African thatch in bundles
- Appearance
- Dense, 20 cm thick, golden turning darker
- Lifespan
- Up to 30 years
- Installation
- By a specialist thatcher
- Where it fits
- Houses, pergolas, palapas and beach bars
€1.50 / unit
View the pageMaterials guide
Rustic thatched roofs: which one to fit and why.
We work with every kind of natural thatch roof laid in Spain. This is the comparison we go through with each customer before quoting.
Before you choose
Three questions that decide the material.
How long does it have to last? The roof of a house is not the same as an umbrella at a seasonal beach bar. Lifespan ranges from the 8 years of a thatch tile to the 30 of African thatch in bundles.
Who is going to fit it? Tiles, rolls and synthetic palm thatch can be fitted by any installer. Bundle thatching is a craft.
What do the regulations require? Premises open to the public may be required to use a fire-rated material: there the answer is certified synthetic palm thatch, or a fire-retardant treatment on the natural material.
Comparison
Five roofs, side by side.
The bar shows the relative lifespan of each material.
African thatch in tiles
- Appearance
- Stepped and even, 3 cm thick
- Lifespan
- 8 – 10 years
- Installation
- With clips or staples
- Where it fits
- Umbrellas, pergolas and interior ceilings
€16 / unit
View the pageSpanish heather
- Appearance
- Dark and rustic; smooth in rolls or loose when fringed
- Lifespan
- About 15 years when fringed
- Installation
- Stapled roll or stitched layers
- Where it fits
- Pergolas, umbrellas, sheds and fencing
€12 / m²
View the pageReed
- Appearance
- Pale, with a long, flowing skirt
- Lifespan
- Depends on use and exposure: ask us
- Installation
- Canopy stitched to the ring frame, or in rolls
- Where it fits
- Beach umbrellas and cabins
€85 / unit
View the pageSynthetic palm thatch
- Appearance
- Imitates palm leaf
- Lifespan
- 20-year guarantee
- Installation
- With staples
- Where it fits
- Hospitality and wherever a fire certificate is required
€105 / m²
Unit prices, excluding VAT and delivery. Volume discounts available.
African thatch
The benchmark roof.
It is solid, it is laid in layers of about 20 cm and, at the right pitch, it is waterproof without any help. Inside, it leaves the timber frame and the underside of the thatch on show, which is part of the charm.
If the budget or the deadline is tight, it also comes in tiles: the same fibre in 45 × 80 cm thatch tiles, quicker to fit and with a life of 8 to 10 years.
Heather
The rustic one, grown in Spain.
Spanish heather is darker and lighter in weight. In rolls it gives a smooth, closed finish; fringed, the look of a tropical hut. Because it weighs so little, it is the natural candidate for renewing a roof without touching the structure.
What makes it watertight is the base – cane, board and butyl – not the heather itself.
Reed
The flowing mane of the beach umbrella.
Reed is the fine, pale cane of Mediterranean umbrellas. It is stitched to the ring frame in a long canopy that hangs down, or supplied in rolls and bundles for cabins and lightweight roofs.
It is very eye-catching and inexpensive, and it is the usual choice for beach bars and event installations.
Synthetic palm thatch
When you need the fire certificate.
PVC leaves that imitate palm. It isn’t a natural material, but it solves projects where the regulations demand a fire-rated roof.
- Dimensions
- 45 × 30 cm · 1 cm thick
- Coverage
- 15 – 16 pieces per m²
- Weight
- 0.31 kg per piece · about 5 kg per m²
- Material
- PVC
- Fire certificate
- EN 13501-5 · B roof
- Guarantee
- 20 years against mould and rot
- Colour fade
- 2 – 5% a year for 15 years
- Installation
- With staples
Prices
Four materials, four prices.
For a true comparison, look at the cost per square metre: the calculator works it out from your measurements.
Natural African thatch tile
The 45 × 80 cm thatch tile for umbrellas, pergolas and roofs: it fixes with clips or staples and is replaced one piece at a time.
Find out more| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| 45 × 80 cm tile | €16 / unit |
Spanish heather roll
Dense Spanish heather, in heights of 1, 1.5 and 2 m by 3 m long.
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| Height 1 / 1.5 / 2 m × 3 m long | €12 / m² |
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| 1.6 m high × 3 m · minimum order 20 units | €85 / unit |
Synthetic palm thatch tile
PVC imitation of a palm leaf, with a fire certificate and a 20-year guarantee.
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| Per m² · installation not included | €105 / m² |
Unit prices, excluding VAT and delivery. Volume discounts available.
Frequently asked questions
What we’re asked most when comparing
Which natural thatch roof lasts longest?
African thatch in bundles: up to 30 years. Next comes European water reed, at more than 20.
Which is the cheapest?
Per square metre, heather in rolls. But it’s worth looking at the cost per year of life, not just the purchase price.
Can a heather roof be replaced with an African thatch one?
Yes, but bundle thatch weighs more and needs more pitch: the structure has to be checked. We’ll assess it for you from photos and measurements.
What do I fit if I’m required to use a fire-rated material?
The synthetic palm thatch tile has an EN 13501-5 B roof fire certificate. A fire-retardant treatment can be applied to natural thatch.
Do they all need the same pitch?
No. Bundle thatch is the one that needs the steepest pitch, because it is the pitch that makes it watertight.
Keep reading
You may also be interested in
What is African thatch?
Origin, formats, lifespan and uses of the material.
Find out more
Heather pergolas
Spanish heather in rolls or bundles.
Find out more
Reed umbrellas
The beach umbrella with the long, flowing skirt.
Find out more
Roof calculator
How much material you need and what it costs.
Find out moreNo-obligation quote
Tell us what you want to cover and we’ll tell you what it costs.
The measurements, a photo of the site or the plans are all we need to prepare a quote for the material, with delivery and, if you need it, installation.