Illustrated Guide to Clay Tile Roof Flashing Details

CLAY TILE ROOF FLASHING - Flashing details for clay tile roofs
Clay roof tile flashing installation procedures, details, roof flashing specifications
FLASHING on BUILDINGS - separate article, topic home
Questions & Answers about clay tile roof flashing
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Flashing details for clay tile roofs: this article describes the special connection methods used seal or close the ridge, hip, and rake sections of clay tile roofs.

Flashing Requirements on Tile Roofs

This article series discusses best practices in the selection and installation of residential roofing. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Also see our home page for clay tile roofing, starting at CLAY TILE ROOFING.

Because of the longevity of a tile roof, high-quality flashing materials should be used. The International Residential Code calls for a minimum 26-gauge metal. Galvanized steel should have a minimum of 0.90 ounces of zinc per square foot (G90 sheet metal). More expensive options include prepainted galvanized steel or 16-ounce sheet copper.

Tile Roof Details Recommended at Openings and Walls

Figure 2-32: Tile Roof Flashing Details for Dormers (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

At walls, dormers, chimneys, and other vertical surfaces, extend the flashing up at least 6 inches and counterflash.

Extend the clay tile flashing under the tile a minimum of 6 inches or as specified by the tile manufacturer.

With flat style clay shingles, use step flashing with a minimum 6-inch vertical leg and 5-inch horizontal leg with a hemmed edge.

Profile style clay tiles along a wall should receive channel flashing turned up at least one inch on the lower flange (Figure 2-32 shown at left).

Pipe Flashing Requirements on Tile Roofs

Figure 2-33: Tile Roof Plumbing vent pipe Flashing Details (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

Pipe flashings protruding through a clay tile roof generally get both a primary flashing when the underlayment is installed and a secondary soft-metal underlayment that conforms to the tile.

For profile style clay roofing tiles, this can be 2 1/2 -pound lead or dead-soft aluminum with an 18-inch-wide skirt (Figure 2-33 shown here).

Valley Details for Tile Roofs

According to the International Residential Code (IRC), valley flashing in tile roofs should extend at least 11 inches each way from the valley centerline, and the flashing should have a formed splash diverter at the center at least one inch high.

The code requires a minimum underlayment at the valley of 36-inch-wide Type I No. 30 felt in addition to the underlayment for the general roof areas. In cold climates (average January temperature of 25°F or less), a self-adhering bituminous underlayment is recommended. Battens, if used, should stop short of the valley metal.

Tiles along the valley edge may be laid first and cut in place along a chalked line. Cut pieces are attached by roofing cement or a code-approved adhesive, or they may use wire ties, tile clips, or batten extenders.

Open Valley Details on Tile Roofs

Open clay tile roof valley (C) D Friedman

Open clay tile roof valleys on clay or other tile roofs permit free drainage and are recommended in areas where leaves, pine needles, and other debris are likely to fall on the roof.

They are also recommended in areas subject to snow and ice buildup.

The open valley on this New York clay tile roof shown at above left has been patched more than once. At right our photo of an open valley on a clay tile roof demonstrates how a snow guard can block drainage of a roof valley, leading to debris clogging.

Figure 2-34: Tile Roof Flashing Specifications for Valleys (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

The valley flashing for a tile roof should have hemmed edges and be installed with cleats that allow individual sections to expand and contract (Figure 2-34).

Closed Valley Details on Tile Roofs

In this type of valley, the flashing carries the runoff and the tile in the valley is only decorative. These are not recommended where debris from trees may fall on the roof or where the two roof planes joining at the valley have different pitches or length, causing uneven flows.

Our photograph of a closed tile roof valley was taken at a home in Surprise, Arizona, in an area where there were few trees or any other leafy plants.

Foot Traffic Advice for Walking on Clay Tile Roofs

To prevent breakage, walk on tiles with extreme caution. Profile tile and lightweight tile are the most vulnerable, and concrete tiles are more fragile when they are freshly manufactured or “green.” If possible, place antennas and other roof-mounted equipment where it is easy to access without crossing many tiles.

