1.
2.
3.
4.
Owners of private houses and cottages often think about original options for arranging roof structures, for example, creating a roof garden. Every year, there are less and less free areas in cities for green spaces, which significantly affects the well-being of their residents. To solve these problems, many began to build such unusual structures, especially since the winter garden on the roof of the house is a very exciting activity. It will become not only a decorative design of the building, but also benefited its owner.
The purpose of the winter garden
The transparent roof also has a number of its features. The design must withstand a high level of snow and wind loads, be resistant to mechanical damage from precipitation, tree branches, so the best option would be to use tempered glass or triplex. Polycarbonate roofing equipment is allowed, but it has less strength, while the possibility of light scattering is much higher than that of the listed coatings.
The imagination of the owners of private houses is limitless. On the plots there are not only greenhouses, but also alpine slides, pools, ponds and waterfalls.
And it would be nice to build a greenhouse, some dream, so that in winter they can come and relax their souls, and in summer they can enjoy the view of a green oasis. Okay, sure, but there's no more room.
Everything is solved! After all, you can equip a winter garden on the roof of a private house.
How to equip a winter garden and not forget anything
In summer, the winter garden most often turns into an open greenhouse, but in winter it will need a canopy. These points also need to be considered. But first of all, you need to carefully study the project of the house. It indicates on what foundation the house stands, from what material, what thickness it is filled with.
Designing a winter garden is the first thing a homeowner should do and take into account all the nuances. After all, only the owner decides which plants, in what quantity, will be planted in the allotted area.
What should be paid attention to, what should be taken into account?
- Types of plants and their number.
Please note that the wind force on the top floor is several times greater than on the ground, so the standard height of the trees should be abandoned. But undersized or specially grown for such gardens are suitable.
- Garden area. Will it occupy the entire top floor or will the entrance to it be from the attic. Yes, this option increases the cost of construction, but you can get to the oasis directly from the room.
- Type of garden - extensive or intensive.
- Weight of plant care equipment.
- Roof waterproofing.
- Ventilation system in winter, drainage system.
- Irrigation and drainage system.
- Protective grilles and screens.
- Heating system.
- Canopy installed in winter. It will be made of glass or other materials.
Energy-saving lighting can be left in the garden at night
Advice. To reduce the load on the foundation, it is recommended to use a canopy not made of glass, but of polycarbonate.
With its low weight and excellent quality characteristics, such glazing will keep the temperature inside a few degrees higher than outside, and scatter the sun's rays.
If you want to do a lot in a private house with your own hands, then you can handle the polycarbonate canopy. Whereas a glass roof requires more complex and accurate work. Yes, glass is traditional and beautiful, and polycarbonate is a polymer, that is, a synthetic material. The choice is yours.
A house with a winter garden on the roof visually looks easy
Types of winter gardens
With all its diversity, winter gardens can be divided into two categories: extensive and intensive.
Extensive garden
This is precisely a garden, a greenhouse, the task of which is to produce oxygen and delight the eye with greenery. In such a garden you can’t walk around, you won’t receive guests, you won’t swim in the pool, you won’t walk among green spaces.
An example of an extensive garden
But it can be used as a greenhouse, grow interesting varieties of plants, exotic flowers. However, take a small area under the recreation area and enjoy the greenery and oxygen.
It is less expensive than intensive construction. The main thing is to think over the irrigation and drainage system. If the winters are cold, then heating should be taken care of.
intensive garden
This garden will appeal to active people. If the foundation allows, you can make a pool on the roof and surround it with plants.
In the intensive garden you can relax your soul
The main features of an intensive garden are paths, benches, and zoning. There are flower beds, lawns, a pond or a waterfall - everything that you usually find below. Look at the photo - what interesting ideas you can implement!
The construction of a winter garden of this type is more expensive. The exact cost is determined by the design project.
Important points when arranging a winter garden on the roof
How to build a winter garden on the roof? Leave it to the professionals or install the canopy according to the instructions (each product has it). And if you are interested, watch the video posted at the end of the article. We'll talk about its improvement.
- For security, a parapet is placed around the perimeter of the garden.
- Trees and plants in heavy tubs are placed along the outer edge, since these are the places that can withstand a lot of weight.
- When choosing plants, consider their warmth and light-loving. Bright sunlight is equally harmful to plants, as well as its absence. Consider dimming options.
- In winter, plants need fresh air - ventilation and opening windows are necessary.
- Plants need to be watered periodically. Waterproofing, drainage system, water drainage are some of the most important points.
