Gable end

[AdamCH]

We've just had a gable end tiled and I was wondering if the roofer had finished it correctly or whether I will need to ask for changes.

It is tile on brick with a thin cement board between. The tiles are set on cement on the board but the board is straight on to the brick:

View media item 60832
The brickwork is fairly smooth but there are gaps (maybe 5 mm in places) between the board and bricks. The cement board and tiles project about 50mm proud of the brickwork.

Should the board have been set on mortar or a bead of sealer run down the join or is this normal practice and nothing to worry about?

 

[noseall]

Sounds like a typical verge cloak detail to me.

We would however have bedded the cloak onto the bricks and then pointed.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

5mm gaps is no good, rain will get driven in in harsh conditions, get him to re-do it or fix.

Photos?

 

[AdamCH]

Photos:

View media item 60854View media item 60855View media item 60856
I think it would be difficult to lift and set on mortar. Is there an easy fix for this?

I'm wondering if cutting a wider gap and pointing would work.

 

[^woody^]

Mastic

 

[AdamCH]

Would mastic be a long term solution?

 

[tony1851]

The red mastic would be fine for that situation. Otherwise, it actually looks a neat job. It's the traditional way of finishing a plain tile roof at the verge, and looks so much better than plastic barge boards.

 

[^woody^]

Would mastic be a long term solution?

It would probably last longer than that verge

That undercloak should be level with the underside of the laths which hold it down

It looks like the builders have made the common mistake of lining the cuts with the bottom of the lath, and have not allowed 10mm or so for the undercloak joint - so bedding it down would now kick the laths up

Either way, its not a bad job and not something to make a big deal about, so just ask them to mastic the gap. I'd suggest a grey mastic as this will blend in then the verge weathers

 

[AdamCH]

Thanks Woody

When you say it will last longer than the verge. Have they done the verge incorrectly?

 

[tony1851]

The traditional way of doing the verge would be to bed a cut row of tiles along the top of the wall, the top surface of the tiles being slightly higher than the top of the adjacent rafter.
The tile battens would then finish on top of the tile bedding, but would be slighty bent up.
This gives a slight inward tilt to the last 2 or 3 rows of tiles and helps to stop water running directly off the roof on to the wall.
The problem is that if the pointing was not well done, rot damage could occur to the ends of the battens.

 

[^woody^]

Thanks Woody

When you say it will last longer than the verge. Have they done the verge incorrectly?

No. A verge will last 30 or so years, and so will mastic

 

[tony1851]

JUST FILL IT WITH MASTIC AND FORGET ABOUT IT!

 

[Nige F]

Just make sure the correct type of mastic is used - it`s a science in it`s own right - look at Dow Corning /geocel on t`web

 

[^woody^]

Polysulphide or good old exterior silicone.

Not the cheap acrylic mastic