Green Roof Systems

PermaSEAL Green Roof System

Green roofs are a fantastic addition to any property, commercial or residential. They deliver numerous practical benefits as well as looking attractive and supporting local wildlife.

PermaSEAL green roof systems allow you to waterproof and effectively store and drain away water in order for your green roof to thrive or paving to remain strong. Our green roofs are suitable for homes, garages, sheds, paving and deck drainage applications as well as larger commercial projects. 

Whether you require an extensive or intensive green roof, walkable or drivable paving or a simple gravel-filled deck finish, we stock the appropriate waterproofing layer and drainage membrane. Our green roof products have been designed so that competent DIYers can create and install their own green roofs. 

Types of Green Roof 

There are two main types of green roof – extensive and intensive. Our green roof membranes are suitable for both – here’s some information on the types of roof:

Extensive green roofs 

Most people looking for residential green roofs will opt for extensive green roofs. These are suitable for existing or new build decks. This green roof type doesn’t require soil and doesn’t weigh too much either, meaning that they are suitable for most roofs. Extensive green roofs are a popular option for homeowners as they require very little maintenance, with no need for additional watering. 

Extensive green roofs ordinarily have an attractive but thin layer of vegetation, around 80 - 100mm high. They feature simple vegetation like grass, moss, sedum and small flowers. 

Sedum Green Roof

Sedum green roofs are the most common type due to their low maintenance requirement. Sedum can tolerate our varying weather conditions too. A sedum roof is also highly convenient with pre-grown mats or blankets of sedum available ready to install - providing low growing, instant greenery to whatever sized roof you have. Check out our Sedum Roof Trays for an instant all-in-one solution.

Intensive green roofs

Intensive green roofs tend to support much larger items like bushes and small trees. They are more common in larger commercial projects including parks and gardens where people have access to them. With a thicker vegetation layer, intensive roofs require a much deeper substrate to be built up. This means additional weight to be supported as well as irrigation considerations. They require much more attention and maintenance – much like a normal garden. 

Benefits of Green Roofs

There are a number of benefits to installing a green roof system.

• Extends the service life of the roof
• Offers sound protection 
• Reduces temperature difference 
• Provides heat protection – save energy with the green roof acting as an insulation layer    
• Stays cool in hotter months – green roofs have a cooling effect

PermaSEAL Green Roof Systems

The PermaSEAL Green Roof system has the following core components. 

1. A primary waterproofing layer like PermaSEAL PRO MP 2C. Some decks will already have a waterproofing layer e.g. bitumen-based layer.
2. A slip layer / root barrier like our root barrier & separation sheet – if required, this is added on top of the primary waterproofing layer.  
3. Green Roof Membrane for drainage (and storage) – the drainage membrane allows water to drain safely away, protecting the roots of your living roof. It has an integrated geotextile element that filters out any detritus. The type of membrane you need depends on your exact requirements – we can provide different depths of cavity.
4. Substrate – the green roof substrate goes on top of the drainage layer. It can range from specially designed gravel, stone or soil.  
5. Vegetation – your choice of moss, grass, plants, sedum, flowers. We sell Wildflower Seeds for Green Roofs.

We sell two ultra-convenient green roof kits:

• Green Roof Starter Kit
• Green Roof Growers Kit feat. substrate and wildflower seeds

Along with a full range of accessories that include:

• Aluminium edge trim & connector
• Edging Pebbles
• Roofing scrim
• Newton's Fibran close-cell insulation boards suitable for inverted green roofs.
• PermaSEAL PRO Green Roof Protection Fleece - protects the primary waterproofing layer of your system

PermaSEAL Green Roof Drainage Membrane

In order to have an effective and healthy green roof you require a green roof drainage membrane. These green roof drainage membranes are specially designed to support the growth of your green roof and protect your structure. The drainage layer prevents too much water accumulating and damaging the roots of your vegetation. Some feature studs that can act as reservoirs, collecting water to help your green roof thrive. 

At Permagard, we are proud to stock high quality Green Roof Membranes. 

• PermaSEAL 8 Green Roof Membrane – a drainage layer suitable for extensive and intensive green roofs and horizontal drainage below parking decks and walkways. Also available to cover 40m² as two rolls of green roof membrane. 
• PermaSEAL 20P Green Roof Drainage & Storage Membrane – a water storage membrane as well as a drainage layer. Suitable for extensive and intensive green roofs and horizontal drainage below parking decks and walkways (also compatible with inverted warm roofs)
• PermaSEAL 40P Green Roof Drainage & Storage Membrane & PermaSEAL 60P - acts as both a drainage layer and large volume water storage; provides huge drainage and water storage capacity 
• Root Barrier – root barrier and separation/slip layer installed over the waterproofing layer

These can be used in both extensive and intensive green roof systems. Our HDPE green roof membranes are long-lasting with a high compression strength. They are designed to help your green roof remain healthy whilst being easy to install and great value for money.   

We also sell our PermaSEAL Jointing Tape for those looking for extra protection against root penetration by taping the root barrier and/or drainage membrane.

Green Roof Installation

Installing a green roof is relatively straightforward. You need to create a design and then build up each layer according to your design. Once a primary waterproofing layer has been applied to the roof deck, you can roll out a separation layer if required or the green roof membrane across the length of the roof and cut to size. You can then overlap the rolls of membrane with our PermaSEAL Jointing Tape for additional root protection. Next comes the substrate – evenly spread the growing medium across the entire roof area. You can then plant your seeds or install your vegetation layer.      

For more on installing a green roof check out our guide. You can also read about how to maintain your green roof or our general introduction to what a green roof is and the benefits. 

Permagard – Green Roof Suppliers

Permagard are proud to supply green roof systems to DIYers and professionals alike. We only work with the highest quality green roof manufacturers. Our technical team are here to support you and answer any questions you may have about sedum roofs and green roof systems. Call us today on 0117 982 3282.  Return to our green roof homepage.