Technology of laying sandwich panels on the roof. Unique coating: sandwich panel roofing. Installation sequence of sandwich panels

The technology for assembling various structures from sandwich panels, of course, has its own nuances depending on what exactly is being assembled (garage, hangar, factory floor or residential building), but in general, the procedure and principle of the work are approximately the same. This article will discuss the main stages of assembling such buildings, as well as some of their features.

Preparing the base

There are panels that do not require installation of a frame, that is, they are self-supporting elements. To install them, a foundation will be sufficient. In cases where sandwich panels are not self-supporting, foundation preparation will be required. As a rule, such a base is a metal frame. During its assembly, you need to take into account a number of nuances:

The foundation must be leveled horizontally, the maximum deviation should not exceed 3 mm;
The distance between the vertical and horizontal profiles must correspond to the dimensions of the panels with a margin of 5 cm on each side to allow for smooth joining of elements and installation of decorative screens;
When using wooden guides, they should be treated with antiseptic and fire-retardant compounds before installation to avoid further troubles.

Lifting panels

Delivery to the site is carried out by trucks in a so-called transport package, which is lifted to the height of installation work using special equipment - a vacuum lift (crane with suction cups). If this is not possible, you can use a traditional crane or a winch with textile ropes for these purposes.

In this case, you need to take a number of actions to prevent damage to the sandwich panels:

Only soft slings should be used;
Capturing the package directly with the slings themselves is unacceptable; special soft pads must be used;
To protect the panel lock elements from damage by slings, you need to use wooden spacer bars with a length of at least 120 cm, which should be evenly located in the upper and lower parts of the transport package;
Lifting panels directly from pallets is also prohibited; they must be removed from there and dragged onto a flat surface.

Assembly cutting and drilling

Cutting sandwich panels must be done strictly in a horizontal direction, and checking the horizontality of the cut lines is carried out with a building level (laser or water, but not bubble) on both sides.

Before cutting, you need to make sure that the lines drawn are correct, since the saying about seven times is very appropriate in this case. The metal needs to be cut first, the insulation second.

The tool you need to use is a band saw or circular saw with special attachments for cutting metal or an electric jigsaw.

The first two options are preferable, since when cutting with a jigsaw it is quite difficult to maintain a straight direction. It is better not to use an angle grinder (grinder), since even on the lowest-power device the speed is such that a high-temperature environment is formed at the cut site, and this can cause the insulation to ignite.

In addition, in the place where the grinder is exposed, the metal loses its resistance to corrosion. To drill holes for fastener elements, you need to use a conventional drill, remembering to remove chips from the surface of the elements while working. Panels covered with a shell of wood or polyvinyl chloride are cut with the same jigsaw or an ordinary handsaw with medium-sized teeth.

Installation of wall sandwich panels

In the process of assembling walls from sandwich panels, the primary task is to avoid distortions and inaccuracies at the joints. If necessary, the panels can be cut directly on site using reciprocating saws (this way, for example, door and window openings are created). Upon completion of the assembly of the walls, all joints must not only be filled with foam, but also covered with additional decorative elements, which at the same time perform a protective function, protecting these rather vulnerable places from the penetration of atmospheric moisture.

As practice shows, installation teams of several workers with light mobile cranes can assemble large wall areas in a fairly short period of time. However, when hiring such teams, you should remember that sandwich panel installers must have at their disposal not only special equipment, but also impressive experience.

Horizontal mounting option

1. Steel pole according to technical design;
2. Multilayer panel (60,80, 100);
3. Butt strip;
4. Connector for hot-rolled crossbar or cold-bent crossbar;
5. Connector (in increments of ~500 mm).

The horizontal method of assembling sandwich panels is used in cases where the gap between the frame columns of the structure does not exceed 6 meters. During the assembly process, the wall panels are placed on top of each other, and one of the ends is attached to the column.

The advantage of this method is that the tightness of the joints is ensured by the weight of the elements themselves, and a continuous layer of cladding is formed outside and inside, which does not require additional finishing and can, for example, be immediately painted with a finishing layer of façade paint or covered with wallpaper from the inside.

