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Sod roof in Molde Norway (C) Daniel FriedmanPhoto Guide to Traditional & Modern Sod Roofs
Green roofs: historic & modern

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Sod roofs or "green roofs" made of sod & other plantings.

Here we illustrate and discuss sod roofing in historic and contemporary use.

This website provides un-biased articles about many common roofing materials, installations, inspection, defects, roofing repairs, and products. Our page top photograph shows a traditional sod roof on a historic log cabin preserved at the Romsdalsmuseet site in Oslo, Norway. The Romsdalsmuseet site in Oslo includes 35 Norwegian buildings with designs dating from 1600 to 1920.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Sod Roofing Examples, Photo Guide

Sod roof (C) Daniel Friedman

[Click to enlarge any image]

The ultimate "green" roof design that caused media excitement when it was popularized anew in 2009 is an old design for which we have literally hundreds of years of design experience. Here are some sod roof design details.

While our page top photograph shows a traditional sod roof preserved on an antique log cabin, our photo at left points out that sod roof designs continue in modern use in some parts of the world including this modern home built in Molde, Norway.

In additional photographs below we show sod roof construction details using both traditional materials (such as birch bark underlayment) and modern materials (such as geotextiles and rubber underlayment).

Sod Roof Edge Termination Details

Sod roof (C) Daniel Friedman Sod roof (C) Daniel Friedman

Our photo of a modern sod roof (above left) shows the use of copper underlayment and edge flashing to hold the soil in place on this relatively low-slope roof.

However sod roof covering is also found on steeper slopes. Our photo of a traditional sod roof (above right) shows the use of a wooden board and birch bark as a soil dam as well as a drip edge.


Sod roof gutter design (C) DanieL Friedman\

Both of the roofs shown above use an eaves overhang but no roof gutters were present.

However roof gutters were used on traditional sod roofed homes at least over entrances, as we show in this sod roof home photo.

A hand-sawn wooden roof gutter or eaves trough was installed, leaving the ends open as we have shown.

You may also notice the steel spikes nailed into rafter tails to keep the sod roof lower dam in place to prevent soil from sliding off of the roof.

Other museum-grade sod roofs in The Romsdalsmuseet site in Oslo used carved wooden pegs in these locations, indicating a time when iron spikes were not readily available. You can see a wooden eaves dam peg in the next sod roof photo (below).

Sod roof (C) Daniel Friedman

Here is another look at a traditional sod roof, showing gable end design details for a traditional sod roof structure.

Because this roof was found on a restored museum building in Oslo, Norway, the museum restorers have hidden a rubber line under the sod as a step towards longer durability and less maintenance than the traditional birch-bark underlayment would have afforded.

Sod roof in el Charco, San Miguel de Allende Mexico (C) Daniel Friedman

Above is a very rough sod roof demonstration at el Charco del Inginero in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Green Roof & Sod Roof Research, Proucts, History, Sources

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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: where do I find a sod roof or green roof installer?

2019/10/27 Susie asked:

How do I find sod roof installers in my area?

Reply: search for "sod roof" or "green roof" or for sod roof or green roof in the language of your country, + city name

Susie:

Choosing to install a sod roof and finding an installer begins, in my OPINION, with stating the country and city where you live. Sod roofs are common and make sense in some climates more than others.

In Norway where we photographed some of the sod roofs shown here, what English speakers call a "sod roof" in Norwegian translation is a "torvtak",or "turf roof". In an area of Norway where sod roofs or "torvtaks" are being installed we'd contact local building contractors or search for "torvtak installerds" using an online tool for such a builder in the city where the building is located.

In other words, choose the terms you use according to your country and city. I some areas of North America sod roofs are installed, including on high-rise buildings, but are more likely to be referred to as "green roofs".

For example, if you live in New York City and wanted to investigate a sod roof and look for installers you'd search for "green roof installers in New York".
Immediately you'll find

New York Green Roof (Sod Roof) companies

of course there are others

Green Roof Installers in the U.K.

In the UK you'd search for "green roofers" or "green roof installers" OR search for "organic roofers" or "organic roof installation" plus your city name, and immediately you'd find these Green Roof (Sod roof) installers, for example, in London:

and again there are more green roof or organic roof companies quickly listed by that search - more in fact than in New York

Green Roof Installers in Germany

You can use the same term "green roof installers" to find such installers in Germany. For example "Green roof installers in Berlin" finds


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