Give your house a cool and
traditional roof
| Terracotta tile for roofing continues to have takers, though it is
more for ornamental purpose now, observes M. Soundariya Preetha |
• Consider factors such as climate, region, type of structure, desired
aesthetics, new construction or re-roof.
• Protect your investment: a tile roof is only as good as its installation.
• Look for a contractor with tile roof installation experience.
• Evaluate lifecycle costs when selecting a roofing product.
(Source: www.tileroofing.org)
— Photos: M. Balaji
This house at T.S. Puram in Tirupur is more than 80 years
old. With over 3,000 sq.ft. of built up area, the wide-spread structure stands
out among the tall concrete rooftops in the neighbourhood as one with a
terracotta tile roofing. Major renovation works for the roof was done just once
or twice in all these years, say its owners.
Yet, sighting such houses is turning out to be rare now. Terracotta tiles are
used more as cladding on concrete roofs. The use is more for ornamental and
elevation purposes, points out G. Srinivasan, chairman of the Builders’
Association of India, Coimbatore Centre.
Visit some of the old streets in any city and it will be common to see rows
of houses with red-tiled roofs. Even huge individual houses used terracotta
tiles for roofing, supported with teak or seasoned country wood.
Although the roof is often the last thing people decide upon when building or
renovating, it should be one of the first. The roof can occupy even 40 per cent
of the house’s exterior. A good roof not only contributes to the overall look
of the house, but also protects the occupants from extreme weather conditions.
With various options now available for roofing, tiled houses have become a
high-end concept since it involves a lot of wood or steel for support. In the
case of wood too, the rafters need seasoned ones, points out Mr. Srinivasan.
Rare sight: With various options now available for roofing, tiled houses have
become a high-end concept since it involves a lot of wood or steel for support.
Terracotta tiles are the traditional roofing option, and when used as two
layers have good insulation properties. They can be used for any type of house
but demand maintenance.
M. Bhuvanasundar, chairman of the Coimbatore Chapter of the Indian Institute
of Architects, says that terracotta tiles for actual roofing are used even now
with steel pipes in petrol bunks and some commercial establishments. They are
also used in the case of resorts, cottages and farm houses. Terracotta tiles are
imported from Sri Lanka and are available in the domestic market, he says.
In the case of houses, he opines that the view that the terracotta tile roof
needs regular innovation and is “semi-permanent” can be a reason why not
many people prefer to go in for terracotta tiles for actual roofing. Also the
flexibility of use when it comes to multi-storeyed buildings can be another
reason, he says.
However, the uses of terracotta tiles are many: apart from actual roofing and
ornamental purposes, the waste tiles can be used in filler slabs too.
Well, what needs to be done by those who go in for just terracotta tiles for
roofing? Usually the roof has two layers of tiles. They need regular
maintenance.
At least once a year the roof needs to be checked for leakages, dust
collection in the rafters and the wood needs to be guarded against weathering
and termite attacks.
While constructing, the roof needs to be given a good slope and should be at
a good height, in the case of use of tiles.
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
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Canopies can crash when
overloaded
| Sunshades in some instances are not being used for the original
purpose for which they are meant. |
Sunshades could be the least dramatic things to write about,
but when there is a news report in the city pages that a child died because of a
sunshade collapse, we tend to sit up and look around for potential dangers. And
there are many, if one were to look at things with the unusual eyes of suspicion
that only accountants are famed for.
Before launching onto the exercise, we need to be clear about the meaning of
sunshade. Dictionary defines the word as something, such as an awning that is
used as a protection from the sun’s rays; a canopy made of canvas to shelter
people or things from rain or sun. Awning is a roof-like structure, often made
of canvas or plastic that serves as a shelter, as over a storefront, window,
door, or deck. We see sunshades as projections above windows and doors. In
otherwise nice buildings, sunshades are often the neglected and abused areas.
A common use of sunshade is to place a frightening pumpkin on top to ward off
evil spirits. Nature-lovers look upon sunshades as a patch of rare surface to
immediately fill with pots, even if it meant that whenever they watered these
pots, water would drain off down below, trickling on heads of passers-by, and
making them curse under their breath. I’d rather suggest they count their
blessings because it is only water and not the pots that fell on their heads.
