Document type: Practice Note

Title: Structurally fixed cavity battens

Document number: AC2238
Version: 2
1. Background
There have been a number of enquires surrounding the structural fixing of timber cavity battens.
E2/AS1 paragraph 9.1.8.1 gives the limitations of the construction of a drained and vented cavity by
requiring the cavity battens to be fixed by the cladding fixings to the wall frame and the claddings to be
fixed through the cavity battens into the wall frame.
E2/AS1 table 24 gives the acceptable fixing methods for different profiles of timber weatherboards over
a cavity to enable sufficient fixing penetration to secure the cladding and batten into the framing. As an
alternative solution, BRANZ Limited have investigated structurally fixing the battens to the studs, which
enables normal nail sizes to be used to fix the cladding.
If the cavity battens are structurally fixed to the structural frame, the lengths of the fixings do not have to
increase for weatherboards installed over a cavity. The structurally fixed battens become part of the
frame or stud.
Under ES/AS1 the fixings for weatherboards over a cavity need to be at least 20 mm longer than for
direct-fixed to give sufficient framing penetration. In general, as the length of the fixing is increased,
there is an increase in the shank diameter. Larger fixings (longer than 75 mm) cause splitting of the
weatherboards. Structurally fixing the cavity battens to the frame can resolve this problem, as it will
allow standard length fixings to be used.
Battens must be:
20 mm maximum thickness to give a 20mm maximum width cavity
40 mm minimum width
Kiln dried (no requirement but this is industry norm)
H3.1 treated
positioned mid-width to the stud and over the wall underlay
To achieve structural fixing of the batten onto the structural frame, the fixing must be either:
60 x 2.8 mm jolt head hot-dip galvanised nails
64 x 2.8 mm power-driven stainless steel annular grooved nails, or
power-driven galvanised nails, as per BRANZ Appraisal Number 546 (2007 and amended May
2011) Paslode nails
The batten fixing positions must be:
at a maximum of 300 mm centres vertically
staggered 12 mm either side of the centreline of the batten
The weatherboard fixing must still be long enough to achieve 20mm minimum penetration into the
framing studs, as well as fixing through the batten and weatherboard. Therefore, jolt-head hot-dip
galvanised nails should be used, that are:
75 x 3.15 mm for bevel-back weatherboards
75 x 3.15 mm for rebated bevel-back weatherboards
60 x 2.8 mm for rusticated weatherboards.
fixing positions in the weatherboard must be mid width of the batten and stud
2. References
New Zealand Building Code clause E2 External Moisture
NZS3602:2003
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November 2014

AC2238 (v.2)