Building the Vardo: Roof Layering/Preparing for the Copper Roof

Building VARDOFORTWO is a project that challenges Pete's history as a builder. What used to work, isn't right for an MCS safe home. My needs for safety and the lack of information and materials would spin a lesser woman off the edge (okay, it does this woman on many days).

The choices we made for the insulation and layering are examples of making the best choices possible and then turning to the Old Gods to do for us what we can't do for ourselves.

The photo below shows Pete trimming the TuTuff vapor barrier. What you can't see is the thin skin of birch plywood that covers the insulation layer. If there was another choice we would have used it. We used solid white oak to stay clear of plywood throughout the construction. What was needed up on the roof was solid flexibility.

That birch layer is flexible and will give the copper roof a solid foundation upon which to rest.

These two photos move through the 'next layer' of roofing and insulating the VARDOFORTWO.

The second photo from the top: INSULATION. We chose to use recycled denim batting. The denim is dusty to work with. Pete ended up using a respirator to install it. Although it is far less damaging to work with than fiberglass batting it is denim and denim is processed using chemicals and pesticides are used to grow cotton that is not organic. I have been treated and cleared for the denim insulation by my NAET practitioner. The insulation rests on a layer of DENNY FOIL to keep the denim particles contained, and another layer of TUTUFF covers it.
WHEWWWWW!!!
It is one of those choices that came with lots of back and forth movement --we chose foam insulation very early on in the building, but found that was too toxic for us. The off-gassing potential was always there, but we thought we had no better option. When I did the "put a piece of it into a glass jar, close it off for a day, and carefully take a sniff the result was undeniable: NOT THIS!"
I searched again, and found an eco-friendly and safe for me option in WOOL BATTING. This is a great option. Wool is an incredible insulator, tolerable by many of the MCS tribe and if your source can reasonably ship it too you it would be worth exploring. The shipping experience for us turned very negative and costly in more ways than money, and we let the wool option go.