A Roof With a Learning Curve To It

[hausdok]

Here's a roof that I think TIJers would love to inspect. Karen Rotter of Manitowoc, WI is enjoying a new cedar shingle roof this winter that duplicated the thatched-look shingle roof that had been on her home for the past 85 years.

Shingle thatching is a technique that's been around for about a hundred years. Back in the early part of the twentieth century we didn't have a lot of thatchers in this country but we had an abundance of roofers accustomed to installing cedar shingles. So, when some homeowners wanted thatched roofs, roofers here tried to duplicate the look of a thatched roof with cedar shingles instead.

Most of these old thatch-look roofs are long gone; so, when Mrs. Rotter decided she wanted the same roof she turned to Brandon Bartow, president of Bartow Builders, Manitowoc. Bartow decided that he could duplicate the look but it wasn't easy - he literally had to invent a special press and clamp to form the shingles and then boiled them right there on the front lawn, formed them and then installed them.

To read more about this unusual roof cover, click here.

(Many thanks to Mrs. Rotter for allowing TIJ to re-print the photo of her house for this story.)

[Terence McCann]

No gutters eh?

I've seen a few homes around this area with the same type of design - must be an acquired taste.

[AHI in AR]

Well, I guess when you get 80+ years out of the original roof you can afford a one-off custom roof!

Seriously, though, you gotta give kudos to the contractor for tackling the challenge and designing a system to do a job that neither they - nor anyone else within recent decades - had done.

[Richard Saunders]

It looks especially nice with the white vinyl siding!

[Inspector37620]

There was a house in Independence, MO that had a roof like that, from a distance you would swear there was a problem with the roof. But it was all done properly. We called it the smurf house.

[Jim Baird]

There's just no accounting for taste!

That roof sits up there just like matress would on top of a bottle of wine!

[Marc]

On the bell curved rakes, the direction of rainwater flow is at an angle to the shingle, up to 90 degrees off, which violates a cardinal rule in shingling. The contractor must have flashed each and every rake in order to make sure that the water would shed properly. That's a lot of copper.

Marc

[Scottpat]

Back in April I had a meeting over in Ashville NC. It was at the Grove Park Inn which is like stepping back into the early 1900's.

http://www.groveparkinn.com/gallery/Ext ... /13histinn

It has a thatch looking roof that is made from clay tiles. Take a look at the above link

[Marc]

Wow! It almost looks monolithic.

Marc

[Ben H]

That is cool, looks like it was poured out of a bottle...

[thomop]

I love a roof without gutters. Gives it such a natural feel. Just look out for the water fall when going in your front door during a rain storm!!

[roofingcolorado]

That's a gorgeous roof! It's quite unique and looks very costly as well. In Denver Colorado there are quite a few similar roofs near Washington Park but after they install it, they cut out curves in the wood shingles which gives it a very unique, wavy look. Does anyone know what that type of roofing is called? Or what the cost is?