Coconut fiber good for corrugated roofing boards

Coconut fiber is a good material for corugated roofing boards.

In fact, a coconut coir roof board is comparable if not better than other commercial roofing materials such as G.I. sheets, averred researchers of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)-Zamboanga City.

The researchers-L.J. Peñamora, R.N. Palomar, and N.J. Melencion–conducted a study titled "Corrugated roofing boards from coconut fiber: Applications and initial results."

The research was monitored by the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD).

In the study, the PCA researchers mixed coconut coir with cement at 70:30 cement-fiber-ratio, formed into corrugated mat using steel mould and pressed to the desired thickness.

The board had a standard dimension of 60 centimeters long, 40 cm wide, 12 millimeters thick, and density of 650 kilograms per cubic meter.

Aside from its comparableness, if not better quality than other commercial roofing materials, the coir roof board also had new low thermal conductivity, which indicates good insulation properties and can be used in a house even without a ceiling.

It also had high dimensional stability when soaked in water (water absorption of 32 percent and thickness swelling of 4.2 percent) surpassing the specifications set by PHILSA Standards 105-1975.

The PCA researchers further noted that in a flame test conducted, the coir roofing board burned slowly with minimal smoke as compared to other wood-based materials.

"It could be easily installed in the gabled roof frame using an umbrella tie-wire. A variety of roof sealants could be applied to seal open gaps prior to painting," they concluded.