Although many of us associate thatched roofs with English cottages or Caribbean island retreats, they exist in many other countries. They’re certainly less common in newer countries like the Americas, though.
So, can you have a thatched roof in Canada? Thatched roofs exist in Canada, although they’re typically used in modern revival buildings as opposed to original homes. However, thatch was also common for indigenous communities, although they used different materials.
In this article, we’ll look into the history of thatch in Canada and whether there are still any thatched buildings in the country.
Can You Have a Thatched Roof in Canada?
Thatch, as many of us understand it, is based on the European method. This uses straw or water reeds tied together in bunches, which are then fitted on a roof.
Other methods exist, though, such as those used in Canada before the European method was introduced.
One method used pre-settlement was to fix bundles of thatch onto a building’s roof using mud or clay. The thatch was layered in the same way as the European method, but the bundles were basically stuck in place.
Whereas Europeans used straw, indigenous people used local grasses and reeds. It looked very similar in the end, though.
Another method used was sod roofs. It’s debatable whether we can count these as thatch, but they follow the same principles. Sod is chunks of earth, often still with the grass layer attached. It would be fitted on the roof of small buildings to insulate the interior.
Sod houses were very popular buildings with indigenous communities in Canada. There’s evidence of them in southern British Columbia, Labrador, the Arctic, and more. In fact, sod buildings were later used by European settlers, although they’d come to symbolise hardship by this point.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that thatch existed in US and Canada pre-settlement. Thatching is arguably one of the oldest methods for roofing because it uses natural materials that are easy to gather and process. This is why you’ll find all kinds of thatched roof styles across the globe.
As with European countries, traditional thatching methods died out in the 19th century, as more houses were roofed with slate or tile. The Industrial Revolution made processing these materials easier, and the upkeep was much simpler.
Are There Any Thatched Roofs in Canada?
The short answer is that there are still thatched roofs in Canada. However, as in the UK and elsewhere, they’re more for fun than function. Most thatched roofs in the UK are old buildings covered by grade listing, meaning they can’t be replaced with modern materials.
This isn’t true for somewhere like Canada, though. European settlers weren’t building permanent homes in the same way at the same time, and many used wooden shingles rather than thatch.
Any quick Google search of Canadian thatching companies will show you how prevalent the tradition is in the country. The thatched buildings themselves are all classic revival properties, many of which were built in the 20th century or later.
While they’re not the same kind of classic building that you’d find in the UK, their thatched roofs are certainly no different.
Where to Find Thatched Roofs in Canada
You’ll typically find thatched roofs in southern Canada, as the country’s climate isn’t ideal for thatching materials.
The cold and level of precipitation mean the natural materials can degrade quickly, and they can’t withstand the weight of snow in the same way as slate or tile.
One Canadian thatching company advises its thatch can last 2-4 years in the Canadian climate. While it’s not the same as a proper thatched roof (it’s made from palm leaves), it’s at least evidence of how quickly the materials can degrade.
There’s no set place you could go to look at Canadian thatched homes. They’re not as common as elsewhere in the world due to the weather, so count yourself lucky if you do see one!
Final Thoughts
Thatched roofs have an interesting history in Canada. Indigenous people used thatching long before European settlers arrived, and the complexity of their methods hasn’t been truly appreciated until the last 20 years or so.
So, if you ever find yourself exploring the history of Canada, make sure you pay special attention to the thatched roofs. They’re more interesting than you might think!
