Brisbane Thatch & Decks
"Bali Huts"
0424 785 755
Brisbane Thatch & Decks.
Palmex Synthetic Thatch installation guidelines for Sandard Bali Hut Frame.
1) Inspect your frame :
a) Make sure your roof is equipped wit a kicker bar or pitching beam.
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b) You do not need any battens for the Palmex. Rafter spacings should not be more than 500mm.
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2) Items needed to install Palmex.
- Screws
- Welding gloves
- Cordless drill with hex head screwdriver
- Heat gun
- Garden pruning scissors
- Some Good Ladders and scaffold plus Safety harness for the really big ones.
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3 ) Slide the Palmex leaves in the 3mlong rail overlapping 50mm and protruding 150mm at the end. The ends of the leaves are going to be cut off at a angle on top of the hips later during the installation.
4) Palmex leaf's need to be rolled over then screwed down with one strew on each rafter. Should not see the Palmex rails from below.
5) Mark the frame out at 110mm spacings from the bottom to the top. Attach fist Palmex rails with leaf's frame the bottom working towards the top. The rails should start at the middle of the ne hip (or rafter) and be cut off at the middle of the other hip or rafter. The leaves should overlap around 150mm past the end of the middle of the hip. Just enough to cover any hols from beneath. The leaf's should be trimmed above the hips so that there are no holes visible from beneath. If the rails do not go through from one hip to the other hip, join the Plamex rails on top of a rafter but remember to overlap the leaves at least 50mm. Keep the offcut rails because they should just fit exactly above the long rails in the small triangle.
Also keep all the leave offcuts because we need them to cover the hips.
5.1) See Video how people in America install Palmex.
6) The leaf's should be trimmed above the hips so that there are no holes visible from beneath.
7 ) Please note: the overhang on the photo is too short.
There should not be any holes visible from above or below.
8) Once the whole roof is thatched. Cut some of the remaining leaves in three. about 250mm to 300mm wide to cover the hips. Also go though all the offcuts that mite be left over and cut them square as well.
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We are now using these "short leaves" to cover the hips.
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Start from the bottom and cover the bottom of the hips with three short leaves. Stagger them a little so they don't all fall in one direction. Screw them down with 2 or 3 screws then weld them down. The reason for the welding is to make it more water tight and also to form the hips so the fingers does not stand up..
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Going up the hip about 110 to 200mm, screw another two leaves down with two or three screws. Weld them down with the heat gut.
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The welding process involves heating the plastic till its getting soft and sticky, then pressing it down on the bottom leaves so the it sticks to the bottom leaves forming a weld. Be careful not to over heat the leaves and burn holes in it.
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Repeat the process to the top of the hips.
8.1) See Video of how the Americans install the hips without the use of corner pieces.
8.2) How to install corner pieces if you want to use corner pieces.
9) Once all the hips are covered and welded. Cover the very top of the ridge with a layer of leaves. Weld them down.
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The whole roof should be covers with at least two layers of leaves overlaying each other.
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a ) With the square roofs, Use the round crown piece, Screw it down with some screws then form and weld it to the top of the roof.
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b ) With the rectangular roofs. over the ridge with some leaves, screw it down and weld it to take the shape of the roof. Now fit the ridge pieces to cover the ridge. Cut the round crown piece in half to fit on the ends of the ridge and screw it down. Carefully weld and form the ridge to your liking.
10) Sit down and Relax.
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Also see Viva Palm for more tips and tricks to install synthetic thatch.