Fiber Thatch versus Natural Thatch

Our Fiber Thatch achieves the luxury, atmosphere, charm and nostalgia of a natural thatch roof without the disadvantages normally associated with natural thatched roofs.


	Fiber Thatch	Natural Thatch
Life expectancy	Physical fatigue of material because of different weather conditions does not occur. A Fiber Thatch roof will last more than 50 years.	Life expectancy will vary between 2 and 30 years, depending on climatic conditions and global location.
Maintenance	Totally maintenance free. No additional maintenance cost.	Regular cost-intensive maintenance by specialized highly skilled tradesmen will be required.
Color	Fiber Thatch is U.V. Protected. Fading of color will be so slight that it will not be noticeable.	As the natural material decomposes the color will change to a dull gray/brown color.
Fire - Fiber Thatch:	PVC and Polyolefin FR Fiber Thatch is fire protected and the risk of flying sparks does not exist. An open fireplace is allowed.	Natural materials involve a high risk of fire. Even the best fire retardant treatment cannot solve the problem.
Insurance	Premiums are the same as that of most conventional roof types.	There will be a surcharge. The surcharge can be as high as 100% or insurance can even be refused.
Rodents, birds, insects	Will not frequent a Fiber Thatch roof.	Bird damage and damage caused by rodents is costly to repair. Preventive measures against insects, is costly have a low success rate.
Mould, rot and decay	Not susceptible to mould, rot or decay.	Natural Thatch is a fertile ground for moss and decay that is the cause of mould, rot and decay.
Allergies and bacteria	A synthetic (plastic) material. Not susceptible.	People being allergic to various Natural Thatch materials are well-documented. Bacterial growth on natural material also a problem.
	Fiber Thatch	Natural Thatch
Storm damage	Easily repaired. Fiber Thatch is supplied in a D.I.Y. tile, which is simply replaced or placed back in position.	Highly paid skilled tradesman or artisans are usually needed to repair storm damage.
Danger during storms	It is a soft material and no danger exists that a tile might hurt passers by.	Depending on the material used, damage to other property or to passers by might be a reality.
Wind resistance	Will pass winds in excess of 180k.p.h.	The behavior of natural thatch not recorded. No tests conducted.
Installation	Installation cost is low, as no specialized craftsmen are needed. The installation process is quick. Visit www.fiberthatchguide.com	Skilled tradesmen and artisans are needed. Remuneration is dictated by the availability of tradesman and artisans. Thatching is a time consuming process.
Transport costs	A fully packed 20ft. container packed with Fiber Thatch material cover a roof area of 2100 m²!!! NB! Fiber Thatch material can only be shipped in 20ft containers due to shipping weight restrictions.	Natural thatch packed in a 40ft. container can cover a maximum of 300m². Transport cost will be nearly 12 times more!
Mobility	No special equipment needed to move Fiber Thatch. All material packed in boxes designed to maximize container space. Weight per box is only 35kg !!	Natural thatch materials are usually in loose bundles, or even if palletized special equipment is usually needed to handle.
Availability of material	Manufactured in a factory. No seasonal shortages occur.	Natural materials depend on nature to provide. Seasonable shortages, droughts, etc. will play a roll. Supply and demand very influential.
Code	Meets the requirements and codes of most countries in the world.	Special codes apply in most countries regarding the use of natural thatch.
Roof pitch	Can be installed on a pitch as low as 25degrees.	A minimum pitch of 45 degrees is recommended. The steep pitch means extended walls and more roofing material. Higher costs.