Should I counter batten

12 – Counter battens – If you’re using a vapour permeable (breathable) membrane with a close fitting roof covering, such as shingles, then it needs to be counter battened to allow ventilation of the batten space. The position of the first batten should be the batten gauge plus half the thickness of the batten.

Do you need to counter batten?

Counter battens are needed when sarking or plywood boarding is installed directly onto rafters, except in situations where slates are nailed directly into timber sarking. At the eaves, insulation can be pushed up to the underside of the Permo® underlay.

How do you counter batten cladding?

Counter battens must be at least 16mm thick. Cladding support battens should be at least twice the thickness of an individual board. The top edge should be machined, prior to preservative treatment, to an angle (15°) sufficient to shed water running down the back of the cladding into the ventilation cavity.

Do you need to counter batten roof?

Roof tiles are usually laid horizontally, attached to timber tiling battens. … If the layer of breathable membrane is draped across your roof pitch in such a way that it creates gaps between each rafter,it enables water to run out beneath the tiling battens – meaning that there is no need for counter battens.

Are battens necessary?

You do not have to use a batten roofing system under most building codes. In some cases, it is necessary, but in most cases using batten on your roof is a choice to gain the benefits of using this system. There are primarily two options for roofing, a direct to deck system or a roof batten system.

How far apart are roof battens?

Battens should be fixed to rafters set at centres not more than 600mm apart. They should span at least three rafters and be at least 1.2m long.

Do you need to counter batten TLX Gold?

Because the TLX Gold at 33mm thick compresses down to only 3mm, this means that it can be used draped between the rafters with the tile battens straight over, with no need to raise the roof by requiring counter battens as do competitor products.

What are Sarking boards?

Sarking boards are softwood boards, generally about 150 mm wide, that are attached to the rafters of a pitched roof to give extra strength to the overall structure of a building. … Firstly, sarking boards are typically used on buildings that are exposed to extreme weather conditions, such as high wind or torrential rain.

What is a roof over batten system?

Rafter/truss to walls or collar tie. ROOF ‘OVER-BATTEN’ SYSTEM. This is a retrofit system that connects a beam on the top of the roof to the foundations to make the roof more secure.

Do you need to counter batten vertical cladding?

Boards are fixed to support battens to create a drained and ventilated cavity. A continuous air gap is essential and, with vertical cladding, counter battens will usually be needed to ensure cavity ventilation is maintained.

Article first time published on

Do you need battens for cladding?

General Information. All timber cladding and battens should be appropriately treated to protect them against rot and insect attack. … Vertical cladding will require double battening (vertical and horizontal) to ensure airflow to the cavity.

What looks better horizontal or vertical cladding?

Both work fine and the choice is really about looks. Vertical cladding tends to appear more modern whereas horizontal cladding looks more traditional. Also consider the shape of the building. Horizontal boards work well on short and wide elevations, vertical boards on tall and thin elevations.

What is the purpose of battens?

A batten is generally a strip of timber (although it can also be steel or plastic) which is used in the construction of buildings. They are typically used as spacers to raise the surface of a material, or as a secondary framework onto which a surface may be fixed.

How long do roof battens last?

How durable are battens? Most battens are supplied with an industrially applied treatment process designed to provide a 60-year design life under Use Class 2. The relevant Standard is BS 8417:2011 Preservation of Wood.

Should a metal roof be installed over battens?

By design, some metal roofs MUST be installed over battens, some MUST NEVER be installed over battens, and some can be installed over battens OR solid decking. So, whichever way you go, it’s important to choose the right product and install it per manufacturer specifications.

What is the U value of TLX Gold?

RELEVANT EXCERPTS FROM PART L1B: The performance of the roof should be improved to achieve a U value of 0.18 W/m2.

Should you screw or nail roof battens?

Fixing timber battens to timber supports: Use the appropriate fasteners. This is extremely important because using the wrong fasteners may lead to roof failure. For example it might appear that using 75mm nails to attach a 35mm batten to a rafter would be sufficient.

How do you measure batten roof spacing?

Measure from the top of the lowest batten to the top of the highest batten, then divide this number by the maximum gauge recommended by the manufacturer, and round this up to the nearest whole number. This will tell you how many courses are needed to tile your roof.

What is the difference between purlins and battens?

But a “purlin” is applied directly onto the roof rafters, running perpendicular between them, while a “batten” is nailed to roof sheathing or applied over an existing roof for installation of a new roof.

How far apart should wall battens be?

The battens need to be as close to 400mm apart as possible allowing for the fact that you need the end of a plaster lath to fall on the centre of a batten so the next board can share the same batten.

When should you replace roof battens?

Anytime that you redesign the layout of your roof as with certain types of renovations and extensions, you will need to replace the battens as well as the other elements of the roof. Storm damage or knockdown rebuilds are two examples of when this type of renovation may occur.

Can metal roof battens be reused?

Metal Battens And Reuse Of The Materials It has been announced that metal battens should not be re-used, unless there is written advice from the manufacturer allowing the re-use and then only to the manufacturer’s installation requirements.

Why is roof batten blue?

The reason our product is dyed blue is to distinguish it as meeting the necessary standard: it’s a colour commonly used by Nordic and Baltic suppliers. But it’s the BS5534 grading stamp, not the colour, that’s important.”

Is sarking board breathable?

Sarket is a high-performance bitumen impregnated fibreboard for roofing used as a combined roofing underlay and wind barrier for use on heat-insulated roofs. With superior weather-resistant skin and tongue & groove edge profile, Sarket is perfect for sustainable and breathable roof construction.

How is sarking installed?

Installing sarking is a two-stage process. First the sarking is installed and then battens are laid over the sarking. The battens are important because they provide a layer of air between the roofing and the sarking. Without this layer of air, the sarking would not provide effective insulation.

Should battens be treated?

Treatment – Roofing battens should be preservative treated to Use Class 2 in accordance with BS 8417. Different manufacturers use their own types of preservative treatment and may offer different guarantees as a result.

What do you put under cladding?

A gap (normally at least 25mm (1 inch) for timber) for air circulation is required behind the cladding to ensure that moisture is not trapped. This needs to be considered where insulation is required behind the cladding, most insulation materials will need to go behind the vapour barrier membrane.

Should tongue and groove be vertical or horizontal?

Installing Tongue & Groove Siding Tongue and groove siding can be installed horizontally or vertically.

Can tongue and groove be used vertically?

Vertical cladding may be where tongued and grooved boards are at their most effective but you may want to consider not exceeding 125mm face width so that any moisture spreading across the board will not make the tongue disengage.

Is vertical cladding waterproof?

As long as the PVC cladding has been installed water-tight, it will provide a waterproof protective layer on your home/building. This also means that our PVC cladding will not rot and does not require the application of protective coatings to maintain its appearance and climate resistance.

What is the Batten disease?

Batten disease is a group of fatal genetic disorders. There are 13 types. The disorder affects the body’s ability to get rid of cellular waste (lipids and proteins), so they build up in cells all over the body. The buildup causes seizures, vision loss, problems with thinking and movement, and eventually, death.