Roofing is one of the most critical parts of a home. It performs several critical insulating and protective functions, closely interfacing with other structural parts. Before modern designers, the main choice regarding roofing refers specifically to the coating - tile, metal, bituminous, etc. However, plant-based natural material is still in demand. This category also includes reed roofing, which has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. Those who decide to use this coating technique should also take into account the nuances of the installation process when forming such a roof.
Reed as a building material
In the construction industry, reed is rarely seen as a stand-alone material. It is often added to mixtures and solutions as one of the components to obtain, for example, binder compositions. However, sheaves of reeds can form a protective covering. To some extent, composite fibers can be considered as a structural analogue of reeds in sheaves, but this only concerns the appearance, and there is no similarity between them in other technical and operational properties. High-quality reeds are collected along the banks of rivers and lakes, afterwhich is dried, if necessary subjected to additional processing and used as a coating. Of course, from the point of view of a durable solution as part of a private house, this is not the best option, but there are very significant arguments that do not allow it to be ruled out so easily. Moreover, much depends on the conditions in which the reed roof is used. Its pros and cons can manifest themselves in different ways, but their main and most common manifestations are worth considering in more detail.
Sustainable material
One of the few properties due to which natural materials, in principle, are still used in the construction industry, and are not replaced by composites. This also applies to wood, by the way. But in terms of environmental friendliness, reeds are even more attractive than some types of wood. The plant has a rather rare property not to absorb harmful and toxic substances, therefore, raw materials that were collected in environmentally unfavorable areas will not affect the he alth of home users in any way. Moreover, modern roofs are often covered with synthetic materials, including the same bitumen. Under the influence of the rays of the sun, such roofs release dangerous resins that can sink to the lower levels of the building, penetrating into living spaces. In turn, reed roofing does not emit even natural resins and enzymes, which could harm humans or animals, neither in summer nor in winter.
Strength properties
AlthoughOutwardly, it may seem that the reed is a brittle short-lived material, the practice of its use shows the opposite. Individual reeds, of course, can break, but correctly laid sheaves are rarely exposed to such risks. What is also important in terms of mechanical resistance is flexibility. In this indicator, the material outperforms even modern artificial coatings. But, again, how useful this quality will be in practice depends on the scheme according to which the reed roof was laid. With your own hands, you can form protective layers on the roof of any design, performing zonal laying. The flexibility of the material makes it possible to cover structures of various shapes, and not only the classic one- and two-slope ones. If we talk about weak points in terms of physical security, then only small insects should be feared, which can also contribute to biological destruction. For this reason, it is useful to periodically disinfect the reed cover.
Climate protection
Reeds are moisture resistant and have the ability to form sealed insulating layers. But from the point of view of structural insulation, everything will depend on how correctly the laying technology was followed. In extreme cases, the quality of heat and moisture resistance can be replenished by auxiliary factory insulators. Another thing is more important - that the reed itself does not collapse under the influence of moisture. The same applies to snow with hail - a properly laid reed roof is not subjected to mechanical stress. Perhaps the most dangerous climatic factorthere will be wind, but in this part of the protective properties, much is determined by the reliability of fixing the coating. Due to the flexibility mentioned above, reed stems are not damaged in any way under such loads - if the attachment is not rigid enough, the position of individual segments may change, but this is not critical and recoverable.
Reed as a microclimate regulator
Reeds, like many natural materials, also have the ability to naturally regulate the microclimate. If stone, brick, tile and sheet materials provide indoor conditions that may not correspond to human comfort, then reeds optimally control temperature and humidity. In addition, this plant is filled with essential oils and beneficial molecules through the stems - in the process of natural ventilation, these substances also enter the house through the roof. It has already been said that this material does not emit harmful resins, but favorable microelements will be provided. At the same time, the quality of circulation also depends on how the reed roof was formed. The coating device must be carried out simultaneously with the calculation for tightness and ventilation, which will allow to maintain stable temperature and humidity conditions. The optimal solution would be to create a continuous coating without gaps, but with separate technological zones that form the very possibility of air circulation.
