What is Thatching?
[[File:Carrying grass to build home roof.jpg|thumb|Carrying grass to build roofs in [[Ethiopia]]]] [[File:pub.williams.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|A thatched [[public house|pub]] (The Williams Arms) at [[Wrafton]], [[North Devon]], [[England]]]] [[File:87 - Machu Picchu - Juin 2009.jpg|thumb|Inside view of an [[Inca]] roof in one of the few reconstructed buildings of [[Machu Picchu]]]] '''Thatching''' is building a [[roof]] with dry vegetation such as [[straw]], [[reed (plant)|reeds]], [[Cyperaceae|sedge]] (''Cladium mariscus''), [[Juncus|rushes]], [[Calluna|heather]], or [[palm]] branches. The vegetation is put on top of each other so as to make sure water stays away from the inner roof. Thatch can occasionally catch fire. This is one reason for its replacement by [[slate]]s in modern buildings. [[Ceramic]] slates for roofing can be made by industry, and have replaced natural slates in modern housing. Thatched rooves were once a source of fires, but slates are fireproof. That explains the gradual decline in thatched rooves. {{-}} {{stub}} {{Non-timber forest products}} [[Category:Roofs]] [[Category:Natural materials]]