New dry verges to meet and beat BS 8612 from Redland

BS 8612 is a response to an increasing number of, particularly, dry verge failures – primarily because of installation errors, but also contributed to by product design. The new standard sets out tests for dry-fixed products to determine how effectively they resist vertical and horizontal wind uplift loads – ensuring they won’t be blown off in a gale and that their materials are of sufficient quality in terms of durability and dimensioning. For dry verges, the standard also introduces a new test to see that water is shed away from walls efficiently and so minimising the risk of wetting of gable ends.

Redland’s new dry verges – the DryVerge and Rapid DryVerge – are said to be specifically designed to not only meet the requirements of BS 8612, but also to be ‘best in class’. Moreover, the dry verges have been designed to be even easier and faster to fix than its predecessors. The verges are said to feature a particularly effective stop-ended starter unit that makes it far harder to get fitting wrong – minimising the risk of corrections and call-backs.

The ‘streamlined’ design also adds to the aesthetics of a roof, with a straight bottom line that mimics the look of an undercloak with traditional mortar. And while some dry verges allow water to run back onto the wall, which can lead to unsightly damp staining – particularly on light colour rendered walls – Redland’s new products are said to incorporate special drainage features that direct the water away from the gable.

The new units are ‘handed’, coming in left and right-handed options; with each pack containing 18 of each, along with stainless steels screws and a set of installation instructions: another basic requirement of BS 8612.

The new products reportedly differ in material – one being Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), and the other high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) – and colour options.

Redland DryVerge in ABS has reportedly been developed to align not only with BS 8612, but also the company’s SpecMaster service, which offers a 15-year guarantee for roofs designed and installed to Redland specifications. It comes in a choice of sizes: one for metric and 15 x 9 tiles and one for the Slate 10 range. Colour options are red, brown, terracotta, charcoal grey and slate grey.

For when re-roofing to a non-SpecMaster warranty specification, Redland’s second new introduction is Rapid DryVerge. With all the same design characteristics of DryVerge, it is reportedly made from HIPS which, while strong and durable, offers a cost-effective alternative to ABS. Rapid DryVerge comes in the same pack and size options as DryVerge yet with three colourways: rust, slate grey and charcoal grey.

For designers, contractors and merchants looking to better understand the requirements of BS 8612 and compliant dry-fixed systems; Redland has produced a guide to the new standard which can be downloaded from www.redland.co.uk/dryverge