Old Cape Dutch House Converted from Thatch to Roof Sheeting

Thatch Roof Conversion by Bosazza Roofing & Timber Homes

We converted this old Cape Dutch style roof in the Eastern Cape, from Thatch to Roof Sheeting

This thatch roof conversion was on a big family home in Komani (formerly Queenstown). The roof was converted from thatch to corrugated roof sheeting, transforming the entire look of the home.

The roof design is complex with many hips and valleys. Our clients found that the thatch on the roof needed consistent maintenance (especially in areas around the valleys). They took the decision to convert from thatch to another type of roofing.

Below is a picture of the original thatch roof before the conversion. It is a great example of a traditional Cape Dutch style house.

What Roofing Products can you use for a Roof Conversion?

We use a range of roofing products to convert roofs. Your choice must take into consideration the shape of the roof, the climate that you live in and your personal preference of product.

For roofs like this one, with straight angles and edges, there are plenty of options including Metrotiles, corrugated sheeting or shingles. Find out more about the roofing products that we use on our Thatch Roof Conversions page.

The original design of the roof in Komani is very traditional and although it has many valleys, it is made up of mainly straight edges and angles. Our client decided to convert the roof to AZ200 corrugated roof sheeting.

The Extra Details that give this roof Curbside Appeal

We created real curbside appeal for this roof with a few important details:

Premium Roof Sheeting with Colorplus® Technology

Aluzinc roof sheeting is currently a popular choice with our clients for all roofing projects, not just roof conversions. It has a slick, clean look and is available in a range of colours – the most popular of which is Thunderstorm. Colorplus® technology keeps the colour vivid over time, even in our extreme African climate.

The Parapet Wall Flashing

We fit a wall flashing where the roof sheeting meets a wall. This roof needed a lot of flashings! We concentrated on getting a neat, clean line where the flashing ends and the wall begins.

Matching Fascia’s in Thunderstorm Blue

We painted the fascia boards to match the Thunderstorm blue colour of the sheeting so that the roof is finished with a neat edge.

The Eave Ceilings

The eave ceilings are the area between where the wall meets the roof sheeting at the top, and the roof sheeting overhangs. We created a really beautiful finish on these sections by installing eave ceilings that cover the roof poles.

We have developed a system that uses textured Nutec boards to create eave ceilings which, while neat and tidy, also match the style of our thatch roof conversions well. The boards are installed with the wood-grain texture running at a 90° angle to the walls. This allows us to join the boards neatly without joining strips so that the eaves are “seamless” all the way around the house. The corners join in a symmetrical triangular pattern which adds style to the ceilings.

PROJECT COMPLETION: May 2019

In Conclusion

If you’ve fallen out of love with your thatched roof, it can be transformed with a roof conversion. It’s important to always consult a professional roofer who is experienced in the process and can advise you on the most appropriate system to convert from thatch.

If you’re thinking of converting your roof but have questions, leave us a comment below – we’ll do our best to help!