When it is necessary to walk on tiles, step only on the head-lap (lower 3 inches) of each tile. With Mission- or S-tiles, it is best to step across two tiles at once to distribute the weight. When significant rooftop work is required, place plywood over the tile to distribute the load.

Watch out: our own experience is that it is absolutely impossible to walk on many clay tile roofs without damaging them, particularly soft clay such as the roof type used in Latin America (our photo at left).

For these roofs contractors have to remove sufficient clay tiles to provide a walking area. The removed tiles are replaced as the worker is leaving the work area of the roof.

On some other fragile but not totally fragile roofs such as slate roofs, cement tile, cement-asbestos, fiber cement, and hard-fired ceramic clay tile roofs, contractors suspend a ladder over the roof surface, hanging it from the ridge, and cushioning it off of the roof surface using foam or insulation padding, or contractors work from scaffolding. - Ed.

See ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS where we describe roof safety and roof damage issues when inspecting, repairing, or otherwise walking on clay tiles as well as other roof materials such as asphalt, slate, and wood roofs.

Tips for Replacing Broken Roof Tiles - You'll Need These if You Walk on a Tile Roof

Figure 2-35: Tile Roof Replacement and Partial Repairs (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

If a roofing tile is cracked, gently lift the overlapping tile and wiggle loose the damaged tile.

Remove the roof tile nail, screw, or clip with a slate ripper or hacksaw blade.

Seal any nail holes with roofing cement and slip a new tile into place, securing the butt end with an L-hook or bent copper wire (as shown in Figure 2-35).

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

Resources: Roofing Materials & Equipment Suppliers

Manufacturers

Concrete Roof Tiles

Bartile Roofs www.bartile.com

Eagle Roofing Products www.eagleroofing.com

Entegra Roof Tile www.entegra.com MonierLifetile www.monierlifetile.com

Vande Hey-Raleigh www.vhr-roof-tile.com

Westile www.westile.com

Clay Roof Tiles

Altusa, Clay Forever LLC www.altusa.com

Ludowici Roof Tile www.ludowici.com

MCA Clay Tile www.mca-tile.com

U.S. Tile Co. www.ustile.com

Tile Fasteners and Adhesives

Dow Building Products www.dow.com/buildingproducts Tile Bond polyurethane foam tile adhesive

Fomo Products www.fomo.com Handi-Stick polyurethane foam tile adhesive

Newport Fastener www.newportfastener.com Twisted wire systems, hurricane clips, nose clips, and the Tyle-Tye TileNail

OSI Sealants www.osisealants.com RT 600 synthetic rubber tile adhesive

Polyfoam Products www.polyfoam.cc Polyset and Polyset One polyurethane foam tile adhesives

Wire works, Inc. www.wireworks-inc.com Tile hooks, hook nails, copper and stainless-steel nails

More Information about Roofing Materials, Methods, Standards

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) www.asphaltroofing.org

Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau www.cedarbureau.org

Metal Roofing Alliance www.metalroofing.com

Tile Roofing Institute www.tileroofing.org

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-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

ARMA - Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer's Association - http://www.asphaltroofing.org/
750 National Press Building
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20045
Tel: 202 / 207-0917 Fax: 202 / 223-9741
"Design for Long-Lasting Tile Roof Systems", Thomas L.Smith, AIA, CRC, PRofessional Roofing, [ca 1998 Date pending], p. 54
ASTM - ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959 USA The ASTM standards listed below can be purchased in fulltext directly from http://www.astm.org/
NRCA - National Roofing Contractors Association - http://www.nrca.net/, 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 600, Rosemont, IL 60018-5607, Tel: (847) 299-9070 Fax: (847) 299-1183
UL - Underwriters Laboratories - http://www.ul.com/
2600 N.W. Lake Rd.
Camas, WA 98607-8542
Tel: 1.877.854.3577 / Fax: 1.360.817.6278 E-mail: cec.us@us.ul.com

