Reed Roof: Device, Installation And Operation Features, How To Do It Yourself + Video

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Roof with history: do-it-yourself reed roof

In recent years, reed or thatched roofs have attracted great interest from both designers and private homeowners. And for good reason. After all, everything new is well forgotten old. For centuries, our ancestors did not even have doubts about how to cover the roof. Reed or straw. It wasn't even discussed. But even then, various roofing materials appeared, natural tiles, for example. But even she could not create that special microclimate in the house that a thatched roof provided. The now unjustly forgotten thatched roof is returning again.

Content

• 1 Reed roof: main features

  1.1 Video: my cozy house - thatched roof

• 2 DIY reed roof

  2.1 Video: ancient secrets of roof making

• 3 Reed roofing

  3.1 Video: laying eco-roof from reeds

• 4 Installation of a roof from reed slabs

  • 4.1 Video: reed mats

  • 4.2 Key points of installation

    • 4.2.1 Video: processing of finished reed roofing with fire retardants
    • 4.2.2 Video: harvesting and processing of roof reeds
    • 4.2.3 Video: harvesting reeds and fixing straw sheaves on the roof

  • 4.3 Reed roof: insulation

    4.3.1 Video: do-it-yourself house - reed insulation

• 5 Features of operation

• 6 Reed roof repair

  6.1 Video: installation of a reed roof - ridge device

• 7 Reviews
• 8 Video: laying a reed roof

Reed roof: main features

Let's make it clear right away: reed roofs and thatched roofs are practically the same thing. According to the properties of the material, according to the laying technology, according to the rules of operation and repair. The only difference is in the place of growth. Reed is a coastal aquatic plant, and straw is cereal stalks. Processed reed stalks, dried and prepared for laying, are often referred to as straw.

For a long time, the reed roofs were undeservedly forgotten. And completely in vain. Although in those distant times there were no such technologies for processing straw as today. Therefore, roofs made of untreated reed (straw) looked unpresentable and were considered the lot of the poor.

Much has changed now. The most successful people cover their mansions with straw or reeds without any inconvenience.

1. This is a non-standard approach to architecture. The skilfully laid thatched roof makes the structure stand out from the crowd, and at the same time meets the established roofing standards.

   

   A reed roof will last 50-60 years if the rules for the procurement of raw materials and installation conditions are observed

2. Used environmentally friendly natural material, which wealthy people appreciate and are ready to pay big money for it.
3. But the most valuable thing is the unusual aura that the thatched roof creates. A lot is mixed here - both legends of deep antiquity, and a marvelous fairy-tale design created thanks to the long flexible stems of reeds. And properties - the ability to maintain an optimal temperature inside buildings, regardless of the season.

Thatched roof significantly reduces the cost of air conditioning and heating. She does not need a ventilation and drainage system. Nevertheless, reed roofing is still expensive, and therefore belongs to the category of elite. A custom-made reed roof is about the same as a roof made of natural tiles, which, alas, is too expensive for most consumers. Is that to do the harvesting of reeds (straw) yourself. But more on that later.

So, to summarize, what is good about a thatched roof:

• it is an excellent sound, heat and water insulator;
• environmentally friendly material - the stems are cut very young, when they are not more than a year old, so they do not have time to "charge" with toxins;
• provides good natural ventilation;
• excellent dielectric, thanks to which the reed roof is protected from lightning strikes;
• improves the well-being of those living in the house - many know about reed therapy - while some modern building materials, even the best ones, reduce the human biofield - adobe, reeds, straw, on the contrary, increase;
• has an amazing moisture resistance - growing in a humid environment, the reeds have learned to resist moisture, which is why they do not let precipitation deeper than 3 cm;

• allows you to create an original extravagant coating;

  

  Using long flexible reed stalks create roofs of the most unusual shapes

• It is distinguished by enviable longevity - the reeds treated with antiseptics are resistant to mold and mildew, therefore a thatched roof can please the eye for 50 years without repair.

