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ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES BUILT UP ROOFS CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIRS CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR CLAY TILE ROOFING Tapered & Barrel Mission Tiles S-style Clay & Flat Rectangular Tiles Duralita Roofing Alternatives Clay Roofing Tile Types Clay Roof Tile Installation Specs Clay Roof Tile Connections Clay Tile Roof Wear CONCRETE ROOFING CORRUGATED ROOFING ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LOW SLOPE ROOFING MATERIALS MASONITE WOODRUF FIBERBOARD ROOFING MEMBRANE & SINGLE PLY ROOFS METAL ROOFING TYPES MODIFIED BITUMEN ROOFING ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR SOD ROOFING SIDING WOOD STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Building Exteriors STAIN DIAGNOSIS on Roofs STANDARDS for ROOFING STONE ROOFING THATCH ROOFING THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS TILE ROOFING WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES WOOD SHAKE & SHINGLE ROOFING WORKMANSHIP & WIND DAMAGE More Information InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Privacy Policies Contact Us |
Here we discuss clay tile roofing types, clay roofing tile inspection, tile roofing diagnosis, & tile roof repair. Our page top photo shows clay roofing tiles installed in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Clay roofing tiles have been used in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, since the Greek and Roman Empires, and the Americas since Europeans arrived there. This roofing material is costly to purchase and install, but it can have an indefinite life expectancy. As we discussed at SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR, the fasteners or metal flashings on clay tile roofs are more likely to wear out than the tiles themselves. However clay tile roofs are often damaged by foot traffic, ice and snow, or by severe storms. © Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links show where you are in our document & website. Clay Roofing Tile TypesReal clay tile roofs compared with cosmetic clay tile roofs: The clay roof tile systems we discuss in this article series are "real" clay tile roofs on which the tiles themselves are intended to provide the water shedding and drainage necessary to form a dry covering over a building. "Cosmetic" clay tile roofs are commonly installed in some areas (Boca Raton, Florida) over a completely functional waterproof membrane. Cosmetic clay tile roofs also protect the roof membrane from deterioration from sunlight, but the tiles themselves are not forming the waterproof covering. Clay roof tiles, typically 7" x 13" are 1/4" to 1/2" in thickness and are shaped in molds and fired in a kiln to 2000 degF to cause the clay to vitrify. The vitrification (glasification) process makes the tiles hard and waterproof by melting and fusing silicas and aluminas in the clay. Clay roofing tile surfaces may also be decorated with an embossed pattern to resemble wood, slate, or stone. Un-glazed tiles are terra-cotta red, a color provided by iron oxide in the clay. Clay roof tiles may also be made with a colored glaze, adding both color and an additional layer of hard surface protection. While traditional clay tile glazing was performed by hand dipping and pouring glazing compound over the tiles, Carson Dunlop point out in their Home Study Course for home inspectors, since the 1970's glazing on clay tiles has been spray applied and the tile backs are left un-glazed, both reducing tile cost and permitting moisture to escape from the back surface of the tile. Higher quality clay roofing tiles are kiln fired to a higher temperature, are harder, less porous, and thus more durable. Inexpensive clay roofing tiles that are fired to lower temperatures insufficient to achieve vitrification are soft, easy to break, and less water resistant. Description of Tapered Mission Clay Tiles & Barrel Mission Clay Roofing Tiles
Carson Dunlop's sketch (left) illustrates the traditional tapered mission style clay roof tiles, and at right, the less-rounded barrel-mission style clay roof tiles. Description of S-style Clay Roofing Tiles & Flat Rectangular Interlocking Clay Roof Tiles
Carson Dunlop's sketch (left) illustrates the Spanish roofing tile that is roughly "S" shaped, including the pan or drainage trough on the left side of the tile and the raised tile surface on its right side. Variations of these interlocking tiles include a lower-profile "S" tile and also Greek and Roman clay roof tiles. All of the rounded mission tile roofing materials need to be enclosed at the eaves or lower roof edge to avoid blowing rain and wind (wind-lift damage) and animal entry. Tile end closure is discussed at How clay roofing tiles are secured.
We recommend against walking on clay tile roofs as you are likely to damage the roof leading to the need for costly repairs. Our photo of broken clay roof shingle-tiles (above right) was taken during an inspection made without walking on the roof surface - for obvious reasons: we didn't want to shoulder the blame for this damage. our photo of a tarred roof valley and damaged interlocking clay roof tiles (above left) was taken from a ladder at roof edge. Description of Duralita Cardboard-reinforced Cement Roofing Tiles & Corrugated Roofing Products
Books & Articles on Clay Tile Roof Inspection, Installation, Repair, Maintenance, & HistoryThe books listed below can be found by using the "Roofing" link at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
... Technical Reviewers & References
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
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06/30/2009 - 08/15/1998 - InspectAPedia.com/roof/Clay_Tile_Roofs.htm - © 2010 - 1998 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark