Home » Misc » Thatch roof houses

Thatch roof houses


the historic craft making a comeback |

Homes & Gardens is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s why you can trust us.

(Image credit: Future / Brent Darby)

A thatched roof is a rare and treasured design feature, and is a much romanticized rural idyll.

Thatch has been used as a roof covering for millennia, and was the dominant material across much of the UK and Europe up to the late 19th century. A large number of charming thatched properties remain today, and for fans of chocolate box cottages, they make up some of the world's best homes.

The material was also used by early settlers in the United States, although the practice largely diminished over the following centuries.

While today thatched roofs are not a common sight in the US, they do exist across the country. Indeed, the craft is believed to be growing in popularity for new homes, eco houses and garden room ideas due to the current eco home improvements trend towards using more natural materials.

Types of thatched roof 

There are a number of different types of thatched roof, but they vary depending on the local vernacular.

Straw has been used to thatch for centuries, although alternatives found across the continents include water reed, heather, bracken, bulrush, marram grass, flax – and even wood chips and potato stems!

Here are some of the main types:

(Image credit: Dawn Evans / Alamy Stock Photo)

How do you repair a thatched roof?

A thatched roof ridge will need renewing several times in between rethatching of the main coat, and is typically required every 10-15 years.  

It also gives the opportunity to strip thatch around chimneys to reveal masonry defects that represent a fire risk. All junctions, including flashings and mortar fillets, must be left watertight.

Localized areas of decay, such as channels worn where rainwater runoff concentrates, may be repaired with new thatch, along with damage caused by wind, birds or small animals. This can prolong the life of thatched roofs and avoid more costly replacement. 

Netting may be used where thatch is prone to bird and animal damage. Moss, lichen and fungi do not have to be removed, however.

How long does a thatch roof last?

A straw or water reed thatched roof may last for at least 30 years but will eventually need rethatching when the fixings are near to the surface and open to water ingress. 

(Image credit: Jody Stewart)

How to rethatch a roof

Rethatching of water reed usually entails stripping the existing roof back to the timbers. With straw, however, a new surface coat is usually fixed – or ‘sparred’ – over existing base coats, taking care to avoid a build-up of excessive thicknesses of thatch.  

It is important not to strip roofs where a rare medieval smoke-blackened thatched roof survives. Modern screw fixings are less damaging to ancient timberwork than metal crooks.

Consult an architect, surveyor or engineer over any structural concerns before work starts.

Select a reputable thatcher working in the local tradition who does not automatically replace long straw with reed.

Regional variations in thatching materials and styles have evolved over the centuries, so it is vital to perpetuate these, not only to retain local diversity but to avoid problems with durability.

Problems with thatched roofs

One of the main problems with owning a thatched roof is that there are occasional shortages of materials, usually due to a poor harvest. In such times, consider timely, localized repair rather than complete rethatching to extend the life of a roof by several years. 

Roofs with more extensive wear can be protected using a thin coat of combed wheat reed or long straw with surface fixings (known as a ‘rick coat’). While a thin rick coat might last about three years, a thicker coat may last up to ten.

A flush ridge might be considered rather than a raised block ridge. Flush ridges require less material, last as long as block ridges and were commonly the traditional ridge type.

Are thatched roofs a fire risk?

The most common cause of thatch fires is inappropriate installation, or irresponsible use of wood-burning stoves. 

Such is the level of risk, there is now a trend towards removing wood-burning stoves from thatched cottages and reinstating inglenook-type open fires. The presence of a wood-burning stove needs to be declared when seeking building insurance to avoid invalidating any claims.

Other fires in thatch are caused by unsuitable fuel or kindling, the blocking of flues by birds’ nests, and the ignition of tarry deposits due to inadequate cleaning of flues, chimneys, spark arrestors or bird guards.

Deep multi-layered thatch increases fire risk by hiding defective chimney stacks and reducing the height of the stack above the roof surface.  

This provides a shorter distance for embers exiting the top of the stack to fall before reaching the thatch. 

