Renewing Timber Battens at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre
Roof Refurbishment Services UK
DVC Commercial Roofing completed a comprehensive roof refurbishment project at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre on behalf of Durham County Council. The project focused on renewing key components of the existing pitched roof to improve its structural condition, weather resistance, and long-term performance.
Rather than replacing the entire roof structure, the refurbishment targeted the areas that required improvement. This included carefully removing the existing slate roof, replacing deteriorated timber battens, and installing a modern breathable roofing felt system beneath the slates.
This approach provided a practical way to extend the service life of the existing roof while retaining suitable materials wherever possible. It also reduced unnecessary waste and avoided the need for a complete roof replacement where the existing roof structure remained suitable for refurbishment.
The work included:
- Careful removal of the existing slate roof
- Inspection of the exposed roof structure
- Removal of worn and deteriorated timber battens
- Installation of new timber battens
- Installation of a modern breathable roofing felt system
- Reinstatement of suitable existing slate materials
- Improvements to moisture management and roof ventilation
- Final checks to ensure the refurbished roof provided reliable weather protection
The aim was to improve durability, weather resistance, moisture management, and long-term performance while maintaining the character and functionality of the community centre.
Although this was not a full roof replacement, the refurbishment was carried out to the same high standards expected from experienced commercial and industrial roofing contractors.
Project Objective:
The primary objective was to improve the condition of the existing roof while making targeted upgrades to components that had deteriorated over time.
For a community facility, maintaining a reliable roof is particularly important. Water ingress can affect internal areas, equipment, insulation, and the wider building structure. Addressing problems with the roof covering and underlying battens therefore helped reduce the risk of future damage and unexpected repair requirements.
The key priorities for the project included:
- Improving the structural support beneath the slate roof
- Replacing deteriorated timber battens
- Improving moisture management
- Providing a more effective breathable roof build-up
- Extending the useful life of the existing roof
- Improving resistance to changing weather conditions
- Reducing unnecessary material waste
- Maintaining suitable existing roofing materials wherever possible
DVC Commercial Roofing approached the project with a strong focus on quality, safety, durability, and sustainability.
Project Challenges
Refurbishing an existing pitched roof can present several challenges, particularly when the condition of the materials underneath the roof covering cannot be fully assessed until the slates have been removed.
Community buildings also require dependable, long-lasting roofing solutions, making it important to identify and address underlying issues rather than simply treating visible defects.
Some of the key challenges identified during the project included:
- An ageing slate roof showing signs of wear
- Deteriorated timber battens
- Moisture exposure within the existing roof build-up
- The need to improve airflow and moisture management
- Safely removing and handling existing slate materials
- Protecting the underlying roof structure during refurbishment
- Maintaining a high standard of workmanship throughout the project
Where suitable, existing slates were carefully removed and retained for reuse. Reusing appropriate materials helped reduce the volume of waste generated during the refurbishment and allowed the existing character of the building to be maintained.
What DVC Roofing Did:
- Careful Roof Removal
The first stage involved carefully removing the existing slate roof.
Rather than removing materials without consideration for their condition, the roofing team worked carefully to identify slates that could potentially be reused. This helped minimise waste while preserving suitable existing materials.
The removal process also exposed the roof structure beneath the slate covering, allowing the condition of the timber battens and other components to be assessed before the new system was installed.
Careful removal was particularly important because the existing roof structure needed to be protected throughout the refurbishment. Maintaining the integrity of the underlying structure helped provide a suitable foundation for the replacement battens and breathable roofing felt.
- Inspection of the Existing Roof Structure
Once the slate covering had been removed, the exposed roof structure could be assessed in greater detail.
This allowed the roofing team to identify areas where the existing timber battens had deteriorated due to age and moisture exposure. Addressing these components was important because the battens provide support for the slate roof covering.
Rather than simply replacing the visible roof covering, the refurbishment addressed the underlying components that were no longer performing as required.
This type of targeted refurbishment can provide a more effective long-term solution by dealing with deterioration within the roof build-up rather than relying solely on repairs to the external covering.
- Timber Batten Replacement
The existing timber battens showed signs of moisture damage and natural deterioration over time.
New timber battens were installed to provide a strong and reliable fixing base for the roof covering. Replacing deteriorated battens helped restore the structural support required beneath the slate roof and provided greater confidence in the long-term stability of the refurbished roof.
The replacement battens were installed to meet current requirements and provide suitable support for the reinstated roofing materials.
This stage was an important part of the refurbishment because the condition of the battens directly affects the performance and reliability of the roof covering above.
Installing the New Breathable Roofing Felt System
A modern roofing felt system was installed as part of the refurbished roof build-up.
Modern breathable roofing membranes are designed to help manage moisture within the roof construction while providing an additional layer of protection beneath the external roof covering.
The new membrane provides an important secondary line of defence against wind-driven rain and moisture that may pass beneath the external slate covering.
The system also supports the movement of water vapour through the roof construction, helping reduce the risk of condensation becoming trapped within the roof space when the system is correctly designed and installed.
Key Benefits of the New Roofing Felt System
The upgraded roofing felt system provides several important benefits:
- Improved protection against wind-driven rain
- Better moisture management within the roof build-up
- Reduced risk of moisture becoming trapped within the structure
- Improved resistance to tearing and damage during installation
- A durable secondary waterproofing layer
- Support for the long-term performance of the roof
- Reduced risk of moisture-related deterioration
The combination of the new membrane, replacement timber battens, and existing suitable slate created a more robust roof build-up while retaining as much of the existing roof as practical.
