STRAW COVERS

Straw is a flexible material for popular constructions, it adapts easily to wood and bonds
smoothly to other materials such as brooms, heather, or oak, birch or alder sticks; The straw
handles close and tie strong oak or chestnut uprights. Straw adapts very well to all the
geometric shapes that the home can acquire: circular, oval, rectangular. A thatched roof fits
perfectly with the primary construction materials that man found such as stone and wood.
Thatched roof houses do not allow balconies, and if they exist, they are a modern addition.
Thatched roofs carry great wisdom in fighting against the elements of nature: rain, wind, sun
and humidity. Straw covers are generally used in moors or high (cold) areas where there is
greater availability of this material; Likewise, the structure for the roof is made with materials
from the high areas. This type of roof is based on the use of local, renewable materials, which
require minimal or zero external energy for the production process.

Material:

-Local harvest and processing

Almost any plant material can be used, from tree bark to thin reeds, but grasses, reeds, and
palm trees are the most common materials. The best materials for thatching are stiff-stemmed
grasses and reeds 1 to 2 meters long and up to 10 mm in diameter at the cutting end. They
should be straight (without curvatures at the nodes), conical and with hollow stems, since solid
stems tend to dry slowly, so they rot quickly. Straw can have four different sources:

- Of invasive species.

- From food by-products or when collecting agricultural crops (rye, wheat.)

- Through special crops for thatched roofs.

- Of the native vegetation of the country or sector.

Reed is very durable, but cereal straw is more widely available. The less artificial fertilizers
have been used in the crop, the less susceptible they are to fungal attacks. The harvest must be
manual, since machine harvesters break the stem. The mature and dry stem is cut 5 cm from
the ground. Structures for thatch roofs This way of roofing homes involves an ingenious
method, 100% handmade, which takes time, but without a doubt the material is resistant to
rain and sun for years. The work of assembling the roof begins on the floor, opting for different
shapes depending on the light that needs to be covered.

Example:
To make the thatch roof watertight and flat, the thatch should be combed (with a hand rake)
to remove dry leaves and other debris, then tied and stored in a dry place. The work of
combing the straw is largely justified, since it lasts twice as long as uncombed straw. The straw
is placed in tightly tied bales that ensure the tightness of the cover. The bundles should have a
circumference of 55 cm, at the location of the tie, which should be 30 cm from the cutting end.
Once tied, the straw is ready to be installed on the roof structure.
 In covering with straw there is the disadvantage of the proliferation of vermin, which is
counteracted by the smoke caused on purpose inside the house.

roof structure

Thatch roofs are characterized by having a very steep slope, because they do not have good
waterproofing. Almost any roof shape with a minimum of 45° can be roofed with this method.
Straw adapts to any shape except those with a convex shape. Round wood and strip slats can
be used; Simple shapes work best. The structure must support 40 kg/m², which is the weight of
the heaviest material, the reed.
It is essential to place a board with a wedge section, 35 mm thicker than the upper slats, at the
level of the eaves and roof along its entire length, in order to curve the first course of straw,
tensioning it and causing the rest of the roof to be strongly compacted. . Grass selection is
important; short grasses for the eaves, edges and ridge; long grass for the rest of the roof.
Thatching begins at the far right (unless the operator is left-handed) and can be done in
vertical courses (most common) or horizontal sections. The first course of thatch is as
important as the foundation for a wall, since it is the one most exposed to the force of the
wind, must be securely fixed. The straw is placed in horizontal layers 20 cm thick, which are
tied with a seam, layer by layer, approximately in the center between the cut and the spike.
The layers overlap, covering and protecting the ties. The total thickness of the straw is 30 cm.
After being fixed, the straw is hit with a mallet towards the tie. The compacted surface has a
similar slope to that of the beams, and only 2 to 3 cm of each bundle is exposed. At the top of
each course the straw is left to protrude slightly, to be tapped towards the tie together with
the next course, thus eliminating the trace of the joint. The ridge is the most vulnerable part of
the roof and can be made of various durable materials, such as clay tiles, iron sheets, cement,
but they are expensive and clash with the appearance of the roof. More attractive and cheaper
is a flexible grass rolled over the vertex, covering the ties of the last course held by horizontal
sewing. The overlap is a very important characteristic of the roof, which also begins to be built
from the eaves upwards to ensure that no gap is produced. The finials, which are different for
each culture, are important aspects of straw construction, especially the upper finial, which is
usually stiffened.

