On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:16:07 +0100, a particular chimpanzee,
"Tanner-'op" randomly hit the keyboard
and produced:

fred wrote:

I thought all slate roofs were close boarded but that's what living in
Scotlandshire does for your perceptions.

No not all slate roofs are close boarded - that is usually reserved for the
'better' class of building and the 'normal' house these days (and in the
past) is simply trussed, felted, battened and tiled - using a permeable
(breathable) sraking felt as a matter of course.

AFAIK it is a requirement for all new roofs in Scotland, not so in the
rest of the UK. It may have been used on higher status buildings in
the past where a higher standard of weatherproofing may have been
needed (by the coast, for example), but it was by no means common, and
it is virtually unknown these days (except when the roofer is
Scottish).
--
Hugo Nebula
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just how far from the pack have you strayed?"