- Equipment for heating, garden care should be moved to the edge of the garden to reduce the load on the roof.
- If there is a pool in the garden, a pond is an additional pressure. The floor and foundation need to be reinforced.
- The root system of plants grows. A system to limit such growth should be considered.
Everyone has an inherent desire to develop, plants reach for the sun, a person improves his knowledge and skills, and even buildings and structures do not stand aside. One of such directions for the development of a private house can be called the construction of a winter garden in a room attached to the main building.
However, if you are a thrifty owner and are not inclined to allocate a usable area for a winter garden, but would like to equip it, you can offer a non-standard solution - in the form of a superstructure above the house and further turning it into a full-fledged garden for winter use. The idea can be implemented not only on the roof or attic of the house, but also on the roof of the garage or summer kitchen.
Tempting idea? Let's evaluate its advantages.
Benefits of a rooftop winter garden
- the difference in weight between the house and the garden is leveled, in connection with which, there are different loads on the foundation;
- provides an opportunity to admire the stars without the light of electric lamps;
- eliminates the need to consider the cardinal direction. The desired lighting/shading is created by adjusting curtains, film, etc.;
- the issue of ventilation is eliminated - the garden, open on all sides, is easily ventilated even in calm weather;
- the house has a distinctive feature that distinguishes it from other buildings and gives its appearance individuality.
Convinced? Then we study the features of creating a winter garden on the roof of the house, in the attic or on the roof of the garage with our own hands.
Things to consider before building a winter garden:
- the possibility of arranging the necessary communications;
- foundation strength. As follows from GOSTs, the foundation must withstand a constant (weight of walls, ceilings, roofs) and a variable load (furniture, residents). The type and characteristics of the foundation can be viewed in the project documentation. If it is flooded with a margin and the house does not sag, this indicates that it is durable;
- the weight of the future structure and units of service systems (constant load), the approximate weight of the soil, plants and people (variable load);
If your foundation can withstand such a calculated load, you can safely get to work.
Construction of a winter garden on the roof of a house or over a garage
Stage 1 - foundation device
In this case, this step is omitted. On the other hand, a new one appears, cleaning up the future construction site, i.e. roofs from roofing material and everything that interferes with the construction process.
Stage 2 - assembling the frame of the winter garden
The frame can be made from a metal corner or a wooden beam. But it is better to use an aluminum profile or pipe. The main advantage of an aluminum profile and pipe is its low weight, no need for maintenance, the ability to paint it in any color.
All frame assembly work is best done on the ground. The process of manufacturing a frame structure includes several stages:
Cutting a profile (pipe) from metal into pieces of the desired length.
Assembly of blanks. As fasteners, you can use hardware or make a welding seam. The latter, more reliable, but requires the use of a special apparatus. The seam must be cleaned and treated with a primer. 
Connecting sections of the frame of the winter garden to each other. At this stage, everything that is necessary for the further installation of the frame on the roof of the house should be included in the lower elements of the sections - holes for fasteners, welded corners for fastening, etc. 
Each section of the structure must be primed and painted. Technical aspects of the winter garden above the house
Roof
The roof must necessarily have an angle of inclination to the outside of at least 30 °. Such a slope will provide a quick runoff of water, snow sliding, and also allows you to better "catch" the sun's rays. It is advisable to equip the roof with an anti-icing system so that the weight of the snow does not cause it to deform.
doors
Doors, or rather their availability and quantity, depends on your project. Most often, the entrance to the winter garden on the roof of the house is from the inside of the room. Therefore, it is more important to think over the stairs, railings. If the entrance will be carried out from the street, it is preferable to use sliding door systems.
Air vents
Their number should be sufficient to ensure constant air circulation. In general, the area recommended for vents and / or doors should be at least a quarter of the entire glazed surface. Take care of reliable hinges for window leaves and mosquito nets.
Stage 3 - glazing of the winter garden
Another difference between a winter garden on the roof and one attached to a house or a stand-alone one is that the coating (glazing) material must also be fixed on the ground. You can use scaffolding - but this is an additional cost item.
For glazing, glass or polycarbonate is most often used.
Glass Benefits
- constant degree of transparency (glass is not cloudier during its use), resistance to mechanical damage (in particular, to scratching).
Benefits of polycarbonate
- lightness, the ability to replace a separate sheet with your own hands, relatively low cost, good heat and sound insulation properties.
It is important that the selected material is covered with a film that reflects ultraviolet rays. Of course, they will not affect the growth of plants in any way, but they will make a long stay in the garden uncomfortable.
