Roof

We framed the roof from a mixture of sweet chestnut and larch. Because the oak frame does the job of holding the roof together, we were able to make a roof space uninterrupted by ties.


Green oak batten is laid over the rafters. Using oak batten means that it can be untreated, and it looks good from below.



The roof covering is oak shakes. These have been split along the grain. Although they look delicate, they have a life expectancy of 70 years.


The shakes are dressed with an axe on the roof to cut them to the right shape, especially around details such as hips and valleys. They're fixed with stainless steel nails.


Our roof has no membrane so that the shakes can be seen from below, but it is still perfectly watertight.