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The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

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Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for this article. All rights and contents are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
Architectural elements: the technological revolution: Galvanized iron roof plates and corrugated sheets; cast iron facades, columns, door and window caps, ... (American historical catalog collection), Diana S Waite, available used out of Amazon.
Asphalt Roofing Residential Manual,
Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
Built-Up Roof Systems, Manual, C.W. Griffin, Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (July 1982), ISBN-10: 0070247838, ISBN-13: 978-0070247833
Concrete Folded Plate Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author), Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998, ISBN-10: 0340662662, ISBN-13: 978-0340662663
Concrete Shell Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author),
Concrete Dome Roofs (Longman Concrete Design and Construction Series),
Concrete Roofing Tile, History of the, Batsford, 1959, AISN B000HLLOUC (availble used)
Copper Roofing, by CDA
Copper Roofing, Master specifications for copper roofing and sheet metal work in building construction: Institutional, commercial, industrial, I.E. Anderson, 1961 (hard to find)
Corrugated Iron, Building on the Frontier, Simon Holloway
Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design Construction methods for new and existing buildings Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection Details on optimal soil formulation Illustrations featuring various stages of construction Best practices for green roof maintenance A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality Tips on the LEED design and certification process Considerations for assessing return on investment Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs Useful checklists, tables, and charts
Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
Historic Slate Roofs : With How-to Info and Specifications, Tina Skinner (Ed), Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN-10: 0764330012 , ISBN-13: 978-0764330018
Low Slope Roofing, Manual of, 4th Ed., C.W. Griffin, Richard Fricklas, McGraw-Hill Professional; 4 edition, 2006, ISBN-10: 007145828X, ISBN-13: 978-0071458283
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- Roof design fundamentals and flourishes, based on voluminous industry research and experience
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Metal Roofing, an Illustrated Guide, R.A. Knowlton , [metal shingle roofs],
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Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
Roof Tiling & Slating, a Practical Guide, Kevin Taylor, Crowood Press (2008), ISBN 978-1847970237,
If you have never fixed a roof tile or slate before but have wondered how to go about repairing or replacing them, then this is the book for you. Many of the technical books about roof tiling and slating are rather vague and conveniently ignore some of the trickier problems and how they can be resolved. In Roof Tiling and Slating, the author rejects this cautious approach. Kevin Taylor uses both his extensive knowledge of the trade and his ability to explain the subject in easily understandable terms, to demonstrate how to carry out the work safely to a high standard, using tried and tested methods.
This clay roof tile guide considers the various types of tiles, slates, and roofing materials on the market as well as their uses, how to estimate the required quantities, and where to buy them. It also discusses how to check and assess a roof and how to identify and rectify problems; describes how to efficiently "set out" roofs from small, simple jobs to larger and more complicated projects, thus making the work quicker, simpler, and neater; examines the correct and the incorrect ways of installing background materials such as underlay, battens, and valley liners; explains how to install interlocking tiles, plain tiles, and artificial and natural slates; covers both modern and traditional methods and skills, including cutting materials by hand without the assistance of power tools; and provides invaluable guidance on repairs and maintenance issues, and highlights common mistakes and how they can be avoided. The author, Kevin Taylor, works for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors as a technical manager presenting technical advice and providing education and training for young roofers.
The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
Slate Roofing in Canada (Studi4es in archaeology, architecture, and history),
Smart Guide: Roofing: Step-by-Step Projects, Creative Homeowner (Ed), 2004, ISBN-10: 1580111491, ISBN-13: 978-1580111492
Solar heating, radiative cooling and thermal movement: Their effects on built-up roofing (United States. National Bureau of Standards. Technical note), William C Cullen, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off (1963), ASIN: B0007FTV2Q
Tile Roofs of Alfred: A Clay Tradition in Alfred NY
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Wood Shingle Roofs, Care and Maintenance of wood shingle and shake roofs (EC), Stanley S. Niemiec (out of print)
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