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17 Jul 2023
Roofing battens are the sections of wood fitted between the rafters on any roof. Battens are part of the fundamental structure of the roof, as they secure the roofing felt and help take the loads imposed by the slates or tiles, as well as any extra weight from snow or strong winds.
They are also structurally significant during construction work; roofers often walk, sit or lean on these battens – with potentially deadly consequences if the battens fail. That’s why battens are subject to such strict building standards, grading and quality requirements, to ensure the safety of construction workers while on site.
What should merchants look for?
British Standards specify that only battens fully graded to BS5534 can be called roofing battens, or used as such. The number of large knots and growth rings, plus the slope of the grain, are strictly controlled.
Size also matters: battens must be 38mm x 25mm minimum (50mm x 25mm for slates), and have very strict tolerances (-0/+3mm on the thickness and -3/+3mm on the width).
Recognising an accurately graded, high-quality roofing batten by eye is not easy. That’s why timber can only be considered a roofing batten if it is factory graded and marked with the supplier, size, species and BS5534.
Documentation must show all this information and also clearly indicate the batten has been graded, as well as the country of origin and any preservative used.
If the timber stacked in your yard doesn’t have this information, you cannot sell it for use as a roofing batten, and you must not describe it as such, nor as a tiling batten or slating (other terms used to describe roofing battens).
Anything other than a fully graded BS5534 batten is a piece of sawn, treated timber and is not fit for use as a roofing batten.
TDUK advises all merchants to clearly identify the graded battens in your yard to help your customers choose the right product. All our members who sell roofing/tiling battens and slatings are part of independently audited third-party quality assurance schemes, so buying from our members means you can be sure the products you sell are fit for purpose.