Roof tiling standards – What you need to know about the rules and regulations of tiling

21 Dec Roof tiling standards – What you need to know about the rules and regulations of tiling

The British Standard for Slating and Tiling (BS 5534) was updated in August 2014.

The update provided the industry with fresh guidance on best practices for the installation of a roof, in a commercial or residential setting. It includes guidance on everything from batons to fixing specifications, to improve the quality of new roofs.

What you need to know

While BS 5534 is not a legal requirement for roofers to work to, working to BS 5534 standards does provide a good framework for roofing quality. Roofers who work to BS 5534 generally provide a more consistent product than those who don’t.

The takeaway from BS 5534

BS 5534 updated the best practices for the installation of a roof. It includes new guidance on fixings, mortar bedding, and underlays. More stringent specifications for each of these means tighter control over the products used when installing a roof. Fixings, for example, have new guidance for using clippings or stainless-steel clips and nails.

·         Mortar bedding: BS 5534 specifies that mortar or cement alone cannot be used to fix ridges and hips, because it is prone to cracking and degradation. The ridges and hips must be fixed mechanically.

·         Fixings: Single-lapped tiles on a roof now must now be mechanically fixed and perimeter tiles must have a minimum of two fixings, to prevent them from falling off the roof in extreme weather.

·         Roofing underlays: New underlays will be tested to a new standard, to see whether they stretch or balloon under wind load. BS 5534 recommends using roofing underlay that resists this, for longevity and safety.

Additional tiling standards

BS 5534 is a good standard for roofers to work to. However, it does not provide guidance and advice for all types of roof. Therefore, it is important that the roofer you hire works to a high standard of their own. The products they use should be tested extensively, and the techniques they use should be industry best practice.

Need roofing work in Leeds? Contact us

We can replace missing tiles on your roof and repair leaking roofs quickly. To find out more about our tiling services, please call us on 0113 293 4038.