Lapa & Thatch Features
ALL our thatches are built with SABS and CCA treated material.
Our engineering design structures are never less than 45°. The spacings are also according to the design – not more than 1,2 meters. With the bolt and nail system, the thatch is secured and strengthened to the maximum. The thatch covers one year ridge cup guarantee and three year workmanship guarantee.
Highveld and Cape reed grass are also used for finishing off our thatch roofs. An 8 year quality guarantee is applicable depending on weather conditions.
Building walls, braais, paving and tiling are all part and parcel with our company.
Thatch is fastened together in bundles with a diameter of about two feet. These are then laid on the roof with the butt end facing out and secured to the roof beams, after which they are pegged in place with wooden rods.
The thatcher adds the layers on top of each other, finishing with a layer to secure the ridgeline of the roof.
This method means thatch roofs are easy to repair, can endure heavy winds and rain and only need a stable supporting structure.
Benefits
Thatching materials range from plains grasses to waterproof leaves found in equatorial regions. It is the most common roofing material in the world, because the materials are readily available.
With certain types of thatching, particularly low rounded roofs, good acoustic insulation can make extremely quiet living conditions.
Thatch is a competitive thermal insulator when applied thickly. A thatched roof will ensure that a building will be cool in summer and warm in winter. Local techniques, such as the placement of a turf substratum by the Scottish, can reduce air movement and improve insulation even further.
Thatch is a versatile material when it comes to covering irregular roof structures. This fact lends itself to the use of second-hand, recycled and natural materials that are not only more sustainable, but need not fit exact standard dimensions to perform well.
As local materials always tend to harmonize with the landscape surrounding their place of origin, thatch, as a natural material, will blend well with a rural environment. Thatch has an ecological advantage because it is produced by natural processes that do not use scarce and expensive resources of energy.