green roof

delninno

New Member
I am planning to put in a vegetative roof on my house. It will be about 1,000 sq feet. I am planning to use daisy trays (10 X 20 Inc). For growing medium I am planning a combination of brick chips, crushed oyster shells, perlite, topsoil, and peat moss. for plans I am using seedum plants - 5 to 10 varieties. Does anybody have any expeirience with growing seedum or similar projects?
 

twinoaks207

Having Fun!
I am planning to put in a vegetative roof on my house. It will be about 1,000 sq feet. I am planning to use daisy trays (10 X 20 Inc). For growing medium I am planning a combination of brick chips, crushed oyster shells, perlite, topsoil, and peat moss. for plans I am using seedum plants - 5 to 10 varieties. Does anybody have any expeirience with growing seedum or similar projects?

North Beach's new Town Hall has a green roof. Have you done any research on the topic (ie, figuring out the load support available for your roof, sedum varieties that grow well in our area, etc.,)?
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I built a house with a 'sod' roof about 16 years ago. New construction and designed for the load. Special corrugated plastic 'sheathing' had to be put down over the very substantial wood sheathing (over 1" thick..compared to the cheezy 1/2" or 5/8" plywood that would normally be used around here) heavey and closely-spaced rafters and additional framing that was necessary to support the massive load from about 8" thick soil (when thoroughly wet) and snow load on top of that.

I can probably find a link somewhere...but is the structure you want the natural roof on actually designed/built for that kind of loadiong?
 

migtig

aka Mrs. Giant
FYI - I've killed several varieties of Sedum. Some like it hot but hate the cold and will die immediately when they catch a chill. Some like it cold and will die immediately when they get warm.

I'm giving creeping sedum a chance this year, so far it's doing okay.

However, you really should put in some research into what plants grow well here, otherwise you'll be replacing plants a lot. Also, as I've wanted to do a green roof, I agree with others who have mentioned your roof really needs to be reinforced for this. I saw an interesting series on this idea in Popular Science magazine not that long ago. Guy built a green house from scratch, and did a green roof fairly inexpensively using alternate ideas. I would suggest doing a search and finding it.
 

delninno

New Member
Thanks for the info. We have taken into account the extra load and have put down a TPO for over the roof.
For the seedum plants we plan to use 6-10 varieties that should be working locally. Any names of know good local would be appreciated. We are having hard time finding growing medium. So we where thinking of oyster shells. Any exprience with that?
 

bcp

In My Opinion
you thought about astro turf or plastic flowers?

Ask Larry, he might know somewhere to get a good deal on them.
 

SonsofGeorges

New Member
this is way late to the thread but if you're still looking, google "natural building, living roof". You'll find plenty of info.
 

delninno

New Member
Thank you for the info.
The project has not started yet. What is holding it up is the drainage medium.
I am looking for a supplier of any of the following: Crushed oyster shells, red bircks or slate. Any would do. Any idea where to find them?
 
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