Joining batten ends?

[junglejim]

Curious what the best way to join roof batten ends? They are laid over 50mm wide counter battens. Note sure whether to share a counter batten each overlapping 25mm or whether I need to double up the counter batten?

 

 

[Dave Jones]

finish on a truss allways.

[joe90]

Or join on a counter batten.

Edited August 22 by joe90

[junglejim]

Thanks @Dave Jonesand @joe90

That was my initial thought but worried about splitting the batten end by needing to nail it so close to the end. Joining in a counter batten only gives the ends 25mm to nail into.

 

my maximum spacing between counter battens is 400mm and a number of gaps are more like 300 (and a few even less) so wondering if it’s better to have ends between the counter battens so that the ends are overhanging. I wonder if a 150mm overhang is better than nailing close to the end. I figure there must be regulations on maximum allowable unsupported overhang but I can’t find anything.

 

[Mike]

16 minutes ago, junglejim said:

Joining in a counter batten only gives the ends 25mm to nail into.

Skew-nail them - it gives you more distance to play with. And stagger the battens, so that they joint over different rafters.

 

 

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Skew-nail them -

And/or drill a pilot hole.

[Oz07]

If they are delivered soaking wet and weighing a tonne they shouldn't split when nailing. Its mainly dry timber that splits. Roofer i use insists on hand nailing battens.

[marshian]

2 hours ago, Oz07 said:

If they are delivered soaking wet and weighing a tonne they shouldn't split when nailing. Its mainly dry timber that splits. Roofer i use insists on hand nailing battens.

 

The other tip I got years ago to stop wood splitting when nailing close to the end was blunt the sharp tip of the nail (turn it upside down - sharp side up on a hard surface and hit it once with a hammer to flatten the point) - it's always worked for me (I think the theory is it crushes it's way thro the wood rather than forcing the wood around the nail which then forces it to split if close to the end)

[bassanclan]

Hand nail and blunt the end of the nail (presume 65x2.65)

[junglejim]

Thank you for all the tips 👍