Options include raising the height of the stack or reducing excessive thicknesses of thatch (with listed building consent, where required).

A History of Thatch Roofing – Mountain Architects – Hendricks Architecture

hatch roofing has a history that goes back thousands of years, making it one of the most time-tested types of roofing.  It was the predominant roofing material in many places until the 1800s and remains the signature roofing of the country cottage.

Thatch roof cottage in Devon, where a fifth of all Britain's thatched roofs are located.

With the history that thatch has, there are numerous examples going back to antiquity:

The Howick house is reported to have one of the earliest known thatch roofs.
EUROPE

‍Through the dark ages, thatch was used on the poorest peasant’s homes as well as the wealthiest king’s halls.  The middle ages saw a variety of building types from almshouses, hospitals, houses, chapels, guildhalls, and castle gatehouses, many of which were thatched.  For example, in the 1300s the Pevensey castle in Sussex purchased six acres of water reed to provide roofing for its chambers and halls.

A little-known use of thatch during the middle ages is that it was used in the masonry construction of the great castles and cathedrals.  Thatchers were employed to provide thatching as a protection for unfinished work through the winter months of no work.  Thatch covered the tops of unfinished walls, and large temporary thatched roofs were erected to cover unfinished spaces.  This is documented in places such as Windsor castle and the church at Covent Garden in London.

In the century following the start of the reformation, many opportunities and new wealth fueled what is known as The Great Rebuilding.  Most of the “old” buildings of Europe come from this era and most of these had a thatched roof.

An example of thatch in Denmark. Note the use of wood to hold the ridge together.

During the mid to late middle ages (late 15th to early 16th centuries), Europe recovered from the black plague, and England and France recovered from the hundred years war.  A time of peace and prosperity resulted, eventually producing the renaissance.  This is when thatch reached some of it’s highest refinement.  William Cahill says that the French were the first to really beautify thatch as we know it today.  The English and Germans were quick to adopt these traditions and they were soon followed by the rest of Europe, each region with a slightly different take.

Normandy is especially known for its well-preserved thatch cottages or "thatchies" when literally translated from French. Thatched half-timber cottages and rural Normandy are synonymous, evoking images of lush green cottage farms with chickens and ducks foraging in the yard.

An old thatch mill in Cockington Village, Devon, England

In parts of France the ridge of thatch roofs is planted with Irises.  The roots (rhizomes) help to bind the ridge together while also keeping it dry as they drink up any excess moisture.

Some of France’s aristocracy expressed their fondness for thatch in hamlets and model farms that they built, popularized by the theories of the Physiocrats.

A Chipping Campden thatched home in the Cotswolds.  Note the yellow stone found in the Chipping Campden area.

Hameau de Chantilly was built in 1774 by Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé on the grounds of Chateau de Chantilly.  It was designed by architect Jean-François Leroy.  The half-timbered thatch cottages have rustic exteriors that surprise guests when they step into the luxurious interiors complete with classical pilasters and murals.

Louis Joseph’s Hamlet inspired Marie Antionette and she followed in 1783 with Hameau de la Reine (hamlet of the queen).  Architect Richard Mique and painter Hubert Robert worked together to produce the design.  The buildings, many of which are thatched, were inspired by vernacular Flemish or Norman architecture. Among the hamlet buildings there is a farmhouse with its own farm, a dairy and its barn (burnt down during the French Revolution) and a mill fed by a meandering creek.  Most of the buildings are arranged around a large central pond.  The relatively humble hamlet was a stark contrast to the rest of the rather extravagant buildings on the grounds of Versailles.

The mill in Cockington Village featuring a thatch roof.

As Europe started to become less rural, thatched country cottages became a favored theme amongst the "picturesque" artists of the late 1700s.  During the industrial revolution, canals and then rails, allowed heavier roofing materials to be more easily delivered to construction sites, providing competition for thatch.  The use of thatch continued to increase in tune with the increase in agriculture.  It wasn’t until the end of the 1800s when thatch started to decline with agricultural recessions and rural depopulation.

