A LUTYENS TILE VALLEY
In 2007 faced with failing leadwork and after a series of botched valley repairs the owners decided to have the roof stripped and re-tiled. This series shows how the valley construction was recorded prior to developing a specification with the architect including some technical changes and then reconstructing the valley groundwork - the battening and the valley coffin - and relaying the tiles.
The tiles are 11 x 7 inch and the batten gauge is 3.5 inch which, allowing for the position of the nail hole, gives about a one third head lap. The battens are 1.5 x 3/4 inch sawn softwood on counter-battens on felt on boards. Dampness in the valleys had been judged to be partly due to the soaker sizes and partly due to the bedding mortar. The newly installed soakers are probably over-generous.
Changes to the original construction included:
-
-installing a vapour permeable membrane
-
-nailing the valley tiles instead of simply bedding in mortar
-
-increasing the size of the soakers
Work carried out by Jordan Heritage Roofing
Lead saddle over the top course
30/10/12
Top course
Soakers under the
top course
Course 9
Below course 7
Course 3
Checking the trimmed tiles on the ground
Soaker under
course 9
Recording
Rebuilding
Soaker under
course 3
First course
Coffin
Coffin
Coffin supports
The Tucker and Sons Loughborough tile maker’s trade mark
Bedding mortar and the nails marked red but none in the valley
Tile trimming
Video by construction library