Timber Battens

Our timber battens are pressure treated and intended for exterior use, primarily on pitched roofs. All of our battens are selected as one component of a roofing structure that includes tiles/slates, roofing felt and roof joists. Grading of roofing battens was introduced in 2005 with the aim being that they would be factory graded in the UK before arriving on site. All of our roofing battens are pressure treated so they can be used for a building’s roof without any extra treatment.

When battens are used as part of a roofing structure the batten spacing will be determined by the weight of the roof that sits above it. This is normally agreed between the roofing contractor and Building Control. The Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling requires that all battens should be graded when a roof has a rafter spacing that exceeds 600mm. This applies whether the roof is domestic or commercial, but spacing of the exterior battens is a matter for whoever specified the roof.

For improving the longevity of timber battens, it is important that they are chosen as an integral part of the roof. The better-quality battens should have a minimum service life of 50-60 years. This proposed service life will also depend on each roofing component being installed correctly on the specified strength of the roofing batten.

Blue batten indicates that assessment, grading, and compliance with the strength and requirements specified in BS 5534 have taken place. These battens are used for securing roof tiles and slate, and sometimes they may be supplied red in colour. While coloured battens indicate that the battens are suitable for the purpose, it is not a guarantee that every batten is stamped – it is the builder's responsibility to verify suitability.