Roof design? Can we have a ponder

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Poly Hive

Poly Hive

Queen Bee
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
14,094
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Location
Scottish Borders
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
12 and 18 Nucs
Been thinking about this for some time.

The norm is now to use OMF floors combined with top insulation and many are saying they use 50mm or more of insulation.

The roofs are the same depth as they were pre the OMF revolution.

Would it not make sense to make the roofs another two or better yet 3 inches deeper so that they were 175mm or 7".


Discuss..

PH
 
Or in my case, 8" (I'm not boasting you understand)

I had one roof last year so deep it almost turned a standard Nat BB into a double-walled hive- but being made out of 18mm hardwood ply I could hardly lift the bloody thing, so shortened it.

I've always thought a 4" roof sounded inadequate.
 
Poly Hive said:
Been thinking about this for some time.

The norm is now to use OMF floors combined with top insulation and many are saying they use 50mm or more of insulation.

The roofs are the same depth as they were pre the OMF revolution.

Would it not make sense to make the roofs another two or better yet 3 inches deeper so that they were 175mm or 7".


Discuss..

PH
Click to expand...

6" roofs are pretty widely available now, normally adequate for top insulation. Been my default for the past couple bought for just that reason.
 
12"or even 14" roofs may be even more beneficial.
 
Well, just to the cat amongst the pigeons. In Greece the roofs are almost always Australian type with 4 ventilation openings. No insulation what so ever and a cool breeze blowing through the top of the hive! Now I know someone is going to say that the climate here is sunny and hot. This assumption is incorrect as northern Greece is a lot colder than most of the UK. I'm not saying that the use of these roofs is right in my opinion - but that's the situation.
 
Norton said:
Well, just to the cat amongst the pigeons. In Greece the roofs are almost always Australian type with 4 ventilation openings. No insulation what so ever and a cool breeze blowing through the top of the hive! Now I know someone is going to say that the climate here is sunny and hot. This assumption is incorrect as northern Greece is a lot colder than most of the UK. I'm not saying that the use of these roofs is right in my opinion - but that's the situation.
Click to expand...

Uk generally has far higher rainfall, levels of air pollution, and a tendency to higher humidity than in the sub tropical Mediterranean.
That is in the UK it is predominately a cool damp maritime and very changeable weather system.

Deeper insulated roofs may be the way to go in the UK.... obviously going to be different for other climates!
 
icanhopit said:
Uk generally has far higher rainfall, levels of air pollution, and a tendency to higher humidity than in the sub tropical Mediterranean.
That is in the UK it is predominately a cool damp maritime and very changeable weather system.

Deeper insulated roofs may be the way to go in the UK.... obviously going to be different for other climates!
Click to expand...

whats the advantage of such a deep roof if the walls aren't insulated? (especially the top parts of the walls)
 
Deep roofs,12" or 14" perhaps made from fibre glass or similar material,with built in insulation,also giving protection from the peckers in winter where they are a problem.
 
Hivemaker. said:
Deep roofs,12" or 14" perhaps made from fibre glass or similar material,with built in insulation,also giving protection from the peckers in winter where they are a problem.
Click to expand...
A winter top and a summer top?

How about an attachable skirt to deflect the worst of the rain from potential gaps between insulation and crown board and keep the woodpeckers at a distance? On a wooden top something like an oversized eke to screw through into the roof and attached to a box of welded mesh that is held about 4cm away from the sides down to the floor.
 
alanf said:
A winter top and a summer top?

How about an attachable skirt to deflect the worst of the rain from potential gaps between insulation and crown board and keep the woodpeckers at a distance? On a wooden top something like an oversized eke to screw through into the roof and attached to a box of welded mesh that is held about 4cm away from the sides down to the floor.
Click to expand...

That's Fort Knox... not a beehive!


( although they can flood Fort Knox in 30 seconds if attacked!)
 
Like this one? These are my winter covers, Slopped 3 deg to the back, 11 inches deep to cover a deep lang completely. Asphalt Shingle roof instead of tin.
 
I have a 6 inch roof on my one wooden hive.
A deeper roof even one covering the brood box seems to make sense.
Sugarbush...yours looks just the job.
I might look out for a flat cedar seconds roof in the upcoming sale and just add the sides to the existing roof.
Then I can have a summer roof and a winter roof :)
 
I think what may work well is to make a mould,then form the roofs from fibre glass,with insulation fitted at time of moulding,and these would be pretty much pecker proof.
 
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