Green Roof - Anyone have advice?

babylark · February 9, 2010

Went I visited the PA State Farm Show this year, I spoke with the Penn State Extension person about a Green Roofing. Basically you install a sill around the edge of your roof, put down a moisture barrier, put down a layer of gravel, then compost and plant in the compost.

I'm thinking this might be a great alternative for my house. My house is surrounded by VERY large White Oak trees. I love the trees cause it keeps our house cool in the Summer. The drawback to the trees is that they are hard on a roof. The branches falling and the roof grows a lot of moss.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm afraid of weed infestation or worse yet...the acorns sprouting an Oak tree

on the roof of my house.

David Marek · February 10, 2010

Some people plant trees on their roof.--- Dick young:
http://carolgulyas.typepad.com/green...a/green_roofs/
The article: http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=1176,4902629
I'm not sure if he still has the 20 ft white pine.
"The branches falling and the roof grows a lot of moss." - sounds like you already have a green roof!! Sorry, I don't have much experience. The structure needs to be able handle the weight. For a pitched roof you are kind of limited to sedum mats, and although excess water does need to drain off, it does so more slowly.
And yes, weeds happen.
I hope someone else can be more useful, but this guy's house is really cool.

amideutch · February 10, 2010

As the trees are not going away and the lack of sunlight (heavy moss accumulation) I don't think a green roof is the answer. How do you propose to clean all the twigs, branches and leaves off the roof after you make it a green roof? It's alot harder and more expensive to construct a green roof on an existing structure than to incorporate one into a new house that was designed to have one. I drive by a house going to work that has a green roof and even a window to access it but after the first year the plants died and now it's a house with a dirt roof. Ami

barkeater · February 10, 2010

I have a green metal roof, does that count?

dice · February 11, 2010

You do need an engineer to look over your roof support
inside to see if it will take the weight. (Same thing needs
to be done before installing a slate or terra cotta roof on
a structure designed for 3-tab composition or cedar shake
roofing.)

February 9, 2010	#1
babylark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lebanon, PA • Zone 6a Posts: 145	Green Roof - Anyone have advice? Went I visited the PA State Farm Show this year, I spoke with the Penn State Extension person about a Green Roofing. Basically you install a sill around the edge of your roof, put down a moisture barrier, put down a layer of gravel, then compost and plant in the compost. I'm thinking this might be a great alternative for my house. My house is surrounded by VERY large White Oak trees. I love the trees cause it keeps our house cool in the Summer. The drawback to the trees is that they are hard on a roof. The branches falling and the roof grows a lot of moss. Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm afraid of weed infestation or worse yet...the acorns sprouting an Oak tree on the roof of my house. __________________ I can not be held responsible for anything typed above, as I believe my Corgis have learned to type!

February 10, 2010	#3
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	As the trees are not going away and the lack of sunlight (heavy moss accumulation) I don't think a green roof is the answer. How do you propose to clean all the twigs, branches and leaves off the roof after you make it a green roof? It's alot harder and more expensive to construct a green roof on an existing structure than to incorporate one into a new house that was designed to have one. I drive by a house going to work that has a green roof and even a window to access it but after the first year the plants died and now it's a house with a dirt roof. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

February 11, 2010	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	You do need an engineer to look over your roof support inside to see if it will take the weight. (Same thing needs to be done before installing a slate or terra cotta roof on a structure designed for 3-tab composition or cedar shake roofing.) __________________ -- alias

February 10, 2010	#2
David Marek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: St Charles, IL zone 5a Posts: 142	Some people plant trees on their roof.--- Dick young: http://carolgulyas.typepad.com/green...a/green_roofs/ The article: http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=1176,4902629 I'm not sure if he still has the 20 ft white pine. "The branches falling and the roof grows a lot of moss." - sounds like you already have a green roof!! Sorry, I don't have much experience. The structure needs to be able handle the weight. For a pitched roof you are kind of limited to sedum mats, and although excess water does need to drain off, it does so more slowly. And yes, weeds happen. I hope someone else can be more useful, but this guy's house is really cool.

February 10, 2010	#4
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	I have a green metal roof, does that count?