Noun

(en-noun)

(chiefly, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, architecture) Wood, felt, or other material placed under the shingles of a roof in order to provide support or insulation; the practice of furnishing roofs with such material; an installation of such material.

* 1947 , New Zealand House of Representatives, Appendix to the Jounals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand , Volume 3, page 18,

Much housing work lies within this area, and to avoid high maintenance costs the Department is building many houses with plaster exteriors upon diagonal sarkings .

* 1997 , Ann Ross, Jonathan Hetreed, Architect?s Pocket Book , 2011, 4th Edition, Elsevier, UK, page 248,

Sarkings are weatherproof membranes laid over rafters and below battens to draught-proof and weatherproof the roof against driving rain or powder snow that may penetrate the tiles or slates.

Traditional sarkings' of reinforced bitumen felt have been largely superseded by lighter, breathable '''sarkings''' that can be laid to form an effectively draught-proof roof but still allow free dispersal of water vapour to avoid roof space condensation; such mterials generally avoid the need for eaves, ridge and roof slope ventilators. Where they are laid directly over insulation between rafters, or over a permeable '''sarking''' board, tiling battens are raised clear of the ' sarking by 25 x 50 counter battens nailed down to the tops of the rafters.

* {{quote-news, 2009, January 25, Caroline James, Traps to avoid when relocating a home, Herald Sun citation

, passage=A house in Moorabbin listed for sale with Better House Removers would cost its buyer "about $75,000-$90,000" to move, including the house, restumping, rejoining, new roof, sarking and metal batons, and council permits, Mr Bernardo estimated. }}