Let us separately mention one more, one might say, about a rare property of a reed roof - its ability to change color over the years. Only a copper roof is endowed with such a feature, which also belongs to the category of elite, but is inferior to a thatched roof in some parameters - it has a more complex structure, as well as more difficult and more expensive installation work. The reed roof initially has a golden color, which becomes deeper and darker over the years, and after decades, takes on a greenish-brown color, merging with the landscape.

Disadvantages of a reed roof:

• reed covering is suitable for pitched roofs with an angle of inclination of 35 ° and higher - technologies are now being developed that will probably allow its use for a small slope, but so far this is at the project stage;
• even after treatment with fire retardants, the possibility of fire remains;
• thatched roofs are a favorite habitat for birds, which can cause a lot of trouble.

Although the last statement is very controversial - the reed roof is still laid in a thick layer and the birds are unlikely to have a sufficient beak to peck it to the bottom. In addition, treatment with various antiseptics will scare away rather than attract birds. So they will not do much damage, but they can do something wrong. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the dense laying of the reed cover.

Reed roofs are widely equipped abroad. Why are there roofs, whole houses are already being erected from straw and reeds. In Russia, so far, little reed coverings are used - either they do not trust this material, or they know little about it. But since they started talking about reed roofs, it means that it's all about time. And while many developers still doubt it, some already enjoy such a roof and do not regret it at all.

Video: my cozy house is a thatched roof

DIY reed roof

Only high-quality raw materials can guarantee the durability of a reed roof, however, like a roof made of any other covering material. In Russia, there are about 30 types of reeds, but not all of them are suitable as roofing. The best roofing reeds are obtained from those plants that live on peat-boggy soils, covered with a layer of fresh water year-round.

Before harvesting, the area of reeds must be mowed, or even better burned, which will create favorable conditions for a high harvest in the future. Harvesting begins immediately after the first frost. Reeds are mowed over water at this time of the year. They use agricultural machinery, which greatly simplifies the collection of reeds.

But if you make a workpiece for yourself personally, then you can mow it by hand using a cutting tool - tarpan. This is a rather complicated and time consuming process. One person can mow and impose about 60 sheaves per day. How many such bundles are required depends on the area of the roof - residential buildings are covered in 3 layers, gazebos, verandas and so on in two. For each meter of the base, about 8-10 beams (sheaves) are used.

The reed for the roof should be:

• not older than 1 year;
• have a stem 1.5–2 m long and 5–8 mm thick;
• free of any external defects (spots, damage) and golden color.

The cut reeds are knitted in small bunches and left to dry.

The reeds are knitted into sheaves and left for several months to dry.

When the moisture content of the stems does not exceed 18%, the sheaves are collected in heaps with brushes upward and dried for several months. Then the panicles are cut off, leaves and other debris are removed, treated with special compounds and stacks are formed for subsequent stacking.

Video: old secrets of roof making

Reed roofing

The reed roof has a number of characteristic features:

• the rafter system for such a roof is usually made of wooden boards;
• lay the sheaves on solid OSB or chipboard boards, laid on top of the lathing of a square bar 50 x 50 mm (or rectangular 40 x 60 mm) with a step of 30–35 cm;
• straw is placed on a metal mesh overlapping the ridge and fixed with wire;
• install clamping strips and clamping, as well as stiffening ribs under OSB (chipboard);
• The ridge is equipped with tiles, but if desired, it is also made from sheaves of straw.

The reeds are placed on a perfectly flat surface. For this, OSB or chipboard boards are used.

Although there is nothing complicated in the roofing cake of a reed roof, and no special equipment is required for installation work, nevertheless, beginners should first try their hand at a small object. In order to acquire skills and subsequently competently mount the reed roof of a residential building.