The introduction of the combine harvester along with the short-stemmed wheat varieties significantly impacted the availability of quality thatching materials (Varieties of wheat from medieval England were said to have grown 6’ tall).  The introduction of nitrogen fertilizers also reduced straw’s longevity.  In the UK it is illegal under the plant variety and seeds act of 1964 to plant older varieties of wheat.  These factors all contributed to a massive decline in thatch until the late 20th century when thatch began to increase again.

Mushroom House thatch eave detail in Charlevoix, Michigan. Originally built in 1919 by designer Earl Young. Renovated in 2013 by Michael Seitz. Thatch roof by Colin McGhee.
UNITED STATES AND CANADA

‍As European settlers crossed the Atlantic to North America they brought their thatching traditions with them.  Jamestown, New Amsterdam, and many other settlements were first roofed with thatch.  As colonization spread west, especially into the plains where less forests were found, thatch was commonly used.  Many of the Forts and posts of the Hudson Bay company used thatch as a roofing.  Many photos from the American civil war reveal the use of thatch as well.

Another example of thatch is revealed in a story of young John Adams (2nd US president) and his father Deacon Adams.  He had big plans for his son.  Hoping to persuade his son that farming is a less than desirable pursuit, Deacon took John to the marshes for a very long cold day cutting thatch.  At the end of the day when he asked his son how he liked farming now, young John replied, “I like it very well Sir. ”  This was not the response John’s father had hoped for and he forced John to go back to his studies. – John Adams a Life, by John Ferling

Round barn with a thatch roof in Longmont, Colorado. Thatched by Colin McGhee
AFRICA

‍Thatch huts are an African icon.  Some argue that their shape was inspired by the Egyptian pyramids.  They are integral to Africa’s roots and architectural legacy.

In Southern Africa, the Zulu, the Swazi, and the Nguni construct thatch domed huts.  A ring of poles is anchored in the ground and brought together at the peak.  The peak is either a smooth dome (early Xhosa) or to a conical point (Sotho). The thatch is skillfully crafted.  Zulu domes, or indlu, have exquisitely detailed entries.  Some Nguni huts feature a layer of floor mats for insulation.   The thatch roof is brought to an ornate finial and a net wraps the whole hut to endure brisk winds.

The Xhosa’s later homes have developed into a consistent form known as the rondavel.  These homes are typically round, have one room, and are roofed with thatch.  In areas Southern Africa they can be common.  Some of the regional variations include a curb or plinth before the dome roof begins (Swazi and Zulu), flattened or low slope roof on a taller wall, or tall cone shaped roofs.

Domed thatch hut from South Africa. Similar to early Xhosa building techniques. Photo Credit: Philip Goldsberry

Construction methods also differ. Typically, the wall is made with a ring of posts and infilled with wattle and mud.  In wooded areas infill may be replaced with more posts.  Some peoples, such as the Tswana and the Venda, extend the eaves to have a continuous wrap around porch.

‍
PACIFIC ISLANDS

‍The Samoan word for all house types from large to small is fale.  The frame is shaped into a dome and when complete is covered with thatch.  If available, the preferred thatch is dry sugarcane leaves.  Otherwise the coconut palm leaves are used instead.

Iconic of Filipino culture, the nipa hut or bahay kubo is a house built on stilts with a thatched roof.  The roof is tall and steep with broad eaves.  The steep roof easily sheds rain especially during the monsoon season.  The tall roof provides a space for heat to escape allowing cooler air to be drawn in from the windows in the walls below.  The broad eaves help keep the area around the nipa dry.  During the eruption of Mount Pinatubo many houses collapsed under the weight of the volcano’s ash.  Most nipa huts survived because their roofs were steep enough to shed the heavy ash.

An example of tropical thatch in the South Pacific. Photo Credit: Roberto Nickson

Pre-European Hawaiians were kept dry by thatch roofs.  Homes were simple shacks for slaves and outcasts, beach front huts for boat builders and fishermen, modest shelters for the maka’ainana (working class), sacred and extravagant heiau of kahuna, and palaces with basalt foundations for the ali’I (elite).