At the same time, the use of double-glazed windows with tempered glass is sufficient for the roof and walls. The presence of an energy-saving coating will reduce the cost of heating the garden (greenhouse). Important. The entire structure of the garden must be airtight in order to prevent heat loss and drafts. The first will negatively affect your budget, the second - on the growth of plants.
Stage 4 - installation of the structure of the winter garden on the roof
The material was prepared for the site www.site
Engineering communications of the winter garden (greenhouse) on the roof
Like any other winter garden, a rooftop garden needs various systems to make it more comfortable for plants and users.
Winter garden lighting
For the growth of plants, the light that they receive through the transparent material of the roof and walls is sufficient. However, for some species it is necessary to create additional lighting. The ideal option would be to use fitolamps, which allow plants to develop in conditions close to natural.
Winter garden ventilation
In our case, the task of ventilation is simplified, since natural ventilation is sufficient, which is provided by the required number of opening structural elements (windows, transoms).
Winter garden cooling
Air conditioning, installed on the ceiling, will provide a comfortable temperature for the stay of residents. Here it is important to pay attention to the fact that cold air flows do not fall on the plants.
Winter garden shading
Excess sunlight is just as harmful to plantings as its lack. As protection, internal shading can be offered - film on windows, blinds, roller blinds, roller blinds, etc. Note external shading, so practical in extensions, loses its advantages here.
Winter garden heating
The uniqueness of heating a rooftop conservatory is that it receives a significant amount of heat from the sun. This means that it only needs to be heated between November and March. When choosing a heating system - central or portable, you need to take into account the climate, the size and shape of the winter garden frame, as well as the type of material used for glazing. It is also necessary to install heating devices taking into account the specifics of the roof garden. That is, there is no need to install heating radiators, it is better to equip water heating in the floor, connected to the central water supply or install a warm floor. The installation process is shown in the photo. These are general principles, detailed instructions are attached to each underfloor heating system.
- Underfloor heating under tiles, laminate flooring or linoleum.
- The floor is warm under natural floorboards.
If you plan to use portable heaters, it is advisable to place them in the middle of the room, since the walls are able to accumulate heat.
Another feature of roof heating is the anti-icing system. It is a cable laid along the rafters and along the perimeter of the roof.
Drainage from the roof of the winter garden
In the attached winter gardens, the outflow of water is carried out through the drainage system. Here it is also necessary to equip a drainage system that will receive rain or melt water and divert it from the structure.
Watering the winter garden
For watering plants in the winter garden on the roof of the building, drip irrigation is used, but most often, there are not very many plants there, so an ordinary watering can is held in high esteem.
Humidification of the winter garden
If the garden area is large, you can make a small lake (reservoir, pool). Due to the fact that the room will heat up, the water will evaporate and create a humid environment. If the area is small, you can limit yourself to installing a fountain or use a mechanism that works like a solar collector. To make it, you need to take a metal cylinder, paint it black, fill it with water and install it in the most illuminated place. Using a flexible tube, a hydraulic mechanism must be attached to the cylinder to open the hatch. This mechanism, in turn, will be fixed to the flap (transom) in the glass roof. Heating up together with the room, the water in the cylinder will expand and the hydraulics will open the sash. Cooling down, the water will close the sash.
Arrangement of a winter garden on the roof
Of course, in this aspect it is difficult to follow any advice, since everyone has their own vision of an ideal and beautiful winter garden. However, keep the following tips in mind:
- zoning. Conventionally, there are four zones in each garden - a recreation area, an area intended for plants, a passage area and a location for communications, etc.;
- plant species. Different types of plants need different conditions for normal growth. This must be taken into account when choosing and combining them. In addition, there are heat-loving plantations, and there are frost-resistant ones. If you do not plan to maintain a constant temperature in the winter garden, give preference to the latter. It can be noted that one more requirement for plants, they must be quite hardy and unpretentious in care. So you can admire the garden with minimal maintenance;
- planting. Start gardening with tall plants. They are planted first, and medium-sized plants are already behind them. In addition, those that "draw" moisture from the air should be placed closer to the source of moisture - an installation or a fountain, while heat-loving ones - closer to heating. Also, heat-loving plants should be placed on the south side of the garden. Those who need a lot of sun - from the east. Fans of coolness and shade are best landed in the northern and western parts, respectively;
- flowering period. In order for flowering plants to always be present in the garden, you need to try to combine them in such a way that they bloom in turn;
- arrangement of a recreation area. If the winter garden is planned to be used as a rest room or an office, then the location of the table, chairs or armchairs should be determined.