For those habituated to throwing trash through windows, sunshades become the
suspended garbage heaps with anything from cigarette butts to used latex.
“Sunshade is provided to protect rooms from slashing of rainwater
inside,” explains Mr C.H.Gopinatha Rao, my architect friend. “It is a
cantilevered member.” Means what, I ask. “A beam which is built in and held
down by weight or otherwise securely fixed at one end and hangs freely at the
other end. This corresponds to the old bracket of masonry or cast iron or
timber. The normal projection is two feet. More the projection better is the
protection, however the room will get less light.” So, there is a trade-off
between shade and light. I ask Mr Rao why in many places sunshades seem to age
faster than the building. “A common mistake committed by masons is to use only
three-fourths jelly or broken mosaic chips, which results in steel bars coming
down. Then, the cantilever collapses.” Never overload the sunshade, is his
advice. So, instead of brickwork for facia of sunshade, use chicken-mesh; avoid
mortar because it may fall apart and cause injury. Sunshades are supposed to be
safe shades too. So, if you see sunshades that accommodate heavy split AC units,
or where somebody has constructed an extended room on what was meant to be a
simple sunshade, remember not to throw safety to the winds by seeking shelter
under such shades.
D. MURALI
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
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Material that stretches your
imagination
| This relatively fragile but exquisite material, ubiquitously known as
membrane structures, allows fabrication of fantastic rooflines. |
In vogue now: Membrane structures are catching the attention of
builders.
The only limit is your imagination, and perhaps the budget.
This high tensile, permanent, polyester-based fabric structure can be stretched
along fantastic curves as roofs, which you couldn’t imagine doing with
reinforced concrete or even steel.
A material that has been in the Western and the Middle-East markets for about
30 years, membrane structures are now beginning to catch the attention of Indian
builders.
Because of the unique shapes they can be drawn into, membrane structures add
a touch of class and a distinct identity to space.
On the flip side, they are very expensive and are permanent only in the sense
that they will generally last for about five to 20 years, depending on the
fabric quality you choose. But some types of membrane structures such as the
teflon based ones are very tough and can last much longer. There are also
fire-resistant membrane fabrics available.
The chief charm of this building fabric is the ambience it creates in space.
With strategic lighting, they can be washed with different light sources to
create spectacular colour effects. On the other hand, you can use their
translucency to let in muted light into space.
As roofing material over the swimming pool, they cut down the glare without
cutting out the wind and the light. They can also be used as roofs shading the
entrance paths of bungalows, as roofing material for car parks, walkways and
sitting areas in parks in a condominium, etc.
Membrane structures are also available in colour, and as readymade products
like poolside umbrellas.
Wind velocity
Held in place by a frame of steel, membrane structures are supported by
cables and masts.
The warp and weft of the fabric can take stress and the fabric is sturdy to
the extent that it can stand the impact of wind, rain or even snow, and will not
tear unless a knife is driven into it on purpose.
Erecting membrane structure roofs involves a high degree of design and
calculations. You need to take into account the wind velocity, the climate of
the area, etc, and the curves should not be such that they allow water to puddle
up on it. They can also be designed as retractable structures which can be
opened and closed.
Membrane structures come in different fabric bases such as nylon, polyester
and glass based structures, with each type serving a different purpose and
suited to a different context. They also come with a variety of coatings such as
PVF, PVDF, acrylic and lacquers.
It is extremely important to read the fine print when opting for membrane
structures. For instance, the HDP fabric type will keep out the glare of the sun
but not the rain. It is a self-cleaning fabric in the sense that it is dust
resistant (if you opt for the ones with a ply vinyl diethylene (PVDF) coating)
and can be hosed down with water. Definitely on the expensive side, the cost of
erecting these roofs works out to Rs.800 to Rs.1,100 per square foot, and the
Teflon-based structures are even more expensive.
This is because it involves not just the material cost and the process of
erecting it, but also the massive effort that goes into its design to ensure
that the structure withstands the stress involved.
HEMA VIJAY
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
