Hello,
I would appreciate ideas and tips on the following:
We have a small canopy above the ground floor that forms a kind of basin (apparently this was the only feasible solution according to the builder). It is not closed on top but is an open basin with a bitumen membrane on the floor and an opening for water drainage. The dimensions of this empty space on the roof are about 3.50 x 1.50 x 80 cm (1.15 x 0.5 x 0.26 ft).
It is not officially usable as a balcony. Although plenty of people, including the site manager, have stood and jumped on it, the official documents do not permit this. A balcony in this location wouldn’t make much sense anyway, due to the view. Currently, this area can only be accessed through a standard window on the upper floor (which will later be a children’s room).
Question: What should we do with this space? How can we make it look nice? Our first idea was to create a green area by filling it with soil and planting a flower meadow on top. The problems would probably be a) the load (we are concerned the roof might become too heavy when the soil is wet), b) possible mold or other damage that might go unnoticed, and c) the complicated maintenance of the meadow.
So, a new idea: fill it entirely with foam or something similar, put a nice artificial grass carpet on top, and then create an area for decorative plant stakes—various metal or wooden sticks (the kind usually placed in flower beds as decoration) that would be long enough to be seen from the street standing below.
The only questions are whether the foam would be firm enough to hold the stakes, and whether it might absorb too much water and thereby hinder drainage.
What do you think? Maybe there are entirely different ideas as well...?
I would appreciate ideas and tips on the following:
We have a small canopy above the ground floor that forms a kind of basin (apparently this was the only feasible solution according to the builder). It is not closed on top but is an open basin with a bitumen membrane on the floor and an opening for water drainage. The dimensions of this empty space on the roof are about 3.50 x 1.50 x 80 cm (1.15 x 0.5 x 0.26 ft).
It is not officially usable as a balcony. Although plenty of people, including the site manager, have stood and jumped on it, the official documents do not permit this. A balcony in this location wouldn’t make much sense anyway, due to the view. Currently, this area can only be accessed through a standard window on the upper floor (which will later be a children’s room).
Question: What should we do with this space? How can we make it look nice? Our first idea was to create a green area by filling it with soil and planting a flower meadow on top. The problems would probably be a) the load (we are concerned the roof might become too heavy when the soil is wet), b) possible mold or other damage that might go unnoticed, and c) the complicated maintenance of the meadow.
So, a new idea: fill it entirely with foam or something similar, put a nice artificial grass carpet on top, and then create an area for decorative plant stakes—various metal or wooden sticks (the kind usually placed in flower beds as decoration) that would be long enough to be seen from the street standing below.
The only questions are whether the foam would be firm enough to hold the stakes, and whether it might absorb too much water and thereby hinder drainage.
What do you think? Maybe there are entirely different ideas as well...?
You plan the drainage for these flat roofs as needed [emoji2]
Wherever I place a flowerpot, there always remains a wet or damp spot underneath the pot and around its edge in humid weather. Eventually, sand settles there, and it becomes dirty.
The rest is a matter of personal taste for me. It might look different and amusing to have a few metal animals or colorful plastic pinwheels on stakes on the roof—but it’s worth considering whether that might seem silly.
However, there are people who can’t get enough of such decorations and even use a free roof space for them [emoji6]
From where do you get a constant view of this roof?
Wherever I place a flowerpot, there always remains a wet or damp spot underneath the pot and around its edge in humid weather. Eventually, sand settles there, and it becomes dirty.
The rest is a matter of personal taste for me. It might look different and amusing to have a few metal animals or colorful plastic pinwheels on stakes on the roof—but it’s worth considering whether that might seem silly.
However, there are people who can’t get enough of such decorations and even use a free roof space for them [emoji6]
From where do you get a constant view of this roof?
You can see it from the street, of course only if you look up a bit. In our house, the direct view would come from a future child’s bedroom (for a child that doesn’t exist yet…). It’s possible that neighbors are constantly looking through certain rooms, but that doesn’t really concern us.
We’re more the type “playful – different – silly,” yeah, maybe so :-D But of course, there’s no need to overdo it, especially when you put in the effort without it being worthwhile in the end…
We’re more the type “playful – different – silly,” yeah, maybe so :-D But of course, there’s no need to overdo it, especially when you put in the effort without it being worthwhile in the end…