This job in Mickle Trafford, just outside Chester, combined several pieces of work on one roof. The valley was replaced, the slope beside it went back on new felt and treated battens, and the roof was finished with a dry ridge system and a dry verge system, so none of the edges or the ridge rely on mortar.
The roof is covered in red concrete interlocking tiles, with several ridges and hips meeting at junctions. We worked from a scaffold, which you can see in the background of a couple of the photos.
Down to the felt and battens
The photos taken mid-job show one slope stripped right back. A grey breathable membrane runs across the stripped area, with rows of new pale timber battens fixed over it at even spacing, a cordless drill resting on them and the old tiles stacked on the roof beside. Along the bottom of that slope you can see the dark valley channel where the slope meets the next section of roof.
Renewing the felt and battens at the same time as the valley makes sense. The tiles on both sides of a valley have to come off anyway, and if the membrane under them is torn or the battens are soft, a new valley laid on top will not last as it should.
- Tiles stripped from the slope beside the valley
- New breathable membrane laid across the slope
- Treated battens fixed ready for the tiles
- New valley formed and the tiles cut back in along it
Charcoal dry ridge and a dry verge
Once the tiles were back, the ridges and hips were finished with charcoal grey ridge tiles on a dry ridge system. Each joint is held by a black clip, and at the three-way junction the ridge pieces meet neatly without a lump of mortar holding them together. One photo shows the new charcoal ridge running up to meet the older, lichen-covered ridge further along.
The gable edges were finished with a dry verge system, clipped over the tile ends instead of being pointed in mortar. You can read more about that detail on our dry verge project in Chester, and more about ridge and valley work on our roof repairs page.
Questions About This Kind of Job
Why replace felt and battens during a valley job?
The tiles either side of the valley have to come off anyway. If the felt or battens underneath are worn, renewing them then saves opening the roof up again later.
What is the difference between dry ridge and dry verge?
A dry ridge fixes the tiles along the top of the roof mechanically, over a sealing roll. A dry verge does the same job for the gable edges, with units that clip over the tile ends.
Can new ridge tiles be a different colour from the roof?
Yes. On this roof the ridge tiles are charcoal grey against the red concrete tiles. Ridge tiles come in a range of colours, so we can match or contrast as you prefer.
Do you cover villages around Chester?
We do, including Mickle Trafford and the surrounding area. Contact us to arrange a visit.
