Recently, the trend of building environmentally friendly houses is becoming more and more popular. If you too want to follow fashion trends, then a thatched roof can complement your home.
Description
It would have been surprising to see straw roofs on luxury buildings a few years ago, but today it is no longer a rarity. This choice of many consumers is due to environmental friendliness, excellent thermal insulation and lightness of the material. In houses with a thatched roof, a comfortable atmosphere is always maintained and dust does not accumulate. The material is able to retain heat well and is no worse than modern roofing.
Despite the fact that the thatched roof has a rather impressive thickness, which reaches 30 centimeters, it weighs a little. There are only 40 kilograms per square meter. After completion of the work, the under-roof space is reliably protected from meteorological conditions. In order to increase the moisture resistance of the structure, the material is impregnated with water-repellent compounds before laying. Masters do not have to equip hydro andvapor barrier layers, since straw has excellent hygroscopic properties.
Overview of positive features
Before you start building a house and laying thatched roofing, you need to familiarize yourself with its features in more detail. Among the positives, one can note the cheapness, which makes the straw so popular among consumers. Due to a fairly significant slope of the roof, which is 50 degrees, water and other natural precipitation do not linger on the surface. This prevents them from getting inside. The service life of such coatings is quite long, it will be possible to use the roof up to 30 years or more, while it will not require repair.
Review of shortcomings
The thatched roof has some disadvantages, among them it is worth paying attention to the fire hazard. In order to exclude the possibility of accidental ignition, the material is treated with flame retardants before laying. Those masters who have already been engaged in installation work, where the described material was involved, note the high labor intensity. Among other things, if you are used to changing the shape and color of the roof from time to time, then straw will not be the best option.
Consumer Reviews
According to users, the thatched roof was originally made from rye straw. Today you can find designs made from wild cereals, namelyfescue, bonfire, timothy grass, reed grass, leaftail and the like. Reed roofs are quite common, which, according to consumers, is used quite often due to the large length of the stems and their flexibility.
Home masters are advised to remember that the complexity of the installation work will be supplemented by the need to prepare the material yourself. For this, the plants are cut with a sickle, and if the tool cannot be found, then a rather sharp knife can be used. In order to give the canvas the necessary bend, it should be processed with a sharpener. Some beat the blades well, which allows you to get notches that help cut the stem. If you want to build a house under a thatched roof, then the preparation of roofing material must be done in dry weather in the middle of summer. When it is planned to use reeds, meadow grasses can be prepared with it, which can be used as an auxiliary roofing material.
Schemes for fixing sheaves to the base
The thatched roof of the hut can be mounted according to several schemes, one of them involves the use of wire stitching technology. The second involves the additional use of screws. The following techniques are accompanied by the use of nails or constrictions. In the first case, you should use a special needle into which the wire is threaded. If the sheaves will play the role of a ceiling and a roof, then manipulations must be carried out with the help of a second person. One master will guide the needle from within,while the second will deal with the firmware from the outside. If the building has a ceiling, then the method may be more time consuming. Access to the roof from the inside will be excluded, so you can use a rounded version of the needle, which has special rings. The wire is fixed to the latter.
Recommendations for using screws and wires
Before making a thatched roof, you must decide which paving scheme will be used. It may involve the use of wire screws. This technology is not only simple, but also fast. Sheaves should be fixed to the crate or beams using screws. At the same time, you can get rid of the strapping under the roof, since it will not be needed. The wire must be attached to the screws in advance, which will provide the desired length of the material. If you do not have the opportunity to use the help of a second master, then this method should be chosen, since fastening can be done alone.
Method of flashing with nails or constrictions
Houses with a thatched roof are quite often stitched in the roof area with nails. This method can only be used on those systems that are equipped with a solid crate. It must withstand the additional weight of the fasteners, so the requirements for it are especially stringent. For work, three types of nails should be prepared, the first should have a length of 300 millimeters, it should be used to fix sheavesfrom the middle of the roof. The second type of nails has a length of 250 millimeters and is attached to the middle. The third type is the smallest, its length is 200 millimeters, these fasteners should be used for the eaves.
Nails are selected in such a way that the shape is the same for all sizes, one end of the element should be pointed, while the other should be made in the form of a hook. As a decorative decoration of the roof, the scheme of flashing with constrictions is most often used. It is necessary to carry out these works using small pieces of wire, wood or bamboo stalks.
Technology overview
When a thatched roof is being built with your own hands, work should begin with the preparation of sheaves. They are knitted using straw bundles, which are called "svyaslo". These elements carry out the dressing of the prepared material. In order for the coating to be aesthetic and neat, sheaves should be made the same size. They are measured in handfuls, about 8 guests will be needed for the roof of the house. If the gazebo or veranda overlaps, then the number should be reduced by 2 times. Prepared and well-measured bundles of straw should be laid out on a flat surface, and then tied with a wet tie. Installation work is recommended to begin in calm weather. In order to simplify the task, the material can be sprinkled with water. It is necessary to start laying from the first row, single sheaves are laid in it, but you can tie the elements together in two. They will differ in density and strength. The fit to the roof is quite strong andaesthetic.
Work methodology
The arbor can also be covered in this way, the thatched roof will turn out to be just as strong and waterproof. Before fixing the material on the roof, it is prepared. To do this, each sheaf must be placed on a solid foundation in such a way that the butt part extends beyond the edge. Next, the material needs to be combed using a board with nails stuffed into it. In the process of these manipulations, it will be possible to remove broken straws and all kinds of branches, as well as other debris from the sheaf. Using a special spatula, the sheaf should be tapped on the ends and leveled. Only after that it can be lifted to the roof.
Nuances of material laying
Experienced builders claim that it will not work to cover such a roof without outside help. One master must feed the sheaves from below, while the rest fix them on the roof. The material should be laid as tightly as possible, the row along which the rest will be oriented should be very even. In order to eliminate errors, you can mark the roof or pull the rope. The number of sheaves that will be needed for laying on the roof can be easily calculated. To do this, a meter is measured on the ground, sheaves are laid out on it, which will allow you to calculate how many elements come out. After you measure the length of the roof, you will be able to determine the right amount of material.
In all subsequent rows, unrelated bundles should be laid, which are pressed with slats. You can fix them to the base with ropes.or willow twigs. In some cases soft aluminum wire is used. To give the system extra strength and reliability, meadow grasses can be placed under the reed layer.
Conclusion
The finished roof should look uneven as each row forms a small step. Some homeowners leave the roof as it is, believing it makes the home more attractive. But traditionally, steps can be leveled using a special comb, which is made from boards with cutouts on one side and nails on the other. Before starting work, many craftsmen are wondering what the name of the thatched roof is. Different localities have different names, namely: mating, tied or bandage.
