# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Attaching battens to rafters

## Harrance

Hi all,
I have a couple of simple questions about attaching and joining battens to the rafters on a veranda.  
The veranda I am constructing is 7m x 5.4m with Colorbond/Laserlite roofing.
The rafters are 240mm x 45mm F17 LVL at 850mm centers.
The battens are 90mm X 45mm MGP10 at 900mm centers
The battens will be "recessed" into the rafters. See the attached images. 
Question 1, How to fix the batten to the rafter? I want to use Bugle Batten screws Type17 14g x 75mm. Is this acceptable and is one per joint enough? 
Question 2, How to join lengths of battens? The thing being 7m long we couldn't get continuous lengths of batten timber. I know the joint needs to be over a rafter and in the attached images I have sketched a couple of ideas.  What is the best way of joining the lengths of battens? 
I realise these questions are so very basic but I have not been able to find a real answer. 
Thanks for any advice.
Gary.

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## webtubbs

How come they are recessed? Recessing weakens the rafters. 
Normal procedure is to use one batten screw per rafter. The screws you mention will be acceptable.
For joins over a rafter, butt the ends together with the join exactly over the centre  and skew screw on each batten end into the rafter. 
Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

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## ringtail

Use 100 mm batten screws and predrill. With LVL's it's best to skew the batten screw so it goes through several laminates of the LVL. As for joining, do as mentioned but also use a short piece of gal strap (400mm) across the two. No need to house into the rafter.

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## DEMAK Timber

A wealth of information for fixing to LVL here: http://www.tilling.com.au/sites/defa...02014%20E3.pdf

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## Harrance

Thanks guys for the responses. I knew it would be simple. Just one thing though, what size drill for predrilled hole?
Also, I know it is not necessary to house the battens into the rafter and it is much easier not to, but that's how it has been designed and approved. More importantly though, that's how the missus want's it. That's life.

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## David.Elliott

No need to get too fixated on predrill size...Start small, and see how the screw goes in...if it's too hard to screw it in or the LVL bulges go a bit bigger,,,just don't go too big. Ideally it should be a fraction smaller than the "shaft" of the bugle.
I'm not good with sizes, so until I see a 14g in my hand....

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## ringtail

Into hardwood I go right through with a 5 mm bit into the final piece then change to a 6 mm or 1/4 inch (6.5) bit for clearance through the first piece. With softwood like yours and into LVL's I just go 5 mm with a long series bit. I also always lubricate all battens screws with lanolin spray. Into hardwood I also spray a bit down the hole too.

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## METRIX

> Into hardwood I go right through with a 5 mm bit into the final piece then change to a 6 mm or 1/4 inch (6.5) bit for clearance through the first piece. With softwood like yours and into LVL's I just go 5 mm with a long series bit. I also always lubricate all battens screws with lanolin spray. Into hardwood I also spray a bit down the hole too.

  Softwood, Hardwood, Lubrication, Holes, what are we talking about here ?

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## OBBob

> Softwood, Hardwood, Lubrication, Holes, what are we talking about here ?

  ... and still only a quarter of an inch.  :Biggrin:

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## joynz

Or a centimetre in Marc's case - but not 10mm!

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## Harrance

Thanks everyone for the help.

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## ringtail

> Softwood, Hardwood, Lubrication, Holes, what are we talking about here ?

  Wood porn  :Biggrin:

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