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BS5534-2003 Headlap table: Moderate exposure »
BS5534-2003 Headlap table: Severe exposure »

Alpina slate

Alpina is a light grey/green with an even distribution of colour across its smooth riven surface. This is an exceptionally flat slate and lies ‘true’ on a roof. Alpina slate is one of the purest slates currently on the market with virtually no unstable minerals such as pyrites, graphite, carbon and un-oxidised irons.

Alpina is available in three sizes 600 ´ 300 mm, 500 ´ 250 mm and 400 ´ 200 mm along with appropriate slate and a half tiles. It is produced to a standard thickness of 5.5 mm nominal and is holed to two standard laps, 75 mm and 100 mm.

Laid correctly Alpina slate will last the lifetime of the building and is ideal for use on any major project including supermarkets, schools, city offices and prestige homes.

Quality

Alpina slate is a tough natural material and samples are regularly tested to the following national standards: BS 680: Part 2:1971 requirements for roofing slate.

Water absorption test (Clause 6.2.1)

Wetting and drying test (Clause 6.2.2)

Sulphuric Acid Test (Clause 6.2.3)

General design considerations

Alpina slate laid to BS 5534 will meet the strength requirements for the imposed and uniformly distributed wind and snow loads etc. The site exposure rating and the pitch of roof rafters will determine the size, pattern, lap and fixings for the slates. For UK and Northern Ireland locations, BS 5534: Part 1: 1997 will indicate the expected degree of exposure. Wind driven rain ratings less than 56.5 l/m2 per spell are described as ‘moderate’ (see table 1) and those above 56.5 l/m2 per spell are described as ‘severe’ (see table 2).

Detailed guidance on wind load calculations is given in BS 5534: Part 1 and in BS 6399: Part 2: 1995 and Part 3: 1998. In locations where abnormal conditions may be anticipated such as elevated sites, coastal locations, areas of heavy snowfall etc., the recommendation for ‘severe’ should be followed.

Additional information can also be found in BS 8104. Where the location or construction might make a lower rafter pitch acceptable, designers are asked to seek advice.

Table 1 Moderate exposure

less than 56.5 l/m2 per spell

Pitch

Slate
size

Minimum
headlap

Slates

Batten
gauge

Holing
gauge

Average
weight

deg

mm ´ mm

mm

no/m2

mm

mm

kg/m2

45°

600 ´ 300

65

12.46

268

343

34.54

 

500 ´ 250

65

18.39

218

293

35.40

 

400 ´ 200

65

29.85

168

243

36.78

40°

600 ´ 300

65

12.46

268

343

34.54

 

500 ´ 250

65

18.39

218

293

35.40

 

400 ´ 200

65

29.85

168

243

36.78

35°

600 ´ 300

75

12.70

263

348

35.20

 

500 ´ 250

75

18.82

213

298

36.24

 

400 ´ 200

75

30.77

163

248

37.91

30°

600 ´ 300

75

12.70

263

348

35.20

 

500 ´ 250

75

18.82

213

298

36.24

 

400 ´ 200

75

30.77

163

248

37.91

27.5°

600 ´ 300

85

12.94

258

353

35.88

 

500 ´ 250

85

19.28

208

303

37.11

 

400 ´ 200

85

31.75

158

253

39.11

25°

600 ´ 300

90

13.07

255

355

36.24

 

500 ´ 250

90

19.51

205

305

37.56

22.5°

600 ´ 300

100

13.33

250

360

36.96

 

500 ´ 220

105

20.25

198

313

38.99

Note Alpina slate is generally supplied pre-holed to either a 100 mm or 75 mm headlap and therefore may not be suited to some roof pitches. Slates can be pre-holed to other headlaps after consultation with Cembrit Ltd.

