|
|
New Roof 8 |
The roof has now reached a crucial stage; having completed the bulk of the roof, the final coating can go on. The first course in the making of the ridge is the "Skirt" (L) Tina builds up the skirt on the South side. (C) A gloriously sunny evening belies the fact that frost was beginning to form on the scaffolding. Roger has just started to finish off the ridge with the "Wrapover" (R) Roger works along the ridge. Note the thickness of the "Skirt" as it will change dramatically in a few photo's time.
(L) With the Skirt completed, the "Wrapover" completely straddles both side of the roof and is the key to keeping the house watertight. (R) Yet another spar holds the wrapover securely in position.
(L) Starting at the West gable, the skirt and wrapover are fixed firmly into place using "Liggers". These are seriously strong strips of Hazel and are pinned in place using larger spars for extra strength. (C) A vaguely "before and after" shot. The "before" is the skirt on the left which is dense but "fluffy". The "after" (on the right) is the same skirt which has been beaten flat to almost half its thickness (but become twice as dense in the process) and which has been secured with three lines of liggers. These will continue along the entire length of the roof in due course. (R) Tina starts to pin down the South skirt with another three lines of liggers.
It was a privilege to be allowed right to the top of the roof to take these shots. (L) The top of the roof with the main ligger course firmly pinned in position and snaking into the distance towards Roger at the Eastern end of the roof. (C&R) The much bigger and stronger main spars take a lot of effort to fix them in place.
The moment of truth has arrived, Alkathene pipe makes as good a profile as anything needing a straight edge round and over a curve.
(L) Roger makes the first cut into the gable. (C&R) A very sharp carving knife and a good eye make short work of trimming back the straw.
(L) Roger uses a rubber mallet to tap down the liggers and thatch to ensure a uniform thickness throughout. (R) A pair of shears are also used to further define a crisp edge.
(L) Roger will now continue down the North side with his preferred knife while, (R) Tina finishes off the South side with her tool of choice.
(L) The new ridgeline is beautifully crisp. (R) The roof looks even better once all the debris has been combed out. (Note the depth of the skirt and how it differs from the first set of pictures on this page).