Parapet designs for house in Nigeria
If you are considering building a new house or renovating your old one, you should definitely think about getting a parapet roof. Don’t know what it is? Do not worry, we will tell you all about it and discuss the latest parapet designs in Nigeria. This article contains some great parapet roof design pictures that can inspire you to change up your own house.
What is a parapet?
So what exactly is a parapet? It is a part of a roof, an extension of the walls, if you may, that surrounds the perimeter of the roof in order to make the use of the roof space safer and more convenient. Parapets are mostly used with flat roofs and can be both an aesthetic and a safety choice.
Parapets can be as tall or short as you want. The shortest ones are there to give the building a finished look and keep the stuff that might be collected on the roof from blowing all over the place. At the same time, some parapets can be as tall as a person, thus turning a roof into an open space hangout spot.
Why do you need a parapet roof?
There are two reasons why you might want (or need) to have a parapet roof:
- Safety. If you have a lot of stuff going on on your roof (cables, satellite dishes, etc.), you might want to make sure it is safe to get up there. The fault of flat roofs is that sometimes it is easy to not notice the edge and fall off. If you do not want that to happen, have at least a tiny little parapet to protect yourself and potential workers.
- Utilising space. If you want to turn your roof into a liveable extension of your house, you can just use tall parapets. That way, you can make it into a lounge zone or a greenhouse. Add some railings so that you can lean on them and look over your neighbourhood.
Now that you know all there is to know about parapet roofs, it is time to talk about the house parapet designs.
Classic types of parapet roof
READ ALSO: 5 beautiful house designs in Nigeria
As you might have guessed, parapets has been existing since the olden days. As a matter of fact, they often had a practical application on the roofs of castles, as soldiers could use them for cover during battle.
Traditionally, there have been four types of parapets:
- Plain parapet;
- Embattled parapet;
- Panelled parapet;
- Perforated parapet.
Plain parapet does not really need much explanation. It is just your regular wall extension. It has been around for ages, and its main concern is safety and not aesthetics. Many people choose plain parapets as they are simple and low maintenance.
Embattled parapets were mostly used for castles as a means of additional castle defence. Their main feature is the alternating low and high parts, which are both practical and visually pleasing. These days, you will not see many of these around, but if you want to be unique, or if you enjoy the style choices from the middle ages, then definitely consider this option.
Panelled parapet is the parapet design that you get when you add a bit of flare to a plain parapet. The main difference between the two is that the panelled parapets feature decorative panels on the outside that make them so much more appealing. They were a hit in Gothic architecture, but many people go for the panelled parapet even today.
And last, but not least is the perforated parapet. Similar to the plain parapet, it is also just an extension of the wall, but it is filled with openings and holes that make it more artistic. There are so many ways you can go with it, from symmetrical even-sized holes to an abstract array of shapes. Either way, it will be a great addition to your roof.
However, there are quite a few more options for you out there these days. Check them out!
Modern parapet designs
If all you want from your roof is for it to be a place where the satellite dish is, then you can just get yourself a short plain parapet and have no worries. And you do not need parapet images for that, do you? Plain parapets are pretty self-explanatory.
However, if you want to see what else you can do to your parapet roof these days, check out these parapet roof pictures and get inspired!
Today, in addition to the three types we have talked about before, there are a few more types of parapets out there. For example, one of the coolest trends (in our opinion) is the glass parapet. It does not only look cool, but it also provides enough protection to safely lean on it to look over the horizon.
Another nice parapet design is a parapet with metal railing. Just like the glass one, it is both practical and visually pleasing, especially if it suits the overall design of the house.
Perforated parapets seem to be all the rage these days. There are so many variations that they can make your head spin!
Many designers choose to go for several different parapet designs at once. For example, one can combine the perforated parapet with railings and get the parapet you can see above.
Others adorn plain parapets with railings, which is also a very smart and interesting decision.
All in all, you can choose whichever parapet you like, depending on the design of your house, you budget or even your whimsy. Consider the examples we have given you and make your own decision!
READ ALSO: Duplex designs in Nigeria: Photos
Source: Legit.ng
