Slab roof on old council adjoined outhouses...

[Alan Fulcher]

Basically a 6m x 2.5m outbuilding front half belongs to one house, back half to next door. Each half has a narrow (coal?) Room and a bigger shed/utility.
Each half has a slab roof, with a thin layer of concrete (I think). It's about 2" thick and its middle, the mass, looks like shredded wheat.. some sort of fibre soaked and set in something, then skinned with the thin concrete.
Question: is any asbestos likely to have been used in its manufacture?
I would think it was a common method, as many houses built like it.
Would really appreciate any advice as trying to help family out of a rut.

 

[KenGMac]

Alan Fulcher, good evening.

The description of "the mass, looks like shredded wheat." sounds a lot like a [generally] 50.mm thick compressed straw board called "Stramit" [worth a Google]?

Any chance of a couple of images???

Ken.

 

[Alan Fulcher]

Alan Fulcher, good evening.

The description of "the mass, looks like shredded wheat." sounds a lot like a [generally] 50.mm thick compressed straw board called "Stramit" [worth a Google]?

Any chance of a couple of images???

Ken.

Thanks for your response, it's much appreciated. I'll see about getting a couple of images, but it certainly sounds like it (I Googled it, and it's the spitting dabs). Is any asbestos used (probably a 50s construction)?
I'm not a roofer, just an ex-engineer dad with lots of decent DIY skills, time and achy joints. Both roofs leak badly, both have rotten joists and the neighbours roof has a decent intent and pooling - it's shot. I'm looking at removing the existing roof (Stramit) and skipping it, levelling the single brick all around and inserting new joists to replace the old (same spacing). Then an 18mm board roof with wooded facia all around. Looking at a rubber roof (1.9m x 7.8M).

I'm then looking at fixing a walkway cover (clear plastic sheets) between the house and outhouse to weather seal with doors at either end. here's the question - can I drill into the rubber roof to secure one side of the cover roof? I was going to contact the manufacturer.

 

[KenGMac]

Allan.

Obviously, do NOT climb on to the roof, seen Stramit fail badly with someone trying that. There will be metal "U" shaped channels along the long edges, even when new those were what you stood on???

Your proposal makes sense. Suggest you look at the makers recommendations as far as edge fixings are concerned.

Using 18.mm Ply [or similar] and new joists at [say] 400.mm. C/C should be OK

If there is not one now suggest you consider an overhang and a rain water gutter?

Where possible introduce a slight "fall" in the new roof towards the rain water gutter.

Don,t forget, fit Hold Down straps [check out BAT on the WWW] for the wall plates.

Use treated timber, Tannalised or similar.

Ken.