Tile roofing has been around for centuries and is a durable, long term roofing solution. Today, there are many different options for tile, including clay, concrete, metal, composite, and more. Here in Arizona, tile is a staple of building architecture, particularly in the desert regions of Phoenix and Tucson – it handles the sunlight well and is an extremely durable roofing product in the heat.
ABOUT TILE ROOFING
The primary types of tile we install are clay and concrete, with an occasional metal tile project. Clay tiles are exactly what they sound like – tiles formed from natural clay and hardened to create a durable roofing product. The benefit to using clay tiles is that their color is true throughout the tile, so even with prolonged sun exposure they’ll hold color very well – think of the typical orange-ish tile you commonly see in the Phoenix metro.
Concrete tile costs a bit less and are formed from solid concrete. The concrete is then treated to turn a certain color, or painted and then clear coated to create a unique color pattern. These colors will eventually start to fade, depending on the sun exposure and eventually you may want to replace them due to aesthetics. However, this normally takes decades, so just something to be aware of.
One thing to note with clay and concrete tile roofing systems is that the trusses, framing, and roof decking should be rated to support such weight.
THE TILE ROOFING SYSTEM
Tile must be installed over a solid deck. It isn’t considered to be a completely watertight system, so the underlayment installed is just as important as the tile application – here at M&M Roofing, we prefer using long term products like Boral TileSeal or Platinum HT to ensure that your underlayment will last for decades. We recently did a checkup on a tile roof that we installed in 1999 in Prescott, and the underlayment was still in sound and pliable condition. Typically, your underlayment would be replaced about every 25-50 years depending on the quality of material that was used so that’s the number one thing to watch for. The other thing to look at is the flashings around chimneys, roof-to-wall connections, and valleys – these need to be done properly to facilitate the drainage of water off the roof.
Once the underlayment is installed, specially treated batten boards are nailed in rows on the roof for the tile to hook over and be nailed down to. It is important these are treated so they withstand the elements.
On top of that, the tile is finally installed over the batten boards for the final look.
LIFESPAN AND WARRANTIES
A clay tile roof can last for 50 or more years, with the only consideration being replacing the underlayment at some point. Concrete tile can last just as long, but will weather and fade as the years go on.
ABOUT M&M ROOFING
M&M Roofing has been installing tile roof systems across Arizona since 1984. We service the entire state, including Tucson, the Phoenix metro (Queen Creek, Gilbert, Chandler, Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Goodyear, Avondale, Peoria and outlying areas), Prescott, Flagstaff, Kingman, and everywhere in between. Give us a call to schedule a free consultation.