Natural Thatched Roof Problems: 6 Common Issues with Aging Thatched Roofs

Natural thatch roofing has been used throughout human history. The materials are easy to gather, and they’re effective at keeping buildings warm against the elements, which has served homes well for thousands of years. 

Even though thatch roofing has evolved immensely as we’ve entered the modern age—especially with the development of engineered thatched roofing—regular thatch, made of dried leaves and vegetation, is still in use throughout the world. 

Natural thatch certainly carries a timeless aesthetic charm. But can it hold up in the long term? Discover the answer and see what problems with thatched roofing could occur. 

6 Common Problems with Aging Natural Thatch

With such beauty, what problems could natural thatch roofing be hiding? Like any natural material, it may break down over time and begin causing problems for you. Here are the six most common problems we see with aging natural thatch roofs. 

1. Rotting

Because natural thatch is made from vegetation such as palm leaves, rushes, grass, and reeds, it is susceptible to rotting over time. This is especially true in environments with significant precipitation or humidity, and it can be even worse if an area’s wet season is not accompanied by adequate sunshine to dry the roof. With so much moisture, natural thatch can quickly begin to deteriorate, but it will eventually rot, even in a dry climate, due to its organic nature.

2. Pests

Natural thatch is particularly attractive to pests and unwanted wildlife. Natural thatch has been used for centuries to keep people warm and safe from the elements. However, this makes it the perfect home for other species that seek warm, dry places to nest, such as mice, rats, birds, and snakes. Insects may also make a nest within the natural material of a thatched roof. Some common pest infestations include wood-boring beetles, ants, and spiders. 

While there are ways to reduce pests in your thatched roof, this often requires heavy pesticides, which may cause damage to natural wildlife and the environment from rain runoff. 

3. Thinning & Poor Compaction

Natural thatch can be tricky to maintain properly, but without maintenance, you open yourself to a host of problems. For example, thatch roofs can become thin and badly compacted over the years without proper maintenance (i.e., not filling and re-compacting the thatch during the “combing” process). 

As it thins and the wire stays become visible, your roof is much more prone to developing a leak. Unfortunately, avoiding leaks is a constant battle for natural thatch owners since these roofs require frequent maintenance. 

4. Moss & Debris

Improper maintenance can lead to even more issues for thatched roofs. As a natural thatch roof ages, it begins to accumulate moss and debris over time—both of which can become a safety hazard. 

They weigh down the roof and can even let rot begin to set in much faster. If moss and roofing debris are left untreated, you may need to replace your roof much sooner than you anticipated. 

5. Aesthetic Degradation

Natural thatch looks beautiful at first, but as it ages, it loses much of its curbside appeal. When natural thatch is initially installed, it will have vibrant hues of tan, brown, and yellow; however, this color will quickly fade to shades of gray or even black as it begins to age. The only solution to this problem is to replace the natural thatch completely to avoid the appearance of rot or mildew. 

6. Increased Risk of Fire

Perhaps, the biggest problem that natural thatch faces is its significant fire risk. Composed of dry vegetation, it’s all too easy for natural thatch to catch fire from a lightning strike or indoor fires. For residential and commercial buildings alike, this fire risk puts everyone in the building in danger. What may start as a small fire can quickly become devastating if the natural thatch catches on fire. Fire treatments can help reduce this risk, but not completely. 

Is Engineered Thatch the Solution?

Whether you’re considering installing natural thatch for your property or you’re already an owner, you can now see that there are problems beneath its beauty. Because of the natural degradation, it will eventually reach the stage where it requires complete re-thatching. Storms and the heat of the sun take a significant toll over time, and with risks such as pest infestations or deadly fires, you may be wondering if there’s a way to have its beauty without the risks. Luckily, engineered thatch is a wonderful solution.

Engineered thatch looks identical to natural thatch, but it is made of a proprietary blend of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—the same material used in bulletproof vests—which makes it incredibly durable and long-lasting. In fact, Endureed’s engineered thatch comes with a 20-year warranty and is guaranteed to be fully fire, hurricane, rain, pest, and rot-resistant. If that wasn’t enough, engineered thatch is an environmentally friendly building material that is 100% recyclable—engineered materials also avoid the environmental damage of mass farming of local trees and plants for roofing materials. 

Its durability is only matched by its beauty as it comes in a variety of different colors and styles. Choose from a variety of options inspired by the areas of Cape Town, Kilimanjaro, Somerset, Kona, and Bali! 

Invest in Premium Engineered Thatch

As you can see, there are significant problems that natural thatch faces as it begins to age. At best, it begins to lose its aesthetic charm, and at worst, it becomes dangerous to the property and the people within. 

Fortunately for people who love the appearance of natural thatch, you don’t have to compromise! 

Our engineered thatch materials retain the natural look of thatch but are built to be one of the safest, strongest, and most durable roofing materials in the industry. Don’t lose peace of mind wrestling with natural thatch—invest in the highest quality engineered thatch today!