Vertical mounting option

1. Wall sandwich panel (60,80,100);
2. Trapezoidal profile according to the architectural design;
3. Roofing according to the architectural design;
4. Plank;
5. Plank;
6. Single-sided rivet aluminum - steel (in increments of ~ 300 mm);

polyurethane foam;
8. Shaped gasket for trapezoidal profile;
9. Drainage system according to industry project;
10. Individual elements.

1. Steel crossbar acc. tech. project;
2. Multilayer panel (60,80,100);
3. Connector for hot-rolled crossbar or cold-bent crossbar.

1. Steel crossbar acc. tech. project
2. Multilayer panel (60,80,100)
3. Connector t01 for hot-rolled crossbar or t02 for cold-bent crossbar
4. External corner strip WHO or B04
5. Internal corner strip B05
6. Single-sided rivet Al/Fe (in increments of ~ 300 mm)
7. Waterproof polyurethane gasket or
polyurethane foam

1. Multilayer panel (60,80, 100);
2. Plastic window produced by System Sp. z o.o.;
3. Low tide;
4. Tight rivet (in increments of ~300 mm);
5. Waterproof polyurethane gasket or polyurethane foam;
6. Compacting mass.

In the case when a low building is being constructed (from 3 to 6 m), it is advisable to use the vertical method of installing sandwich panels, which are attached only to the guide ceiling and floor profiles, while being rigidly fastened to each other.

The advantage of this connection method is that the resulting structure not only has good strength and stability, but also that it does not have so-called cold bridges and does not require additional insulation, which ultimately leads to cost savings. Also, the vertical installation method does not require the construction of scaffolding.

Installation of roof panels

The construction of the roof follows the assembly of wall sandwich panels, which is quite logical. If the length of the slope is less than 12 meters, it is better to use solid sheets, which will help reduce the amount of work. In particular, there will be no need to seal horizontal seams.

In the case when the roofing panels will be installed in several rows, the junction between them must be cut off. As a rule, the cut of the bottom skin and the filler layer of the panel that is installed on top is made to the size of the overlap. The overlap itself should be:

30 cm or more, if the angle of inclination of the roof slope is within 10°;
20 cm if the roof is more sloping.

It must be remembered that the most important thing when assembling roofing panels is to ensure tightness at the joints running in the longitudinal direction.

To achieve this, the grooves of the connecting locks are filled with silicone-based sealant right before installing the panels, and after assembly, the fastening units of the panels are treated with special moisture-resistant protective mixtures.

Fastening sandwich panels

A little higher in the article there was already a mention of some types of frames for structures made of sandwich panels, differing in the material of manufacture. Therefore, the fasteners for each of them will be different. Not only the load-bearing capacity of the frame and its service life, but also its appearance will depend on the correct selection of fastening material.

There are several rules that should be followed when attaching panels:

The installation location of the fastener should not be too close to the edge of the element, the minimum distance is 50 mm;
Any fastener must be installed strictly at right angles to the front surface of the sandwich panel being fixed, this directly affects the reliability of the connection;
When using self-tapping screws that have a sealing washer made of rubber, they must be tightened until they are in full contact with the working surface, but at the same time, severe deformation of the washer must be avoided, which over time will lead to loss of tightness of the connection.

Calculation of the amount of fastening material

Calculating the amount of fastening material is not an idle question; not only the speed of work will depend on its correctness (there should be no downtime in the work if there is a shortage of fasteners), but also the absence of overspending of funds (extra fasteners are absolutely not needed).

Therefore, such calculations should be made by an experienced designer. Below are tables that can be used to calculate the approximate amount of fasteners required.

Processing of sandwich panels

Any actions associated with the processing of sandwich panels directly depend on the material they are made of, as well as the material from which the load-bearing elements of the frame are made. Panels that become dirty during transportation cannot be washed using cleaning products containing acidic, abrasive and alkaline components.

An even cut for a reliable connection can be obtained using a circular saw. In places where the panels come into contact with concrete columns with a horizontal installation method, you need to use self-adhesive tape, which also acts as a sealing material. After completing the installation of walls and panels, it is recommended to cover them with some kind of protective compound, for example, ordinary enamel.

