Green roof on shed/summerhouse

Latest Articles

Green roof on shed/summerhouse

Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects

Author

Message

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 12:01 pm Post subject: Green roof on shed/summerhouse

Can anyone point me to a DIY green roof guide for a shed?

We've got permission to put up a summerhouse in the corner of the garden and I'd like it to have a green roof. Looking online, there are loads of companies who want to sell me a sedum mat, but I was hoping to find info about actually home-engineering one and what side supports etc I should spec for.

I'm thinking an absolute maximum of 10 feet by 8 feet and I can get sleepers to act as a base to screw everything to; I was thinking I could use metaposts on top of them.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: Green roof on shed/summerhouse

Chez wrote:

...I was thinking I could use metaposts on top of them.

Is that like a post that's not really there but is suggested by the rest of the shed?

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 1:11 pm Post subject: Re: Green roof on shed/summerhouse

sean wrote:

Chez wrote:

...I was thinking I could use metaposts on top of them.

Is that like a post that's not really there but is suggested by the rest of the shed?

Oh God...getting all metaphysical on a Sunday...where will it all end ?!

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 2:37 pm Post subject:
Personally I don't think it's a good idea. All that extra weight, extra timber to support the weight, the potential for the shed to rot and maintenance. Plant some climbers instead. But if you insist here's a simple guide Liking steps 4 and 12.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 2:41 pm Post subject:
Yeah, I'm looking to price up the extra timber for it, OMB, I want to do it if it's a cost-effective thing, not just for the hell of it. Thanks, I will look at the links.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 3:46 pm Post subject:

That's only for a little shed - it looks really nice, is it yours?

I want to sort out an eight by ten structure of some kind, including a little veranda, to act as a spare room for guests and/or helpxers. As passing ideas go, I think that it will be easier for us to buy a small summerhouse, maybe second hand, and do it up, than faff around designing and building something strong enough to take a green roof from scratch. Despite the niceness of it all

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 4:44 pm Post subject:

No nothing to do with me.
I guess the principles would apply to a larger shed.
As I've said on previous shed threads - buying the timber costs almost as much as buying a ready made shed - tho you tend to get a sturdier shed if DIY'd.

Thinking about it - shed felt lasts 5-10 years, pond liner lasts 20(?) years, so maybe it could be less maintenance.

OTOH 8x10 roof = 2.4m x 3m x say 0.1m(4 inches) deep = 0.72cubic metres = 720kg if it was filled with water. I appreciate the water should drain away, but if the soil is saturated you could have half a ton on your roof.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 4:45 pm Post subject:
Yeah, it's doing it properly that's worrying me. Which will clearly make anyone who actually knows me IRL life die laughing ...

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 4:52 pm Post subject:
I'm not saying it can't be done, but yeah, it would need to be done properly.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45472
Location: yes

Posted: Sun May 11, 14 5:08 pm Post subject:
im for the light roof and climbers option having had what i thought enough sticks give way under a wet green roof a see through skin of say twin wall polycarbonate and climbers gives light,greenery and wont collapse when it rains

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts