The North West Timber Trade Association (NWTTA), in partnership with SR Timber, TFT Wood Experts, and Timber Development UK (TDUK), hosted a dedicated Batten Learning Day on Thursday 26 March 2026 at the Crowne Plaza, Liverpool, bringing together timber suppliers, merchants, manufacturers, consultants and industry stakeholders for a full day of discussion and practical learning.
Designed as both an educational forum and a hands-on industry event, the day was designed to help improve delegates’ understanding of roofing battens, with a particular focus on grading, treatment, compliance and the growing challenge of counterfeit or misgraded products entering the market. Counterfeit and misgraded battens pose significant risks to both safety and performance. Some products are incorrectly marked or marketed in ways that suggest compliance with BS5534 when, in reality, they have not been properly graded or assessed.
Poorly graded battens can be undersized, contain excessive defects or lack the structural integrity required for roofing applications, increasing the risk of failure and potentially serious injury to roofers, homeowners and the general public.
To comply with BS5534, battens must measure either 25mm x 38mm, or 25mm x 50mm at a 20% moisture content. There are certain allowable tolerances, but battens must never be less than 25mm thick. They must also be visually graded for large knots, slope of grain, wane and fissures to make sure they are suitable for use.
The day began with an introduction from SR Timber’s Steve Sedgwick and Lydia Revill-Smith, who outlined the company’s intention to give attendees the chance to see, handle and assess battens in person. The event was positioned as the first in a potential nationwide roadshow aimed at strengthening knowledge across the supply chain and improving confidence in identifying compliant batten products.
A broad cross-section of the timber and construction supply chain was represented in the room, including importers, merchants, manufacturers, technical specialists, media representatives and academic voices.
Nick Boulton, TDUK’s Head of Technical & Trade Policy provided an overview of construction product safety and the regulatory framework governing construction products in the UK. His presentation explored the Construction Products Regulations, the roles and responsibilities of manufacturers, importers and distributors, and the increasing emphasis on enforcement following regulatory changes introduced after 2017, including the creation of the Construction Products Regulator.
Importantly, he highlighted that roofing battens sit outside the scope of the Construction Products Regulations, placing greater responsibility on the supply chain to ensure products are fit for purpose and perform as expected. This point underpinned much of the day’s discussion, reinforcing the need for vigilance and due diligence among those specifying, supplying and installing battens.
Neil Ryan, Director of the Wood Protection Association (WPA), followed with a session on the importance of preservative treatments, outlining the natural vulnerabilities of timber and the role of moisture in driving decay. The presentation explained how correct treatments and better understanding of Use Classes can ensure proper performance, with roofing battens typically falling into Use Class 2, where timber is expected to remain dry in service but may still be exposed to moisture during its lifespan.
The technical insights continued with TFT Wood Experts, where Jim Coulson and Johnny Flemming explored the requirements of BS5534 and the fundamentals of how to grade roofing batten. Their sessions focused on the characteristics that define a compliant batten, including size tolerances, timber species, growth rates and visual grading criteria such as knot size and grain direction.
The day’s speakers highlighted that markings or colour alone cannot be relied upon as indicators of compliance, with some products falsely labelled or marketed in ways that may mislead buyers. They emphasised the importance of understanding the physical characteristics of the timber and verifying supplier documentation.
During the afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to try visually grading batten for themselves. They could assess different batten samples, compare compliant and non-compliant products, and better understand how grading rules are applied in practice. This practical approach was central to the day’s objective of building confidence and competence across the industry.
Conversations also reinforced the role of merchants and distributors as a critical line of defence in preventing substandard products from reaching site, with attendees urged to question, report and challenge anything that appears inconsistent or non-compliant.
Across the day, several clear messages emerged:
- Correct grading to BS5534 remains fundamental to performance and safety, and cannot be substituted by colour coding or labelling alone.
- Timber treatment must be appropriate to the intended use and supported by evidence and traceability.
- Responsibility sits with all parties in the supply chain, particularly those placing products on the market or supplying them to end users.
- Improving industry knowledge through education and collaboration remains essential to raising standards and protecting both installers and end users.
The NWTTA Batten Learning Day demonstrated strong engagement from across the sector and highlighted a shared commitment to improving product understanding and compliance. With plans to expand the format into a wider roadshow, the initiative signals an ongoing effort to strengthen best practice and support a safer, more informed timber supply chain.
Shaun Revill, Co-Founder of SR Timber, said: “The event was the idea of Steve Sedgwick and Lydia Revill-Smith, both Business Development Managers for SR Timber and qualified batten graders. They spend their working days visiting merchants and contractors and advising on the importance of stocking and installing correctly graded timber battens for the safety of the roofer and the longevity of a pitched roof. They felt a collaborative industry approach with the NWTTA, TDUK, the WPA, and TFT Woodexperts would help educate more people across the industry. The response from attendees was very positive, and we are already planning to roll out the event to other areas.”
