Whether you’re painting an English countryside scene or are just curious, you’re here because you want to know what colour is a thatched roof.
Although describing colours with words is always a challenge, we’re here to give it a go.
So read on if you want to know the colour of a thatched roof, both when it’s new and as it ages.
What is the Colour of Thatch?
The colour of thatch can best be described as straw. In other words, it’s a mid-tone yellow with a certain amount of brown mixed in.
While describing straw as straw-coloured might not be too helpful, it’s a common paint colour name and gives the best indication of a thatched roof’s colour.
Thatched roofs are usually made from either straw or reeds. Reeds are a slightly darker brown than straw, but both fall comfortably in the yellow-brown palette.
Some helpful visualisations for the colour of thatch as hex codes are as follows:
· Brighter yellow thatch: #e6cd13
· Mid-tone yellow thatch: #e7a712
· Brown-tone thatch: #877056
Of course, the exact colour of thatch will depend on the materials used and the roof’s age. Even within the same material, you can get numerous colour variations.
But that’s the issue with using a natural product like straw or wheat.
Thatched Roof Colour Changes
Thatched roof material changes colour as it ages. In wet climates, it turns a pale grey as various organic compounds leak out of it.
You’ll probably notice that the top layer is almost silver while the layers underneath are something of a grey-brown colour.
In drier areas, thatched roofs will retain their original colour for much longer. You’ll still notice a bit of bleaching from the sun, but the end result will be more of a champagne colour. T
his is a combination of silver and gold, rather than the silvery-grey of a rain-bleached roof.
Different thatching materials will obviously turn different colours. Something like palm thatch – used in Pacific Island buildings – will turn pale brown before going silver at the ends.
In short, you can expect a roof’s material to turn a lighter version of its original colour before fading to grey/silver.
How long it takes for the colour to change depends on several factors. The most important are weather and roof aspect.
For example, a south-facing roof will fade quicker than a north-facing one, and rain will also speed up the process.
Even so, you can expect a thatched roof to retain its original colour for around 9-12 months after installation.
Areas such as the roof’s pitch will fade more quickly because it’s most exposed to the elements, but this is also why it needs replacing more regularly.
Final Thoughts on the Colour of a Thatched Roof
Hopefully, this answers everything you need to know about the colour of a thatched roof. If you want to know the exact colour of a thatched roof based on a picture, consider using something like an eye dropper tool.
It’ll give you a more specific answer based on the roof you have in mind.
