Water Reed Roof

The common or water reed phragmites australis occurs along the margins of lakes fens marshes and streams from the arctic to the tropics.

Water reed roof.

Water reed is a truly global thatching material. To shed water away from the eave most roofers add a metal drip edge right to the roof deck covering it with the membrane. In the united kingdom common reed used for this purpose is known as norfolk reed or water reed. The reeds grow in both fresh and salt water.

It is a broad leafed grass about 1 5 to 5 metres 5 to 16 5 feet tall with feathery flower clusters and stiff smooth stems. A container can hold up to 2 000 bundles and a lorry and drag up to 3 500. Made from fresh water reed a renewable resource that grows abundantly along river banks woven together with vinyl coated wire reed fencing from backyard x scapes is available at many garden supply stores as well as home depot. It should reach 3 feet beyond the inside of the wall and cover any valleys to prevent ice dams and wind driven rain from reaching the sheathing.

Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw water reed sedge cladium mariscus rushes heather or palm branches layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. An average roof can use around 1 500 to 2 000 bundles of water reed. However wheat reed and devon reed are not reeds but long stemmed wheat straw. A man in germany thatching a roof using reeds phragmites australis the common reed is used in many areas for thatching roofs.

Since the bulk of the vegetation stays dry and is densely packed trapping air thatching also functions as insulation. A self adhesive membrane applied along the roof s perimeter from the eaves up. When a thatch roof is in need of repair a new layer is often placed over the old. A roof thatched with water reed a more durable and water resistant material than straw can last 35 40 years in ireland with very little maintenance.

Used in turn by native north americans and japanese farmers. About 15 of these are roof tiles. A wide variety of water reed roof options are available to you such as project solution capability warranty and application. Water reed is transported usually by container or by lorry and trailer into the uk.