ISSUE 673 BULLETIN

CAVITY BATTENS
Cavity battens are a key component This bulletin gives guidance about The bulletin includes updated
June 2022

of drained and vented wall cavities the selection and installation of content from Bulletin 582
and play a vital role in building cavity battens in external walls, Structurally fixed cavity battens and
weathertightness and durability. considering Acceptable Solution E2/ replaces that publication.
AS1 and Alternative Solutions.
1 INTRODUCTION
1.0.1 Drained and vented cavities are an important
element of weathertight construction, especially in
higher-risk buildings. Rather than wall claddings being
fixed directly to the wall framing, they are fixed to a
batten, providing an air cavity behind the cladding
(Figure 1). Cavities under Acceptable Solution E2/AS1
can be continuous up to 2 storeys.

1.0.2 Any water that does get through gaps around the
cladding can drain down the back of the cladding and
out of the bottom of the wall assembly. Air movement in
the cavity allows the wall assembly to dry out.
An excessive number of battens that will impact drainage and
1.0.3 Cavity cladding construction under E2/AS1 is drying in the wall cavity.
a back-up mechanism only. Buildings must still be
designed and constructed to keep water on the outside,
where it drains down the face of the building envelope. of moderating the air pressure around a building and in
the wall assembly.
1.0.4 While cavity construction has been around for
many years, building surveyors say they see many cases 2.0.2 What the 4Ds mean:
of poor installation of cavity battens (see photograph). ∫ Water is first deflected off the exterior surface of the
If battens are not installed properly, they can restrict building (Figure 1). The cladding itself and flashings
drainage and air circulation, trapping moisture behind deflect water away, especially from critical junctions.
the cladding. This can lead to corrosion, mould or even ∫ Wall assemblies in higher-risk situations must be
rot in the wall assembly. designed and built to incorporate drainage to allow
water that may have penetrated gaps in the exterior
1.0.5 Problems reported include: cladding to drain down the back of the wall cladding to
∫ far too many battens on a wall, both vertical and the outside.
horizontal ∫ Ventilation behind the wall cladding allows air
∫ multiple battens placed over studs at the sides of movement for drying out moisture absorbed by
exterior openings with no gap to allow them to dry out components of the exterior wall assembly. Removing
∫ two or three horizontal castellated battens installed at excess water vapour helps prevent corrosion, timber
floor joist lines or onto window lintels decay and mould growth in external walls.
∫ castellated battens placed together, obstructing or ∫ All components of a cladding and wall assembly must
blocking the castellations (notches) meet the durability requirements of the Building Code.
∫ short horizontal battens (cavity spacers) not fixed on
a slope and abutting vertical battens at the ends. 2.0.3 Vented cavities also help to moderate or equalise
air pressure differences. Wind impacting on a façade
1.0.6 Acceptable Solution E2/AS1 sets out one approach creates a pressure difference across the assembly. If
for constructing a drained and ventilated cavity and there are any gaps in the building envelope, air can be
demonstrating compliance with the Building Code. The drawn through, potentially carrying moisture with it.
use of E2/AS1 is not mandatory, however, and alternative The use of a vented cavity helps to minimise/moderate
methods (which become Alternative Solutions once the pressure difference across the cladding, with a
consented) can also be used. greater proportion of the pressure difference supported
across the underlay and internal lining. This results in
1.0.7 This bulletin explains the role of cavity battens the air pressure behind the cladding being as close as
as a component of drained and vented cavity wall possible to the air pressure on the exterior surface. The
construction and how they should be installed. It outcome of this moderation is that cavities help reduce
includes the updated content of bulletin 582 Structurally the potential for wind-driven water penetration through
fixed cavity battens and replaces that bulletin. It gaps in the wall claddings at joints and junctions.
does not cover the cavity behind masonry veneer wall
claddings. 2.0.4 A perforated cavity closer along the base of the
cavity, which may be uPVC, aluminium, stainless steel
1.0.8 The design and installation of wall claddings or a similar durable material, allows free drainage and
(including the construction of cavities with battens) in ventilation of cavities while keeping vermin out. The
residential low-rise buildings is restricted building work cavity must be designed and constructed so that, in
and must be carried out or supervised by a licensed buildings with suspended floors, subfloor air/moisture
building practitioner. cannot enter the cavity. Similarly, moist air from wall
cavities must not be able to enter the roof space.
2 THE ROLE OF CAVITY BATTENS
2.0.5 You can read more on cavities on the BRANZ
2.0.1 Ensuring that a wall cladding remains weathertight website www.weathertight.org.nz, especially the
requires an understanding of the 4Ds – deflection, page www.weathertight.org.nz/new-buildings/basic-
drainage, drying and durability – and also the importance weathertight-design-principles.

