Natural Roofs for Natural Homes

No.091 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 4 minutes

Natural homes deserve natural hats.

A cob house isn’t just walls made of earth.
It’s a living, breathing organism.
But without the right roof,
even the strongest cob will weather.

Roofs are often overlooked in natural building conversations.

Yet they do the most invisible, vital work:
Shelter,
insulate,
breathe,
and endure.

A good roof is like a good hat and boots.
It shields your cob walls from rain, snow, wind, and fire.
It keeps your home cool in summer, warm in winter.
And when done right, it can last a lifetime.

Let’s explore the many beautiful ways to roof a cob home:

Thatching

Made from: Straw, reed, or grass stalks layered over wooden rafters.
Best for: Wet, temperate climates like Kerala, Northeastern India, UK, Japan, or Pacific Northwest

Pros:

• Excellent natural insulation—keeps interiors cool in summer, warm in winter

• Breathable, reducing moisture build-up inside the home

• Very light, so doesn’t require heavy support structures

• Blends seamlessly into rural and forest landscapes

• Sustainable and renewable—materials regrow every season

• With proper pitch and upkeep, can last up to 60 years

• Performs well in rainy and humid climates

Cons:

• Requires a steep pitch (min. 45°) to drain water effectively

• Highly labour-intensive to build and maintain

• Fire risk unless paired with fire-resistant barriers or ceilings

• Birds and rodents may nest if seeds are left in the material

• Rainwater runoff is hard to collect; needs wide gutters

• Rare skill—trained thatchers are hard to find and expensive

• Doesn’t meet modern building codes in many places

Slate Roofing

Best for: Cold or high-rainfall regions with local stone—parts of Himachal, Uttarakhand, Northeast, Europe
Made from: Flat, cleaved stone tiles

Pros:

• Extremely durable—often lasts a century

• Fireproof, rot-proof, weather-resistant

• Natural material with elegant finish

• Excellent in snow or rain

• Allows passive ventilation

Cons:

• Very heavy—needs strong timber framing

• Skilled slate workers are rare

• Sourcing slate sustainably can be tough

• Not suitable for low-pitch or curved roofs

• Breaks easily if mishandled during install

• Monkeys can displace them and might need repairing once in a while

Slate mining is banned in Uttarakhand, where we live, so we are exploring options for the new cob house we are building.

1) Source old slates from an old demolished house.

2) Our friends at Slowness Himalayas suggested that we use sandstone from Rajasthan, which is transported to Uttarakhand and has a thickness of 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches.

3) Slate is still mined in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. These slates are thinner and are generally nailed to the timber framework.

Ceramic Tiles

Best for: Hot dry climates like Mediterranean, South India, or anywhere with clay access
Made from: Fired clay tiles

Pros:

• Fire-resistant and low maintenance

• Cools interiors due to air gaps

• Beautiful earthy tones and textures

• Long-lasting when installed well

• Breathable and non-toxic

Cons:

• Heavy; needs sturdy roof structure

• Expensive or time-consuming to make

• High embodied energy (firing in kiln)

• Brittle and hard to walk on for maintenance

Living Roof (Sod/Green Roof)

Best for: Cool, temperate climates with moderate rainfall—parts of Europe, Pacific Northwest, upper Himalayas
Made from: Waterproof layer + soil + grasses or herbs

Pros:

• Insulates well in summer

• Beautiful—blends with landscape

• Encourages biodiversity

• Good for low-pitch roofs

• Filters rainwater and cools surroundings

Cons:

• Needs strong structure—very heavy

• Loses insulation when saturated

• Requires costly waterproofing layer

• Not ideal in hot, arid or very rainy places

• May require regular trimming or pest control

• Waterproofing membrane can be expensive

Wood Shingles or Shakes

Best for: Forested regions with access to hardwoods—Himalayan belts, Western Ghats, Europe, North America
Made from: Split timber (usually cedar, oak, pine)

Pros:

• Handcrafted look—perfect for cob aesthetics

• Can be made locally and sustainably

• Works well on complex roof shapes

• Breathable and flexible

Cons:

• Needs steep pitch (35° or more)

• Fire hazard if untreated

• Can rot or mold in wet climates

• Expensive if not DIY

• Not suitable in termite-prone areas

Metal Roofing

Best for: Tropical regions with heavy rainfall and termites—parts of South and Northeast India, coastal zones
Made from: Corrugated iron, steel, or aluminum sheets

Pros:

• Lightweight and easy to install

• Highly durable and pest-resistant

• Cost-effective and available in most areas

• Low maintenance

• Reflects heat in hot climates

Cons:

• Looks industrial—can clash with cob aesthetic

• Loud during heavy rain unless insulated

• Non-breathable—can cause condensation

• High embodied energy

• Gets hot unless shaded or treated

TIP:
Even if metal feels like your only option, you can combine it with clay-straw insulation underneath.

It helps with temperature regulation and softens the feel inside the house.
Use bamboo or wood ceiling below to create warmth and natural textures.

Choosing the Right Roof Pitch

• Steep Roof (35–45°):
  Needed for thatch, shingles, tiles—sheds rain fast

• Shallow Roof (10–25°):
  Works for green roofs or metal in low-snow zones

• Flat or minimal pitch:
  Avoid unless engineered—risk of pooling water

Rule of thumb: The more rainfall you get, the steeper your roof should be.

Summary

The roof is your cob home’s hat and protector.
Choose one that matches your climate, your values, and skillset available.

Love,
Raghav and Ansh

P.S. - Read this post on LinkedIn and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

What you can watch -

What you can listen to -

What You Can Read - Julia Watson: Lo-Tek; Design by Radical Indigenism

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