommended to carry it out in the warm season, in dry weather. If repairs cannot be postponed until good weather, an additional awning is pulled over the working area, covering it from snow and rain.

It is recommended to carry it out when damage exceeds 60% of the garage roof area. Due to its small dimensions, all work is completed in one day. Sometimes they can be divided into two, but during the first one it is necessary to finish laying the waterproofing layer. Sometimes during the work an additional layer of thermal insulation is laid, reducing the cost of heating separate rooms.

Typically, the overhaul procedure involves:

dismantling the drain, cornice, tin apron, if any;
removal of old coating;
cleaning the base;
repair of the base, joints;
laying hydro- and thermal insulation;
laying a new coating;
installation of metal roof elements.

Attention! It is important to observe temperature conditions when working with different materials. It is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. Failure to do so will result in premature deterioration of the roof.

Maintenance

If no more than 10% of the coating is damaged, it is better to repair the garage immediately, without allowing the defect to worsen. The cost of such repairs is much lower and does not require much time. This type of work is more suitable for roofs with soft coverings. Performed in dry weather.

To repair the damage, the area of the swelling or tear is cut crosswise with a sharp knife. If the area is large, then it is cut out of the roof. The damaged area is thoroughly cleaned of stones and sand. Fill with bitumen and press down the old coating with a cross cut.

A new piece of coating is applied on top - a patch. The edges are thoroughly treated with bitumen solution and sprinkled with sand.

Repairing small cracks - what can you fill with

If the cause of the leaks turns out to be minor cracks that appear on the roofing material due to temperature changes, then in this case there is nothing better than to fill the garage roof with bitumen in problem areas. Solid bitumen, which is melted before work, or liquid bitumen, ready for use, is suitable. In general, liquid roof waterproofing is quite popular and practical to use.

Cracks need to be repaired using the following technology:

All debris and dust are removed from the roof surface;
using a grinder with a grinding disc or sandpaper, remove the layer of protective coating in places where cracks are sealed;
the base of the roofing material is degreased, for which you can use gasoline, acetone or alcohol;
then take the prepared bitumen and slowly pour it into the crack;
after the bitumen has hardened, this operation is performed one or two more times, until the damaged area in the roofing material is completely leveled.
To avoid damaging the area being restored, it can be sprinkled with quartz sand or stone chips.

It is worth noting that to eliminate cracks it is better to use cold bitumen. Hot bitumen must be used with extreme caution and as quickly as possible, while cold bitumen is ready for use straight from the package. To get rid of small cracks, one can of such material will be enough.

Preparation for repair work

Estimates are drawn up before the start of DIY garage repair work. The cost of materials, costs of delivery, surface preparation, and repair of adjacent drainage structures are taken into account.

Attention! If the roofing costs less than 100 rubles per 1 square meter, it is of low quality. Such a roof will not last long and will often need repairs.

The set of tools depends on the type of coating. For soft you will need:

blowtorch or gas torch;
bitumen mastic;
knife;
twine;
ladder.

Tools for installing hard roofs:

ladder;
yardstick;
saw, jigsaw for cutting material;
screwdriver with self-tapping screws.

Content

A convincing signal indicating the need for roof repair is usually trivial leaks. They appear for various reasons, which include:

Design violations. These include errors in the arrangement of layers of the roofing pie, incorrectly calculated insulation thickness, incorrectly selected coating, etc.
Installation errors. This is non-compliance with technology: incorrectly installed fasteners, insufficient application of adhesive and similar mistakes.
Household damage. Their list most often includes punctures and breaks in the coating resulting from careless movement on the roof, the fall of heavy objects with sharp edges, heavy winds, and cleaning with a metal shovel.

To correct defects resulting from design violations, a major overhaul is needed. Not every home master will be able to cope with it without professional assistance. But the damage indicated in the second and third paragraphs is eliminated during routine repairs. It does not require global dismantling, a large amount of work or highly complex operations. Almost all damages included in the current repair scope are accessible to an inexperienced contractor. Let's consider them.