2 BRANZ Bulletin 673

 internal drainage
nominal 20 mm path (secondary)
cavity batten back of cladding

external drainage
path (primary) on
face of cladding

drainage path
(tertiary) face of
underlay

cavity closer

Figure 1. Schematic illustration of a drained and vented cavity wall.

3 THE BUILDING CODE AND E2/AS1 3.0.5 Where a horizontal batten is needed to fix the top
or bottom edge of sheet cladding, a cavity spacer (a short
3.0.1 Two key Building Code clauses that relate to cavity length of batten) on a minimum 5° slope is installed. There
wall construction are B2 Durability and E2 External must be a minimum 50 mm gap between each end of
moisture. the spacer and the vertical battens to allow drainage and
ventilation (Figure 2).
3.0.2 Clause B2 sets out specific periods over which
different building elements must continue to satisfy 3.0.6 To maximise the drainage and drying capacity of
performance requirements with only normal maintenance. the cavity, install no more battens than are required to
Wall claddings and cavity battens must be durable for support the cladding. Too many battens will reduce the
a minimum of 15 years. Be aware, however, that clause effectiveness of the cavity. Where battens are required side
B2.3.2 requires that, in practical terms, anything that is by side, they should be separated with a gap between them.
concealed must have the same durability as the item that
is concealing it. If wall cladding is expected to last 50 years, 3.0.7 Where battens are not structurally fixed (see section
the battens behind it must also last 50 years. 6 below) they only need to be tacked in place – they will be
permanently fixed by the cladding fixings driven through
3.0.3 Clause E2 states that building exteriors must prevent them into the wall framing.
the penetration and accumulation of water. It recognises
that, in some situations, water may penetrate the building 3.0.8 BRANZ research shows that just having vents at the
exterior and requires that the building be designed to allow bottom of the cavity provides sufficient ventilation drying,
water to dissipate that could otherwise cause damage to and this is the solution shown in E2/AS1 as Figure 8A(b).
components or undue dampness. It shows a solid horizontal batten along the top of the wall
cavity, which restricts cavity air from reaching the roof
3.0.4 In Acceptable Solution E2/AS1, buildings in higher-risk space – an important consideration. It should be noted that
situations for weathertightness must incorporate a cavity E2/AS1 paragraph 9.1.8.1 states: “This Acceptable Solution
between the cladding and the wall underlay and timber is limited to systems where … c) The drained cavity behind
framing. (Table 3 in E2/AS1 sets out where claddings can be claddings, except in masonry veneer, is not vented at the
direct-fixed or must be over a cavity, depending on the risk top.”
score and the cladding type.) The construction of drained
cavities is set out in sections 9.1.8 to 9.1.9.4. Battens are 3.0.9 BRANZ research has also demonstrated that top
installed vertically over the studs, giving a nominal 20 mm ventilation can significantly increase drying potential
deep cavity behind the cladding (E2/AS1 states limits of and provide redundancy should the lower vents become
18 mm and 25 mm). Deeper cavity gaps, though generally restricted. If you opt to ventilate the top of the cavity to
beneficial, would be consented as an Alternative Solution. increase the amount of ventilation behind the cladding and
Vertical battens should extend the full height of the cavity – provide more drying capability and therefore do not install
it is acceptable if several pieces are joined. a horizontal batten along the top, it would be consented as

3 BRANZ Bulletin 673

 4.0.3 Full-length horizontal battens, such as those used
with vertical weatherboards, are not included in
50 mm minimum gap to vertical
E2/AS1 and therefore must be consented as an
battens to allow drainage and alternative method. (These should not be confused with
ventilation short cavity spacers.) Horizontal battens are typically
castellated timber or proprietary plastic battens.

