[Cob] Dome Roof + Cob Planter ?

[Joe Skeesick]

<<< Sorry ... originally sent this directly to Marlin by mistake >>>

Yes and No Marlin. Yes the caps will last you about 10 years (giver or take)
but It's short life span has to do with the thickness of the thatch at the
cap (it's thinner than the body), the fact that it is bent over the ridge
and that it is the most fully exposed of all the thatch on the roof. Wheat
straw thatching is a shorter lived roofing material than reed but it is also
the traditional thatching material here in the UK, with an average lifespan
of 25-30 years. The problem with using wheat now is finding long straw
wheat. I have heard of some working steam thresher operations in the US that
have specifically grown wheat they use to for displays of their equipment.
These machines didn't fold or mutilate the straw during their operations and
they were made to use on long straw varieties, so you might see if you could
track one of those groups down. No idea how many are in operation there.
Otherwise check with your local Ag College and see if they know of anyone
still growing long straw wheat. As for how much wheat you'd need for that
size house, I'd say in the range of 1/2 to 2/3 of an acre would do it
depending on depth of coverage.

Reed thatching has come in to greater favor where traditionally it was
relegated mostly to the East, because of the price of labor to get a roof
thatched. The longer lifespan of reed makes the 20-30,000 pound price a bit
more palatable when you spread it out over 50-60 years than it does 25, but
if you are doing it yourself there is no reason not to consider wheat. 25
years isn't a bad life expectancy for a roof and after those years you'll
probably only have to comb back and add another layer, not strip and replace
the whole thing. A much quicker task.

BTW, you might also think of other sources for you're thatch. I am still in
the UK studying and it is looking as though I will be moving on to the
Mediterranean before I make it back stateside, to study warm weather
vernacular building techniques. So I've not gotten a chance to experiment
with some of the naturally available thatching resources stateside, someone
else might as well have a go. The two big ones being johnsongrass (a tall
invasive reedy weed) if you're from the central part of the US you're
painfully familiar with it. or, cattails/bull rushes. Both of these plants
are considered nuisances by farmers and ranchers and could therefore be
gathered for free. Bother seem to have the right qualities for thatch. The
advantage to johnsongrass (at least from where I was located) is that the
harvesting would be easier and the availability of the resource higher. You
could also use the same material for the cap as the body of the roof. The
advantage of the cattail is that I suspect it would have a longer life as a
roofing material and cattail heads are extremely good insulation that could
be put to use in other areas of the construction. The harvesting of cattails
would be a more difficult, time consuming and wet affair however.

Best of luck what ever you end up doing.

Joe



-----Original Message-----
From: coblist-bounces at deatech.com [mailto:coblist-bounces at deatech.com]On
Behalf Of Marlin
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 3:26 AM
To: ted at 5sparrows.com; coblist at deatech.com
Subject: RE: Re: [Cob] Dome Roof + Cob Planter ?

I'm certainly NO expert on thatching but everything that i"ve heard FROM
experts says that wheat straw is a pretty short lived option for
thatching,,,,they (the good thatchers) use it only for the "cap" at the
ridge top to make decorative knot work. But the reeds (phragmites?) are the
real 40 year possible thatch material.

So I guess b-4 trying to grow a huge amount of thatch as wheat I'd want to
hear that disputed (heard 10-15 year aprox life to the caps made of wheat)

Marlin

-----Original Message-----
From:     Schluenderfritz <ted at 5sparrows.com>
Sent:     Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:18:18 -0400
To:       coblist at deatech.com
Subject:  Re: [Cob] Dome Roof + Cob Planter ?


On Apr 8, 2004, at 11:11 PM, Shannon C. Dealy wrote:
> ... however, you need to plant the older
> varieties, modern ones have been bred to create shorter, inferior
> stalks
> so they put all their energy into growing the grain.....

Does anyone know how many acres of Wheat one would have to plant to
thatch a medium sized cottage (say 900 square feet)

Ted

.......................................................................
Theodore Schluenderfritz,
illustration and design
www.5sparrows.com
.......................................................................
With desolation is the whole world made
desolate, because no man considereth
in his heart.--Jeremias 12:11


_______________________________________________
Coblist mailing list
Coblist at deatech.com
http://www.deatech.com/mailman/listinfo/coblist



_______________________________________________
Coblist mailing list
Coblist at deatech.com
http://www.deatech.com/mailman/listinfo/coblist