Features of installation and surface care

Summarizing the above, it is necessary to note a number of features of installation and care of this material. So, for example, before proceeding with the installation of walls, it is necessary to ensure reliable insulation of the lower sandwich panels from moisture penetration from the foundation of the building.

The first layer needs to be laid bitumen cardboard (roofing material), and on top of it - a layer of mineral wool. The width of such a “layer cake” should exceed the width of the panel wall by 10 mm on each side, and the mineral wool should be laid in such a way that it completely fills the grooves of the lower panels.

The protective coating on sandwich panels, which is applied during their production, is quite unstable, so special care should be taken during installation. After completion of construction, during the operation of the building, it is necessary to regularly inspect the surface of the panels, and if damage is detected, restore them using special repair dyes.

Dirt is easily removed with a medium-hard brush dipped in soapy water. The factory protective film must be removed immediately upon completion of installation work, but this should only be done in dry and cool weather.

Sandwich panel fastening drawing

Look at real drawings of fastening SIP panels (sandwich panels).

No matter how perfect the roofing material may be, most of the quality of the coating depends on the skill and experience of the specialists who lay the roof. Installation of roofing sandwich panels is no exception. And although from the outside the installation technology looks relatively simple, installing a sandwich requires very precise and careful work with the material. Sandwich panels, in fact, are a new generation of roofing material, and carelessness is not forgiven.

How to work with roofing sandwich panels

Structurally, a sandwich panel is a three-layer package in which the top layer is made of thin-sheet galvanized metal profiles, the middle is filled with foam plastic, but more often fiber thermal insulation, and the bottom base is metal, plastic or OSB board. For protective roof coverings, panels with very high elongations are made. There is no point in making sandwich panels wider than one meter, since installation becomes very inconvenient, and making them short is unprofitable - additional joints appear and the risk of leakage increases.

When installing sandwich panels, professionals strictly adhere to the following requirements:

You cannot lift roofing sandwich panels using a homemade device, in strong winds, or in packages of several pieces. Violation of any of these conditions usually results in damage to roof panels;
Cutting a metal sheet is done with scissors; non-metal can be cut with any tool; when cutting a fragment of a sandwich panel, the roofing package must be laid on a base made of a wooden block or foam plastic board;
To seal the longitudinal locks of the panels, only standard sealant and tools are used; any homemade mixtures and devices are not welcome;
To work and walk on the laid roof covering, use shoes with soft soles.

For your information! The surface of each sandwich panel is covered with a protective film; it is removed only after laying it on the roof.

Installation of the base for the roof covering

There is a temperature limitation in the use of silicone materials; the manufacturer of roofing silicone panels does not recommend installation if the air is colder than plus 4 o C. To install and fix the panels on the roofing base, long self-tapping screws are used, usually galvanized, less often made of stainless steel. Sandwich panels are lifted onto the roof using special devices, most often a vacuum or gripping type.

As a basis for laying sandwich panels, a steel structure is usually made from girder beams laid parallel to the ridge beam with a certain pitch. This distance must exactly correspond to the thickness and length of the sandwich panels; the transverse joints of the roofing panels should not hang in the air, and at least one run must pass under the central part of the “sandwich”. The minimum slope of the slope is recommended to be at least 6-7 o, if there are ventilation outlets or technological windows on the plane; the slope of the roofing sheet must be increased to 10 degrees.

Ideally, the roofing structure is planned so that the plane from the ridge to the eaves is covered with one continuous sandwich slab. The seams between the slabs on the ridge girder are closed with a special track. Thus, any moisture that gets on the roofing goes safely into the drainage system. If the slope is long, it is often necessary to either increase the size of the panel strip, or install it on the segment from the ridge to the eaves of two panels. The resulting transverse joints become a risk zone for all kinds of leaks of rain and melt water, but it is impossible to do without such joints.

Technology for installing roofing panels

Laying roofing requires quite serious knowledge and skills. We can say that it is almost impossible to carry out installation professionally, knowing the theoretical foundations of the process, without having real work skills. To be convinced of the obvious fact, it is enough to study the prices for work with sandwich panels of any construction organization. For example, the estimate for the installation of Mospromstroy sandwich panels for small areas, up to 1000 m 2, includes the cost of laying 250-260 rubles per square meter of roofing from sandwich panels 60 mm thick; for a square panel 220 mm thick, the cost increases to 380 rubles.

