There are several advantages to greening your dreary garage roof. We'll show you the best way to do this.
In this country, flat roofs are mainly found on commercial buildings, old bungalows or typical prefabricated buildings from a bygone era. In the case of a home with a garden, it is primarily the garage and carport that have a flat roof. This is ideal for subsequent greening.
The roofs of garages and carports are usually not very pretty to look at. Seen from the ground level, this fact may not be particularly important, but from an elevated position on the first or second floor of a residential building, the view usually reveals an unsightly, gray area of roofing felt.
More and more owners are currently discovering this bare area, which is not really nice to look at, if not as a usable area, then at least as a decorative area with which a whole lot can be done. Depending on the load and condition of the vehicle parking space, a green area can be created that not only looks good, but also has a sensible, above all ecological benefit.
Green roofs have many advantages
Plant a bed on the roof of your shelter or let a wild meadow run free, then this has several advantages:
» Advantage no. 1 - urban climate is improved:
In small parts, greening contributes, for example, to improving the urban climate. Because plants are known to filter dust and pollutants from the air, and in doing so they also produce oxygen, which we humans and animals need to breathe. If every flat roof in a city were green, there would be no pollution from smog or fine dust in the air.
» Advantage No. 2 - Habitat for plants and animals is created:
On the other hand, you create a habitat for plants and small animals through the greening, which was once lost due to the foundation of your garage.
» Benefit 3 - Improved garage longevity:
A green roof also improves the longevity of your garage, as UV rays are absorbed and do not hit the building material directly.At the same time, the shelter heats up much less, even in the blazing sun.
» Advantage No. 4 - drainage systems are relieved:
Because an overgrown garage roof also absorbs water and allows it to evaporate again, you relieve the municipal drainage systems. For this reason, many communities also reward residents who choose green roofing with reduced wastewater fees.
Turn the roof into a garden - step by step instructions
If you have now decided to green your garage roof, then you should know the following: The type of greening is the same for every roof. It basically doesn't matter whether your garage is an old or new construction. It also doesn't matter whether there is a manual garage door or one with a garage door operator or whether it is a carport that is open on all sides.
Step 1:
First you have to thoroughly clean the roof surface.
Step 2:
When greening the garage roof, you now have to work your way forward layer by layer. Altogether you have to create 4 layers in this step.
- First layer:
First you have to lay out a protective film, which is used for sealing. Pond liner, which should protrude at the edges of the roof, is particularly useful here. - Second layer:
Now comes the drainage layer. This is important for the water supply of the plants and it also prevents the roots from getting through the bottom foil. - Third layer:
The third layer should consist of a filter fleece. This provides more support and also ensures the nutrient balance. - Fourth layer:
Finally comes the substrate layer, which consists of lawn soil and in which you can later place the plants. It is important to ensure that you pile up the layer at the edges of the roof or give the area a natural-looking border with pebbles.
Step 3:
Once the substrate layer has been laid, you can start with the green roof. Sow lawn seeds and plant different flowers. It is best to use easy-care and, above all, robust plants.
And then it's time to wait. After a few weeks and months, however, you will already have a thriving garage roof that is beautiful to look at and requires no regular maintenancerequired.
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