Would You Like a Green Roof?

[digitS']

These things have caught the attention of some folks with outbuildings that are fairly flat. I was looking at the construction of a green roof several years ago on a chicken coop.

People with more building knowledge may want to correct me where I go wrong but here is a diagram of such a roof from an outfit in Australia:

The "waterproof membrane" is becoming familiar to all of us. The roofers put one on my deck roof several years ago. I guess, they can come in pre-cut sizes and seamlessly fit small structures. These membranes take the place of some of the composite roofing that is often put up on flat roofs.

The "Flo-Cell" is a product I didn't know about. As best as I can tell, it isn't uncommon. This is something that is used on the exterior of a basement wall. It allows the movement of water. How about that? You really don't want your green roof soggy . . . and heavy.

This sort of shows that the roof is concrete but I don't know how likely that is. This may be totally off-base but I have heard that green roofs may not be any heavier than those asphalt/gravel roofs on so many large buildings. The advantages of having a green roof, besides a roof-top garden, is the insulation it provides against cold and heat.

Steve

 

[majorcatfish]

that would make you the hippest homeowner in town, only one draw back...
more area to mow,fertilize,weed and water during the summer....

honey i saw some dandelions on the roof, would you be a sport get the ladder and go up there and pull them.

 

[so lucky]

that would make you the hippest homeowner in town, only one draw back...
more area to mow,fertilize,weed at water during the summer....

honey i saw some dandelions on the roof, would you be a sport get the ladder and go up there and pull them.

Or you could just toss a sheep up there to trim the grass for you.

 

[digitS']

Oh! I just realized that I didn't say anything about "geotextiles."

Those are just landscape fabrics. We have all walked on them. Often they are under bark or gravel.

Major', I could put a weedblock on the top, cover with pea gravel . . . . . :/. I seem to have spent a lot of $$ and worked my way back to a non-green roof.

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

Waterproof membrane aren't just for small structures, I had one put over whole roof when I redid mine.

 

[majorcatfish]

epdm roofing<rubber membrane> is great as long as you install it correctly. it should last 30 years depending your application.

 

[Nyboy]

Was going for my last roof, will outlast me.

 

[thistlebloom]

I've seen pictures of green roofs planted with succulents. They need no special care, little soil, and survive with rain only.

 

[digitS']

I was going on about green walls back in May. Looks Smarter than a Box of Rocks (link)

This same Australian company sells a product that may well have been used in the picture of the wall in that thread:

It really still does look to me like a stack of milk crates but we can see them here, without the growing media and plants.

Something like this can provide exterior siding, if we want to think of it like that. Of course, the wall of the building would have to be protected from the water needed by the plants.

Steve