Repair sequence

When repairing any type of roof covering, the following is carried out:

assessment of the surface and determination of the dimensions of damaged areas;
cleaning the roof from dirt, stones, sand, old insulating materials, coating;
drying cracks with a hairdryer;
laying a new coating or restoring an old one.

Rules for repairing a metal roof

Stone, metal or concrete garages can have such a roof. It can be single-sloped or double-sloped. Corrugated sheeting or metal tiles are susceptible to corrosion. Over time, cracks and holes form on the surface, moisture gets into them, and the material rusts.

Restoration of the metal coating is carried out in one of three ways:

A hole at the junction of the wall of a building with the adjacent roof. It is sealed with tow, and the top is treated with liquid rubber or waterproofing paints.
The junction of two canvases. Additional sheets are welded onto the damaged areas.
The junction of the garage walls and the roof. The gap is sealed with sealants and polyurethane foam. It is recommended to cover the entire surface with roll-type waterproofing to prevent leakage.

Repair of rolled soft roofing

Rolled materials, such as roofing felt, are not durable. They should be regularly inspected for cracks, swelling and other damage. If there are a lot of problem areas, the entire coating is replaced. For minor damage, the problem can be solved with patches. Bitumen mastic, liquid rubber, roofing mastic or membrane roofing effectively eliminate leaks.

All work is carried out in the warm season, in dry weather - the same for a flat or sloping roof. If repairs are being carried out in a garage cooperative, it is advisable to agree in advance with the neighbors to change the entire covering at once.

Features of slate repair

The block material is durable. However, slate is a fragile material. It can be damaged by strong winds and hail. Over time, mosses grow on the surface, destroying the material with their roots. There is a possibility of cracking at the points of fastening with special bolts. You can restore a slate roof by replacing the sheet with a new one.

Sometimes it is enough to improve waterproofing locally with:

soft roll coating patches;
mastics;
polystyrene foam;
cold welding of cracks.

How to repair a concrete roof

Roofs of this type are usually flat, have a slight slope in the direction opposite to the vehicle exit gate, so that snow does not accumulate at the entrance. The weak points of the structure are the seams and joints of the slabs.

The following design issues are being repaired:

A new roof without waterproofing is covered with a leveling layer of screed. Next, it is covered with roofing felt on bitumen mastic or liquid rubber.
An old roof covered with roofing felt will have to be thoroughly cleaned of any remaining roofing felt. Coat seams and cracks with bitumen mastic or sealant. Then a new coating is deposited.

Ruberoid is a fairly cheap material that protects the concrete surface well from moisture. Liquid rubber is a more expensive coating, suitable for covering large areas.

Softly stele. Replacement of roll covering

Unfortunately, sometimes repairing a garage roof with your own hands requires a complete replacement of the soft roof, since repairing individual damage becomes a constant task and does not provide the opportunity for other hobbies. It's time to concentrate on major renovations. The design of the floor determines two methods of laying roll materials:

On wooden sheathing

The first layer of roll coating (glassine) is secured using metal perforated strips and nails. Subsequent layers are glued on molten bitumen. You cannot use weld-on coatings (Bikrost) when you are repairing the garage roof with your own hands for fire safety reasons.

Corrugated sheeting is not bare tin!

Repairs using slate will be somewhat cheaper. At the same time, slate is a very durable material; you can walk on it without fear, checking the condition of the coating, or to clear the roof of snow in winter. The disadvantage of asbestos-cement sheets is their large specific weight, which increases the load on the floors (one sheet of slate weighs, depending on the thickness, from 20 to 35 kg). Fallen leaves accumulate on them, which, when moist, form a compost environment that promotes the appearance of moss and lichens.