4.0.4 Care is required with using battens horizontally

across a wall:
∫ Battens must be specifically designed for this
purpose – standard radiata pine battens with a solid
rectangular profile are not appropriate.
∫ Plain rectangular timber castellated battens with a
flat top surface should not be used because the flat
horizontal surface does not encourage drainage. (Note
that there are proprietary plastic battens that have
flat top surfaces, but because they are fluted, water
5°
does not track across to the underlay.)
or 1:12 ∫ Battens that are suitable for horizontal use – those
with a sloping top edge – need to be installed with the
top edge sloping down away from the wall underlay
cavity spacer set towards the back of the cladding.
to fall
∫ Where castellations are only on one side of the
batten, that side must be against the cladding. (In E2/
VM1 testing, if water reaches the underlay or drips
uncontrolled in the cavity, it is deemed a fail. The slope
and the castellations are required to allow any water
on the back of the cladding to drain past the batten to
the cavity closer.)
Figure 2. Cavity spacer installation requirements under E2/AS1 ∫ Battens must allow adequate vertical ventilation.
BRANZ recommends that they provide at least as much
an Alternative Solution (see section 4 below). It's important ventilation as cavity closers (i.e. an opening area of
to remember that the wall cavity must still be sealed off 1,000 mm2 per lineal metre of wall). Some castellated
from the roof space to achieve compliance with Building battens have openings at the back to achieve this
Code clause E2.3.5. This can be achieved with a ribbon ventilation in addition to the openings at the front.
plate or appropriate soffit detailing. The detail will also ∫ Ensure proprietary battens have adequate supporting
need to ensure that wind-blown rain or water from washing documentation.
the house does not enter at the top of the cavity. MBIE ∫ With proprietary battens that have a proven Building
Determination 2013/046 found that “the provision of top Code compliance, follow the manufacturer’s
vents to wall cavities will, in principle, comply with clauses installation instructions closely.
E2 and B2 of the Building Code”. ∫ Wall claddings must be sufficiently fixed into the
framing because horizontal battens are not typically
4 THE BUILDING CODE AND used as structurally fixed battens (see section 6
below).
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS ∫ In some proprietary systems, the battens are not
castellated as the profile of the cladding itself (for
4.0.1 To comply with the Building Code, construction example, some aluminium weatherboards) allows
does not necessarily have to follow an Acceptable drainage and ventilation.
Solution. In some cases, an alternative method (which
becomes an Alternative Solution once consented) may 5 BATTENS AVAILABLE AND
provide advantages over an Acceptable Solution, and in
other cases, it may be the only approach available for MANUFACTURERS’ REQUIREMENTS
demonstrating compliance.
5.0.1 Cavity battens are available in a range of different
4.0.2 There are many alternative paths for helping materials, sometimes designed specifically for a
to demonstrate that construction complies with the particular type of cladding, and are often proprietary
Building Code and a combination could be used. They products. There is no standard specifically covering
include: cavity battens. Battens currently available include:
∫ using a CodeMark certified product ∫ radiata pine treated to minimum H3.1 (treatment
∫ using information from reputable sources such as an must be carried out when the batten is in its final
MBIE determination or BRANZ test result or Appraisal shape) – radiata pine battens can be generic or
∫ providing an in-service history where the same proprietary products that are profiled to receive a
method has already been successfully used specific cladding and can have a solid rectangular
∫ comparing with a previously accepted Alternative profile or be castellated with notches along their
Solution with proven performance length
∫ providing an expert opinion.

