Slate Roof Batten Spacing

The updated bs 5334 code of practice for slating and tiling specifies a number of batten sizes based upon the span of the rafters and the product being used.

Slate roof batten spacing. Holing gauge mm battening gauge mm m batten per m2. Set out the first second and all the rest of slates on a pitched roof. Holing gauge mm battening gauge mm m batten per m2. Roofing battens are nailed into the rafters or roof joists or trusses and provide support for the roof tiles or slates.

This layout gives a double lap covering i e. Set out the first second and all the rest of slates on a pitched roof. Slates are laid on the battens in a brick bond pattern i e. The holing gauge can be calculated as.

This is normally done by adding another batten which reduces batten gauge and increases headlap or by stretching which is increasing batten gauge slightly. Battens should be set out horizontally across the roof at a gauge calculated from the formula. Slate length mm battening gauge mm m batten per m2. It also allows you to determine the holing gauge distance from hole to tail of slate and the number of linear metres of batten per m 2 of roof.

With the roofing felt fitted see fixing roofing felt the next job is to fix the roofing battens. Batten gauge can sometimes be altered however to adjust headlaps or change the spacing between slate courses so the top area of visible slates on a roof look neat. Holing gauge batten gauge headlap 10mm. For example 25 x 50mm battens are required for single lap modern roof tiles laid on rafters with a 600mm span.

The tails of all three courses of slate should align and overhang the gutter. With the joints between them aligned with the centre of the slates above and below and with about 3mm between the sides. The batten gauge can also be calculated using the formula. Ensure the first full course of slates oversails the gutter by 50 55mm.

Batten gauge length of slate headlap 2. The top part of each slate is covered by two slates the centre of the slate of the next row and the lower part of the slate above that. Nail the first full course of slates to the second batten so that the tail rivet passes between the two second under eaves slates and protrudes through the hole in the tail of the full slate. Gauge length of slate lap 2 battens should be nailed at maximum 600 mm.