Dry ridge and dry verge in Bourne

Look along the ridge of plenty of Bourne houses and you will see the same thing: the mortar between the ridge tiles gone grey and gappy, a few pieces missing, and a pale streak down the slope where the rest has washed out. Bedded ridge and verge is the traditional way to finish a roof, and it is also the part that tends to wear out first.

Where the mortar lets go

Mortar is rigid and a roof is not. Timbers swell and shrink with the seasons and the wind rocks the ridge, so the bedding cracks, lets water in, and frost does the rest. On the gable ends the verge mortar goes the same way. Once it has, wind can lift the edge tiles and birds can get into the gap. The estates north and east of town have a lot of gable ends, and many of those verges are reaching that point together.

How a dry system works

• Each ridge tile is screwed down to a ridge batten and clamped, with a seal running along its length
• Unions sit between the tiles so the joints shed water without any mortar
• Verge caps clip over the gable tile ends and lock together down the slope
• Nothing up there is rigid, so the whole detail moves with the roof

There is no bedding left to crack and no pointing to redo in a few winters' time.

Explained before it goes on

When a customer asked us about dry ridge, we explained exactly what it was and why it suited their roof before we fitted it. We do that for everyone. On an older roof nearer the town centre we also talk through how the system will look against your tiles, because not every house wants the same finish. You get photographs of your ridge and verges as they are now and a free quote in writing, and the price quoted is the price paid. Ring 01778 775043. The work is guaranteed for five or ten years depending on the job.