4 BRANZ Bulletin 673

 6.0.2 Under E2/AS1, the fixings for claddings installed
over a cavity need to be longer to achieve the minimum
framing penetration required by E2/AS1 Table 24. In
general, as the length of the fixing is increased, there
is an increase in the shank diameter. For weatherboard
claddings, using larger fixings – longer than 75 mm –
can cause the boards to split. Structurally fixing the
cavity battens to the frame (Figures 4 and 5) can resolve
this problem, as it will allow standard-length fixings to
be used. Not all battens or wall claddings can be used
with this method, however.

6.0.3 The structural resistance must be adequate to

prevent the fixing from either pulling out of the frame or
pulling through the weatherboard. Therefore, there are
minimum requirements for the fixing:
∫ material
∫ penetration depth into the structural frame
Figure 3. A schematic drawing of castellations in a timber cavity ∫ shank diameter and profile
batten. Note the slope at the top. ∫ head profile and size
∫ spacing.
∫ western red cedar (designed to be installed
horizontally behind vertically installed cladding 6.0.4 The benefit of structurally fixed cavity battens is
systems) – like many pine battens, these typically that the length of the fixing does not have to increase for
have castellations to both faces (Figure 3) to allow weatherboards installed over a cavity. The structurally
drainage and ventilation fixed battens are effectively laminated to the framing
∫ extruded, fluted polypropylene – drainage and and become part of the structural frame or stud. This
ventilation is provided through the vertical flutes enables the use of fixings 75 mm long to attach a paint
(openings) in the plastic
∫ extruded aluminium – typically proprietary and more
frequently on mid-rise projects
∫ polystyrene battens – typically part of a proprietary
cladding system such as an insulated, plaster-based
insulation
cladding system
∫ fibre-cement structural cavity battens – part of a
proprietary wall cladding system.

5.0.2 Designers should be aware of and follow the

requirements of batten and wall cladding manufacturers.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions as well as the fixings staggered
documents for products with a CodeMark or BRANZ 12 mm either
Appraisal. Be aware that some battens: side of the batten
centreline
∫ require particular fixings (such as stainless steel or
silicon bronze)
wall underlay
∫ are designed to be used only with a proprietary timber
cladding system frame fixings at 300 mm
centres for up to the
∫ must have a particular side fixed facing outwards, VH wind zone, 250 mm
towards the cladding for the EH wind zone
∫ must not be in direct contact with metal wall cladding,
12 mm
which can occur where the treatment is copper-based cavity
(for example, CCA, copper azole or ACQ) – a suitable batten
separation layer must be used such as an additional
layer of paper-based underlay over the cavity battens centre line of cavity
or strips of paper-based underlay on the face of the batten
cavity battens.
cavity batten fixing to frame with:
6 STRUCTURALLY FIXED CAVITY - hand-driven 60 x 2.8 mm jolthead
BATTENS hot-dip galvanised nails
- power-driven 60 x 2.87 mm hot-dip
galvanised nails
6.0.1 This section primarily covers structurally fixed
- power-driven 64 x 2.8 mm stainless
timber cavity battens for weatherboard cladding. There
steel annular-grooved nails
are some proprietary structural cavity battens on the
market for other types of claddings. With proprietary
products, follow the manufacturer’s design and Figure 4. Fixings for a structurally fixed cavity batten.
installation instructions.