Corrugated sheet metal, a profiled metal sheet, does not have these shortcomings. This material is convenient to lay. The entire length of the roof can be covered with one sheet, and it weighs about half as much as slate. The only drawback of corrugated sheeting is insufficient rigidity (resistance to deflection). You can only walk on it with pads, otherwise the protrusions may be pressed through. Nevertheless, corrugated sheeting is preferable to slate, since repairing a garage roof with your own hands will be faster and easier, it will require less maintenance, and the durability of these materials is almost the same.

To cover a garage roof, grades of corrugated sheeting NS 35-1000 and NS 44-1000 with a thickness of 0.7 mm are suitable. Thinner sheets are easily damaged during use.

By doing your own garage roof repair, you can save half the cost while gaining some construction skills that may be useful in the future.

Roof repair materials

The most popular materials for covering garages are rolled soft materials and some coating materials. All of them are resistant to physical influences and retain their waterproofing properties for 10 years or more. This is the optimal choice in terms of price, quality, and complexity of work.

Application of TechnoNIKOL roll materials

Soft rolled material Technikol consists of several layers. The lower part is a bitumen coating. It is suitable for covering concrete roofs, sometimes wooden ones, with full sheathing. When laying do:

surface preparation: cleaning of debris and old coating;
applying a bitumen primer to improve the adhesive properties of the surface;
the roll is bent at the junction 5 centimeters upwards, they begin to roll out, using a gas burner or a hairdryer to warm up the lower bitumen layer;
the overlap of the canvases on each other is 8 centimeters, bend the edge onto the lower parapet by 25 centimeters;
roll the rolls with a roller for a better fit to the surface.

Coating Gidroizol

Available in two types: in rolls and in the form of a liquid polymer-bitumen mixture. The first is suitable for covering large surfaces of wooden or concrete roofs. It is a bitumen-polymer mixture applied to reinforced fiberglass, with a layer of coarse powder on top.

The second composition does not require heating during application, it is more suitable for sealing cracks, tears and seams, but can be used for application to the entire surface over another material. It hardens after drying.

Ruberoid

Classic cover option. Suitable for laying on the surface without first dismantling the previous roof. When covering with this material:

clean the surface in advance - it is advisable to remove old sheets of roofing material;
prime the surface with bitumen, mastic, primer;
the sheets are straightened the day before work or the rolls are rolled in the other direction;
lay the lining roofing felt overlapping;
Cover the top with outer sheets coated with coarse crumbs.

The position of the sheets and joints are secured with mastic or bitumen. There is roofing material with bitumen already applied to the inside of the roll.

Garage roof repair using mastic

Mixtures of rubber, polymers, tar, bitumen and butyl rubber in various proportions are sold as roofing mastics. This material is valued for its waterproofing properties. Used to seal joints and cracks in concrete, wood or metal surfaces.

Used as a base before installing roll materials or for routine repairs. Can be used as an independent roof covering, applied in several layers with a brush or roller to a cleaned and dried surface.

Repair using bitumen

The most common material for roof repairs is bitumen. It is sold in briquettes, which must be heated in a metal barrel to 120 degrees with a burner before use. It hardens quickly when cooling, but manages to fill all the cracks. It is used both for small areas and for filling the entire roof surface.

Bitumen primer is used as a primer before laying other materials, ensuring high-quality insulation of the material and seams from leaks.

Advantages of petroleum based mastic

The most common bitumen mastic has a number of valuable advantages:

Resistant to almost any aggressive environment.
Possibility of tinting.
Easy to apply, anyone can easily handle it.
Elasticity.
Sufficient viscosity, which makes this mastic universal.
Affordable and economical.
Resistant to insolation.
Excellent waterproofing properties, making roof repairs reliable and durable.
Durability.
Seamless. The presence of seams and joints is the biggest problem of any roof.
Particular tensile strength, especially for bitumen mastics with rubber in the composition.
Stability and uniformity of application.
The ability to repair roofs of any shape and design, even the most complex.
Fire resistance. Bitumen mastic can withstand fairly high temperatures.