The procedure for laying and installing roofing material

The sequence of installation of panels on the roofing base of the roof comes down to several technological stages. Before starting work, it is mandatory to check the compliance of the structure of the roofing base on which it is intended to be installed with the dimensions of the sandwich panels. This must be done before installation and lifting of the first panel onto the roof.

Installation of panels begins from the corner of the first row, according to the diagram shown.

After laying the first two sandwich panels, the upper roofing sandwich is temporarily attached to the penultimate purlin, thereby hanging it so that under the influence of gravity it takes a strictly vertical position. Before installation, the position of the panel must be leveled to the building level. The sandwich panel, laid first in the bottom row, is also leveled and secured with self-tapping screws to the cornice and the outer purlin. After installation, it is necessary to make a transverse joint between two sandwich panels. The most common method used is to overlap two panels. To do this, follow the following procedure:

At the higher panel, which is adjacent to the ridge beam, at the future joint, part of the lower sheet is cut off to the extent of the overlap and the thermal insulation is removed. The result is a panel with a “visor”;
On the lower sandwich panel, the area of future overlap with the visor of the upper panel is freed from the protective film and covered with sealant;
Next, the installation is carried out with an overlap, self-tapping screws are screwed in first in the lower and then in the upper sandwich panel.

Important! After installation, the sealant should completely close the gap between the panels. Otherwise, the strength of the joint will not be sufficient to ensure tightness.

After joining the roofing panels in a vertical row, they proceed to joining the roofing covering in the longitudinal direction. The end surfaces of sandwich panels have ready-made Z-Lock connectors, so installation in the longitudinal direction is much easier. Before installation, it is enough to remove the protective film, fill the lock slot with sealant and join the plates.

Roofing sandwich panels are a modern roofing material that is used to quickly create roofs for residential and non-residential buildings. They are lightweight, have good thermal insulation and sound insulation properties.

The roofing sandwich consists of three layers: insulation and two layers of metal sheathing covering it on both sides. Metal sheets are usually made of galvanized steel, one of them is usually profiled with stiffeners; basalt wool or polystyrene foam is used as insulation. The panels are connected to each other with a lock, which allows you to create a tight joint that does not allow moisture to pass through. How are roofing sandwich panels installed?

Installation conditions

The roof slope angle must be at least 7 degrees, sometimes a slope of 5 degrees is acceptable. At a minimum angle, there should be no transverse joints on the roof surface. In this case, the internal lock must be sealed; for this, a non-hardening sealant such as silicone is used.

If the angle of inclination is more than 15 degrees, it is necessary to additionally install stops on the roof overhang to prevent the sandwich panels from sliding down.

Preparation for installation

Before installing roofing panels, preparatory work is carried out. These include:

checking the dimensions and slope of the roof,
checking the correct installation of crossbars and posts,
checking the planes of the purlins,
checking the perpendicularity of pillars and crossbars,
checking that the work on the plinth and waterproofing have been completed,
preparation of the necessary tools.

Attention! At the time of installation of roof panels, all welding work must be completed. This will prevent damage to the panels from sparks.

Sizing

Sandwich panels are sawed with fine-toothed saws. It is not recommended to use tools with grinder-type abrasive discs. Circular saws can be used, but only on stationary machines with precision cutting systems. In this case, the chips must be removed immediately so as not to damage the surface of the materials. Also, to better preserve the slabs when cutting, it is recommended to lay soft material, such as felt.

Metal profiles are also used for mounting panels. They are cut with metal scissors.

Installation

The sandwich panels are lifted using a crane. In this case, the following requirements must be observed:

do not lift more than one sandwich panel at a time,
to grip the material, use clamps with soft linings so as not to damage the slab,
if the slab is long (more than 8 m), then special devices are used to lift it - crossbars, to which the panel is suspended after 3-4 m. The panel is attached to the crossbars with mechanical grips or vacuum suction cups.