The traditional Hawaiian home, otherwise known as the hale, used the same patterns found all throughout Polynesia. The hale's thatch roof typically used the sweet smelling pili grass.  If that wasn’t available other thatches included pandanus leaves, grasses, banana trunk fiber, or sugar cane leaves.  It was lashed to the frame in bundles with grass or coconut fiber ropes.  The thatch at the peak was layered thicker with extra care to keep out wind and rain.  There were typically no windows and one small entry opening.

‍
LATIN AMERICA

‍Many of those native to South and Central America such as the Maya, Inca, and Aztec lived in thatch homes.  Even to this day, in rural areas of Latin American such as the Yucatán Peninsula, it’s not uncommon to find thatched homes built similar to those of their forefathers.

Like the imperial city Machu Piccu, many cities in the Inca empire are known to have been roofed with thatch. The thatch on the nobility's roofs is said to have been six feet thick!

From what we've found in archeological remains and colonial accounts of the Inca, thatch was the main roof of choice. Typical Inca construction consisted of stone foundations and walls, a timber roof structure, and a thatch roof.  The timber roof structure was anchored to the stone walls with lashing.  The spectacular stone walls remain today, but the thatched roofs are long gone.

Some of the stonework is so tightly laid there is but a hair line between stones.  Based on colonial accounts, the thatch roofs were nothing short of impressive either.  El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega was the son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman.  Growing up in 16th century Peru he saw much of the still very intact ways of the Inca and wrote extensively of such.

He described the thatch of imperial buildings to have been at least a fathom (six feet) thick! (Comentarios Reales de los Incas, El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, 1609, p. 321)  Some believe the quality of craftsmanship that went into the thatch roofs of the Inca would have rivaled that of the Shinto shrines in Japan.

Typical thatch detail on a restored Incan home. Note the timbers were anchored down with ropes lashed to the stone.
ASIA

‍Shinto temples and shrines are well known for their thatch roofs.  They are also known for being kept in prime condition. The time span differs from building to building, but most, if not all, Shinto temples and shrines are rebuilt every 10 to 30 years!  Some of these buildings predate Buddhism in Japan, which means they have been rebuilding them for well over a thousand years. Though not the primary purpose, this continuous rebuilding process, in part, helps to sustain Japan’s thatching traditions.

Thatched Japanese home from the Edo period. Note the series of ridges in and below the valley to slow water as it is cast off the roof. Photo Credit: Sayama

The traditional houses of Japan are known as Minka (Japanese: 民家).  They are the vernacular houses that emerged out of the Edo period.  Though they came from one period, today the term covers many vernacular Japanese styles. Receiving high levels of precipitation in most areas of Japan, the minka roof’s shape has been derived from heavy rain and snow fall.  The steeper the roof the better it sheds water, so minka roofs are known to be rather steep.

Thatch was often the roof material of choice for minka houses.  Today Japan has 100,000 thatched properties.  Minka houses probably make up the better portion of this number.  As with English cottages, special treatment was given to the ridges of minka houses.  They could be finished with thatch laid flat several layers thick, bamboo, or wood timbers. A minka owner’s social status could be identified by the size and complexity of the building and its roof.  The more wooden timbers (umanori 馬乗り) or bundles of thatch at the ridge the higher the owner’s standing.

In Bali, Indonesia, the black fibers of Arenga Pinnata called ijuk are used as a thatched roof material for meru tower and pura temple roofs.  Meru towers are known for their rather unique appearance.  They feature a multi-tiered roof extending the height of the tower, and can have anywhere from three to eleven tiers.

Black ijuk thatch on the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple in Bali. Photo Credit: Aronartist

Thatch has seen a long and widespread legacy.  In equatorial regions thatching traditions go back to antiquity using palm branches.  In cooler climates, thatching generally switched to traditions using the straw from grain crops.  Like most traditional crafts, thatching has, in some ways, suffered from the changes brought by civilization.  However, many of today’s property owners see the value of keeping their cottages thatched, even if it’s to simply get a better selling price on the market.  Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, calls thatching one of Great Britain’s most glorious traditions in the forward of the book Thatches and Thatching.

