How to Replace a Thatched Roof?

Erect scaffolding, making sure that you have easy access to both sides of the roof. Position a roofing ladder to give access to the slope of the roof.

Start at the roof ridge, and remove the old thatch. The ridge is protected by a layer of thatching wire, to prevent birds taking the roofing material for nesting. Remove the wire, and pull out the spars holding the ridge thatch in place. Remove the old yealms, discarding the damaged ones and stacking the ones on better condition ready for reuse. Once the roof is bare, use the old yealms to recover the roof spars in a thin layer.

Cut the new yealms. Take a double handful of reeds and make sure they are all laying the same way. Twist a reed tightly round the butt end of the bundle to secure it. Use a shearing hook to trim both flower end and butt end of the reeds to a uniform length. Prepare the other yealms in the same way.

Start at the bottom of the roof, and lay the first row of yealms on the edge of the roof so that there is a good overhang, securing temporarily with thatching pins. The flower end of the reeds should be facing upwards. Use the legget -- an iron, shovel-shaped paddle -- to tap the butt ends of the reeds upwards to flatten the bundle and drive it into the roof. Lay the other yealms in the same way.

Twist a hazel spar into a V-shape, and use it to peg down the flower ends of the bundles. Work across the roof in rows, using the legget to tap the bundles into a uniform shape.

Finish the ridge by bending yealms over the point of the ridge with the flower ends facing down to create a watertight seal. Pin into shape with spars. Stretch a length of thatching wire over the ridge and peg into place with spars, making sure that there are no loose ends visible.