Disadvantages of reeds
This material also has serious drawbacks. chief amongof them is a low threshold of fire resistance, that is, susceptibility to ignition. In hot weather, one spark is enough to spread the fire across the roof. Reed burns well, and it is quite difficult to stop this process - especially since we are talking about the roof and, possibly, hard-to-reach areas. To prevent such phenomena, special impregnations and modifiers, with which the stems are processed even before use, allow. But in this case, you will also have to forget about environmental friendliness, since chemical treatments most often contain harmful components. Among the shortcomings, the aesthetic qualities of the appearance are also noted. Usually, natural building material also has the advantage of a natural texture, but in the case of a reed plant, the coating does not have a decorative value. This can be seen in the example of a photo of a reed roof, which is presented below. However, much depends on the reed itself and its operating conditions.
General information about roofing technology
Laying is done by laying on a previously formed truss substrate. Even before laying, it is important to provide additional insulating barriers. It is advisable to use combined vapor and water insulators, which will complement the function of protecting against moisture from the inside. The stems are arranged in previously prepared sheaves with an angle of at least 30 degrees along the slope. This is not a strict restriction, but for a given roof, this angle will be optimal. It is worth considering the time of year in which the reed roof should be laid. Mounting principlerelative to seasonality indicates that the warm season will be the most favorable. In winter, the stems can become clogged with frozen water, causing the material to swell. In the spring, in the process of melting, the reeds will return to their previous state, while losing their structural integrity.
It is also widely believed that the buildings themselves with a roof of this type should not be located under the trees. This is explained by the fact that falling leaves contribute to the decay of the material. In fact, it is for this reason that the reed roof is formed with a 30-degree slope angle at least. This is important not only for washing off dirt and debris, but also for a stable runoff of rainwater.
Methods of attaching sheaves
For the formation of sheaves, which then form a uniform sectional coating, use different methods of fastening. In particular, firmware is implemented with the help of wire. It reliably binds the stems and is reliable - the main thing is that the wire itself is not subject to corrosion processes. The firmware version with fixing screws is also common. Hardware carry out the direct reduction of the sheaf with the supporting structure of the roof, also capturing the clamps surrounding the reeds. As an alternative, fixing with nails can also be offered. They fasten the sheaves, which later fit the reed roof. Roofing is not complete without tamping tools. To obtain a dense and hard coating, special constrictions and shovels-bits are used - they also perform the alignment of the layers.
Preparing the roof for operation
After laying, the work of tamping plant material follows. In fact, this is a more point adjustment of the sheaves along the roof area. Typically, such activities are performed manually using the same blades. At this stage, it is important to check the quality of the strapping, the presence of insufficiently strong knots and large gaps. If in the process of preparing the stems no treatment was carried out with protective equipment, then now is the time. Flame retardant is the most common fire-fighting drug used on reed roofing. With your own hands, it can be applied using a special sprayer or garden sprayer, after diluting it with water. As practice shows, in addition to the refractory properties, the flame retardant also gives the reed moisture protection and biological resistance.
When is reed roofing justified?
Country houses and cottages of a large area are rarely covered with such a roof. For all its merits, reed is not able to provide the same level of mechanical, hydrological and thermal resistance as polymeric and metallic materials do. Although the latter also have many of their shortcomings. However, small outbuildings, dachas and summer houses are quite suitable to be covered with a reed roof. Reviews indicate that in the summer this is the best option for suburban temporary housing precisely due to the optimal regulation of the microclimate.
Conclusion
Reedit is advisable to use when there are no high requirements for the characteristics of the roof. Of course, a large solid house will require a durable system that will last for decades. Unfortunately, reed roofing cannot guarantee such periods of operation. Mounting features allow a combined approach in the form of combining stems with the same waterproofing agents and elements that enhance the strength qualities. But such solutions are impractical, since in this case the laying process and the cost of the coating become more complicated. But this is not the main thing. The inclusion of additional coating elements of artificial origin cancels the main advantage of such flooring - environmental friendliness. And in this case, the use of reeds becomes completely meaningless.