Connect the panels with self-tapping screws using a screwdriver. A construction screwdriver should have a power of 600-700 W, revolutions per minute - 1500-2000, torque - 600-700 N*cm. The self-tapping screws must be special roofing screws made of carbon steel, 12.5 cm long and 6.3 mm in diameter under the head. The self-tapping screws have an EPDM gasket that seals the screwing point. The number of fastening elements is calculated for each case, based on the type of sandwich panel, the characteristics of the object and the wind load.

Attention! The screws must be screwed in strictly perpendicular to the panel so that the gasket is not crushed, but is pressed tightly.

The installation technology includes the following rules.

The panels are laid in rows from the roof overhang to the ridge, that is, vertical; they cannot be laid in rows along the overhang.
The first slab forms the roof overhang, then when laying sandwich panels, the joint is filled with sealant, the next panels are laid with an overlap, and attached to both the already laid ones and to the sheathing.
Precise installation ensures good roof tightness, so the slabs must be laid, making sure that the protrusion on one fits into the groove on the other.
Workers must wear shoes with soft soles that cannot damage the roof surface.
A composition to protect against water is applied to the visible part of the insulation layer inside the slab. Only neutral compounds can be used as a sealant; acidic silicone cannot be used.
The film from the inside of the panel is removed immediately before installation, and from the outside - after installation.

After the panels are installed, the roof ridge is installed - the internal ridge strip is installed. The space between the plates is filled with polyurethane foam, after it hardens, a profile polyurethane gasket is installed. The joints are filled with insulation (mineral wool or other). A ridge strip is attached to the ridges of the panels. A polyurethane gasket on a self-adhesive base is installed on the top of the ridge. The final stage is installing the ridge strip using short connectors.

During installation, the following conditions must be met.

Installation is not carried out in winds exceeding 9 m/s, since this is a fairly light material.
If there is no artificial lighting at the site, work is carried out only during daylight hours.
The sandwich is not installed during rain and snow.
Compression of joints to seal them is done if the air temperature is not lower than +4 C.

Connections

The technology for making longitudinal and transverse joints of panels is different.

The transverse joint is made as follows. To form an overlap, part of the steel sheathing of the top plate from below and the insulation are cut off. Thus, only the top layer of the upper slab is applied to the bottom slab. The amount of overlap depends on the slope of the roof. For roofs with a slope of 5-10 degrees, an overlap of 30 cm is made, with a slope of 10-20 degrees - 20 cm. A sealant is applied to the upper profile. After this, the panel is attached to the frame and fastened to the already laid panel. Such a connection is shown in the figure.

The longitudinal joint is made through the joints in the locks. Before laying the panel, silicone sealant is placed in the lock.

Estimate for installation of sandwich panels

The estimate for installation of sandwich panels includes:

the cost of the materials, equipment, protective equipment,
costs for delivery of materials, equipment, salaries of installers,
work clothes and food for workers, as well as delivery of work clothes and food to the site,
costs associated with storing material.

The cost of installation work depends on the type of panels, the volume of work, the location of the object (the more difficult it is to get to it, the more expensive it is), the complexity of the work, and the cost of renting equipment.

Sandwich panels are a modern roofing material that is used, for example, in prefabricated buildings. It can be used to create a roof quickly, but installing the panels requires a crane and several workers.

Sergey Novozhilov is an expert on roofing materials with 9 years of practical experience in the field of engineering solutions in construction.

In the modern world of technology development, the industrial industry does not stand still. Heavy and toxic finishing materials are being replaced by completely new alternative finishing methods. Sandwich panels, combining lightness and strength, are in demand and very popular not only in residential but also in commercial construction. What is this material and how to install it?

Sandwich panels: material features

If you decide to reroof, then you will need to select and study many possible materials. It will also be necessary to take into account the features of the planned roof.

The selected material must have high strength characteristics and have the best technological performance. The service life of the roof and whether it will leak over time will depend on this. Sound insulation and thermal insulation are also important indicators when choosing materials for roofing work. All these qualities are inherent in sandwich roofing panels. They are lightweight in relation to the foundation of the building being constructed and have the best thermal insulation.

The top layer of the roofing sandwich panel is covered with a special film, which is removed before or immediately after installation.

Lay the material on a flat base to avoid its deformation.

