Steadmans - UK manufacturers of steel cladding, roofing products, steel purlins

Steadmans fibre cement sheet roofing products are manufactured to a high quality and to comply with British and European standards. It is essential that the products are stored, handled and fixed correctly. It is recommended that roofing, wall sheets and accessories are fitted by experienced contractors. Once the products have been collected or delivered to site, it is the responsibility of the customer, or his agent, to store, handle and protect them.

Handling and storage

The majority of deliveries, via Steadmans, are off-loaded by piggy-back fork-lift. However, subsequent crane handling should be careful to avoid damage to the edges of the sheets. Use rope slings (not chains) and over-width spreaders to eliminate the possibility of damaging the edges of the sheets. The corners of the sheets are particularly vulnerable during any transportation period.
Never push, drag or slide a sheet from a stack. Always consciously remove the sheet by lifting from the stack. Similarly, lift the sheet into position on a roof; do not push or drag over the purlins or other roof sheets. If an on-site lift facility is unavailable, each sheet should be carefully removed by hand as described above. Once removed, they should be manoeuvred into position by two men, one at each end. Particular care should be taken in windy conditions.
Coloured sheets and accessories should ideally be stored inside a building. Until the sheets are in position on the building they could be subject to damage from site debris, and accidental collision. Rainwater, condensation and extreme weather conditions can also adversely affect the sheets (particularly colour sheets) during this storage period.
The sheets are supplied covered in shrink-wrapping. It is strongly recommended that the wrapping is not removed until the sheets are required for fixing. Should any sheets remain unused at the end of the working period, the edges of all the sheets MUST BE RE-COVERED.
If it is not possible to store the product inside a building, a suitable site should be selected. The ground should be firm and level and as close to the construction work as possible. The sheets must be stacked on cross bearers, thus raising them off the ground. A simple protective frame should be constructed and covered with a waterproof material. Air must be allowed to circulate all round the stack. The whole frame and stack should be tilted to encourage rainwater to drain freely.
NEVER walk on the sheets, whether on the ground, on the stack or fixed on the roof.
Stacks without additional timber cross bearers should not exceed 1200mm. Cross bearers should be no more than 1 metre apart. Different length sheets should ideally be stacked separately, but if stacked with longer sheets they must be laid on the top and their cross bearers must line up vertically.
If several stacks are to be laid, one on top of the other, timber cross bearers should be place at 500mm intervals up to a maximum height of 3000mm. It is important that the ground is level and firm .
Whether the product is stored inside or outside, the stacks should be regularly inspected to ensure that moisture has not penetrated the coverings. Coloured sheets are particularly vulnerable at this stage.

Preparation Before fixing any sheets check the squareness and accuracy of the steelwork. Determine the direction of the prevailing wind. Check sheets for damage before fixing.
Precautions and Procedures It is extremely important that the correct roof purlin/rail system, type of fixings and washers are selected to eliminate leakage/corrosion and the general deterioration of the construction.
NEVER hammer fixings through the sheet. This will invalidate the guarantee. Fibre cement sheets will shatter under impact and subsequently allow water to penetrate the apparent fixing. ALWAYS pre-drill.
To achieve a watertight and weathertight seal, it is important to confirm that the sealing washer is correctly tightened. Not over tight, not too loose. After a period of time, when the material has settled, the fixings may require retightening with hand-tools. be sure to use roof ladders to avoid walking on the roof sheets.
Fixings Fibre Cement Sheet Roofing should always be fixed with two fasteners per sheet per purlin. More information of fixings can be found in the Design guidance section or by clicking on the link here Using a tungsten carbide tipped drill at 90º angle to the sheet, drill a hole 4mm larger than the selected fixing. The drill point should be no less than 60º to the sheet. Always drill at the ‘apex’ of the rise of the profile. Do not fix a sheet in the ‘valley’ or on a ‘slope’ of the profile.
Laying Procedure To reduce the overlapping of four roof sheets, the corners of two sheets must be mitred. Each mitre must be cut straight and cleanly either by hand or powersaw. The angle and size of mitre is governed by the profile of the sheet and the end and side lap dimensions. It is recommended that a good quality butyl mastic strip is involved in the joining of the overlapping sheets to provide a weathertight seal.

Lay sheet number 1 at the eaves without mitring. Lay sheet number 2, mitring bottom right hand corner as per the illustration opposite. Lay sheet number 3, mitring as per step 2. Continue up the roof slope to complete the first tier. Lay sheet number 4 at the eaves of the next tier, mitring the top left hand corner as per the illustration opposite. Lay sheet number 5, mitring both top left hand and bottom right hand corners as per illustration opposite, and continue up the slope until ready to lay sheet number 6 at the ridge. Lay sheet number 6 at the ridge, mitred as per step 2. Repeat the procedure from and including step 4, working across the roof from eaves to ridge, until there is room for only one more tier to be laid, on the right hand edge. Lay sheet number 7, mitring the top left hand corner. If necessary, reducing the sheet width by cutting down the right hand edge. All subsequent sheets in this final tier should be cut accordingly. Lay sheet number 8 as per step 7, continuing up the roof slope until ready to lay the final sheet at the ridge. Lay sheet number 9 at the ridge without mitring to complete the roof.