Have you considered thatch for your next roof?  Feel free to let us know in the comments below.

‍Hendricks Architecture, architects in Sandpoint, Idaho.  We've designed everything from small mountain cabins and storybook houses, to mountain lodges and estates.

‍Previous Post: Thatch Roofing Today

‍Follow our blog with Bloglovin

how to make a house with a thatched roof with your own hands, installation of an artificial straw roof for a hut

In ancient times, a thatched roof was a sign of the low well-being of the owner of the hut. Today the situation is reversed. Now such a roof testifies to the high status and prosperity of the homeowner. Such materials are very popular in European countries, and more recently this fashion has reached Russia

Features and myths

There are a lot of erroneous opinions about the consumer properties of straw as a roofing material. Therefore, many misconceptions and myths need to be debunked.

Myth 1. A straw roof catches fire from the slightest spark

In practice, before the reed or straw is laid on the roof, the material is impregnated with special flame retardants. After such treatment, the combustibility of straw can be compared, for example, with ondulin, which is popular today.

Myth 2. Rodents (mice and rats) like to settle in straw

This is not true. The material is laid very tightly, while each press is fixed to the pole with a wire. Not only rodents, but even external moisture cannot penetrate under such a coating.

Myth 3. Thatched roof indicates the poverty of the owners of the house

Country style is very popular today, especially in America and Europe. That is why the thatched roof today does not make the house a “village shack”, but shows the taste and originality of the owners of the house. The coating can look very interesting, especially if you approach the installation and overall design of the house and landscape creatively.

Advantages and disadvantages

The use of straw as a roofing material has both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages include some performance characteristics.

Unfortunately, this type of roofing also has disadvantages.

Some prefer artificial straw. It is durable, has an attractive appearance, but requires additional sound, vapor and waterproofing.

Types

Depending on the material used, there are several types of thatched roofing.

Reed

This variant of straw cover is very popular. Reed grows in humid places, so nature itself endowed it with hygroscopicity and resistance to high humidity. The reed cover acts as a kind of air conditioner: it reliably protects from the heat in the summer months and retains heat in the cold of winter. In addition, the reed is durable and has a long service life.

Reed

This is perhaps the most stylish and exotic surface. The house "in a fluffy hat" seems to be filled with a special atmosphere of comfort and summer warmth. The charm of the reed is able to enliven any landscape and become a highlight of the garden interior. Roofing with reeds brings people closer to nature. Natural beauty truly transforms the structure and invariably arouses admiration.

The honey-yellow shade of the coating changes color over time, however, this does not reduce the aesthetic appeal of the roof. Reed allows you to maintain a favorable microclimate in the room, provides sound absorption and thermal insulation. This material is also used in the construction of baths, gazebos, for arranging cafes and restaurants.

Installation technologies

Modern roofing technologies involve several different ways of covering the roof. Regardless of which method is chosen as the basic one, first a wooden crate with a section of 6x6 cm bars is installed. The slope angle of 40-45 degrees (not less than 30) is considered to be optimal. This is a guarantee of quality and speed of laying work. Sheaves are placed on the frame and distributed evenly over the surface. Then they are fixed in one of the following ways.

With nails

This is the simplest method. Layers of straw on the roof are tied with a special aluminum wire, and then fixed with nails. It is important to note that not all long nails are used with this installation method. Fasteners should have a special hook instead of the usual hat, which grabs the wire and pulls it to the crate. Installation of a thatched roof in this way can be carried out independently, without the involvement of additional workers.

With self-tapping screws

This method is considered more reliable. It is based on the use of self-tapping screws and stainless steel wire. For installation, pieces of wire 50-60 cm long are pre-cut. Then the blanks are bent in half and a loop is made into which the screw is installed.

Straw laying in this way includes several stages.

This method also does not involve helpers. All work can be done by one person.

Using a needle and loop

This method is based on the use of two special tools.

