The Roof - Part One

I wasn't looking forward to tackling the roof and spent a lot of time this week finding other things to do.  Eventually, it couldn't be put off any longer and I forced myself to get on with it.  The first job that needed to be done was to strengthen the mountboard and duct tape roof.  This was done by adding a layer of paper maiche to the under side of the roof.  Sort of.  Instead of paper and wallpaper paste I used scraps of fabric leftover from covering the walls and wallpaper paste, so I guess I fabric maiched it.  In any event, the roof is now as solid as a rock and no longer flops about like an oversized jelly.

  The roof in this photo is the inspiration I'm working from.

To try and achieve this look I started by cutting cardboard strips and laying them across the roof from side to side, slightly overlapping each row as per normal roof tiling.  I then glued drinking straws running up and down the roof.  I hollowed out a square balsa wood beam to sit on the ridgeline and cap off the roof.

Next up it was time to tile the straws.  I rolled out some airdry clay and cut it up into individual tiles.  Starting at the bottom and working up to the ridge each straw was coated with glue then wrapped in tiles, about thirteen tiles per straw for the longest runs.

Technically, the straws should have been positioned closer together to really resemble the roof I was trying to copy, but I was worried about two things; first was not having enough room between straws to work the clay tiles into position without disturbing other straws/tiles and secondly, running out of straws.  Still, I think once it's painted, it will look quite good regardless.

Painting is still a ways off as I still have to tile all the straws on the back of the roof.  Then I need to trim all the edges and add some decoration to the ridgeline beams.  Phew.  Then I'll paint it in a blue-grey.  Ahem, unless I change my mind before then.