Australian brushwood is the preferred solution for long lasting durable roof thatch able to withstand the extremities of the Australian climate. Products imported from Asia grow in areas of high moisture and will not last in the harsh dry Australian climate without cracking and fading.
Brushwood can be hand thatched to any shape or size depending on the application and situation. Tropical reed or similar imported Asian products can be used as ceiling linings and eaves to create a Balinese styled bungalow or structure, as long as they are not in direct sunlight.
Roof thatch is supplied in 25kg bundles. Each bundle is a minimum 1400mm long and can be woven end to end to create any shape or any size. A roof pitch of 30 degrees minimum is required for maximum water proofing. A waterproof sheeting or similar can be laid underneath if total waterproofing is required.
Brushwood roof thatch can be left untrimmed for the bungalow style or trimmed and capped as desired.
Installation
METHOD 1
Brushwood roof thatch can be applied to most roof surfaces. A timber or steel roof frame is required to support the brushwood thatch.
Drill 6mm holes through the rafters at 280mm centres to thread the wire through. Two layers of wires 65mm apart are required to hold the brushwood. The brushwood is woven in between the wires one stick at a time until a solid roof panel has been formed. Feed the brushwood sticks up from the bottom with the stick end to the top and the brush end to the bottom.
Feed a smaller row of sticks down from the top to fill in the crown and neatly weave together so that none of the ends are visible from underneath or on top.
The brushwood panels then need to be compressed by wiring the bottom wire under the brushwood, to the wires on top of the brushwood. These are called clips and need to be installed at around 250mm centres, or as often as needed to sufficiently hold the panel rigid.
Form a hook on the end of an offcut of wire and push through the brushwood panel and hook around the bottom wire. Pull the wire tight to compress the brushwood panel and bend over the top wire ensuring the panel finishes somewhere between 60mm and 90mm in thickness. Trim off the excess wire and bend the ends into the brush so they cannot be seen.
Trim the excess brush from the hips or corners of the roof. Once all the roof panels have been covered apply a roll of brushwood capping about 120mm diameter.
To form a capping or ‘roll top’ start with a bundle of about 12 sticks. Line them up so that all the stick ends are facing the same direction. Secure a wire around the roll near the stick end to hold it together. Next extend the roll by adding more brush. Insert the stick ends into the roll and bend around the green tops so that no ends or green tops can be seen. Wires should be secured around the capping at 280mm centres.
Continue this until you have a roof capping the length required. Trim the top end neatly and wire to the roof hips at 280mm centres.
METHOD 2
Brushwood can be bound together into small rolls and screw fixed or wired to battens as timber shingles would be fitted. Each roll of brushwood should be fitted tighly together using a timber mallet to pack (see video for tips and instructions).
Each row of brushwood rolls should overlap the row below by approximately 2/3 of the length. as shown in the video below. Make sure each roll is overlapped and tight fitting. Trim and pack each layer for a neat finish. The overall thickness of a thatched roof using this method should be around 250mm thick.
Traditional thatch roofs have been constructed the same way for hundreds, if not thousands of years! Brushwood roof thatch is not only stronger but will last up to 12 years in direct sunlight without cracking or fading. The video below shows typical grass thatch roof installation techniques used in Africa, England and Europe:
VIDEO - ROOF THATCH TECHNIQUE 