Approximately 10 bundles of grass are needed per square meter of roof; An experienced
person could roof 10 to 20 square meters per day. Placing this fiber on ceilings also requires a
technique that is at risk of disappearing. Rainwater collection. Thatched roofs are not suitable
for collecting rainwater unless a gutter at least 30cm wide is used. The method called “shingle
substitution,” developed and tested by Nicolas Hall, improves collection at the eaves. Fired
clay tiles are placed in place of the first course of straw, providing a hard, even surface. In this
way the eaves are reinforced (increasing the life of the roof); a gutter of only 10 cm is required
(cheap and easy to obtain and from @jar); and the flammability is considerably reduced. The
biggest disadvantage of collecting rain from thatched roofs is that the waste it contains
contaminates the water. Therefore, the first load of rainwater contaminated by waste must be
eliminated. Durability: A competently executed thatch roof should last 40 to 100 years, but the
top should be maintained after 8 or 10 years. Straw is combustible and the best protection
against fire is common sense; avoid high building density (urban areas); avoid uncontrolled
fires near thatched roofs; avoid chimneys, or carefully design and construct them, well
insulated and regularly inspected; the protection of all electrical installations in the roof area.
Additionally, the lower part of the thatched roof can be protected by placing non-combustible
plates fixed to the beams.

ADVANTAGES

A thatch roof is a lightweight construction, which is an advantage when the roof structure used
is small section wood.

- They become thermal, that is, inside the house there is a warmer microclimate than outside.

- It is waterproof: if the straw is placed correctly and the roof has a good angle of inclination so
that rainwater runs off.

- Regarding useful life, natural fibers can remain in good condition between 9 and 12 years.

- They are biodegradable, which allows them to decompose without affecting the
environment. Provides a good acoustic environment.

- Its environmental benefits are considerable: low cost in gray energy - very little processing.

- Nearby transportation. - Stores CO² due to its agricultural origin, etc.

DISADVANTAGES- Thatched roofs are not suitable for collecting rainwater, - High risk of fire,
although there are treatments that reduce the risk of fire, organic decomposition and climatic
erosion, none are cheap, permanent or of good effectiveness, and makes rainwater collection
impossible.

- Vulnerable to insect invasions

One of the materials most used in the Amazon is toquilla straw. Toquilla straw, although this is
undoubtedly a perfect material for making crafts, many are unaware of its other uses,
especially in the construction aspect. Toquilla straw is a plant fiber, just like wicker. The plant is
a palm tree that has no trunk, supported by its own leaves that can measure up to three
meters long. In eastern Ecuador, toquilla straw, also known as lizán or lizán leaves, is used to
make the roofs of houses.