Requirements for work

All installation work has preparatory stages. In this case they are:

Check the installation of the structure, checking it with the design, and eliminate any deficiencies found (if any).
Check the compliance of purlins, crossbars and other parts of the structure.
Check the levelness of the purlins on which the slabs will be fixed.
Prepare the necessary tools.

It is also important to consider that the installation of roofing with sandwich panels must occur according to the instructions and can be carried out under special conditions:

the wind speed should not be more than 9 m/s, since the material is light in weight;
during precipitation, no work is performed;
if there is no artificial lighting during work, then it is performed only during the daytime;
compression of longitudinal joints between roofing panels is carried out at a temperature not lower than +4ºС.

Having completed the preliminary work, you can proceed to the main part.

Installation sequence of sandwich panels

Sandwich panels for roofing have their own installation technology:

The panels are laid across the purlins, which are parallel to the cornice. The distance between runs should not be more than 2 m.
The slabs are installed on top of the heat-insulating layer. It is better to choose mineral wool as a heat insulator. Please note that if you choose this material, the work must be done in a respirator.
Laying of material begins from the bottom of the roof corner. The plates are installed in a vertical position and attached to the base with self-tapping screws. Make sure that the plate is not damaged.
A transverse joint is made. The sealant is applied to the overlap of the first slab. In the next one, trimming is done from the end, that is, the steel sheathing is cut off from the bottom of the top panel and the insulation is removed. Next, sealant is applied to the top skin, which is located at the bottom of the panel. Afterwards the panel is attached to the frame. And finally, the top panel is fixed to the bottom with self-tapping screws.
Then the mechanical longitudinal joints are fastened. This is done before installation. Silicone sealant is placed into the lock gap on the inside of the material. The work is done.

To ensure that this roofing material is installed correctly, PaneliGid invites you to watch a video of the installation of roofing sandwich panels

We follow the rules

The work performed will be effective and of high quality if the installation instructions for roofing sandwich panels are followed. And it includes the following rules:

panels are suitable for surfaces with a slope of no more than five degrees;
It is better to install roofing material from panels whose length is no more than 10 m, then it will be more convenient to lift them onto the roof and they will not be deformed in the future;
Roof panels are laid at a 5% slope. If the slope exceeds 15º, then additional installation of stops will be required, since the panels may slide down;
wear non-slip shoes during installation;
the panels must be lifted to the surface carefully, without damaging the joint locks and the surface of the panel;
in windy weather it is especially important to follow safety rules, since the lightness of the panels and their large length are dangerous;
the protective film can only be removed before installation;
waste after cutting the panels must be removed immediately so as not to disturb the protective layer of the surface.

All sandwich panels must be properly protected from external factors before starting installation work. Proper storage, transportation, installation, compliance with all instructions and technological processes for installing roofing sandwich panels is the main key to success. If all the rules are followed, your roof will last for decades.

Considering all of the above, we can conclude that the choice of roofing sandwich panels was made correctly and brings with it a number of advantages that you and your loved ones will like, and will also protect your home from bad weather at any time and will delight you for decades.

Stiffening ribs, two strong layers of metal and a thick layer of insulation - all these characteristics make sandwich panels a suitable material for roof construction. But in order for the unique coating to live up to expectations, it must be mounted strictly according to the instructions on the roof frame.

Features of sandwich panel roofing

A sandwich panel is a material in which the finishing roofing covering is combined with insulation. Due to the non-standard structure of building materials, the roof structure is assembled in a special way and becomes simpler.

Construction of a three-layer roof

The sandwich panel is created from three layers:

Top steel sheet with stiffening ribs, protected by a film of polymers and zinc, which protects the material from adverse natural phenomena.
The insulation in the middle, which can be mineral wool, polystyrene foam, basalt and glass fiber or polyurethane foam, is the best material, as proven by its high fire resistance.
The bottom steel sheet protects the thermal insulation layer from the effects of vapors rising from the house.

Polyurethane foam glue binds the layers of the sandwich panel together

Thanks to the unusual structure of sandwich panels, a roof made of this material can be constructed without a full-fledged rafter system. The load-bearing structure of the roof for three-layer slabs is simplified as much as possible: a ridge girder is laid between the gables, and beams are placed on the side walls, replacing the Mauerlat.

A rafter system for a roof made of sandwich panels is sometimes erected, but only for the purpose of obtaining insurance against unforeseen situations, just in case.

