In message , newshound
writes
Isn't the basic problem going to be movement of the wood with
temperature and humidity? OK it *looks* very nice, but I don't think I
would try to make a roof like that. Cedar shingles as used in North
America work because they have a big overlap, like slates.

Yes, that's exactly why there is a problem. That and the fact that there
are occasional tiny little gaps where you can see daylight through. But
most of the water comes through down the joint between the roof pieces
rather than through the tongue and groove joints.

Also, it does look nice and women are involved in the approvals process.
It's also quite mature and came with the house, and we have many
problems on many fronts. (The mower is now fine except for the front
roller, which I've brought home here to attack with a bigger hammer, and
we haven't even started on the Billy Goat hoovery thing)

My gut feeling was to try to mould covering pieces to follow the
decorative joints using fibreglass and some resin, and then perhaps some
sort of tiles over the tongue and groove areas, but this would require
skill to do well and to end up looking good. Plus a lot of time. Which
is why son and I ended up hoping that some sort of flexible when dry,
gloopy paint might do the trick.


--
Bill