THATCHING WITH REED, SEDGE AND HEATHER

Thatching is an old method of roofing, in which one covers a roof with bundles of dry vegetation. The bundles of dry vegetation is layered to make the water run off the roof more adequately. The dry vegetation, used in these bundles, is usually a combination of combed wheat reed, sedge and heather. Thatching has been used in both temperate climate, which are without extreme temperatures and precipitation and tropical climate, in which all twelve months have mean of temperatures above 64 degrees. Most of the work performed in the process of thatching makes use of tools such as a sharp blade, a mallet and wire, which is used to secure the thatch to sturdy beams. If a thatched roof is put on correctly, it can last up to fifty years and be problem free with very little maintenance.

Although it is similar in appearance to water reed, wheat reed, which dates back to the 1400s, is carefully grown for thatching. In fact wheat reed is actually a straw that can be harvested into a bundle. Once it has been bundled, you thresh the stems toward the top and comb through the bundle to remove excess weeds and short straws. This process produces a clean, aligned stem, with the butt ends pointing in the same direction. The end result of this is called combed wheat reed.

While sedge can be found growing in all kinds of places, most is found in poor soil or in wetland areas. Sedge differs from true grass in that sedge has angular,solid stems. Ideally sedge is cut when it is green although it can be cut and used year round. When a thatcher is covering a roof, and they reach the ridge, they have to cut the reed even with the ridge, as the reed will not bend. The Thatcher will then dampen the sedge with water to make it easier to bend and construct a ridge for the roof. Sedge is used to make ridges for both straw and reed roofs and is sometimes used to cover entire roofs in time of reed shortages.

Heather and heath stems, cemented with peat mud and mixed with straw and dry grass were used by Scottish highlanders to make huts. In the highland areas, such as Northeastern England and Scotland, where corn was not grown, heather was used. Heather is usually cut in the fall, while it was still in bloom, and lay with its roots intertwined and pointing upward. The heavy black color, that result as the heather dries, is not attractive. Heather thatch can still be seen used in Northeast England and Southern Scotland.