FEATURES
Once the thatch is ready for installation, one should consider that it is a living breathing material which needs to continue doing as such.
60-years-old and has never been serviced.
Aspects to consider in the installation
process include the poles, fasteners, ridges
and so on. Proper installation of the ridge
can prevent fires. Ridging must be tightly
stuffed with loose bundles of grass. The guide
says that bundles of ridging grass should be
bent over the ridge and securely anchored by
means of stitching onto the opposite two top
most battens. Tar-treated sisal twine or
stainless-steel wire is recommended for use to
tie the thatch on the roof.
After the structure is complete, it needs to
be inspected and once it passes the
inspection, a certificate of compliance
should be issued by an approved engineer or
competent person. This, however, doesn’t
always happen where thatched roofs
are concerned.
Do or die
“Unfortunately, there is this blanket
assumption that all chemical products are
damaging, which is not the case. There are
products on the market that have been
tested by the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR),” says Michael
Howard, manager at Micon Coatings.
He highlights how alternative and equally
aesthetic building materials are being used
in the place of traditional thatch, adding that
a thatch renaissance appears to be gaining
traction in various parts of the world. “Some
thatch hotels are converting to the likes of
Harvey Tiles, while there’s a new
architectural move towards grass roofs.
There are some amazing modern thatch
buildings in Europe that are revolutionising
the material.”
COMMON OR FINE THATCHING GRASS FOR USE SHALL:
• Have a cut length of not less than 0.8m, this is measured from the butt end and
includes tips of seed ends;
• Have a minimum diameter and maximum diameter at the butt end of 1.2mm
and 2.5mm respectively;
• Be acceptably straight, cut above the first node;
• Be free of loose material;
• Must not be in the growing season; and
• Must be free of seed heads when cut.
www.saroofing.co.za
“We have seen how the industry in South
Africa has shrunk over the past 15 years,
and we foresee the death of the thatch
industry in the next 10 years if nothing is
done to correct the ills of the industry,”
says Howard.
Suffice to say there are many
beautifully thatched roofs in the market
– only a small percentage burn down.
Therefore, saving the industry is
imperative – individuals and companies
that specialise in the sector depend on its
survival to thrive. The industry cannot be
allowed to die, and it is through
regulating the sector from planning
through to selecting and cutting material,
to installing and servicing according to
guidelines that the industry can be saved.
Considering this, the industry requires
urgent attention to present a proposal
regarding training to improve the quality
of workmanship. It’s imperative that the
industry at large including architects,
urban planners, engineers and
developers, are aware of the various
dangers and challenges facing the thatch
industry. Dealing with these challenges
facilitates growth, workmanship and
ethical practices in the sector.
CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS
NOVEMBER 2018
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