10. Walking On The Tiles
In common with traditional roof slates and other smooth surfaced roofing products, care should be taken when walking on Decra Elegance tiles particularly in wet, frosty or icy conditions.
In these conditions properly designed roof ladders or crawling boards are an advisable safety aid.
When walking on the roof it is strongly recommended that installers should wear soft soled safety shoes to avoid any possible abrasion to the surface coating.
Your weight should be concentrated over the front edge and in the pan of tiles, as this is the area supported by battens. Weight MUST NOT be applied to the raised crown of the profile on the middle of tiles.
If you have managed to dent a tile refer to the tips section
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11. Start Laying The tiles Lay the tiles starting at the batten below the ridge.
When putting your first nails in take care not to puncture the underlay below. Q Why lay from the top? A Although this is the opposite of traditional tiling practice, by laying from the top the tiles interlock tighter and it is actually quicker to lay the Decra tiles this way. Q Do I lay the tiles straight bond or staggered bond? A The choice is yours, If you are roofing a straight forward gable to gable roof then straight bond is the quickest way to do it, but for best appearance lay the laps away from the principle line of site of the building.
If you are roofing a hipped or valley roof then you will find that it’s quicker to lay the tiles broken bond, working away from the hip and valley.
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Q Starting from a gable end? A Then don’t forget you may need to allow for an appropriate upstand at the gable end of the tile (see gable sections). Q How much side lap? A  .
Q Which direction should I lap the tiles? A Decra Elegance Tiles can be laid from left to right or right to left but for best appearance lay laps away from the principle line of sight.
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12. When You Have Laid Several Courses
When you have laid several courses (laying one under the other, by lifting the nose of a tile and tucking the next tile under) start nailing with Decra nails, 4 per tile at laps and every other pan.
Nail tiles through the nose as shown in the sketches, leaving bottom course loose until more tiles are laid. 
. You must only use fixing nails and screws supplied by Decra, OTHERWISE the Decra guarantee is invalidated.
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13. Nail The Eaves Course
Nail the eaves course 10mm from the high point of the pan into the top of fascia or eaves batten (if eaves ventilation is being fitted, see ventilation pack for nail positions) Use 4 nails per each tile.
After completion of roof cover these nail heads with Decra finishing kit. |
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15. Gables
Using the Decra Cloaked Verge Cap. 
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Step 1
Bargeboard to be set level with bottom edge of tile battens. Underlay should over sail the edge of bargeboard by 25mm Turn edge of underlay down the outer face of the barge board and tack into place. The cut ends of the tile battens must be in line with the outer edge of the bargeboard. Install 50mm x 25mm treated gable runner batten on top of the tile battens (outer edge of gable runner batten to be inline with outer face of bargeboard). |
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Step 2
Cover bottom edge of bargeboard with cloaking piece of Decra (this can be cut from a piece of Decra top course or ridge cap). |
Step 3
 
Decra tiles to be cut and bent, using a guillotine and bender (available from Decra), to form a 75mm flange, first 25mm flange to upstand against gable runner batten, remaining 50mm of flange to be dressed down flat forming a cover over the top face of gable runner batten.
tip; a short piece of batten makes a good dressing down tool. Tips on cutting and bending tiles
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Step 4
 
Starting at the eaves and working up the slope install Decra Cloaked Verge cap on top of tile flange (i.e. over the gable runner battens) and secure with two Decra fixing nails. The first nail driven horizontally through the downturned edge of the Decra Cloaked Verge cap into the barge board. The second nail skew fixed half way down the top inner face of the Decra Cloaked Verge cap through the top edge of the 25mm upstand flange into the underlying gable runner batten. The heads of vertical nails should be sealed using a Decra finishing kit. |
Part 3 of the Decra Elegance Tile Installation Guide covers Ridge, Top & Side Abutment Detailing Tips on cutting and bending tiles
Decra Tool Assembly Instructions
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