Roofing Battens BE ALERT TO COUNTERFEIT BATTENS Daniel Redfern, Marketing Manager at Marley, discusses the continuing problem concerning the influx of counterfeit roofing battens on the market, and explains what roofing contractors should be aware of when purchasing and installing batten... Worryingly, there has been a significant influx of counterfeit roofing battens entering the market recently, with the consequences of using them already being felt. Indeed, both the NFRC and Timber Development UK have issued warnings to their members to highlight this issue. A perfect storm Exceptionally high demand for treated timber, combined with shortages and supply chain issues brought about by the pandemic and Brexit, along with the war in Ukraine, has created a perfect storm allowing an abundance of sub-standard roofing battens to enter the UK market. Whilst coloured, stamped and sold as BS 5534 compliant, they are in fact, counterfeit. Know your battens Daniel Redfern, Marketing Manager at Marley, explained: “It has always been important that roofers understand what they’re buying when it comes to battens. Cheaper and often inferior battens may carry imperfections that can cause breakages and lead to accidents on site, especially since being weight bearing, battens are used as a step ladder whilst a contractor is working on the roof. “Moreover, with site safety being of paramount importance, and the safety of the team being the ultimate responsibility of the contractor, choosing to compromise on the quality of a safety-critical product on a roof, such as battens, could well be a costly – and avoidable – mistake.” Greater threat Daniel continued: “The problem of cheaper battens is one issue but counterfeit battens present a much greater threat to contractors who may unwittingly fit them believing they are, in fact, using the genuine article. It is therefore crucial that contractors check and check again on site and are 100% certain about the provenance of their battens. “Remember, using non-compliant battens of inferior quality to certified roofing battens will not only compromise safety on site, but will also reduce the longevity of the roof and may result in the roof having to be stripped and re-roofed should the battens prove to be sub-standard.” Don’t be caught out Daniel and the team at Marley say roofers should take responsibility for fully inspecting their battens on site, immediately rejecting them if there are any discrepancies. They point out that there are some simple checks to use to help avoid any issues: Essential markings: According to BS 5534, all graded battens should be clearly marked with supplier details, size, species and relevant standard. Although not required by BS 5534, it is recognised best practice to also display third party certification i.e. BBA. Size: Check the thickness of the batten – BS 5534 states that a batten should be 25 mm thick with a tolerance of – 0/+3 mm. Look out for equally and consistently sized battens. Knots: BS 5534 states that the sum of both faces should be no more than the width i.e. 38 mm/50 mm. Where knots are visible on both sides of a batten or are excessively large, it should not be used. Colour: Although intended as a useful visual aid, colour is no guarantee of compliance, so check other markers. Rot: Due to their treatment, BS 5534 graded battens do not rot. Battens with any sign of rot should be discarded. Documentation: Either delivered to site or available via the merchant, all BS 5534 graded battens will carry the correct documentation which should always be requested by contractors. Genuine quality with JB Red battens Whilst counterfeit battens are causing a real issue throughout the industry, Daniel says roofers can rely on Marley’s JB Red roofing battens. He explained: “Produced from slow-grown timber, JB Red battens are stringently tested and graded using our dedicated roof batten scanning line – Goldeneye. Treated with MicroPro preservative to give a 60-year service life, JB Red battens are fully BS 5534 compliant and are currently the only UK machine-graded batten available to the roofing industry with BBA certification.” Find out more about Marley JB Red Battens www.marley.co.uk/roofing-batten/ jb-red-batten 01283 722222 16 TC DECEMBER <strong>2022</strong>
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