Roofing trades

[edit] What different roofing trades are there ?

The roofing trade is broad ranging, roofer is a general term to describe any worker or tradesman involved in the construction, covering or repair of a roof, from the simple to the complex, here is a list of trades that might be be associated with roofing or roofers.

[edit] Roof framer

A roof framer or framer, might be described simply as framer, is normally a carpenter or joiner who is responsible for building the structural elements of a traditional, often pitched roof. Historically in timber frame buildings the roof structure may have been part of the whole building structure for example in green wood or green oak frame buildings and therefore likely to be carried out by green wood framers, traditional woodworkers that use green rather than seasoned wood. Solid or cavity wall buildings where the main structure of the building is most likely to be brick or block, will normally have a timber frame roof structure, often made from seasoned white wood effectively sitting on the lower structure which might be built by a roof framer.

[edit] Roof tiler

A roof tiler is a craftsperson who's main task is to cover the roof structure with over lapping (and often interlocking tiles), usually a cold roof (but not always). The roofing timbers may first have a layer of sarking board, installed by the tiler or the framer, this may either be simple timber sheets used to improve the racking strength of the roof structure or sheets with some insulative value to also create a warm roof construction. If further insulation is needed this may be laid on top first and then covered with a membrane to create a water tight layer, traditionally this was a bituminous felt, though today it is often a breathable membrane but may still be referred to as sarking membrane. The tiller or roofer then lay battens in strips on top of the and finally the heavy weight clay or concrete tiles.

[edit] Roof slater

A roof slater is a craftsperson, similar to a tiler who works with slate instead of tiles. Slate is a shale-type sedimentary rock that splits easily into thin layers and thus very suitable for roofing. Slaters normally carry a number of traditional tools and sometimes prepare, carve and shape the natural slate material to the roofing elements required, differing somewhat from tiling in that the tiles are made to set dimensions and shapes. A zax is the name given to a slaters hammer, it has a blade on one side, to trim or cut slates and a sharp point to create nail holes, it is used together with a slater’s anvil, a slater's hammer, a slate ripper and a slate guillotine.

[edit] Roof shingler

A shingler is a craftsperson, who works with singles, which are normally fine cuttings of wood, laid in a similar way to slates, the the word may also be used to describe the laying of other materials including slate (in US English). Traditionally a shingler lays square thin cuttings of oak or larch as well as western red cedar and robinia, cuttings with a smooth face are generally called singles, whilst those cut by hand, split naturally have a grainy face are generally called shakes.

[edit] Roof thatcher

A thatcher is a traditional craft of layering straw, water reed, rush, or sometimes heather on a roof to create a cover. It is an extremely skilled profession, involving tying the material into bundles, that are layered, the lower the layer the densier the to form a roof

[edit] Roofing lead worker

Lead roofs have been around for many years, traditionally used on monumental buildings such as churches, castles etc Today lead replacement alloy products exist which reduce the risks of lead poisoning but in the correct circumstances lead continues to be used on certain historic buildings. The trade of a soft metal worker for roofing solution, lead or lead replacement continues to be a specialised and skilled craft, it is also often a component part of other roofing solutions such as slate and tile in the form of flasings.

[edit] Metalwork roofer

Metalwork roofer covers a variety of roofing solutions and may also refer to lead workers, particularly copper metal workers because both are traditional soft metal roofing materials with a similar skill set. Other types of metal roofs include the use of aluminium, zinc, galvanised (zinc coated), galvalume (includes aluminium, and silicone) and weathering steel (also called by its trade name Corten) and tin (though today rarely used). Many of these solutions are today partially prefabricated solutions that require cutting to size, laying and joining (sometimes called zipping) to create a seal.

[edit] Flat roofer

Flat roofs require different roofing technology to pitched roofs due to the requirements on water tightness, whilst many were created using hot tars, this is today less common and replaced by EPDM, thermoplastics, chemical fluids and PVC. Flat roofers may also be called single ply roofers by the nature of the trade, which focuses on laying a waterproof single layer of material, pitched roofs tend not to need to be as watertight as the rain runs off the surface depending on the gradient or pitch.

[edit] Hot tar roofer

A hot tar roof is a type of flat roof made up of layers of heated roofing tar and roofing felt, as well as other materials and finished with gravel. It is less common today because as of the hazards relating to its applications, due to the high temperatures required and the strong odours during and after application. It is often replaced with metal roofing, EPDM roofing, thermoplastics, chemical roofing fluids and PVC.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Battens.
• Ceiling tiles.
• Ceramic tiles.
• Domestic roofs.
• Flashing.
• Flat roof defects.
• Metal profile cladding.
• Metal roofing.
• Nails - a brief history.
• Photocatalytic tiles.
• Pitched roof.
• Roof coverings.
• Roof insulation.
• Roof slates.
• Roof tiles
• Roofing defects.
• Shingle roofing.
• Thatch roofing.
• Tiles.
• Tile roofing
• Types of nails.
• Types of roof
• Types of roof.
• Weatherboarding.