Reed roofing - installation, advantages and disadvantages, requirements for maximum efficiency

A reed roof is equally old and new, traditional and modern. Although reed is a seemingly handy material that has been used since ancient times to cover houses, it is now a not-so-cheap material, used mainly by owners of old houses or those who want a house with a special look. Such houses can be found in selected areas of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France or England and their number is growing every year. The reed roof is no longer a remnant of the past. Houses, gazebos and even the umbrellas in exclusive seaside areas are covered with reeds. Let's find out more about the reed roof, especially as the aesthetic aspect is not its only advantage.

Covering houses with reeds

Covering houses with overlapping plants that prevent water penetration is a common method worldwide. From straw to palm fronds, people have always found something handy to cover their homes with to protect them from bad weather, storms or temperature variations.

Traditional reed cover is specific to areas where reeds are a common plant, i.e. marshy areas with plenty of water. Just as in wooded areas traditional houses were made of wood, in areas such as the Danube meadow, the Danube Delta, and even in some areas of Transylvania, the roof was made of reeds.

In my grandparents' village - 60 km from Bucharest, on the banks of the Ialomita river - the reed roof was a sign of poverty. In the marshy area that formed on the lower bank of the river, reeds were plentiful. So all you had to do was cut it and sheaf it, then cover the house. I remember my grandmother's neighbors had a little house like that covered with reeds. It was a poor family with 3 children. The house had a "beam and a cellar" as they say in the area, meaning an entrance hall and a room. The reed on the house was another sign of the hard life they led.

But now a reed roof puts you in a completely different zone. After a period when it was forgotten, reed has made a comeback like many other natural materials, with people rediscovering its virtues. And like other natural materials, its value has risen dramatically, now a sign of well-being. In addition to restored old houses, more and more of these are appearing in England, the Netherlands and Germany. The special appearance, both from the outside and inside (when it is chosen not to be covered with other materials), as well as the excellent insulating properties make reed a highly valued material.

What is reed

But first let's see what reed is. It is a herbaceous perennial plant (Latin for Phrogmites Australis) also called reed or water reed. Its favourite growing places are marshy land, on the banks of lakes, ponds or slow-moving rivers. The Danube Delta is a very good place for reeds, with an area covered of up to 1500 km². Here the surface roots of the reeds intertwine with those of other plants, forming plains that sometimes break away from the bottom of the pools to form islands.

The stem grows to 2-3 m and in exceptional cases can even reach 4-5 m. The mature stem is tough, elastic, with a slight wax-like surface sheen. This aspect makes water slide easily over the surface, preventing puddling and seepage.

The reed is harvested in winter when it is dry. The harvesting period starts in mid-November and ends in mid-March. Harvesting is done both manually and mechanically. In order to protect the land (as in the case of the Danube Delta), machinery is often dispensed with, and harvesting is only done by hand. It is very hard work, with people often standing with their feet in cold water. But for the people of the delta this work is often their only source of income. Almost all the reeds from the Danube Delta are exported to European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark).

Reed is used as a building material (roofing, fencing), as a basis for making paper, biomass, for plaiting or as animal feed. In the past, reed in the Danube Delta was intensively exploited for paper. Now, in Romania, paper is no longer made from reeds.

Advantages of a reed roof

Reeds are considered one of the oldest and best materials for covering houses. A reed roofdoes not need thermal insulation, the reed itself acting as an insulator. At a thickness of 28-30 cm, the heat transfer coefficient is 0.31. If you compare it with other insulating materials you will discover a very good insulating material.

Hive is also a very good sound insulator. Its structure means that the noise of rain or hail is lost and living under such a roof is quiet and pleasant.

Although many say that this roof is very sensitive to fire, it seems that this is not the case. The way it is mounted makes it very dense which slows down the spread of fire a lot. Such material burns smoldering and often, for lack of air, the fire goes out. Experts say the roof looks like a thick book. Although each page burns very easily, the closed book is very hard to burn.

The reed roof not sensitive to frost, hail, snow or storms. Don't take it by storm like in Cethe 3 pigletsbecause it is attached directly to the rafters, so it becomes part of the house.

No need for guttering, grommets or other such arrangements for collecting water.

It is a material environmentally friendly and cost-effective.Although it is more expensive than other roofing materials (tiles, sheeting, bituminous carpet), its high resistance over time, the savings made with roof insulation and lower energy costs mean that the investment pays for itself in a short time.

It is very resistant over time. If it is well fitted and the roof pitch is more than 45º, such a rooflasts a minimum of 45-50 years. A refresh is recommended every 15-20 years because it wears out, but it does not need to be changed and a new one put on, as is the case with other types of coverings.

How to install a reed roof

The reed roof must be installed by specialists to be effective. It can be fitted to any house, new or old, regardless of design, provided the slope is at least 45º. For installation, narrow planks are knocked into place on the roof. Not as for another roof under the roof but only to support the reed.

The reed used must be healthy, free of rot and mould and must not be mixed with other plants. Mature plants should be used so that the stems are strong, straight and flexible. The height of the stem should be between 1.4 and 1.8-2 m. The reed is bought in the form of sheaves which are also called sheaves. Eight sheaves are needed to cover 1 m.

Assembly starts at the base of the roof, with the thicker part of the rod at the base. Put the sheaves on the full length, unravel and press. Pressing is done with a wooden ruler, perpendicular to the length of the reed. The rod is fastened with wire to the rafter beams. After pressing, a tool called a comb or batten is used and the reed is beaten from the bottom to the top until it is uniform. It is then sewn to the rafters with wire. The second layer will be based on the cross timber. Follow the same procedure to the top. There the battens are placed along the ridge so that there is no possibility of water penetrating. At the end, the wooden strips are removed and the final finish is made for a more uniform appearance.

At first the colour of the reed is a mixture of yellow, orange and brown, the natural colour of the reed. Over time, due to the sun's rays, it first turns a dark grey colour, then dark brown to black with a callifelike appearance.

Requirements for maximum result

To be effective, a reed roof should be 28-30 cm thick and have a minimum slope of 45º. This prevents water from penetrating and draining downwards, being directed by the reed rods.

The slope also determines the life of the roof. Specialists have shown that at a pitch of 25º, the life span is up to 25 years, at 30º, 15-20 years and above 45º, 45 years and more.

The quality of the material should be very good. The fewer chemical treatments, the more resistant the plant is over time. The material must be well dried to avoid mould.

The design of the roof and the way the roofing is done are important. The roof tiles should be placed so that they do not collect too much water on one side of the roof and too little on the other. Water should be directed so that it drains as evenly as possible from the roof.

There should be no edges to keep water out. Where there is an edge (the ridge of the house) the sheathing is laid along the edge, and the edge between the water and the dormer windows is covered round.

Weather resistance also depends on the positioning of the house and how exposed it is to weather or other vicissitudes.

There are also disadvantages

The main disadvantage seems to be the price. Such a roof can be 3-4 times more expensive than a tile roof, which is not cheap either.

Birds looking for all kinds of insects among the reeds or nesting can be a disadvantage again. It's not the mess they can make but the real damage.

Sometimes it can be difficult to secure such a home. There are companies that dispute fire resistance. However, companies that fit reed roofs have proven the resistance of their work and have obtained certificates to prove it. That's why it's best to work with such firms if you decide on a reed roof.

I hope you learned something new today by reading this article. If you find it interesting for others, please share it. If you have any questions, additions or comments, you can leave them in the space below.