Video: laying eco-roof from reeds

Installation of a roof from reed slabs

It is easier and faster to equip a reed roof, using ready-made reed mats for laying, not sheaves. Although experienced builders recommend using this technique exclusively for non-residential buildings - gazebos, pavilions, verandas, farm buildings, fences. They believe that the reliability of the roof, assembled from reed slabs, is less than covered with traditionally harvested stacks due to the reduction (pruning) of the length of the stems.

Ready-made reed slabs are used for house insulation, interior decoration and as a roof covering for small buildings

However, in both cases, the styling features must be observed:

• take into account the roof load - on average it is 35 kg / m²;
• the angle of inclination of the slopes is not lower than 35 °;
• although the reed roof, due to its natural qualities, provides sufficient ventilation, nevertheless, the laying of a vapor barrier in houses of permanent residence is desirable in order to avoid the harmful effects of condensation;
• lack of drainage provides for the creation of a drainage layer around the perimeter of the house;
• special arrangement of chimneys - the chimney must be longer than usual and well insulated.

Video: reed mats

Reed mats are indispensable for creating eco-style interiors. Due to their texture, they combine well with other finishing materials and create a special atmosphere in the house, filling the space with pristine energy.

Key points of installation

1. Prepare the base, which includes the assembly of the lathing with a step of at least 30 cm.
2. Strengthen the clamping (top of the slope) bar and clamping (bottom).
3. Lay a 19 mm chipboard or OSB board to level the surface.

4. A vapor barrier is mounted, followed by a metal mesh, on which reed stacks or slabs are placed. To do this, the sheaves are thrown up, pressed, untied, driven up the reeds, pressed again. Once again, they are adjusted and stitched with galvanized wire, or they are fastened with nails and screws.

   

   Each layer of reeds is leveled and tamped for compaction with special shovels-bits

5. The thickness of the reed cover at the cornice should be at least 25 cm, and at the ridge at least 22 cm. Increase the thickness gradually, checking the packing density, and knocking out each layer.

6. A ridge bundle is laid, wetting the straw to give the required shape.

   

   If you wish, you can make a ridge not from bundles of reeds, but from other additional roofing materials

7. Covering material is knocked out and leveled over the entire roof area with special blades-bits and the surface of the finished roof is treated with a flame retardant compound, protecting it from fire.

Scheme of correct laying and fastening with screws of reed bundles

Video: processing the finished reed roof with fire retardants

There are many technologies for laying reed roofs - Dutch, Polish, Danish, American. An open scheme, when bunches of straw serve as the ceiling of the lower room - it is more often used as a decorative element in hotels, bars - and closed (for residential buildings). There is no fundamental difference in the styling technique between them. And in appearance they are not much different. Unless you can make the roof completely smooth by cutting off the protruding stems or stylize it in antique style, giving the roof a disheveled look. But this already depends on the preferences of the developers.

The first row of stacked sheaves forms an eaves - the lower hanging edge of the roof. For the subsequent rows, an unbound reed is used, which is pressed with pulling bars and tied with willow or birch twigs or aluminum wire

To make a reed roof yourself, you need:

• properly prepare the reed;

• choose the method of fastening - wire stitching, the use of screws or nails with wire loops, stitching using constrictions (fastening with wire, stems, wood to the base);

  

  The distance from the batten to the fastening wire (Ø 5 mm) must be the same over the entire roof surface and be at least 10 cm

• stock up on antiseptics, fire retardants and temporary clamps, clothespins, with the help of which they not only fasten the bundles, but also control the depth of the layers;
• to carry out the installation of a reed roof, having previously trained, as mentioned above, on small architectural objects.

Video: harvesting and processing of reeds for the roof

Let's dwell on the fastening methods in more detail.

