Traditional Thatching 1.43

Roof thatching and thatching repair work requires a great deal of skill and expert attention to detail. If you have thatching on your property, its good to know there are fully trained professionals that you can trust to take care of your roof. Paul Williams is a fourth generation thatcher who has spent more than thirty years applying the expert knowledge that he gained while working alongside his uncles. Traditional thatching specialise in combed wheat reed and long straw thatching methods. The life expectancy of your thatched roof can vary depending on the individual conditions of the property but a period of 30 to 40 years can be expected. Your roof may need re-ridging or repairs during that time. This type of thatching uses wheat straw that has been machine combed to remove grain and leaves from the straw. The straw is then tied into bundles before it is finally fixed to the roof by the thatcher. Combed wheat reed requires less preparation than long straw thatching and can last up to 40 years. Long straw thatch is made from winter-sown wheat that is machine threshed to separate the straw and remove the grain. The thatcher receives the straw in bundles and has to carry out some further ground preparation work before the thatching process can begin. This is known as heaping, dampening and drawing. Long straw has a life expectancy of around 30 years.