Savanna African Thatchers is a company, provided services in Home Design, building and thatching with over 20 years experience. We are registered in Tanzania, with our head office in Dar- Es- Salaam. Our works span through out Central Africa as we have done works beyond Tanzania in countries such as, Congo DRC, Zimbabwe and Zambia. We have handled projects from small, to medium and larger projects for houses, lodges and hotels, using the most strong African grass, hardwoods for flooring and strong treated poles.
A traditional style of roofing using dry vegetation such as grass straw,coconut stems and leaves or reeds to insulate and shed away water,wind and the sun. Thatched roofs have limited lifespans, with the various reeds that make up the thatching known to last anywhere between 10 and 60 years depending on exposure to the elements, humidity, location, and proximity to trees.
Durability of Thatched Roof
Finding out how long a thatched roof is likely to last is one of the first questions many people ask before the decision to either thatch or not. Unfortunately, the answer to the question is subjective on both the thatch roof material as well as the skill level of the thatcher, however, we will talk about the average lifespan of a thatched roof below. When it comes to how long a thatched roof lasts, the following figures are a good ballpark estimate when the thatch has been completed by a highly skilled thatcher.
Elephant grass
very cheap and readily available through out Africa and it lasts for 15-20 years(provided roof maintenance is done after every 5 years to remove rotten dead grass and re-brushing as well as plastic sheeting or spraying fire retardation spray.
Coconut stems
From 5-7 years, this material is locally known as Chelewa or Njukuti,this brings out a very good finish despite the massive cost of sourcing the material,the main problem is they retain water for a long period thus enhancing bacteria and other damaging organisms to roof and eventually the roof starts going bad,plastic sheeting or fire retardation spray can be done as well to prolong the roof life span up to 10 years ,( _kindly note coconut stems and Makuti are two different materials,but both harvested from the coconut tree)
MAKUTI(coconut leaves)
Makuti leaves are the most popular and cheap material found mainly on all coastal regions and readily available,however the life span is very short,maximum of 5 years Makuti roof is finished and needs to be totally replaced the whole roof,unlike with grass and Chelewa you can still thatch on top of the rotten roof thereby reducing cost and unnecessary disturbances of removing the whole roof.
Another disadvantage of Makuti is you can not spray fire retardation spray simply because Makuti roof has some small openings no matter how good it was done it will still allow oxygen to pass unlike Chelewa or grass that totally seals off the oxygen
It’s important to note that an unskilled very cheap or unqualified thatcher can actually do more harm than good on your building, and some have been known to damage the roof even more. Always choose a reputable company that you can trust when hiring roof thatchers.
PROLONGING LIFE SPAN OF THE ROOF
lifespan of newly thatched roofs can be elongated with proper care and maintenance. Ensure that both you and your contractor take the following precautions when repairing your thatched roof.
Remove vermin and bird nests from your roof. These can easily cause damage to a thatched roof, leading to leaks and other damage to your roof. Getting your roof thatched by an experienced thatcher will help you avoid any additional unnecessary costs later on.
Keep your roof well ventilated to allow it to dry out after rainfall. An experienced thatcher will recommend that your roof is kept out of the shade to prevent the likelihood of moss and algae growth.
Examine the eave, as discoloration or dips in the main coat work often indicates deep rooted damage in the structure of the roof. Do not assume that a neat ridge is a sign of a well-thatched roof. This could just indicate that a previous owner had the roof re-ridged recently. A quality thatcher will examine every part of the roof and let you know of any underlying issues that you may not have noticed.
Inexperienced and low quality thatchers( remember cheap is expensive )will often use less grass and of poor quality as well as damage the thatch with ladders, tools to poor brushing and finishing,putting less materials from the required standards (this affect the life span of the roof ) or walking on the coat-work.
It is of vital importance to contract and use only qualified thatchers if you would like your thatch to last longer as you wish and to bring out that rustic traditional finish,so why not get in touch with us today for a free quotation on any matter concerning roofing and construction works…..