And the most valuable property of bitumen mastic as a repair material is that it stretches and contracts without any consequences. After all, every second crack on the roof is subject to expansion (due to the reasons for which it arose), and conventional repair compounds without the necessary elasticity simply break. At the same time, bitumen mastic completely takes on the deformation load and copes with it perfectly.

But to ensure that all these qualities are not lost, buy only good quality mastic from a trusted manufacturer. Otherwise, the result is quite difficult to predict, and any new leaks, while you patch them up again, will have time to cause a lot of problems. Therefore, the main thing is that the bitumen mastic that you plan to use for roof repairs is produced in accordance with all GOST standards. And this means:

Uniformity of composition.
Easy to apply to the area being repaired.
Heat resistance not lower than 70°.
No emissions harmful to human health.
Excellent adhesive ability.
Waterproof and bioresistant.

Thus, the most famous domestic manufacturers of bitumen mastics are “Grida”, “TechnoNIKOL” and “RusMonolit”. Butyl rubber “Polikrov M-140”, bitumen-latex “Blem-20”, chlorosulfopolyethylene “Polikrov-L” and such as Elamast, Venta-U, Gekopren and Blem-20.

Fixing a leak in the roof from inside the garage

If the roof is leaking at the junction with the walls, a crack has formed in it, and there is access from the inside, you can try to solve the problem in three ways:

A crack up to 1 centimeter wide after drying is blown out with foam.
A wider crack requires sealing with cement mortar.
For metal roofs, welding is used.

The first two methods are suitable for concrete garages. For soft materials, only foam is used, but it is better to treat the leak from the outside.

Restoration of soft roof

After the rain stops, go upstairs and continue your search. Places of suspected leaks should be marked by placing, for example, a brick on them. Now we need to wait for sunny weather and start repairs. At the ready you need to have several scraps of glassine and roofing felt, a tape measure, a knife, a brush and, finally, several cans of bitumen mastic. Minor repair technology:

Cut the coating crosswise with a knife at the leakage site. Please specify the size depending on the situation.
Bend the corners and coat the inside of the cut with mastic.
Cut a square patch from glassine paper, place it under the edges of the cutout and, by smoothing it, glue it to the base. The patch should be measured a few centimeters larger than the cutout to ensure the required overlap.
Coat the bent petals and glue them like an envelope to the applied patch.
Glue an additional roofing felt patch on top so as to cover the cutout by at least 10 cm on one side.

Features of repairs in winter

Winter time is not very suitable for any outdoor work. If you need to repair a crack in the cold season, then the bitumen mixture is replaced with cold mastic. When performing work, be sure to thoroughly clean the crack, remove any remaining old mastic, and dry the surface with a hairdryer.

The work is carried out locally, as for soft material - with patches. The material on the mastic must be pressed very tightly to the surface. The greater the effort, the higher the likelihood of successfully eliminating the leak. If the leak returns after rain, it means that the coating is so damaged that it needs to be completely replaced.

How to ensure that your next roof repair is not needed soon

There are no special rules or recommendations in this case. The main thing you must remember is that for repairs you need to use truly high-quality materials that will not deteriorate a couple of years after installation, but will last a long time.

You should also follow the stages of installation of certain structures, since if the repair technology is violated, the strength and integrity of the roof can quickly become unusable, which will make the repair useless.

If you are new to the repair business, then it is recommended to seek help from a more experienced technician who will make sure that you do not make mistakes and follow the sequence of actions correctly.

Winter repairs, as well as repairs in rainy weather, are also not recommended for beginners - they first need to master the basic things regarding roof repair, and only after that can they begin more complex work in adverse conditions.

