Hi Lori. Thatching is a form of roofing that was used a good deal in the past, mainly on farmhouses and cottages. There are two main types - (1)reed thatch, which is made from (usually Norfolk) reeds. It's the best type, and is said to be be capable of lasting for forty years before rethatching becomes necessary, and (2) wheat straw thatch which will last for a good twenty years. There is another type - sedge thatch which used to be done in the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire fen area. I've only ever seen one example of this. A rethatch done with Norfolk reeds is very expensive (I'm guessing a bit here, but I would think ten thousand pounds upwards, depending on the size of the roof). The wheat straw used for thatching has to be especially grown to give a decent length of straw, because modern wheat has been bred with shorter straw, for harvesting by combines. I'm glad to be able to tell you that there there are still skilled thatchers around, it's a skill that is usually handed down in families. Hope that helps a bit. It's a big subject to deal with in a comment. Warm regards, Mike.
P.s. Should have dealt with (a) advantages of thatch :- Waterproof, very good insulation, lightweight compared to tiles or slates, very suitable in the past for smaller dwellings -always looks well. (b) Disadvantages. Has to be rethatched at regular intervals (see previous comment). The BIG disadvantage is of course the fire risk, and the resultant very high premiums required for fire insurance.
4 comments:
Looks good to me;)
I especially love the photos of the market.
Don't know much about a real thatched roof...you will have to educate me.
Thank you Pat.
Hi Lori. Thatching is a form of roofing that was used a good deal in the past, mainly on farmhouses and cottages. There are two main types - (1)reed thatch, which is made from (usually Norfolk) reeds. It's the best type, and is said to be be capable of lasting for forty years before rethatching becomes necessary, and (2) wheat straw thatch which will last for a good twenty years. There is another type - sedge thatch which used to be done in the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire fen area. I've only ever seen one example of this. A rethatch done with Norfolk reeds is very expensive (I'm guessing a bit here, but I would think ten thousand pounds upwards, depending on the size of the roof). The wheat straw used for thatching has to be especially grown to give a decent length of straw, because modern wheat has been bred with shorter straw, for harvesting by combines. I'm glad to be able to tell you that there there are still skilled thatchers around, it's a skill that is usually handed down in families. Hope that helps a bit. It's a big subject to deal with in a comment.
Warm regards, Mike.
P.s. Should have dealt with (a) advantages of thatch :- Waterproof, very good insulation, lightweight compared to tiles or slates, very suitable in the past for smaller dwellings -always looks well.
(b) Disadvantages. Has to be rethatched at regular intervals (see previous comment). The BIG disadvantage is of course the fire risk, and the resultant very high premiums required for fire insurance.
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