If the distance from the Mauerlat to the ridge is too large and the dimensions of the sandwich panels do not allow it to be covered, then several more purlins are added to the main elements of the base under the roofing material. You can’t do without them when the span reaches 4 m in length.

If the distance from the Mauerlat to the ridge exceeds 4 m, additional purlins are installed on the roof

At what intervals the additional purlins should be placed is decided based on the type of sandwich panels. For glued material, a step of support elements of 2 m is suitable, and for cassette material - no more than 3.5 m, since this coating is considered very rigid. Externally, these slabs are similar, but cassette sandwich panels weigh less and have a ventilated gap between the profile and the insulation.

It is not prohibited to narrow the interval between runs. As the distance between the base elements under the roofing material decreases, the load-bearing capacity of the roof increases.

Required tilt angle

Sandwich panels can be laid on roofs with an inclination angle of at least 7° . The only exceptions are roofs that are devoid of windows and openings for vertical structures (for example, pipes) and are covered with solid panels along the length. The material can be placed on them at an angle of 5°.

The choice of the degree of roof slope depends on the weather conditions in the construction area. If the main feature of the local climate is constant rain, then it is advisable to make the roof slope steep, that is, inclined at least 40°. A large angle will speed up the flow of water from the roof surface. And in regions where precipitation is extremely rare and the days are hot, it is more advisable to build a roof with a slope of 7 to 25°.

When constructing a steep roof slope, be prepared for the fact that you will need more materials than for constructing an almost flat roof.

Sandwich panels can be mounted on a roof inclined at least 7 degrees

If the minimum slope rule is ignored during the construction of a roof made of sandwich panels, this will bring nothing but trouble: a lot of water will accumulate on the roofing, which can quickly break the tightness of the seams. During frosts and thaws, with transformations into ice and back, water will begin to spoil the protective shell of the material and activate the processes of metal rusting.

A roof with a slope of 5°, unlike steeper roofs, does not require a large number of fasteners when laying sandwich panels on load-bearing beams made of wood, metal or reinforced concrete.

Advantages and disadvantages of sandwich panels

Among the advantages of sandwich panels as a material for roofing construction, the following stand out:

The disadvantages of sandwich panels include:

airtightness, due to which it makes sense to create forced supply and exhaust ventilation in the roof;
the presence of harmful substances emitted into the atmosphere when exposed to extreme heat. This property is inherent in only two types of insulation - polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene.

Installation of sandwich panels on the roof

Before installing sandwich panels on the roofing base, you should prepare special tools and read the instructions.

Required tools and materials

Since when building a roof from sandwich panels the material has to be cut and fastened, and the joints have to be sealed, you need to prepare special tools in advance.

It is best to cut three-layer panels using one of the following devices:

electric scissors;
saw with small tenons (for cold cutting);
machine with cutting disc.

Using a grinder with an abrasive wheel or a hot cutting machine when working with sandwich panels is taboo. Due to heating of the cutting area, the three-layer material will lose its shape and partially lose its protective shell, which will result in rusting of the coating.

Electric scissors quickly and without damaging the material cut sandwich panels

In addition to the cutting machine, during the installation of sandwich panels you will need:

mechanical or vacuum gripper to help transfer material;
long self-tapping screws made of steel (stainless or carbon) with a drill at the end and washers for them;
sealant made of synthetic rubber as a sealant for mounting holes;
an electric drill (or screwdriver) to tighten fasteners.

The length of the screws is affected by the thickness of the panel and the type of material on which it is fixed. The standard size of elements for fastening three-layer material is 12.5 mm.

Sheathing for sandwich panels

The basis for fastening a three-layer material can be a lathing of several types:

Table: advantages and disadvantages of lathing types for sandwich panels

Type of sheathing	pros	Minuses
Wooden	Low cost, harmless, low heat conductivity, easy to assemble	High risk of fire, possibility of damage by insects
Reinforced concrete	Insured against rust, low thermal conductivity, no need for significant insulation, reasonable price, strength, long service life	Huge weight
Metal	Lightweight and quick construction, versatility, shape constancy (does not shrink and therefore does not become cracked), increased strength, long-term operation	High cost (however, it is lower than that of a reinforced concrete structure), the need for treatment with an anti-rust agent (for example, paint), high thermal conductivity, which requires the use of a non-flammable heat insulator

The distance between the frame elements must be such that the panels can be fixed 5 cm from the edge, and there must be a support under the area where the plates join.

