[GSBN] thin concrete shell roofs

[John Swearingen]

I'll second that.  This is our standard practice now--roof first, then
bales.  Protection from weather, and it gives bale stackers some reference
points.  Since they're often doing it for the first time, in workshops or
bale raisings, this helps maintain straighter walls.

John

On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 3:15 PM, Graeme North <graeme at ecodesign.co.nz> wrote:

>  Hi All
>
> I have just seen the thread on thin shell concrete roofs , and the notion
> of putting up roofs first-
>
> I have been doing both of these techniques since the mid 70's on and off. I
> nearly got chucked out of architecture school for suggesting that roofs
> first were a fantastic idea and used "Winnie the Pooh" as my essay
> reference.  "We take architecture seriously - do you?"
>
> I have placed my thin concrete roofs over hessian (or jute) that I can
> usually find second hand from carpet manufacturers. This is pinned over a
> pole roof structure of varying shape, a layer or two of reinforcing using
> one or two layers of chicken netting depending on span, and away I go with
> the plaster.  Th addition of latex I have not tried yet but it would
> certainly increase the roofs resistance to cracking and leaking.  Adding
> insulation is another tricky issue, bit I have use light weight concrete
> toppings (polystyrene balls) and/or internal insulation layers too.  I have
> done spans up to 3.6 m or 12 ft
>
> Great roofs - look great and easily cover such complex shapes such as a
> reciprocal frame roof, or where a whole bunch of roof support members are
> bolted to the side of a post and form a rather jagged exterior.
>
> On my own house I put up the roof first (not a concrete shell in this
> instance) and only lost 2 hours work to the weather in a whole year, and
> suffered no water damage - and this was in one of those years when it felt
> like we were living under a waterfall.  This is by far the best way to go
> for earth building and certainly strawbale building, especially in an
> unpredictable, and often wet, climate .
>
> cheers
>
>
>  Graeme
> Graeme North Architects
> 49 Matthew Road
> RD1
> Warkworth
> tel/fax +64 (0)9 4259305
>
> graeme at ecodesign.co.nz
> www.ecodesign.co.nz
>
>
>
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>


-- 
John Swearingen
Skillful Means Design & Construction
2550 9th Street   Suite 209A
Berkeley, CA   94710
510.849.1800 phone
510.849.1900 fax

Web Site/blog:  http://www.skillful-means.com
https://skillfulmeansdesign.wordpress.com
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