 Stosstruppen  | 12 Jan 2023 8:32 p.m. PST |
4 Ground suggests a 50/50 mix of water and PVA to treat the fur thatch roofs. Does anyone have any other methods they have used that are better? I have a number of Dark Age and Japanese buildings to do. |
| Tgerritsen | 12 Jan 2023 9:46 p.m. PST |
I've used that method and had really good results. I used a tooth brush to ‘tease' in the mixture and then trimmed the edges after it dried. Looked really good to me. You have to coat it all and it will look not so great until it dries, but after it looks good to my eyes. |
| jdpintex | 13 Jan 2023 8:24 a.m. PST |
+1 Tgerritsen Also strongly second the don't panic until it dries. I was saying a fair amount of strong language until it dried as I thought I had totally ruined it. |
| Stosstruppen | 13 Jan 2023 10:16 a.m. PST |
Cool, it looks pretty ugly on the instruction sheet. I'll give it a try this weekend. |
| 79thPA | 13 Jan 2023 11:13 a.m. PST |
Thanks for asking. I've got to build some as well. |
| Hitman | 13 Jan 2023 12:01 p.m. PST |
I used a plastic fork. Make sure you coat upwards, then downwards to get both sides of the fur to ensure it adheres fully. And as others have said here…lots of bad language, anguish, freaking out and then satisfaction!! Best of luck. I have a number of buildings to do now that you mention it… |
| Hitman | 13 Jan 2023 12:01 p.m. PST |
I used a plastic fork and raked it. Make sure you coat upwards with a glue laden fork, then downwards to get both sides of the fur to ensure it adheres fully. And as others have said here…lots of bad language, anguish, freaking out and then satisfaction!! Best of luck. I have a number of buildings to do now that you mention it… |
 Herkybird | 13 Jan 2023 12:05 p.m. PST |
These are some of my Saxon 4 ground buildings thatched using the recommended method…
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| Cerdic | 13 Jan 2023 2:16 p.m. PST |
When you've finished all this malarkey with PVA and forks and what not, don't forget the finishing touch…paint the  s grey! After six months a new thatch roof will have turned grey. As the lifespan of a roof will be up to thirty or forty years that beige/honey/straw colour is pretty rare… |
| Erzherzog Johann | 13 Jan 2023 3:46 p.m. PST |
So I take it they supply a piece of pre-cut 'fur' with their buildings. Stupid question perhaps, but where might I find a similar product if I was intending to make some buildings? Cheers,
John |
| 79thPA | 13 Jan 2023 4:30 p.m. PST |
Correct. The thatching is supplied. |
| Herkybird | 13 Jan 2023 5:55 p.m. PST |
Indeed, they do, if you want to get additional 'thatch', just go to a store selling 'teddy bear fur' which, if short pile makes a good thatch. |
| Stosstruppen | 14 Jan 2023 7:58 a.m. PST |
@Erzherzog Johann or you can use the Ikea towel method, see youtube for videos on that. |
| Swampster | 14 Jan 2023 2:51 p.m. PST |
If you google real thatched roof buildings, you usually don't see the long stems of straw/reeds etc., especially in Europe and Japan. The way they are cut means that most layers below the ridge only showing the cut ends.
Recreations of Celtic and Dark Age buildings generally use the same techniques. |
| Erzherzog Johann | 16 Jan 2023 12:52 a.m. PST |
So do you have any suggestions on how to achieve that look (in 15mm) Swampster? Cheers,
John |
| Swampster | 17 Jan 2023 4:03 p.m. PST |
Closest I could get was by using felt, though I will keep my eye out for something with a bit more texture.
link |
| Erzherzog Johann | 18 Jan 2023 1:07 a.m. PST |
Thanks. I bought a 'worm mat' for putting on a worm bin as I remember, but it looks too scraggly. I'll probably use it as a base surface for a field instead. I'll try the felt method. I have a bit lying around. Cheers,
John |