Installation process

Laying sandwich panels on the roof is carried out in stages:

The panel is transported to the roof by attaching vacuum suction cups to it. At the points where the lifting mechanism is attached to the surface of the material, the protective shell is removed.

To move sandwich panels, a special lifting mechanism is always used, for example, vacuum suction cups.
The first three-layer slab is secured with self-tapping screws to the overhang in the left corner of the roof slope. The fasteners are positioned strictly perpendicularly and tightened with a screwdriver without excessive pressure.

Sandwich panels may only be installed in the direction from the eaves to the ridge
The slab that will be laid above the first one has a piece of steel sheathing cut off from below. Its width should practically correspond to the overlap of the panels (see paragraph 4). The insulation layer under the removed metal must be removed. The protruding edge of the upper metal sheet of the sandwich panel is lubricated with sealant.
The second plate is fixed higher than the first. The panels are joined with an overlap of 30 cm when the roof slope is inclined to 10°, or 20 cm if the roof is built at an angle of 10–20°. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the intersection of the slab with the frame and the area where the two panels combine.

The junction of the two panels should be on the roof purlin
Having laid out the first row of material perpendicular to the ridge, install the second next to it. Before this, sealant is placed in the recesses of the locks from the inside. The connection of two rows of material is carried out using both grooves and fasteners, screwed into the areas of contact between the slabs and the sheathing.
Subsequent rows of sandwich panels are laid out according to the same pattern. After attaching the additional elements, all junction areas are sealed with sealant.

To connect the panels on the sides, self-tapping screws are used, which are screwed into the places where the material intersects with the sheathing.

Video: nuances of installing sandwich panels

Sandwich panel roof repair

Sandwich panel roofing should be inspected and maintained annually, making partial repairs and sealing joints.

Partial restoration

If damage to the protective shell of the roof covering is detected, cosmetic repairs should be made. Using paint to match the color of the material will help tidy up the top layer of sandwich panels.

To repair sandwich panels, it is preferable to choose acrylic enamel intended for metal and plastic surfaces.

Acrylic enamel for metal will help eliminate minor defects on roofing sandwich panels

When only a small area on the panel needs repair, paint is applied with a thin, soft brush. And if necessary, use a sprayer to paint the entire surface of the slab.

If the damage is deep, then it is recommended to apply the color emulsion in several layers.

Before applying the composition, carefully scrape off the rust from the material. If a deep scratch is noticed underneath, then the defective area is treated in turn with a primer, a rust converter and degreasing white spirit.

There is no need to paint more than necessary. Going beyond the damage can ruin the aesthetic appearance of the roof.

A deformed panel with a crack more than 5 mm wide cannot be repaired. It should be dismantled and replaced with another.

Having discovered that the seams between the sandwich panels have become depressurized, they also undertake repairs.

It is impossible to leave voids in the covering of three-layer panels: water will get into the opened seam, which will destroy the insulation.

All places through which water began to seep into the roof are coated with sealant

When restoring the tightness of the roof, you can use a sealant squeezed out from a special gun, but it is much easier to use an adhesive sealant, that is, a special double-sided tape.

When using liquid sealant, the panels will need to be dismantled, since the product is applied from the inside of the material.

I strongly recommend that you take care of the impenetrability of the roof using a cord made of foamed polyethylene. This device lasts more than 20 years, and costs a penny. The special cord will not fall out of the groove if the inner surface of the lock is pre-treated with “liquid tape” glue. Other sealants have significant disadvantages and are therefore not suitable for sealing sandwich panels. For example, polyurethane sealant, extruded from a gun, is sold at a high price, and butyl rubber cord is dependent on weather conditions: when laid in the cold, it becomes excessively rigid, and melts in the summer.

A detailed examination of the process of installing sandwich panels on the roof shows that even a novice builder can cope with this task. It is only important to learn how to properly join the slabs and lay the sealant.