Another good roof option is a grain bin roof. Good quality grain bin roofs are typically maintenance free for decades, and a good choice for windy areas and hail zones. They are especially practical for those who live in agricultural areas and can buy the roofs separately from local grain bin suppliers. They’re also very practical for those short on time or where the building season is short. Order the size that will provide the appropriate roof overhang. Roof overhangs are important for protecting the walls and regulating solar gain. To install the roof, hoist the roof into place with a crane, bolt it down and you’re finished. Think of all the hours you’ll save on ladder work and climbing around on your hands and knees. Roofing is the most dangerous step of construction, so be careful out there.
Hobbit House Plan now available with three roof options
Photo credit: Hoosier Ag Today
Here is a company that sells metal roofs for yurts or roundhouses: https://www.upyurts.info/metal-yurt-roofs
Wow this seems to be an excellent idea. I live in a desert climate and am looking to build an earthbag home. I was pretty set on building a dome to avoid the hassle of putting up a roof but this looks to be a simple solution. I could build roundhouses instead and just attach these to them. This is an agricultural area so they would not likely be hard to obtain locally.
I have a few quick questions:
1. I know that domes should not be more than 20′ in diameter. Is this also the case with roundhouses?
2. What would be the best way to attach the grain bin roof to the top of the earthbag walls of the roundhouse?
3. What is the leak potential for these types of roofs? I know that earthbag domes can leak but this is less likely in a desert climate. .
4. Can these roofs be painted to match the exterior color of the finished roundhouse?
5. Can any of the roundhouse plans on this site be finished with a grain bin roof?
1. No, you can build a roundhouse of any dimension.
2. I suggest making a substantial bond beam at the top of the earthbag wall and provide attachment points that correspond to the specific attachment points of the roof.
3. Grain bin roofs should never leak; they are designed to keep grain absolutely dry.
4.It is possible to paint galvanized metal with some special prior treatment.
Clean the surface with warm or hot soapy water.
Rinse with water and let completely dry.
Polish the metal with ammonia and sand any rough areas.
Paint the surface with primer and let dry.
Apply paint and let dry.
5. Some of the plans might be too big; you have to find out what size roofs are available.
Thanks so much Kelly. Owen’s roundhouse plans look like a good fit for this. If anyone is interested, here is an old article by Owen about bond beams for curved houses: https://naturalbuildingblog.com/alternative-bond-beam-for-curved-structures/
Could you let me know of the different grain bin tops that I may use as roofs on buildings. I am thinking of building an earth bag home and a metal round roof may be the ticket. Your help is appreciated.
There are many manufacturers of grain bins. I suggest that you find local distributors of bins and compare costs and features. Finding local sources will save a lot of money on the shipping.
great idea- but where’s a good place to buy a grain bin roof?
Use Google to find grain bin dealers near you.
You can actually build entire homes out of grain bins, and I know one architect who has specialized in just that. See http://dreamgreenhomes.com/plans/bincabin.htm for an example of this. He nests two bins and puts insulation between the two, resulting in well-insulated, disaster-proof buildings.
Oh man, this is the thing for me. I love the sight of a thatch roof but this is practical.
Freakin’ genius. I love being able to converse with people who are smarter than I am. Unfortunately, it happens far too infrequently… ;-)