64 



FAEM BUILDINGS IN SOUTH AFRICA 



1%-inch thick. If reeds be available a 1-inch layer of these, below the 

 grass thatching, is an advantage, as it prevents short or broken grass 

 from falling into the interior of the roof. The reeds may be secured 

 as follows : — About every 3 feet (according to the length of the 

 reeds) a line of thick galvanised wire is laid horizontally along the 

 roof, on the top of the layer of reeds. This wire is attached to the 

 purlins by thinner wires which are tied to it, passed through the layer 

 of reeds, and tied by their other ends to the purlins. These thin wires 

 should be attached at every foot distance along the thick outer 

 horizontal wire. The wires are covered by the grass thatching on 

 top of the reeds, which grass is tied to the purlins by tarred string (as 

 before) passing through the layer of reeds. 



Thatched roofs are capped by a ridging made from plain (or flat) 

 galvanised iron sheeting. These sheets have a line of holes punched 

 about 2 inches in from each edge, through which a galvanised iron wire 

 is passed to lace the capping on to the purlins. 



Examples of thatched roofs are illustrated by Figs. 148 and 149. 

 Flashings — In order to render a roof-covering water-tight where it 

 meets a vertical wall, or surface, flashings are used. In the case of 



corrugated iron roofs, the 

 flashings usually consist 

 of plain (or fiat) gal- 

 vanised iron, though they 

 are occasionally of sheet 

 lead. 



Eeferring to Fig. 65, 

 HF is a horizontal flash- 

 ing, and SF is a side 

 flashing. 



The top edge of the 



flashing is turned over 



to the extent of about 



1 inch, for insertion and 



fixing in the joints be- 



FlG - 65 - tween the bricks. The 



lower part of the flashing is screwed, through the roof plates, either to 



the ordinary roof timbers, or to special timbers inserted for the purpose 



in the roof frame-work and called trimming timbers. 



