Flat Roof Replacement in Walkinstown, Dublin 12

The finished flat roof in Walkinstown, with both roof windows re-kerbed and felted.

We completely replaced a flat roof on a home in Walkinstown, Dublin 12. The old roof was replaced with new timber and finished with torch-on felt, and the existing roof windows were kept and re-kerbed on new timber upstands, with torch-on felt dressed up and around them. It's the kind of domestic flat roof job our team does alongside roof repairs in Dublin across the city and county.

The problem

Flat roofs work hard in the Irish weather. Over the years felt can crack, blister or split, water can sit on the roof, and once water gets through, the timber deck underneath can go soft and rot. When that happens, patching the surface isn't enough and the roof needs to be replaced from the timber up.

What we did

• Stripped off the old flat roof.
• Built a new timber deck, boarded out in plywood.
• Kept the existing roof windows and re-kerbed them on new timber upstands.
• Fitted new timber battens along the edges of the deck.
• Prepared the surfaces with bitumen primer.
• Finished the roof with torch-on felt, with a grey mineral-finish cap sheet dressed up and around the roof windows and around the perimeter.

Rebuilding and re-felting flat roofs like this is part of our domestic flat roofing service.

Materials used

• Plywood boarding for the new deck
• New timber upstands (kerbs) for the existing roof windows, and timber edge battens
• Bitumen primer
• Torch-on felt with a grey mineral-finish cap sheet

The result

The roof now has a new timber deck and a continuous torch-on felt finish, with the felt dressed up the roof window upstands and around the perimeter. The existing roof windows sit on their new timber upstands, with the felt dressed up and around them.

Flat roof questions

How long does a torch-on felt flat roof last?

It depends on the felt system, how many layers were laid, the quality of the installation and how well the roof is looked after. Modern torch-on felt systems are commonly quoted as lasting somewhere around 15 to 25 years, and sometimes longer, but manufacturers' own figures vary from product to product. Keeping gutters and outlets clear, and having the roof checked if you notice ponding or damage, gives it the best chance of a long life.

Does the timber deck need replacing when a flat roof is replaced?

Not always. If the existing deck is dry and solid, it can sometimes be kept. If water has got in and the boards are soft, swollen or rotten, they need replacing, because new felt laid on a failing deck won't last. On this Walkinstown roof, the old roof was replaced with new timber before the felt went on.

Can I keep my existing roof windows when my flat roof is replaced?

Often, yes. If the roof windows are in good condition, they can be kept and re-kerbed on new timber upstands, with the felt dressed up and around them, as we did here. If the units are old, misted or leaking, it can make sense to replace them while the roof is open, and we'll tell you honestly which makes sense.

More from Dublin 12

We work across Walkinstown, Crumlin, Drimnagh and the rest of Dublin 12, with no call-out charge anywhere in County Dublin. See all the areas we cover.

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About Haven Roof Specialists

Haven Roof Specialists is a Dublin roofing company doing quick, efficient roofing jobs for homeowners across Dublin city and county.