Benefits of Our Cape Reed Thatch
Cape Reed Thatch is a totally natural, environmentally friendly product. Harvesting the Cape Reed Thatch actually promotes growth.
Cape Reed Thatch offers years of natural beauty. It has a typical life span of around 20 years. Being a natural product, a Cape Reed Thatch roof will allow any trapped heat or moisture to escape due to its ability to breathe.
The high insulation value provides the coolest shade in summer and retains the heat in winter. African cape reed thatch is typically 10 degrees cooler than alternative roofing materials in the summer and 10 degrees warmer in the winter.
Cape thatching reed
-
Cape thatching reed plants take between 5 to 7 years to reach a mature stage at which they are ready to be harvested. Stems have 5 to 7 years to become stronger.
-
Cape thatching reed has a solid core.
-
Because of the unique properties of Cape thatching reed, less material is needed when thatching.
-
Cape thatching reed is more fire resistant than alternative thatching materials such as grass.
-
A structure, professionally thatched with Cape thatching reed, will last for a period of at least 30 years in humid conditions and twice as long in a dry inland climate. This is a very conservative estimate, some roofs have lasted for 70 years and longer.
-
Because of its unique properties, Cape thatching reed can conform to curving and undulating surfaces like no other roofing material.
-
Cape thatching reed will not bend when pressed tightly. This gives it better sealing properties.
-
A roof professionally thatched with Cape thatching reed is far less susceptible to wind damage.
-
Aesthetically, Cape thatching reed is recognized as being a most beautiful roofing material.
Other thatching materials
-
Other grasses are harvested on a yearly basis.
-
Other grasses and leaves have a hollow core.
-
Double the amount of thatching material usually has to be used when thatching with other grasses.
-
Grass burns more easily.
-
Grass and other thatching materials have to be replaced more frequently
-
Because they do not have a solid, flexible core, grasses and other thatching materials are less flexible.
-
When tightly pressed grasses tend to bend, reducing their sealing properties.
-
High velocity winds can damage grass and palm thatched roofs.
-
While other types of thatch may look pleasant, they cannot compare to the warm russet tones of Cape thatching reed.
