sb. [COUNTER- 7, 8.]
1. In Roofing: a. A batten or slight rafter laid between two rafters, and blocked-up on the purlins to the same face-level, to shorten the bearing of the laths. b. A lath placed by eye between every two gauged ones.
1659. Willsford, Scales Comm., Archit., 16. Betwixt every Rafter there ought to be a counter-lath.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Counter-lath (in Building), a Lath that is laid in length between the Rafters.
1726. R. Neve, Builder’s Dict., s.v. Laths, About 90 five-foot, and 112 four-foot Laths, will compleat a Square of Tyling (Counter-laths and all).
1830. R. Stuart, Dict. of Archit., Counter Lath, one placed between every couple of gauged ones.
2. In Plastering: A lath or fillet nailed lengthwise along a timber or beam to keep the cross-laths away from the surface of the timber, so as to allow the plaster to squeeze in between them and form a ‘key’ to the plastering.
Hence Counterlath v., to furnish with counter-laths, or counterlathing. Counterlathing (in Plastering), laths for plastering nailed to fillets on beams or timber: cf. sense 2 above.
1726. R. Neve, Builder’s Dict., s.v. Tyle, For Ripping and Heeling again … our Sussex Bricklayers reckon 3s. 6d. per Square, and if they Counter-lath it then 3s. 9d. or 4s.
1840. A. Bartholomew, Specif. § 1348. To counter-lath all such parts of the work as may so require.
1859. T. L. Donaldson, Handbk. Specif., 51. All the roofs … to be thoroughly rendered … with lime and hair mortar on counter lathing.
1880. J. Leaning, Quantity Surv., 60. Filleting and Counterlathing to Partitions.
1886. Seddon, Builder’s Work, 242. Counter-lathing.
