Ferro-cement roof

Remember the ferro-cement roof trial we did on my back porch? We made some adjustments (learned from our mistakes) and are now doing the roof for the high school's WC in the new and improved way. We save on iron and cement and the roof will last a lot longer than a metal one. It is only one and a quarter inches thick whereas a normal poured cement roof is about six inches.

Ferro-cement roof

Moving right along. The guys finished the rebar infrastructure and mesh work and the sun was shining so they went ahead and put cement on the porch roof. We are now letting it cure and keeping it under wraps, wet burlap bags. Unveiling will be in a few days.

Ferro-cement roof

First you do the framing. Then you attach rebar at regular intervals. Cover with two sizes of mesh. That's Verrouce above working on the mesh. if the weather is good tomorrow we'll be putting cement on this and VOILA we'll have a new ferro-cement roof.

Bye, bye thatch

As you might recall from earlier photos, there was a thatched roof over the back porch to my house. It was the cheapest way to go, was attractive in an indigenous way and kept the sun and rain off the porch. It was TOO attractive to a myriad of tiny, little termites and other insects and spiders. It had to go :( and will be replaced by a ferro-cement roof. Here you see Rousseau and Robenson (on top) and Verrouce preparing the infrastructure. We've never done this type of work so it'll be interesting to see the results. Stay tuned.