Conclusion
We hope that, using our advice, you will be able to create a winter garden on the roof of a residential building or above a garage with your own hands and realize your dream of an ideal garden.
The rooftop garden is an insanely beautiful and original home decoration.
Of course, this cannot be done in a residential building, but if you create greenery on the roof in a private house or in the country, there will be no limit to the delight of the neighbors.
Making a roof garden is quite difficult, but possible.
The main thing is to have plants and of course desire.
Consider also the features of your roof. If you try very hard, you can plant plants on a pitched roof, but this is quite dangerous and risky.
It is better to choose a flat roof where you can relax and enjoy nature.
It is also important to take into account a strong foundation and a reliable roof roof.
Benefits of a rooftop garden
You can talk about the unusualness of this method for hours. Let's better discuss the significant benefits of a rooftop garden:
- increase in operating area (you can equip a place for a pleasant stay);
- reduction of air pollution and, accordingly, an increase in oxygen;
- keeps dust and harmful creatures away;
- a roof garden is able to reduce the heating of the roof in summer, and vice versa in winter - to keep it;
- soundproofing the house;
- absorbs precipitation;
- protects the roof from bad weather (rain, snow, sun);
- ennobles the house.
Among the shortcomings, one can single out constant care, the possibility of leakage (if the house is old or not made according to technology) and additional gutters.
Types of roof gardens
The roof garden can be:
- extensive;
- intense.
An extensive garden is a rooftop that you only visit to take care of the plants.
To create an extensive garden, soil from 5 to 15 centimeters is suitable.
Usually unpretentious plants are used that require little care and watering.
This roof garden is an evergreen carpet.
Due to the fact that not much soil is required, the weight of the garden is no more than 15 kilograms, so special strengthening of the foundation and roof is not required.
This is not difficult to do, so it's worth a try.
The intensive rooftop garden invites active relaxation and constant visitation.
There can be not only any plants, but also trees, so the roof and foundation must be very strong.
The soil of an intensive garden reaches 80 centimeters, plus drainage. Some manage to make another and or a fountain on the roof.
The load on the building, in this case, reaches 900 kg per 1 sq.m.
How to make a rooftop garden
It is required to divide the creation of the garden into several stages:
- installation work;
- soil laying;
- planting of plants.
Installation work to create a roof garden
We apply a cement-sand screed at 5 degrees to the drain. We process the screed with a mixture of bitumen with a solvent (primer).
We lay the vapor barrier film, bending over the entire vertical area to a level exceeding. We solder all the seams.
If you do not have strong thermal insulation, you can lay an additional layer of cement screed on top of the usual one.
We put a layer of waterproofing, which must be elastic and resistant to humus (reinforced bitumen-polymer membrane).
To separate and protect the waterproofing from damage, it is necessary to lay a layer of geotextile.
The last root protection layer is usually a polymer lining with moisture-retaining cells.
Roof Garden Soil Laying
It is necessary to lay the soil in layers, regardless of the type. It is recommended to lay out the layers in this order:
- pebbles or crushed stone (cover it with concrete slabs);
- drainage layer connected to the drainage system (gravel or crushed pumice);
- a filter layer of soil for a roof garden (made of geotextile);
- soil substrate (sand, expanded clay, soil, clay, peat).
Roof garden planting
Plants are selected frost-resistant. Can be used:
- herbaceous;
- ground cover;
- dwarf trees;
- coniferous;
- deciduous shrubs;
- bulbous;
Sedum, young, phlox, stonecrop, bluebells, meadow flowers, lavender and carnations are excellent.
Domestic ones are better suited, because those brought from afar may not adapt to your climate.
Roof garden maintenance
For watering plants, it is better to use a capillary system. If you planted plants in containers, then you can use several methods of watering:
- from a hose;
- plumbing;
- capillary method (through a tube).
It is better to moisten the soil of the roof garden in the morning or in the evening with a frequency of 2 times a week.
Do not forget to fertilize and feed the garden with mineral mixtures.
Also, do not forget about weeding and loosening 4-6 times a year.
Trees and shrubs need to be pruned regularly to keep them from growing to gigantic sizes.
For the winter, it is necessary to cover the rhizomes of conifers. This can be done with wire frames.
In winter, watch for the formation of snowdrifts. They need to be cleaned constantly.
Especially often it is necessary to monitor leaks and. Check every month if everything is in order.