Concrete Hatches, Drains and Building Accessories: Guide

Some small pieces never make it onto the cover drawings, yet they decide whether a building ages well: the access to a flat roof, the spout that throws water away from the facade, the mount that holds solar panels without touching the waterproofing, or the base a post stands on. All of them can be solved with precast concrete, which is bedded in mortar like any other finishing piece and does not depend on metal sheets that rust. In this guide we go through Vetonek's concrete building accessories (hatches, water spout, scupper, wind screen, solar mount and column base) with the dimensions given in their data sheets and the criteria for choosing.

Concrete hatches for roof openings

A precast hatch solves the opening or access point of a roof or flat roof with a single solid piece of white concrete, designed for outdoor use. There are three models:

• Sotés hatch: elongated format in two lengths: 50 × 20 cm (34 kg) and 96 × 20 cm (120 kg).
• Medrano hatch: square access cover, 50 × 50 × 20 cm.
• Entrena hatch: the same square 50 × 50 × 20 cm format, but in a heavier version (54 kg), for openings where more stability against wind is wanted.

Before ordering, check the clear opening and remember that the piece must sit along its whole perimeter on a continuous bed of mortar. If the hatch will be walked on or loaded, or if the opening is part of a slab or a roof with special requirements, consult the project technician: the data sheets do not state a load class.

Water spout and scupper: getting water out where it is a problem

These are two different solutions to the same problem, standing water. The Ventosa Water Spout is a white concrete spout with a 30 cm projection that passes through the parapet and throws water clear of the facade. It is made in three sections (6 × 10, 8 × 10 and 10 × 12 cm) to suit the flow to be drained, and the data sheet suggests it for roof and terrace drains, weep outlets in retaining walls and balcony drainage. The manufacturer's tip: fit it with a slight fall outwards and seal the junction with the bituminous membrane.

The Hornillos Scupper is a 7 × 20 × 30 cm piece (8 kg) that channels water at paving edges, on flat roofs, walls and parapets, and also works as linear drainage in courtyards. It is laid at 5 pieces per linear metre, bedded in mortar, with a fall towards the outlet, and the joints between pieces are sealed so the water does not escape too early.

Wind screen: privacy without a solid wall

The Lardero Wind Screen is a white concrete piece measuring 6 × 15 × 70 cm (12.2 kg) that stacks into a contemporary breeze block screen: it cuts wind and views but lets air and light through. It allows three ways of laying (side, front and linear) with different patterns from the same piece, and the data sheet recommends it for plot boundaries, terrace and penthouse dividers, openwork copings on low walls and courtyards that need to block the wind. Decide the layout before setting out, because it changes the rhythm of the joints and the number of finishing pieces; in strong-wind areas the data sheet advises reinforcing the intermediate posts, which is best agreed with the technician. For more concrete screen options see our guide to concrete breeze block screens, and for block walls, the one on exposed concrete blocks.

Concrete solar mount for flat roofs

Drilling through a waterproofed flat roof to fix panels is asking for leaks. The Galilea Solar Mount is a 75 kg ballasted concrete mount that holds the photovoltaic structure by gravity on a flat roof, without puncturing the bituminous membrane. The range includes centre and end clamps for profiles of 3 to 3.5 cm and an extension kit to enlarge the installation. Important: how many mounts you need and how the ballast is distributed depend on the installation design (wind zone, building height and panel tilt), so they must be defined by the technician or installer, not by eye.

Base for posts and columns

A post that rises straight from the ground looks unfinished, and if it is made of timber it suffers from ground moisture. The Sojuela Base is a solid decorative concrete piece for the foot of posts and columns on porches and pergolas, in two sizes (26 × 18 × 28 cm, 29 kg, and 32 × 25 × 30 cm, 54 kg) and two finishes: smooth white and Oregon wood effect, matching the concrete corbels. It suits indoor and outdoor use, and if it carries a timber post it is advisable to put a waterproof sheet or an anchor plate between the wood and the concrete. If columns interest you, see the guide to decorative concrete columns.

How to choose and install these pieces

• Measure the opening or the bearing surface before choosing a format: hatches and bases come in fixed sizes.
• Allow for the weight: the 96 cm Sotés hatch weighs 120 kg, so it needs lifting equipment or two people, and pieces such as the Entrena (54 kg) are best moved by two.
• Bed in mortar on continuous support and watch the falls on water spouts and scuppers.
• Seal the junctions with the roof waterproofing.
• Loads, traffic, wind and structure: the data sheets give no load classes; if in doubt, consult the project technician.

Frequently asked questions

What sizes are Vetonek's concrete hatches?

The Sotés hatch measures 50 × 20 cm or 96 × 20 cm, and the Medrano and Entrena hatches are square, 50 × 50 × 20 cm. All are made of white precast concrete and intended for outdoor use.

How do you fit a concrete water spout in a parapet?

It is bedded in mortar through the parapet with a slight fall outwards, and the junction is sealed with the bituminous membrane. The Ventosa Water Spout projects 30 cm so the water falls clear of the facade.

What is the difference between a water spout and a scupper?

A water spout is a spout that passes through the parapet and throws water away from the wall, while a scupper is a piece that channels water at paving edges, on flat roofs and on parapets. Both are bedded in mortar with a fall towards the outlet.

Can solar panels be installed on a flat roof without drilling?

Yes, the Galilea Solar Mount is a 75 kg ballasted mount that works by gravity and does not puncture the waterproofing. The number of mounts and the ballast distribution are set by the installation design.

How much do these pieces weigh and how are they handled?

Weights vary a lot: the water spout weighs 2 to 6 kg depending on section, the scupper 8 kg, the 96 cm Sotés hatch 120 kg and the base between 29 and 54 kg. For heavy pieces allow for lifting equipment or several people.

Find all these pieces in the precast concrete collection and the hatches in stairs and hatches. For the outside of the house, see our guide to concrete garden decor and the one on retaining walls (where water spouts can also serve as weep outlets).