Straw News
Here is what’s happening with The National Thatching Straw Growers Association . . . http://www.ntsga.org.uk/thatching/projects.htm
Thatching Materials
“Sedge (Cladium Mariscus) for Ridges on Thatched Roofs.”
Recently I collected some bundles of sedge from Somerton in Norfolk. This will be used to form the top saddle which will seal the top of the ridge. Sedge is cut from about April through to September after the water reed harvest is finished. The plant is very tough and […]
Water Reed or Phragmites Australis
Here are two stocks of water reed which we are using; the one on the left is Austrian and the one on the right is Chinese. Once the reed is on the roof it is virtually impossible to tell them apart especially when the reed darkens down. The reed arrives […]
The Dorset Model and Fireboard Sealants
One of the requirements of using Fireboards is that any joints should be sealed with an intumescent sealant as we are doing on this roof.
Tall Thatching Straw
Despite the wet autumn and long cold winter some thatching straw is looking very good. This photo shows me standing in a field of straw in Somerset; the straw is long and straight and there is about two weeks to go before the harvest. We will always take time to […]
Thatching Materials – Combed Wheat Straw
Combed Wheat Straw or combed wheat reed (CWR) is also sometimes referred to as Devon Reed. As the name suggests the thatch finish gives a dressed appearance very much like water reed. Even for experienced Thatchers it is not always possible to say whether a roof has been thatched in […]
