'D' vent lath for support of roofing tiles on an inclined roof

Abstract

A long life lath for a tile roof is provided. The lath is having water passage channels through opposing sides of the lath to allow water to drain from behind the lath by passing through the lath. The lath comprising a rigid structural expanded plastic material, the material selected to be impervious to rot in the presence of moisture. The channels through the lath permitting air to circulate up the roof between the rows of lath to further dry the roofing substrate materials.

1 . A lath for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure, the lath comprising: 
 an elongated block like lath member having a plurality of ‘U’ shaped elongated vent grooves set into a bottom face of the lath like member, the grooves extending through opposing sidewalls of the lath member, the grooves aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the block like lath member, the grooves substantially regularly spaced arrangement through the bottom face of the lath.    
   
   
       2 . The lath according to  claim 1 , wherein the lath member comprises a plastic composite material resistant to weathering and impervious to structural decomposition from exposure to water.  
   
   
       3 . The lath according to  claim 2 , wherein the plastic composite material is a rigid structural expanded polyurethane plastic providing a structurally rigid form suitable for support of roofing tiles while permissive of allowing nails to be driven into or through the plastic lath without splitting the lath.  
   
   
       4 . The lath according to  claim 2 , wherein the plastic composite material comprises a virgin polyurethane plastic blended with recycled plastic to make an environmentally friendly expanded plastic composite lath product.  
   
   
       5 . The lath according to  claim 3 , wherein the plastic material of the lath has a hot pink color, making the product easy to identify over wood lath.  
   
   
       6 . A lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure, the lath comprising an elongated rectangular strip lath member having a plurality of ‘U’ shaped elongated vent grooves set into a bottom face of the strip, the grooves extending through opposing sidewalls of the lath strip, the grooves aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the block like lath strip, the grooves in substantially regularly spaced arrangement through the bottom face of the lath strip, wherein the lath strip comprises a rigid structural expanded polyurethane plastic providing a structurally rigid form suitable for support of roofing tiles while permissive of allowing nailed to be driving into or through the plastic lath without splitting the lath, and wherein the lath strip has a hot pink color to allow easy identification over conventional wood lath.  
   
   
       7 . The lath strip of  claim 6 , wherein the sidewalls have a nominal height of 0.75 inch, top face of the strip has a nominal width of 1.5 inches; and wherein the lath strip has a length along the longitudinal axis of nominally 8 feet.  
   
   
       8 . The lath strip of  claim 6 , wherein the sidewalls have a nominal height of 1 inch, top face of the strip has a nominal width of 2 inches; and wherein the lath strip has a length along the longitudinal axis of nominally 8 feet.