Re-roofing semi-detched house - worries!

[RVS6]

Hi, I will be having my 1960's semi-detached house re-roofed very soon. The old battens were rotten and the felt was falling apart. The old battens were 19mm-3/4" thick. The roofer has advised that to avoid an issue at the join with next doors roof they are going to use 19mm x 38mm battens so the new battens are the same height as the old ones, which makes perfect sense. However, I am a little concerned that:

a) the tile nails (38mm) will come out the back of the battens and puncture the new breathable membrane - would 32mm nails be okay, or insufficient penetration?
b) the batten thickness is not up to current standards (I understand 25mm thick is the generally accepted minimum for rafters at approx. 450mm centres

I like to try to do things properly, but perhaps I am worrying too much here! Has to be said the roof has been okay for 50+ years, and unlikely I will be around when it next needs doing!

Is there any way of using 25mm thick battens and still being able to join our tiles with the neighbours? The roofer said that they did not like bonding gutters.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Many thanks
RVS

 

[catlad]

Nothing wrong with using the same size batons as before, as regards the nail size that depends on what you are nailing.

 

[RVS6]

Thanks catlad.
Will be nailing Marley Anglia concrete tiles. They seemed to be nailed with 40mm nails all those years ago, but when I tested 38mm nails with new 19mm battens they came through the bottom of the batten by a few millimetres, so was worried they would go through the new felt. The compromise to avoid this would be 32mm nails. What do you reckon?

Many thanks
RVS

 

[Alastairreid]

Use clips instead.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=M...VaH-Fcm8UYy4i3g&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=667

 

[RVS6]

They are the old Marley Anglias with a double weather bar detail, so don't think the clips will fit without interfering with the tile above i.e the above tile won't seat tightly.
Is a 32mm nail a no no for concrete tiles?

 

[catlad]

I would choose the nail as I was doing the job but the membrane should sag between the rafters so there should be enough clearance to use the 38mm nail.