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Clay Roofing Tile Fastening Specifications InspectAPedia®  -     How are clay roof tiles secured to the roof deck: wires, nails, nailing schedule, use of cement, other means Clay tile roof inspection, leak detection, roof diagnosis, roof repair Key design details & references for tile roofs

Here we discuss how clay tiles are secured to the roof deck. Our page top photo shows clay roofing tiles installed in the Northeastern United States, on a combination steep and low slope roof. The metal tabs exposed at the lower edge of many of these tiles indicates that the roof has had extensive repair work.

© Copyright 2009 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.

How clay roofing tiles are secured to the roof

Fasteners for clay tile roofs: clay tiles are secured to the roof deck using wire, special clips, concrete, ballast stones, or metal clips. Tiles are secured loosely - overly-tight wires or nails are likely to break the tile.

Also used to secure clay tiles on some roofs are aluminum nails, hot dipped galvanized steel nails, or stainless steel nails. Clay tiles at roof gable edges are often nailed through multiple pre-cast holes in special roof edge tiles in areas where wind blow-off is a common risk. The fastener schedule for clay roofing tiles varies by geographic area, as we discuss below.

Where nails are used, one or two nails per clay tile is usual. In some jurisdictions (areas of low storm and wind damage risk) only every third or fourth course of tiles is nailed, and in the roof shown in our photo (below right) none of the tiles was secured except those at the roof edges where mortar was applied.

Carson Dunlop's sketch (above left) illustrates typical methods of securing clay tiles to the roof deck. Our photo (above right) illustrates a clay tile roof undergoing repair in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

This tile roof is in a sheltered location and as is local custom, the clay roofing tiles are barely secured, perhaps only at the roof edges where tiles are set in cement.

Here Carson Dunlop's sketch illustrates how the eaves are closed at the lower roof edges where a clay tile roof is installed.

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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
ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING
ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES
BUILT UP ROOFS
CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS
CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIRS
CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
CLAY TILE ROOFING
  Clay Roofing Tile Types
  Clay Roof Tile Installation Specs
  Clay Roof Tile Connections
  Clay Tile Roof Wear
FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD
HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams
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

• Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
• The Carson Dunlop home study course for home inspectors can be examined at the company's website at http://www.carsondunlop.com/Inspectors/hss.htm
  

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