Your roof installation project involves more than just picking out pretty shingle colors. There are many moving parts when installing a new roofing system.
Such as choosing a roofing material that isn’t too heavy for your roof structure, installing the correct waterproof membrane for your roof as well as checking that your roofing deck is in working order.
Some of these terms may sound pretty foreign to you, but that’s why we’re here at EZ Roof & Construction to help guide you through the intricacies of the roofing process and help you make the best decisions for your roof.
What is Roof Decking?
When viewing a completed roofing system, the roof decking isn’t visible, but it is essentially the backbone of your entire roofing system. Your roof’s structure, which is made up of trusses and joists, is the skeleton of your roof and the roof deck is the material found in between these structures. The roof deck is the part of the roof on which all materials and components are placed.
It is often made from plywood or lumber for residential homes, and for commercial buildings, the roof deck is made up of steel, cement or concrete. Your roof deck, therefore, needs to be strong enough to withstand the weight of all these materials as well as external forces.
Why It’s Important To Have A Functional Roof Deck
Your roof deck supports your entire roofing system. Without it, you would simply have a roof structure with no shield protecting you from the external environment. Having a functional roofing deck is essential as it is your roofing system’s backbone.
A faulty roof deck can lead to an increase in roofing material loss, increase in leakages in your home, structural damage, your roof collapsing and ultimately damaging your home in the process.
Types of Roof Decking Materials
There are many roof decking materials available to you. The array of options allows you to compare them against one another, giving you the opportunity to make the best decision for your home.
Oriented Strand Board – Oriented strand board is by far the most commonly used material for building roof decks. They’re made up of interwoven wood strands that have been bonded together with adhesive. These boards are highly durable, affordable and readily available.
Plywood – Plywood is a trendy roof decking material that is easy to install, affordable and sturdy. Half-inch construction-grade plywood is used to create roof decking for your home.
Tongue and Groove – The tongue and groove decking is made using two-by-six boards that lock into one another. This type of roof decking is used for homes without a ceiling and serves as a great aesthetic feature.
Structural Concrete Decks – Concrete decking is cast or poured to create a smooth concrete finish. These decks have post-tensioned slabs with prestressed steel cables positioned along the roof’s structure before the concrete is poured. Concrete roof decks are highly durable and are often used when building commercial roofing systems.
For more information about roof decking or roofing in general, don’t hesitate to call EZ Roof & Construction.