New Roof

[Lightspeed]

Dev, Tiles are very long heavy ceramic items, and the old laying pattern has them double rowed with 80% overlap, so its a fairly heavy roof, with equally heavy battens ( 2" x 1,5"). It has been the batten removal that has been heaviest work.

I've just realised a calculation error. The old batens are yielding just short of 2 Cords of timber. Still a hell of a lot and a huge task removing nails, cutting and stacking it.

From painted date on one of the roof joists it appears the roof was last replaced in 1948. Amazingly all roof timbers and battens are completely sound. So far not a single batten is showing any sign of rot or infestation. If the new roof lasts as long as its predecessor, that'll do us just fine...

We're also replacing the gutters and downpipes while we're at it, and this will give me the chance to re-use one on the wood shed roof to gather rainwater for the veg garden.

This project is seeing very little go to waste. even the old tiles are being recycled; some I'm storing as the garage and woodshed roofs are of the same material, and the rest are going to the local council who crush them and use on some sort of road maintenance.