Technique is very important when it comes to roof construction. The valuable thing about this
plant fiber is that the more technical the fabric is, the longer the structure can last. The fabric
is essential if you dedicate the necessary time to it and do it well, that is, taking care of the
details and above all without leaving spaces between the fabric, the roof can last up to eight
years, without using anything more than yarina and lizan leaves. (toquilla straw). Although
eight years for a completely handmade and ecological roof is a long time, previously they said
that they lasted even longer, between 10 and 15 years, applying the same weaving technique.
The difference is in the smoke, which in this lifestyle is a very important factor. Families in the
area used to have their kitchen in the center of the house, and also the termite combs that
were burned so that the smoke worked as a natural repellent. The fire does not go out at any
time, and the smoke protects the roofing material, delaying the deterioration it may have over
time until almost doubling the durability of the material. This custom being very important to
take into account, it is surely the reason why several of the indigenous families in the area still
maintain it. Those that do not have houses and structures made of yarina and toquilla straw
that do not last more than seven or eight. The technique used in weaving causes the leaves to
come between them, closing any space that could allow light or water leaks. In the upper part
of the fabric there are spaces where, he explains, is the place where the toquilla straw, the
lizan, is placed. These spaces are covered with these leaves, normally every 15 cm, and they
are placed from the bottom up. First a layer of yarina fabric followed by a layer of toquilla
straw fabric, which are interspersed, eliminating any possibility of empty space that may
remain. The entire structure is woven until reaching the ridge, which is the vertex where both
sides meet. Being different from the rest of the ceiling, the fabric is also different. The two
sides of the structure are divided in half, and the entire line that joins the sides is covered so
that there is no space left at the joint and thus prevent any possibility of leaks. On other
occasions, covers with wheat or barley wails are placed on the wooden structure and straw is
placed on top of them. A weave is made that is then secured with wire, so that the @lamentos
do not come off. Roofing a house for a family of five to six people can take about a week. If,
due to lack of time, or due to the desire to finish the work more quickly, a much less elaborate
fabric is made, it will be of lower quality and will last less, since the neatness of the detail will
be lost and there will be open spaces where there will be @ water leaks. This will moisten and
accelerate the decomposition process of the material.

This way of roofing homes involves an ingenious method, 100% handmade, which takes time,
but without a doubt the material is resistant to rain and sun for years. Another very important
use of toquilla straw is its recognition in the field of decoration, or as a covering for other
construction materials, such as, for example, bamboo. As for roofs, the structure that supports
them is made of bamboo, and once finished it is covered with layers of toquilla straw fabric.
These two materials are used together because lizan leaves help protect the bamboo from
water, the moisture it produces, and the more the bamboo is protected from inclement
weather, the longer it can last. One of the best ways to do it is using toquilla straw, which also
works as a decorative element while maintaining the same ecological style. In the Amazon
jungle you can find ecological materials for construction and decoration, such as toquilla and
yarina straw. Before modernity arrived in the Amazon, the Kichwa indigenous people built
their houses with wood and toquilla straw. The triangular shape of the roofs allows optimal
evacuation of the region's frequent rains.
The roofs woven with toquilla straw characterize the Sinchi Warmi Tourist Center, located in
Tena, Napo. There, lodging services are provided in cabins inspired by the ancestral
constructions of the Kichwa nationality. Other groups that built their houses with toquilla
straw were the Tsáchilas. According to Tsáchila beliefs, the toquilla straw leaves could not be
cut on any date, the cutting was carried out when the moon was in the last quarter. Their
ancestors taught them that if they didn't do it at that time, the moths would destroy their
homes and it would be of no use. The local artisans commented that the leaf must be “jecha”,
that is, strong to be able to begin weaving the roof of the house. For a 3 by 3 house, about 2
thousand sheets are needed for weaving. In two days the roof is ready.

Since the ancestors did not have any instrument to measure or know the spaces to begin
weaving, they used their hands. For this reason, the person who begins the construction must
follow the process until it is completed, this is because the measurement of one person's hand
is not the same as another's. If there is no good fabric, when it is winter the water will leak into
the house, so to do this work they do it with great caution. For these inhabitants, having a
home with these roofs is very profitable, since it does not allow water to enter and is cooler.
Pambil, guadúa cane and toquilla straw are the materials that the Tsáchila ancestors used to
build their homes.

The normal height of the house is 5 m and the roof is located in such a way that rainwater
does not affect it. The construction of the structure takes about a month, with the labor of four
people. A Tsáchila house can last 30 years, but the roof must be changed every 10. The
Tsáchilas used these materials thinking especially about the climate of Santo Domingo, which
is humid tropical.