Water reed is due to its properties an ideal product for construction.
Water reed for thatching
Since centuries reed is used as a natural roof covering. Especially the insulating properties and water resistance are making water reed a perfect thatching material. A thatched roof functions just like the fur of an animal. The infiltration of humidity is refused and the run off of rain drops is supported. Simultaneously a roof cladding is generated. The elasticity of the roof cladding is necessary to hold out against wind compression and to support the wooden roof construction. Water reed for thatching is delivered in bundles whereas a water reed bundle has a amplitude of about 60 cm. For covering one square meter roofage with a 35 – 40 cm thick thatched layer you need 10 to 12 bundles.
Along with water reed as a roofing material clay is an important completion. In Northern Germany thatched roofs were and are often plastered with clay on the inside. The clay plaster has several advantages for the thatched roof. In this way the roof is made windproof and the insulating effect is supported. The clay dehumidifies the thatched roof and rafter. Thereby the roof beams are conserved, mould growth is prevented and the rotting is decelerated. The clay plaster functions as well as a fire protection. In case of fire the clay generates a protecting coating and retards the defection of fire from the outside to the inside of the roof.
Water reed as insulation – the Hiss Reet Panel
Bound to insulation panels water reed has proofed to be a reliable, natural insulation for the ecological construction. As an insulation the good thermal properties of water reed are brought to bear. The water reed panel is composed of several water reed spears which are arranged parallel, side by side and on top of each other. They are mechanical clutched and bonded with a 2 mm thick and galvanized wire. The water reed panels have a thickness of 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 or 12 cm and can be combined depending on required insulation.
Water reed panels are applied as a roof and wall insulation. Crosswise to the spear you can cut with fret saw, hand held circular saw or cut-off wheel. Lengthwise to the spear the wires are cut with a wire cutter.
Roof insulation
The fixation of reed panels onto a slap or roof construction is done with screws and grommets. As on the rafter insulation the insulation panels are laid on the wooden rafters and held by a counter batten, which is screwed to the rafters. As a insulation between the rafters the insulation panels are crosscut on width of the rafter and are held by battens. As interior insulation the insulation panels are fixed via screws and grommets to the rafters.
Wall insulation
The fixation of insulation panels on a wooden substructure is done with lightweight building board bolts or with galvanized screws and grommets. Wooden substructures should be installed on a maximal distance of 50 cm.
On brickwork water reed panels are pushed in a mortar bed consisting of clay plaster. The panels are pushed in the clay and then fixed in the underground with five screws or expansion anchors with collar peg per square metre for providing for a holohedrally assured bond with mortar.
Reed matting as reinforcement
Reed matting is used as plaster base and armour of multilayer plasters. The rough surface and the spaces between the spears makes the plaster hold on the reed matting. The static properties of water reed stabilizes the reed matting and eases the processing with plaster. The reed matting is composed of about 70 water reed spears which are annexed to a 0,7 thick and galvanized wire (10 cm or 20 cm binding ).
The bond wire of reinforcement is stapled with galvanized cramps of minimum 16 mm length on the substructure. Thereby the wire should press the reed matting on the bedrock. The distance of the cramps should be 5 to 10 cm. The distance between the wooden posts of the substructure shouldn’t exceed 20 cm. Before plastering the reed matting should not be wet the plaster would not stick onto the reed mat. Elutriating the reinforcement is also unnecessary. The water reed reinforcement can also be adopted as a lost sheathing for the fill with lightweight clay.
Water reed as light-weight wall – the Hiss Reet Wall
Hiss Reet Walls are ecological, non carrying divider consisting of renewable primary products. The walls are a new development for dry mortarless construction and made of reed and fir and. They are used for light-weight construction and interior work. Hiss Reet Walls are made of water reed using the good noise and thermal insulation properties. The Hiss Reet Wall is produced without any chemical additions. The water reed spears are compressed between two welted fir wood stands by mechanical pressing and are bonded with 2mm thick and galvanized wire. The Hiss Reet Wall is geared to the standard width for trusses with a width of 625 mm.
Just as the Hiss Reet Panel, the Hiss Reet Walls are cut crosswise with the fret saw, hand-held circular saw or cut off wheel. Lengthwise to the spear the wires can be cut with a wire cutter, the water reed spears can be taken away and bonded together again. A fittingly welted wall batten that is screwed on the wall forms the end of the wall. Depending on the course of the wall, 8 cm wide floor and ceiling battens are screwed onto the floor and the ceiling. The first element is screwed to the wall, floor and ceiling batten. The successive wall elements are simply screwed through the pilot hole to the other wall element and the floor and ceiling batten. The last wall element is adapted by cutting the wires and taking of the reed spears for the right width.
