Ash & Lacy provide Feniscowles school with total package solution for failed roof


Feniscowles Primary School in Blackburn will no longer be plagued by leaking roofs thanks to Ash & Lacy's Ashjack over-roof conversion system. Specified by Ca pita for clients Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, the lightweight framing system was installed by roofing contractors Watershed, and then over-clad with Ash & Lacy's Ashzip standing seam roofing system in 0.9 mm steel with a HPS200 finish in goosewing grey. The company also supplied their industry standard Ashgrid spacer support system, a range of Ashfab bespoke flashings to compliment the cladding, together with Ashflow rainwater goods and Ashfix fasteners & accessories.

The existing felt roof had reached the end of its design life a number of years ago and the internal drainage together with a build-up of leaves from trees surrounding the school was compounding the problem further. As the roof was structurally sound, a lightweight Ashjack curved rafter conversion system was selected and fixed directly to the roof deck. This created a roof with a single curve, which eliminated existing valleys, allowed drainage to be moved to the outside of the building, and provided an ideal solution for over roofing the quadrant areas to create additional classroom space. By opting for this type of system the opportunity was also provided to upgrade the thermal performance of the roof to 0.25 W/m2K in line with current Building Regulation requirements. This can significantly reduce heating bills and energy consumption, which in turn lowers the running costs of the building and reduces CO² emissions.

Following the installation of the Ashjack framework a 0.7mm liner sheet was installed over the curved rafters followed by the Ashgrid spacer support system, Ashzip halter brackets and mineral fibre insulation. To complete the non-combustible roof construction 1,350 m² of 400mm Ashzip were rollformed directly onto the roof in sheet lengths of 43 metres to create a continuous weathertight roof construction from eaves to eaves without any through-fixings or end laps.

Commenting on the selection of Ash & Lacy's products Andrew Davies of Capita said:

"We regularly specify over-roof conversion systems as a refurbishment solution but had not used Ash & Lacy's Ashjack system before. A standing seam roofing system was selected following discussions with Ash & Lacy as it achieved the performance requirements the client was looking for. The project went extremely smoothly and it was beneficial to be able to purchase the roofing package from a single supplier".

Developed by Ash & Lacy in 1988, Ashjack was the first structural lightweight over-roof conversion system in the UK. Quick and simple to assemble, Ashjack has provided a permanent refurbishment solution on buildings throughout all sectors of the construction industry. From a commercial point of view the life of the building is considerably extended, maintenance is reduced and the upgraded aesthetic properties add additional value to the property. Supported by a network of approved installers Ashjack is available in a range of systems, which include a clear spanning option that is designed for use on buildings where the existing roof is suffering from severe structural degradation.