5 BRANZ Bulletin 673

 finish timber bevel-back weatherboard (60 mm for ∫ 60 x 2.8 mm jolthead hot-dip galvanised nails or
painted rebated bevel-back or rusticated weatherboard) ∫ 64 x 2.8 mm power-driven stainless steel annular-
irrespective of whether it is over a cavity or direct-fixed. grooved nails.
Fixings for the weatherboards must be located centrally
over the battens and studs. 6.0.8 Structurally fixed timber cavity battens may
be used with some claddings other than timber
6.0.5 The structural integrity of this fixing arrangement weatherboards although the fixings required may be
for timber weatherboards was confirmed by BRANZ different lengths. Follow the cladding manufacturer’s
Test Report ST0589 Version 2 Fixing horizontal requirements and refer to E2/AS1 Table 24 Fixing
weatherboards to studs over a cavity. The spacing of the selection for wall claddings for guidance.
battens needs to be reduced in the extra high wind zone
– see Figure 4. Structurally fixed battens are not part of 6.0.9 Fixing lengths here assume flexible wall underlays
any Acceptable Solution and must be consented as an are used. For rigid wall underlays/air barriers, use an
Alternative Solution. appropriately longer fixing to account for the thickness
of the underlay. Some products use structural battens
6.0.6 Structural cavity battens must be: as a means of retaining the sheet, so when horizontal
∫ vertical and align with underlying framing (studs) battens (non-structural battens) are used, full fixing of
∫ 18–20 mm thickness (to give a 20 mm maximum the rigid underlay/air barrier is required so it can resist
depth cavity) negative wind pressures.
∫ 40 mm minimum width (E2/AS1 requires 45 mm
minimum width) 7 CAVITY BATTENS AND STEEL
∫ kiln dried
∫ SG6 grade or above radiata pine timber positioned FRAMING
mid-width to the stud and over the wall underlay.
7.0.1 E2/AS4 is the Acceptable Solution for
6.0.7 To achieve structural fixing of the timber battens, weathertightness for small buildings with light steel
the fixings should be either: framing. E2/AS4 references the National Association
∫ 60 x 2.87 mm power-driven hot-dip galvanised nails of Steel Framed Housing (NASH) Building Envelope
– these nails have a D head, which provides greater Solutions.
holding power for the batten or
7.0.2 Like E2/AS1, the NASH document has a
weathertightness risk matrix, and the risk score
insulation determines whether a cladding can be direct-fixed or
cavity batten fixing
to frame must be installed over a drained and vented cavity.

wall underlay 7.0.3 Wall claddings fixed to light steel framing must
have thermal breaks. The Acceptable Solution only
applies to construction where wall claddings are fixed
through the cavity battens and thermal break into the
wall framing.
20 mm
minimum 7.0.4 Like E2/AS1, the Acceptable Solution for light steel
weatherboard framing only covers vertically fixed cavity battens but
fixing
penetration bevel-back makes provision for cavity spacers for fixing between
weatherboards battens. The requirements are the same as those shown
in Figure 2 in this bulletin.
cavity batten
7.0.5 Cavity battens with light steel framing must be:
∫ a nominal 20 mm thick (between 18–25 mm)
∫ a minimum of 45 mm wide
∫ if timber, in compliance with B2/AS1 (LOSP-treated
timber battens must be separated from any
polystyrene thermal break with a wall underlay or DPC)
∫ if polystyrene, in compliance with either 9.9.3.1 (a) or
75 x 3.15 mm 9.9.3.1 (b) and be protected from any incompatible
jolthead hot-dip materials (such as LOSP-treated timber).
galvanised nail
7.0.6 There are also proprietary solutions such as plastic
timber frame fluted battens that can be used with steel framing.

7.0.7 For more details, see Building Envelope Solutions

Figure 5. Cladding fixings using structurally fixed battens and on the NASH website.
flexible wall underlay. Drawing shows 75 x 3.15 mm nails for bevel-
back weatherboards – 60 x 2.8 mm can be used for rebated bevel-
back and rusticated weatherboards. Longer fixings will be required
where rigid wall underlays are used – see 6.0.9.

6 BRANZ Bulletin 673

8 MORE INFORMATION
MBIE

E2/AS1 and E2/AS4

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STEEL FRAMED HOUSING

(NASH)

Building Envelope Solutions

BRANZ

Appraisal, CodeMark and product certificates

7 BRANZ Bulletin 673

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OUTCOMES FOR ALL

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