Determining the location of damage

Traces of damage to the integrity of the coating do not always appear during periods of active snow melting and rainfall. Although the ceiling, the cladding of the attic, and damp rafters that are wet due to liquid precipitation are reasonably considered to be one hundred percent indicators. It happens that atmospheric moisture that has penetrated under the coating first “cruises” along the waterproofing for some time, and then seeps into a crack that finally meets on its way. According to popular wisdom, water will always find a “hole” for itself, and is even capable of “sharpening a stone.” How can a wooden rafter system, lathing and mineral wool insulation be used to combat its impact?

For the sake of long-term service of the roof, inspections must be carried out regularly 4 times a year. They are needed for the timely identification of existing and emerging breakthroughs, which sooner or later will definitely make themselves felt. To ensure that the consequences of small punctures, cracks, and potentially dangerous swellings do not take on an emergency nature, the roof is inspected each time in two stages, these are:

Studying the condition of the roofing structure from the attic with a thorough check of wet spots and the degree of damage to system parts.
Inspection of the roof covering from the outside with a detailed inspection of defects and inspection of areas of possible water penetration.

It should be taken into account that wet spots identified from the attic do not always coincide with existing holes found on the outside of the roof. The causes and consequences of leaks are practically combined or are closest to each other on flat roofs. This is not typical for pitched structures: in reality, water penetrates higher than it leaves its destructive traces. The researcher of his own stingrays must certainly remember this circumstance.

Softly stele. Replacement of roll covering

On wooden sheathing

Corrugated sheeting is not bare “tin”!

By doing your own garage roof repair, you can save half the cost while gaining some construction skills that may be useful in the future.

Restoration of an old roof

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NnRL6uXNxgw

If, when studying the condition of the roof, you see that the soft roof of the garage is very worn out, you will have to start restoring it. How to determine that the material needs to be changed? You will see the following signs:

cracks on the entire surface;
local swelling of the material;
multiple holes in the roof.

Soft roofing wears out under the influence of precipitation and ultraviolet radiation. Temperature changes have a negative impact. It is better to carry out the restoration process at the very beginning, when there is no need to change the sheathing yet.

Repairing a garage roof would not be complete without bitumen mastic. It perfectly waterproofs the surface, filling the smallest cracks. The mastic must be warmed up before application. Filling the roof with mastic will not require large financial investments from you; the cost of repairing a garage roof is affordable.

When working with a blowtorch and heated resin, you must follow safety precautions. Once you have poured the bitumen on the roof, add a layer of sand on top. This will additionally protect the surface from sunlight and it will last longer.

Buy materials for a soft garage roof in advance. The stores have products from domestic manufacturers, their prices are affordable. It is best to purchase weld-on materials for soft roofing. This is a modern coating consisting of several layers. It reliably protects the garage box from moisture and lasts a very long time. You can do everything yourself; replacing the coating is quite simple. If you decide to repair the roof yourself, you will need a gas burner.

Place the rolled material so that there are no bubbles on the surface. Ruberoid is laid on heated mastic. The easiest way to work is with an assistant: one person pours the bitumen, and the second rolls out the roofing material and carefully presses it to the surface. Bitumen should be poured in a strip so that it is slightly wider than the material.

The strips are laid with a slight overlap; they should overlap each other by at least 20 cm. When you lay the material, leave it for at least 12 hours. During this time, the mastic will dry out. After this, you can start laying the 2nd layer of carpet. In this case, lay the roofing material so that the sheets are offset. The joints should not be located next to each other; this is the only way to guarantee a high degree of waterproofing of the roof.

Pay attention to the number of layers of material. If it is soft, the garage needs to be covered, constructing a cake of several layers

Their number depends on the type of roof the garage box has. If it is flat, then you need to make 5 layers of roofing felt. If the roof slope is less than 15 degrees, lay 4 layers. If the roof has a slope of 45 degrees or more, then 2 layers of material are sufficient. With an average slope, make 3 layers.

The lower layers adjacent to the base are made of roofing felt or roofing felt covered with fine-grained chips. For external coating, it is better to purchase materials that have a coarse-grained coating. They will reliably protect the surface of the box from environmental influences.