  1. A pointed needle made of a metal tube with a diameter of 1-1.2 cm. In this case, part of the rod is removed so that a semi-circular tray is obtained.
  2. Wire loop with wooden handle.

This method also does not require assistants, however, to speed up the process, you can involve several masters and start the installation at the same time from different sides.

Beginners are advised to use a different method of roofing. This requires the presence of two people. The first one threads the wire through the flooring from one end of the frame beam, and the second one guides the thread through the roof crate from the opposite side and brings it up. After that, you just need to press the straw stems and twist the ends of the wire (it is more convenient to do this with pliers).

The method of installing straw in this way also includes several steps.

It should be noted that the speed and productivity of working in pairs is not higher than with the independent arrangement of a thatched roof, however, in terms of labor costs, this option is optimal for beginners in working with such material.

Tips & Tricks

Installing a thatched roof has a few important things to keep in mind.

Before straw is used as roofing, it is pre-cooked. To do this, the sheaf is laid out on a solid base in such a way that the butt part hangs a little, and then it is “combed” with a plank with nails stuffed on it. This treatment allows you to remove from the straw all debris and branches that spoil the appearance and performance of the coating. Next, the sheaf is tapped at the ends and leveled. Only then can it be lifted to the roof.

The first row should be laid out as evenly as possible. To do this, you can mark the roof and stretch the twine along the marking lines. The second and all subsequent rows are laid already unrelated. At the same time, it is important to press them as tightly as possible with special slats and attach them to the frame beams using willow or birch rods. However, aluminum wire can also be used.

If reed is used as a roof, it is recommended to lay meadow cereals under the first layer of material. This gives the roof additional strength and durability.

By analogy, all subsequent rows are laid out. As a result, the roof gets a not very aesthetic appearance with bumps, since each row forms a small step. Many prefer to leave the coating in this form. The reasons may be different - someone thinks that it is stylish, and someone simply does not have experience in leveling and designing such differences.

Traditionally, these steps are smoothed with a comb, which is made from a board with special cuts at one end and nails at the other. With such impromptu teeth, the roof is “combed”, and the ends are knocked out with the other part of the comb. Processing is carried out until the surface acquires the necessary evenness and smoothness.

The finishing touch is the design of the top of the roof. If the roof is gable, then the straw is simply bent on both sides. Then special chains are fixed from hammered poles connected by pins. From above, the chains are attached to the roof with braces.

If the roof is made in a conical or pyramidal shape, then a birch bark cone is put on the very top of the structure. If this is not available, then you can make a large sheaf of straw with panicles pointing down. The top is tied with a hoop of flexible branches or wire and firmly fixed to the tack.

It is not difficult to build a covering from reeds, reeds, cattails or rye with your own hands. Even a person without professional experience and education can cope with such work, and a set of tools is also required for the most familiar, available in the arsenal of any home workshop. However, if you met straw for the first time, it recommends starting with small volumes - covering gazebos and other outbuildings, and you can start arranging the roof of the house after acquiring the necessary work skills.

Interesting examples

This is how stylish a thatched roof looks in old-fashioned and prim England.

Houses in Japan amaze with their comfort.

      Summer cafes with thatched roofs look charming.

      And some more original examples.

      For information on the types and features of laying a thatched roof, see the following video.

      how to make a roof with your own hands

      Is it easy to make a house with a thatched roof yourself? What nuances do you need to know? Let's try to figure this out.

      Contents

      1. Pros and cons of material
      2. How to make a thatched roof?

      Pros and cons of material

      DIY thatched roof can decorate the whole house. Its appearance attracts with its simplicity and imitation of antiquity. Of course, building such a structure on a house from modern materials is illogical. But wooden huts or log cabins with a thatched roof will look very attractive.

