A leaking roof terrace can lead to moisture and damage to the building below. Therefore, leaks here must be repaired as quickly as possible. You can find out how to do this below.

Before the new bitumen sheets can be laid, the old ones have to be removed

Why is the roof terrace leaking?

The first thing to do is determine where the problem lies: is the floor covering leaking or are there perhaps cracks in the wall? Are all drains working properly or is the water not draining and is it stagnating in certain places? If so, it is important to fix the problem before installing the new flooring.
The second step is to remove the old floor covering. Unfortunately, there is no real alternative to renovating a leaky roof terrace without removing the old covering. The coating must be removed in order to be able to identify and repair any major damage. Also, bitumen cannot be glued onto existing bitumen. Instead, they must be completely renewed. Therefore, waterproofing the roof terrace is a very expensive affair.

How much does it cost to have a roof terrace sealed?

If you hire a professional to do the sealing, you should expect at least €40 per square meter. If insulation has to be renewed as well, costs of up to €100 per square meter can arise. Now you might think you can save by doing the caulking yourself. This does not necessarily have to be the case, since you have to bear the costs for disposal and the procurement of tools such as the burner yourself. However, you can carry out some partial work yourself.

Sealing leaking roof terraces: step by step

1. Remove old floor covering

Remove tiles, floorboards or other flooring throughout the roof terrace. If this is still OK, loosen it with great care so that you can then reinstall it. The bitumen sheets are then removed. You can also do these steps yourself to save costs.

2. Repair damage

If the masonry is damaged or very wet, it must be dried and renovated. You should definitely leave that to a professional.

3. Lay new bitumen

The new bitumen sheets are now laid out on a clean, dry substrate and sealed with a burner.

4. Seal joints and edges

Joints and edges are sealed with liquid bitumen or other fillers.

5. Lay the terrace floor

Finally, the new or old terrace floor is laid.

Category:

Garden design