If you want to exploit all possible uses on a large roof terrace, similar to a large room, you need a well thought-out furnishing concept for this roof terrace just like for the room. This follows a usage concept, and a large room should usually be used in a variety of ways. Therefore, in a large room, this furnishing concept includes first defining the various planned uses and then dividing the room into the various areas of use.
Table of Contents
The floor covering is the starting point
The floor covering that is applied first is very important for the effect of the roof terrace. A first demarcation of the different areas of use can already be made. You can opt for a continuous floor covering and provide an additional covering for the different areas of use, which is very well suited for the corresponding use. Or you can already accentuate the floor covering, e.g. B. by selecting different colors.
These outdoor floors are available to you as a covering for a roof terrace:
- concrete or artificial stone
- Many colors and designs
- relatively inexpensive due to industrial production
- can be installed quickly and easily
- wood
- Natural material with a warm look
- good quality long lasting
- easy to lay as planks or as wooden tiles
- natural stone
- Large selection, durable and long lasting
- classic look
- not very cheap
- requires some effort when laying
- outdoor tiles
- in many colors
- easy to clean
- looks modern and not too clinical when laid in different colors or patterns
- WPC (Wood Plastic Composite)
- Material composed of plastic and wood fibers
- looks similar to wood, but is more durable and easier to care for
- artificial grass
- Classic green artificial turf underlines the natural atmosphere on the roof terrace
- Colorful artificial turf enables a very unique design
When choosing the floor covering, the durability of the planned terrace use naturally plays a major role. Some floor coverings can be laid in such a way that they can be taken with you if you move out and laid on the next (roof) terrace, others can only be sold to the successor (which does not always work), others are intended from the outset for disposal when moving out.
Various areas of use through privacy screens
A roof terrace is usually used for sunbathing, relaxing and eating, possibly with guests. Accordingly, the roof terrace should now be divided into an area with sun loungers or loungers, an area with comfortable seating and an area with a dining table and chairs.
If you use the roof terrace for several people, we recommend separating these areas with a privacy screen in between. One family member can tan on the sun lounger and another can comfortably read a book in the seating area, or a coffee party can take place in one corner while the household chores are done in the other without the respective users disturbing each other.
This separation or the design of privacy protection is best done on a roof terrace with plants.
Suitable plants for the roof terrace
Usually, a roof terrace should be planted with as many plants as possible, so that a real “summer room” is created in which you can almost feel like you are outside in nature. However, not every plant is suitable for a roof terrace, but only plants that can withstand strong sunlight as well as biting frost, because you certainly don’t want to replant your roof terrace every season. You also need plants that reach some height if you want to use them for structure and privacy.
There are a few types of plants that are ideal for roof terraces in terms of growth habit and resistance: ornamental grasses, e.g. B., especially large-format ones such as bamboo or small trees in tubs. A wide variety of climbing plants can also be used very well on the roof terrace as wind and privacy protection.
Plant Selection
- Bamboo of the Fargesia genus: Fast-growing and hardy for us without any problems.
- Barberry, Berberis vulgaris: Vigorous and able to cope with any frost, its strong thorns can even offer protection against burglars on roof terraces that are accessible from the outside, but it sheds its leaves in winter.
- Ivy, Hedera: Different varieties like to climb, the common ivy Hedera helix is the only native root climber and is also evergreen.
- Yew, Taxus baccata: Almost indestructible native tree, evergreen and unproblematic hardy.
- Knotweed: Various species of the genera Polygonum, bird knotweed, and Fallopia, winged knotweed, green your roof terrace at different speeds, unimpressed by any cold or other rigors.
- Arborvitae, Thuja: Cypress-like growth form, forms opaque columns all year round, undemanding and easy to care for, especially in the Thuja occidentalis smaragd variety.
- Reed grass, Calamagrostis: Many species tolerate frost and some are evergreen.
- European beech, Fagus sylvatica: Brings a lot of decorative light green leaves to the roof terrace during the season, and also offers privacy towards the end of the season, as the leaves stay on the plant for a long time.
- Sedges, Carex: Grasses that have grown in many different varieties with quite different appearances, even in the harsh climate on the roof terrace.
- Wild clematis, available in around 25 different small-flowered, robust varieties that can cope with any cold or sun.
With the plants just mentioned, you can already create a basic green roof for the roof terrace that will last a long time, will never overwhelm you when it comes to care and can be designed for any growth form or privacy screen that you would like to see on your roof terrace.
Of course, the possibilities for using plants on the roof terrace do not end there. Once the basic vegetation is in place, things really get going, with lots of smaller plants that add accents. If you also want to create a planting that lasts more than just one season, you can use the hardy perennials. Among them there are many plants that are more than undemanding and absolutely frost hardy. Here are just a few examples:
- Balkan-Storchschnabel, Geranium macrorrhizum
- Dickman, Ysander
- Spotted Lungwort, Pulmonaria officinalis
- Haselwurz, Asarum europaeum
- Evergreen creeper, Euonymus fortunei
- Small-leaved periwinkle, Vinca minor
- Foam flower, Tiarella
- Waldsteinia, Carpet Golden Strawberry
Equipment of individual areas
If you have divided the roof terrace according to your planned use and have separated the individual areas by introducing privacy screens, these areas must of course still be equipped with furniture.
Depending on the overall size of the roof terrace, generously sized lounge furniture, outdoor sofas and daybeds, which are commercially available in many colors and shapes, are ideal. A roof terrace furnished with not-so-cheap lounge furniture specially designed for use on terraces can look extremely luxurious. Of course, you can also use all of the garden furniture to furnish your roof terrace. Again, there is spacious seating and large tables. All the furniture that is supposed to withstand being in the garden can also withstand the climate on the roof terrace.
However, if you are one of those people who are increasingly annoyed by the uniformly designed standard furniture, you can also furnish your roof terrace individually. For example, a lot of “granny furniture” has dimensions that today only seem appropriate on a large roof terrace. This furniture is mostly made of real wood. So maybe think about the roof terrace before you finally have grandma’s old furniture in the basement picked up by a disposal company.
The right accessories
Plant privacy screens will not provide as much density everywhere as you sometimes need. In any case, it only provides very limited protection against solar radiation from above. The plants therefore need support from other accessories, from parasols or awnings. Best in white. This somewhat reduces the heat effect of too much sun in summer. With this accessory you are also safe from surveillance from other roof terraces.
You should buy accessories that make work easier for watering on the roof terrace. Your airy plant area will only stay nice and green if you water it regularly and sufficiently. Carrying buckets will only sell you a substitute for the gym for one summer.
Many automatic watering systems are commercially available, even specifically for roof terraces. This immediately raises the question of what should be so special about an irrigation system that it is particularly suitable for irrigating a roof terrace. In any case, you should have looked at the system offered in operation before you undertake a complex installation. Many of these systems promise more than they deliver. If in doubt, simply get a hose with a syringe that is long enough to be connected to the nearest water tap.
Conclusion
Sitting in the middle of the countryside, with a wonderful view over half the city – it almost makes the gods jealous. However, a roof terrace only unfolds its full charm if it is designed correctly, which hopefully this article can help you with.