      This material is not only distinguished by its exclusive appearance. Straw has other, also important positive qualities. For example:

      • Ecological cleanliness should be put first. Straw, even after many years of operation, will not emit any harmful substances;
      • The material is very light. Even the fact that the straw is laid very tightly during installation on the roof, it still does not add a lot of load to the walls;
      • Straw and reeds (which are also used in the installation of such structures) can be easily obtained. At the same time, the cost of shelter will be quite low;
      • A layer of straw has a beneficial effect on the microclimate inside the house. The rooms will be cool in the summer heat, and warm in the winter cold.

      Do not forget about the ease of installation work. Here you do not need complex tools and extensive experience. The main thing is to get acquainted with the recommendations of specialists and strictly observe the technology of erecting roofs from natural material, in our case, from straw.

      Some people think that the thatched roof of the hut has more minuses than pluses. For example, there is an opinion that such structures light up easily. Actually it is not. Thatched roofs do not burn well, because the material is laid quite tightly. In addition, before installation, all material is treated with special impregnations that prevent fire and prevent the straw from rotting.

      Also, due to the density of laying, rodents will not start in such a roof. They simply will not have a place where they can climb. At the same time, the straw layer does not need to be ventilated. Even with such a density, air still penetrates and perfectly ventilates the roof. And this, of course, will allow us to save a little more.

      Another important fact is the service life. Despite the fact that straw is a fragile material, bound in tight bundles, it is able to withstand almost any external impact. As a rule, with good and proper care, such roofs last up to 50 years.

      Thatched roof, despite its considerable age of use, still has not lost its relevance. The material is inexpensive, readily available and easy to use. Therefore, such designs are a great alternative to new technologies. Environmental friendliness and attractive appearance return thatched roofs to their former popularity.

      How to make a thatched roof?

      Now it's time to talk about how to make a thatched roof. Here, as well as with the use of other materials, the so-called "roofing" cake is used. Only it will consist of a smaller number of layers. In general terms, such a “pie” includes the following components:

      Thatched Roof Pie
      1. First of all, it is a truss system. Not a single roof can do without this element;
      2. The purlin is of the solid type. As a rule, sheets of OSB, chipboard or plywood are used for it. For reliability, it is necessary to support the sheets of the sheathing material between the slings with the help of additionally fixed boards or rails;
      3. Straw clamps near the ridge and metal mesh. And for sewing sheaves, prepare a wire made of galvanized metal.

      This is also important to know: Do-it-yourself wooden roof for a house

      And of course, the sheaves of straw themselves. This will be the main material for the roof. When choosing straw, you need to pay attention to the absence of places affected by mold, extraneous grass and burning. In addition, the material must be dry.

      Straw is knitted in small sheaves and laid in rows on the crate. Then the material must be stitched with wire. In this case, the first row of firmware should go no further than 20 centimeters from the clamping bar at the ridge. Then the wire is laid at a distance of 12-15 centimeters from the first row, and then every 25-30 centimeters.

      Galvanized wire should be selected for stitching. In this case, the roof will keep its shape longer. The firmware itself can be done in several ways:

      • The first option uses a wire and a special needle. With the help of the second element, the skin is stitched. The assistant, who is in the attic, returns the needle and wire back;
      • The second option involves the use of screws. It is this method that is used most often, due to its simplicity and the ability to perform all installation work by one person. In this case, the screws are pre-fixed on the wire. Further, after laying the row, the master stitches it, simply screwing the screws to the crate;
      Laying roofing material
      • In the third case, nails are used. The principle of firmware is the same as in the version with screws. The only important difference is the use of a thicker crate;
      • Bands, pieces of wood or thick wire can be used. But this option is used only for decoration, as it is not very reliable.

      Pay special attention to the roof ridge. For more reliable protection, it is better to lay a layer of tiles. First secure the straw suitable for the ridge with a metal mesh. If you do not want to spoil the appearance of the roof with foreign materials, then more tightly bound sheaves can be used.

      The layer of straw must be laid neatly and tightly. The effectiveness of the roof and the duration of its service will depend on this. To achieve this goal, additional tools are used - blade-bits.

      Installing thatched roofs is not a difficult task. It is important to lay all the sheaves tightly together so that there are no gaps. In this case, your new roof will not leak and will last a long time.

      Learn more