Over Roof System - A Description

Over-roofing is a term generally used to describe the installation of a new external roof (normally a pitched) on an existing building.  It is comprised of a cladding system coupled with the primary structure which will support the new cladding as well as to facilitate any alteration to existing services which result from the new roof.  It is easy to incorporate a roof top extensions when doing over-roofing (whether as part of a major renovation or not), to create additional habitable space, providing of course that current structure can support the additional loads.

Over-roofing is the main alternative to a complete roof replacement and is carried out for a variety of reason (see below). Total replacement of the roof is almost always more expensive than over roofing, and will often lead to the building being out of use for an extended period.

“LSF” is ideal for over-roofing schemes, allowing for rapid construction and usually avoiding the need to strengthen or alter the existing building structure. Light steel components are ideally suited to use in both over-roofing and over cladding projects, as they are strong, light weight, durable, available in standard sizes, easily adaptable and recyclable. A variety of cladding materials and other finishes may be used in the construction of the new roof.

 

Reason for over-roofing of existing buildings:

	Creation of additional habitable space
	Overcome leakage problems in flat roofs
	Reduce heating costs
	Improve appearance of building
	Avoid disruption that is inevitable in the replacement of an existing roof.

 

The system comprises light weight steel trusses assembled from “LSF” profiles; these are available in a variety of sizes and thicknesses which allows a large range of flexibility in design and construction. Using “LSF” and over-roofing you can potentially achieve spans of greater than 40 meters.  The trusses or the over-roof structure is then “over clad” in a large range of alternative cladding materials. The Somundy Roofing System can easily be tailored to meet individual requirements, is fully planned and pre-engineered, ready for quick and easy site installation.

The main benefits of using light steel construction and components in over-roofing applications are listed below:

	The high strength to light weight ration of light steel means that the existing building is normally able to support additional load without modification.
	Long spans can be achieved between supports (particularly when constructed in truss form)
	New habitable roof space can be created at modest cost, and independent of the existing roof structure.
	The flexibility of the framing system means that it can be adapted to suit a wide range of building with different structural problems and complex layouts. Furthermore, interesting roof appearance can be created (for example the incorporation of hips, dormer and other features.)
	A wide variety of cladding materials finishes and colors can be applied to the steel structure to achieve the appearance required.

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