1. Wire firmware. This method is more used for fastening open structures, that is, when the roof is also the ceiling of the lower room. It requires two people to work. The master stitches the sheaves from the outside with a special needle threaded with a thin wire, and the assistant intercepts the needle from the inside, bends the wire around the beam and returns the needle to the master. However, it is permissible to work on your own with a certain skill. How to do this can be seen in the video below.
2. Firmware with screws. This is the easiest way of fastening, therefore it is used more often. The screws with the wire screwed to them are harvested in advance. The length of which is calculated so that it is sufficient to secure the sheaves to the beam or lathing. After screwing in the screws, wrap a wire around the clamping bar and then twist the wire until the desired fixation. The screw fixing process is also shown in the video below.
3. Stitching with nails. Also an easy and quick fastening method. It looks like a firmware with screws, but requires greater strength of the crate and the purchase of a considerable amount of special nails. To sew the sheaves near the cornice, nails 20 cm long are needed, for attaching the reeds to the middle of 25 cm, and from the middle to the ridge 30 cm. One end of the nails should be like a hook, to which the thinnest steel bar is attached.
4. Bundle firmware. It is rather a decorative way of fastening. It is used on the top layer to fix individual elements in order to emphasize some details. Wooden or metal strips, bamboo stems or pieces of reinforcement are used as constrictions.

Video: harvesting reeds and fixing straw sheaves on the roof

Reed roof: insulation

There is no need to insulate a reed roof. She is already an excellent heat insulator in itself. A 15 cm layer of reed is equivalent to 40 cm of brickwork in terms of thermal insulation. That is why reeds (sheaves or reed slabs) are widely used as a heater.

Advantages of reed insulation:

• warm, inexpensive and environmentally friendly;
• does not cake;
• moisture resistant material - dries quickly when wet and does not lose its qualities;
• unattractive to rodents;
• easy to handle and easy to install, thereby accelerating the pace of construction.

The reed is used to insulate the roof, floors and walls of the house, as well as wooden buildings

Video: do-it-yourself house - reed insulation

Features of operation

In order for a reed roof to serve for many years without losing its beautiful appearance and rarest qualities, you need proper care for it, which consists in the following:

1. Inspect the condition of the roofing 2 times a year and, if damaged stems are found, immediately replace them.
2. Renew the top roofing layer after 10-15 years and clean the reeds over the entire area.
3. Do not go to the roof without the need.
4. Treat with fire retardants every 2–3 years, since the initial impregnation gradually loses its properties due to rain.

The operating rules are simple, but replacing the top layer, of course, will require financial costs. But the roof of the reed, with proper care, will serve for decades and be inherited.

As for the monetary costs of maintaining a reed roof, then again everything is comparable. Any roof needs maintenance and timely repair. Moreover, if you made a roof of reeds yourself, starting from the preparation of the material and ending with its laying, then replacing the top layers will not cost you a penny.

Reed roof repair

With proper care of the reed roof and its strict arrangement, repairs, as a rule, will not take a long time. Perhaps only the elimination of current problems in a small area due to the use of low-quality, or prepared with violations of raw materials. This is revealed by visual periodic inspection. Rotten stems are changed to the full depth down to the base, otherwise there is a high probability of the spread of bacteria in depth and in breadth and then there will be little sense from the surface repair.

The reeds are periodically compacted. These are painstaking works, but they are rarely done and give the roof the beauty of fresh greenery. Often, shortened stems are used near the junctions, dormers, along the valleys and ridge ridge, and if the coating technology is violated, such places become problematic over time. Experienced roofers offer to initially make such units in a more practical way. Moreover, reed is a versatile material that will perfectly fit into any cladding configuration.

The ridge ridge, dormers, junctions and overhangs are made of other building materials; the reed roof only benefited from this - it became clearer and more expressive

Video: installation of a reed roof - ridge device

Repair work is best done at the beginning of summer, when the damaged areas are clearly visible and maintainable.

Reviews

Video: laying a reed roof

The reed is being reborn today. And if you want to have a beautiful, environmentally friendly, comfortable housing and a well-equipped local area, the reed will help - it will create a colorful landscape design and a unique exterior of the house.