Smilegr8

Thanks for your reply epdm membranes are quite pricey and even if I would ve bought one the problem is the steep angle of the roof which I can not change already , also summers in these area are quite hot and droughts are common too - It will look more like hay stack then a green roof anyway I love green roofs tho - seen few in Wales

True , we don't really have a damp climate here , no algae or moss on roofs Thanks for your time guys Hope you have a lovely day

In Romania the old traditional building skills are reviving or shall I say it never died? While we speak nearly the same language , Moldova was part of USSR for 70 years and that drastically changed the traditions and building culture/approach . These days if you see a traditionally built house with a thatched roof or wooden shingles then is almost certainly thats a village museum or an eco-hotel . Is not gonna be quick or easy but i will go for oak shingles to cover our farmhouse. Have a garage full of machinery and done quite a bit of woodworking in the past , from cutting and drying my own lumber to window frames etc . One more question - will i have to treat or seal the shingles at all ? May be with a water repellant solution? Regards Iurie

Alec thanks for such a detailed reply Initially I thought to start from the lower side of the roof and bolt down 90 degree metal corner brackets then roll another asphalt felt to cover the screw / bolts and repeat that to the top of the roof then vertical battens can be fitted on the metal brackets Since you've done it already - im gonna print your advise and keep it in the draw as sounds a very good way of doing it Thanks again Iurie

Oak shingles would look fantastic I just can't imagine how to secure them on the roof without damaging the waterproof layer underneath . Done properly a shingle roof won't need any waterproof membrane underneath but not in my case : ) I might spend this summer cutting shingles i guess thank you

unless pilled up with a combination of dust and moisture

Our farm is located in Eastern Europe ( Moldova ) and (reed) thatched roofs was something very common half a century ago however these days you would rarely see any and chances to find a local (skilled) company / people to thatch a roof is next to nothing or at least is not an easy task

if seasoned then won't be an issue ?

Totally agree .. I thought it was a foolish idea but needed somebody to confirm that : ) the water will definitely run thro - as the layer will be too thin .. I will look for an alternative then

I will definitely consider Common Reed just need to find where to source it from and the cost . Willow came first in mind as we have 5 acres of it ready to be coppiced and we try to use local / green materials Thanks for your reply

Hello everyone I assume it will be an odd topic however if somebody can help with and advice - it will be much appreciated ! Long story short - we have a stone building with an A shape roof fully insulated with straw bales then plywood and few layers of asphalt roofing felt . Basically - we would like to fake a thatched roof with willow cuttings - obviously the roof is waterproofed and the willow will be purely for the "look" . I'm sure it can be done to a great finish and my question is - What problems / issues should we expect have such a roof . Will it rot too quickly ? will it absorb a lot of moisture ? what do you think ? we live in a part of the world with much hotter summers then UK and some snow in winter if that helps Thanks very much