Tile Roofing
Clay tiles are one of the most decorative of historic roofing materials because of their great variety of shapes, colors, patterns, and textures. Their unique appearance makes them a prominent feature on an older house that helps to define its architectural character.
While tile roofing is utilized throughout much of the world as fire-safe and long-lasting roofing material, it is only used in a comparatively limited fashion in the United States. Usually associated with Mediterranean and Spanish architectural styles, which employ red barrel clay tiles, clay tile actually accommodates various building traditions.
Concrete tile is used in the southeast, southwest and California more often than clay for a number of reasons, but especially because of its lower cost. Other types of tiles include fiber-cement and composite shingles are also available because they weigh and cost less, but concrete is still the clear leader in the US market.
Both clay and concrete roofing tiles are available in two shapes – profile and flat. Profile tile comes in pan and cover, S-tile and interlocking. Flat tile comes in interlocking and non-interlocking. Interlocking is preferred in areas where heavy rain and snow are major weather patterns because it is a more weather-tight roofing system. Because it tends to be porous, clay roof tiles are not the best roofing material in areas where freezing occurs frequently because the tile absorbs water.
Tile roofing also has the benefit of enhanced air circulation, which helps the roof shed solar heat more readily.
In addition, tile roofing can be glazed or unglazed and naturally, glazed tile is less porous. What’s more, tile roofing can last as long as 100 years and a typical warranty for a custom tiled roof is 75 years.
A custom manufacturer’s glossary of terms will help the novice understand clay tile terms, manufacturing processes and styles of clay and concrete tile.
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