Table 2 Severe exposure

greater than or equal to 56.5 l/m2 per spell

Pitch

Slate
size

Minimum
headlap

Slates

Batten
gauge

Holing
gauge

Average
weight

deg

mm ´ mm

mm

no/m2

mm

mm

kg/m2

45°

600 ´ 300

70

12.58

265

345

34.87

 

500 ´ 250

65

18.39

218

293

35.40

 

400 ´ 200

65

29.85

168

243

36.78

40°

600 ´ 300

80

12.82

260

350

34.54

 

500 ´ 250

75

18.82

213

298

36.24

 

400 ´ 200

90

32.26

155

255

39.74

35°

600 ´ 300

90

13.07

255

355

36.24

 

500 ´ 250

90

19.51

205

305

37.56

 

400 ´ 200

105

33.90

148

263

41.76

30°

600 ´ 300

105

13.47

248

363

37.33

 

500 ´ 250

100

20.00

200

310

38.50

 

400 ´ 200

105

33.90

148

263

41.76

27.5°

600 ´ 300

115

13.75

243

368

38.10

 

500 ´ 250

105

20.25

198

313

38.99

Note Alpina slate is generally supplied pre-holed to either a 100 mm or 75 mm headlap and therefore may not be suited to some roof pitches. Slates can be pre-holed to other headlaps after consultation with Cembrit Ltd.

Supply

Cembrit ’s natural Alpina slates are supplied directly to approved accounts, roofing contractors and builders’ merchants. Prices are available on request from Cembrit Ltd.

Sitework

Storage and handling

Slates should be carefully stacked on their longer edges with timber bearers, battens or boards between layers. The lowest layer must be arranged on a firm level base.

Working

Slate can be cut and holed on site by hand or machine. Care must be taken to avoid undue spalling. It is recommended that the slates should be sorted into three or four groups of similar thickness. The thickest should be used in the courses nearest to the eaves. Individual slates should be holed so that the thicker end is the tail of the slate.

Fixing

Alpina slates must be laid in accordance with the Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling, BS 5534: Part 1 :1997 Design, and the Code of Practice for Workmanship on Building Sites – Slating and Tiling, BS 8000: Part 6: 1990.

Slates should be twice centre-nailed to horizontal battens etc., as described in BS 5534, using:

Copper nails to BS 1202: Part 2

Aluminium nails to BS 1202: Part 3 or, for hook-fixing

Stainless steel nail hooks to suit common laps

The minimum shank diameter for nails used with natural slates is 3.35 mm and they should penetrate into the batten by a minimum of 15 mm. Slates, generally, should be not less than 150 mm wide. At all verges and abutments, alternate slate courses must start with half width or slate and half width to maintain bond. Slate and a half widths must be used if the half slate is less than 150 mm wide. At valleys and hips where slates need to be cut on the rake, wide slates must be used to maintain an adequate width of the head or tail. At mitred hips on low pitched roofs wide slates should be used.

Battens

In accordance with the recommendations in BS 5534: Part 1: 1997, the minimum batten size, for rafter spacing up to 600 mm for use with natural slates is 50 ´ 25 mm. To avoid splitting the batten, the maximum nail diameter should not exceed one tenth of the batten width. The roof should always be set out so that the long edges of the slates are parallel to the direction at which the water will run off the roof. In some instances this may result in raking all the eaves and the ridge. The ends of any batten should be fully supported and the length of any batten should not be less than 1.2 m (except where this is unavoidable) and nailed to a maximum of 600 mm centres. Where the roof is close-boarded, counter battens should be used down the slope in the roof on the line of the rafters. Counter battens should be at least 38 mm wide ´ 12 mm deep and, where impermeable underlay is specified, of sufficient thickness to provide ventilation between the boarding and underlay.

Underlay

Suitable underlay should have a minimum standard to BS 747: 1977 Type 1F and/or should have a BBA Certificate. The underlay should be draped over the rafters, or fully supported on boarding or sheathing, should allow any moisture to drain and should extend over the tilting fillet, fascia board and into the eaves gutter.

Lead staining risk

Lead develops a lead carbonate patina which, if washed over slates by rain or other moisture, causes unsightly staining. To prevent this reaction marring the work, it is advisable to treat all lead including soakers and flashings, with patination oil before any rain occurs, and not later than the day the lead is fixed. Patination oil, a low viscosity fluid intended for this purpose, should be applied evenly. It is readily available from builders’ merchants.

Technical services

For assistance with all aspects of the specification and application of any of our products, please contact Cembrit Head Office.

Typical specification

Roof to be covered with Alpina Slates, size ....... mm ´ ....... mm, laid to a minimum head lap of ....... mm.

Download the Recommended Fixing Guide(pdf) »

 

Cembrit Limited, 57 Kellner Road, London SE28 0AX Tel: 0208 301 8900 Fax: 0208 301 8901 sales@cembrit.co.uk