Residential Roof Deck Construction

And considering how little it takes to make a roof habitable a deck up top may deliver the biggest bang for the buck in residential construction.

Residential roof deck construction.

The finished walking surface of the roof deck surface should be below the level of the interior floor by at least 1 1 2 inches. Building a deck over a flat roof is very similar to building a deck over a concrete patio. First you must make sure the roof is strong enough to support 55 lbs per square foot. Build the frame of the roof on the ground.

For a large deck where flat sleepers are too thin to taper you can use 2x4s or 2x6s set on edge. Frame up a box the size of the outer dimensions of your deck using 2 by 4 inch lumber. Fantastic residential roof decks. Then run joists connecting the front of your roof with the rear every two feet along the length of your roof.

These decks are often referred to as floating as they are not secured in place as a stand alone structure. The decking sits on 2x sleepers usually laid flat. The roof deck should be properly flashed with a highly durable material that is compatible with the deck material copper lead epdm etc where it adjoins the house. They are merely placed on top of another structure.