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Lexicon Brakdak Houses _____________________________________________________ Brak (English brack) a clay mixture rich in salts acting as waterproofing. During the c17, c18, and c19 this novel roofing system was devised in arid areas where wood for beams and grass for thatch was scarce. This system consisted of beams over which reeds were placed followed by a brak (brack) clay soil mixture, rich in salts, which was compacted on top of the reeds. This relatively waterproof roof was used extensively in the Karoo where many Cape Georgian Cottages have these flat roofs, some with parapets. See Fagan, 2008. Buildings on this website in Brakdak Houses style Brakdakhuis at Elandsvlei: late C19. Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape Books linked to this entry Fagan, Gawie & Fagan, Gwen. 2008. Brakdak : platdakke in die Karoo. Cape Town: Breestraat Publikasies pp All Frescura, Franco & Myeza, Joyce . 2017. Illustrated glossary of southern African architectural terms; English-isiZulu. Pietermaritzburg: UKZN Press pp 23