Grassy roofs symbolize Norway's love
for nature
By GRACE HOUSHOLDER
The first time I saw a torvtak I thought, "That house looks
hairy."
The second time I saw one I admired the flowers growing by the
chimney.
The third time I saw a torvtak I started asking questions.
Translated literally, torvtak is "turf roof." For hundreds
of years turf roofs have been popular in Norway, a sparsely-populated
mountainous land covered with pine and birch trees.
Originally turf roofs were made by topping many layers of birch
bark with two layers of sod - one layer with the grass facing
the birch bark and one layer with the grass facing the sky. The
weight of the sod flattened the birch bark except where it curled
attractively over the edge.
Nowadays manmade materials are used instead of birch bark.
No two turf roofs are the same. Some are bright green and almost
velvety. Others are golden and look like they're growing wheat
or oats. A number of turf roofs have flowers mixed in with the
grass, and a few have small trees.
We never saw a goat or a cow on a turf roof, but I would not
have been surprised if we had.
The advantages of turf roofs are many. They are very heavy, so they help to stabilize the house; they provide good insulation; and they are long-lasting.
You would think turf roofs would be inexpensive, but our Norwegian
friend Simon Dankel, whose father works in construction, said
they are not cheap because special skills and materials are required
to prepare the roof for the turf topping.
Norwegians are known for their love of second homes, usually
small cabins, often without plumbing, in remote areas ... or
just a few miles from home.
When we spent two days with the family of Mads Lie in Tretten,
a village near Lillehammer, his parents, Mauritz and Bjorg, proudly
drove us up a nearby mountain to show us the cabin they are building.
It is on land that has belonged to their family for generations.
Next to the Lies' cabin was a large pile of turf - their future
roof.
Formerly, the cows would walk up the mountain (it would take
a whole day) and spend the entire summer there. Now the mountaintop
is mainly used for relaxation. For most Norwegians being close
to nature is one of the keys to happiness. So why not have the
outdoors "crown" your house?
Where do you see turf roofs? We saw them almost every day during
our 13-day stay in southern Norway. We saw turf roofs in the
towns as well as in the countryside, on new homes and storage
buildings as well as old.
Probably the Norwegian settlers who came to America during the
1800s built sod homes as a natural continuation of the turf roof
idea.
Because of immigration there are actually more people of Norwegian
descent in the United States than there are in Norway.
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