Jamie Riddington, technical advisor at Marley explains how you can work more efficiently.
When it comes to roofing, taking shortcuts isn’t advisable – everything needs to be done correctly to be safe and comply with modern standards. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to create stunning, compliant roofs more quickly and efficiently.
1 – Always get a new fixing specification for each roofing project you do – doing this upfront will save time by preventing call backs and ensure you comply with the requirements of BS 5534, the British Standard for slating and tiling pitched roofs. You can quickly get a free fixing specification via our website at marley.co.uk/specritetool
2 – To get a beautiful, traditional-looking pantile roof in less time, use an easy-to-fix interlocking pantile, such as our Lincoln or Melodie tiles. As well as including some clever time-saving features, such as flexible gauges and hidden interlocks, they can also be used down to much lower pitches than the traditional equivalent and are compatible with our dry fix systems and SoloFix.
3 – Roof clipping is acknowledged as one of the most time intensive parts of the job. To speed up interlocking tile installation, use a one piece clip and nail, like SoloFix, which can reduce clipping time by as much as 30 per cent.
4 – When you need a slate aesthetic, choose a time saving slate-effect tile with a high coverage rate. There are some great thin leading edge slate effect interlocking tiles on the market. Our popular Edgemere interlocking slate now comes in Anthracite for an even closer resemblance to natural slate and has a high coverage rate of just 9.7 tiles per square metre.
5 – Use an underlay that has an integrated tape system for sealing laps. This helps you meet BS 5534 requirements more quickly, without the need for a ‘fly’ batten to secure the laps.
6 – Many roofers and builders have already switched to dry fix systems but if you’re still using mortar, switching to dry fix could save you time, particularly as mortar bedded tiles must have an additional mechanical fixing under BS 5534 requirements. A big time saving benefit is that, unlike mortar, dry fix systems can be installed in all weather conditions, as long as it is safe to do so.
7 – When you’re using a dry verge system, choose one with a batten end clip as this makes the mechanical engagement required under BS 8612, the Dry Fix Standard, much simpler. Our batten end clip has sharp teeth which grip into the batten, making it extremely secure, as well as being very quick to push or hammer into place. Unlike others on the market, it can be fitted after the roof has been tiled.
8 – Consider using a dry fix system that already includes ventilation, such as a ventilated dry ridge system. This provides the required continuous ventilation along the ridge, saving time from installing additional high level ventilation.
9 – If you need to join two different roof coverings, for example on terraced or semi-detached housing, a dry fix bonding gutter is quicker and cheaper than using lead. Dry Fix Soakers are also a great time saving alternative to using lead for side abutments.
10 – When you’re working with clay plain tiles, purpose made fittings can be a real time saver. Not only do they look stunning, they will eliminate the time spent on making site formed fittings such as mitred hips. Also carefully plan your clay plain tile roof in advance, as it helps to reduce the amount of cutting you need to do.
Following these hacks can help to save time and money on your projects, while still creating beautiful roofs that comply with British Standards.
