How poor/under-treated battens can fall short of the industry standard BS 5534:2014; drastically affecting quality, safety, stability and long-term viability of your structure.
Today, your new home requires roof battens that meet the new BS 5534:2014 requirements. The market is full of choices and you can easily choose the wrong one. Landguard Point wants to help you choose battens that meet your needs and exceed the new standards.
How well do you know the batten you are buying?
Many BS 5534:2014 battens are manufactured using vacuum-vacuum technology, but from its inception in 2012, “Diamond Blue” battens are made using vacuum-pressure-vacuum treatment technology. Although a more expensive process, this technology is much more effective at saturation and impregnation of the batten through high pressure coupled with vacuum treatment. This ensures a far superior product.
Vacuum-pressure-vacuum is primarily used for wood treatment classes HC3 (wood for outdoor environments) and HC4 (wood for underground conditions), while roof battens only require HC2 treatment.
Is there a difference between “Vacuum-Vacuum” and “Vacuum-Pressure-Vacuum” technology?
In the production process, if you use pressure greater than 12 bar (6 times more than in your car tyres), you can get more chemical into the wood than with vacuum alone. This provides additional quality in the final product.
The easiest way to tell if your batten has been produced in the right way is that it contains copper, which is present in all construction timber used in your home (C16, C24).
So if someone tells you that copper is bad?
Basically, all timber products in the world are made from regular, green-treated lumber which contains copper. Once a roof is laid, no chemical reactions are possible due to the dry conditions found under a properly constructed and sealed roof. Damage occurs if there’s a leak in the roof that does not get repaired for a significant period of time.
Here comes the important question…
How long does it take a roof batten to get into your roof construction?
It can take many months! Batten can be lying in docks, in transport or at the retailer for a long time, potentially exposed to the weather until you purchase it. It also takes time to install battens on a roof and they can be exposed to rain during the installation.
The solution is to select “Diamond Blue” batten products, which are pressure-treated for increased durability, stability and water-resistance. This means they’re better protected against damage than other brands of batten. They’re also resistant to mould and mildew, which can cause problems to your house and your health.
