How do I make a living roof on my shed?

Question

I have a shed and what to have grass/flowers on the roof. what would make the best base to stop the water getting in, how deep does the soil need to be, which compost and which type of grass works best?

Answer 1

Hello there,
Why not make your work easier by using rock plants? This looks great. Use a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite as it's very light and won't stress the roof. Use Sedum, Sempervivum, Arabis, Campanula, Dianthus and Saxifraga. Let it all blend into each other and you'll have a riot of colour throughout the year! x

Answer 2

First, you need to consider how much weight the roof of the shed can handle. What square footage are you talking about? Then, you need to know the weight of the worst possible conditions that you will find up there. For example, mud weighs a lot more than dry dirt. Then you add, the weight of growing plants, which can be quite a lot. Further, you might want to consider the stress that you will be putting on the roof to the joists under it. If shed is not worth much and the joists are weak or old, you may be wasting your time. If the shed is brand new, did you buy a kit from the hardware store and put it together yourself? This way, you know exactly how its made. Otherwise, is the roof made of sheet metal or have asphalt shingles? All of these are things you need to consider, because if growing conditions are not met, all you will succeed in doing is causing a cave-in to your shed or at the least, poisoning your plants.
If your shed is made of block and mortar with a tough roof, then by all means, try out your experiment. If at all possible, find someone who has done it before you and ask them if they have any suggestions.
I am interested to see what other people think of this and what their suggestions are. Good luck with your project.

Answer 3

You will need a minimum of about 8" of soil. The roof needs to be a shalower pitch (less than a 5:12) you will need a water proof membrane/pan on the roof to prevent the roof decking from rotting, as well as some drainage at the low point to prevent excess pooling of water. You can build the facia up to 10-12 inches to provide a box for the soil. Make sure your roof is structurally strong enough to support, the soil, water the soil will retain, and snow load in the winter.
Wild or native grasses will work best, avoid "lawn grasses" as thy generally need to be cut.

Do a google search for sod roofs.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Home-Building/1972-11-01/The-Return-of-the-Sod-Roof.aspx
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvprograms/asktoh/qaarticle/0,16588,408422,00.html

Answer 4

I have seen it at garden shows and it is charming. Here are some details :http://nemo.uconn.edu/tools/reducing_runoff/green_roof.htm

The good news is that if you do it right, it can extend the life of your roof.

Most of the ones I have seen are very small, they just do the part that overhangs the steps, or some other spot where they can reach with a ladder if they need to.

Answer 5

WISH I DID AS I AM IN THE STATES AND CAN'T FIND IT HERE EITHER MAYBE NASA OR THE SPACE STATION HA HA PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE IT SPECIAL ORDERED FROM LOCAL HARDWARE CO.