On top of that first layer goes the 'main coat'. In the old days, the preferred fastener was either rope or balers twine today, metal and plastic fixings are used instead. The thatcher fastens the first layer of thatch to the battens and rafters using a variety of fasteners. That underlying structure forms the foundation, if you will, for the thatching that will become the outer layer.Ī typical thatched roof starts with an underlying structure constructed with timber rafters and battens spanning those rafters. But there must be something underneath that natural material to hold the roof up. To the untrained eye, it may seem as if a thatched roof is but a collection of straw or water reed laid randomly atop a structure. Today's craftsmen still practise most of the traditional principles of ancient thatching combined with new principles and techniques they have learned that will make their roofs even better. Craftsmen must create roofs that can withstand the weather, ensure the comfort of occupants, and last for decades.
Perhaps a recent resurgence of thatch roof construction may entice a whole new generation of craftsmen to take up the trade.īe that as it may, roof thatching is something that requires a tremendous amount of knowledge and skill. Thatch roof construction continues today, even though the number of skilled tradesmen capable of doing the work is a fraction of what it used to be just a hundred or so years ago.
For hundreds of years, thatchers have been plying a trade that has helped to create some of the most beautiful buildings in the UK.
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