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Concrete Roofing Types, Product Sources, Installation, Defects, Repairs
- CONCRETE ROOFING - Concrete roof tiles & other concrete roof designs
- Definition of concrete roofing
- Types of concrete roofs
- Sources of concrete roofing tiles, manufacturers' list
- Questions & Answers about concrete roof types, materials, installation, inspection, maintenance & repair
- References
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
This article describes concrete roofing materials: concrete roof tiles & poured concrete roofs, choices, installations, inspection, defects, roofing repairs, and concrete roof tile product sources. Our photo (above) shows a flat concrete roof under construction in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This article describes several approaches to constructing concrete roofs, including flat concrete roofs, low-slope concrete roofs, and a steep pitch concrete roof.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Concrete Roofing Materials, Choices, Costs, Life Expectancy, Characteristics
As detailed in Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction (printed text) and online at
CLAY, CONCRETE, FIBER CEMENT TILE INSTALLATION,
Concrete tiles were introduced to the United States in the
early 1900s, but they did not catch on until the 1960s. They
now account for more than half the tiles sold in the United
States. In Europe, over 90% of new houses have concrete
tile roofs. Concrete tiles cost as little as half as much as
clay and offer both traditional and flat styles that simulate
slate roofing and wood shakes.
High-quality concrete tiles should last up to 50 years in
arid climates and up to 30 years in hot, humid climates.
While some early products faced problems with freeze-thaw
cycling, most newer formulations are made to withstand
winter weather. In cold climates, make sure the product is
warranted for freeze-thaw durability.
Special lightweight concrete tiles weighing under
600 lb per square are gaining in popularity. Although they
cost more than standard concrete tiles and are more prone
to breakage, they are easier to handle and suitable for
applications where the roof structure cannot support
the weight of standard tiles. Lightweight tiles cannot
support foot traffic without adding walking pads to distribute
weight or filling the space under the tiles with
polyurethane foam. They are also not recommended
for high-snow regions.
The concrete roof approach shown at left is the structure supporting the flat concrete roof being poured and finished at the top of this page. |
The El Charco concrete roof approach shown below was stained brown to resemble an antique thatch roof used on other slopes of the same building. This roof, located in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, incorporates a large concrete gutter that collects rainwater for local use. |
The concrete Taboada Hot Springs (Guanajuato, Mexico) roof approach shown below has been in use in central Mexico since at least 1740 and combines fired clay tiles (below right), concrete or wood rafters, and a top pour of concrete (below left).
Guide to Concrete, Clay, or Metal Roof Tile Shapes, Colors & Types
Color Choices in Concrete Roofing Tiles
Continuing from from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction:
Concrete tiles can be surface colored with a slurry
of iron-oxide pigments applied to the surface or have the
color added to the concrete mix for a more durable, and
expensive, through-color. Through-color choices are more
limited, and the colors are more subdued. Either type of
concrete tile is also sealed with a clear acrylic spray to help with
curing and efflorescence.
While the color-through concrete roof tile will
hold its color better than the slurry type, particularly under
freeze-thaw cycling, all concrete tile coloring can be expected
to fade and soften over time. Surface textures can
also be added to flat concrete roofing tiles to simulate wood shakes
or shingles.
The illustration of of types or styles of concrete roof tiles (left) was provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates and illustrates
- Curved roof tiles
- Spanish Style roof tiles
- Flat Interlocking roof tiles
- Flat shingle style roof tiles
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Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction describes three roof tile profiles classified as high-profile, low-profile, or
flat and illustrates them in Figure 2-17
- Flat profile concrete roof tiles (the roof tile surface rises by up to 1/2 inch) - these roof tiles often resemble slate or even wood shakes.
- Low profile concrete roof tiles: the height of the tile is 1/5 the tile width or less
- High profile concrete roof tiles: the height of the roof tile is more than1/5 its width
Common high-profile roofing tiles include
two-piece pan-and-cover Mission tile and one-piece Spanish
S-tiles.
Low profile roof tile styles include a wide variety, many with
a double-S shape that creates multiple water courses.
Many
flat roof tiles are shaped and colored to simulate slate or wood
shakes. In general, patterns using smaller tiles cost more per
square for both materials and labor than patterns using larger
tiles.
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.
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How Concrete Roof Tiles are Secured to the Roof Deck
As Carson Dunlop's drawing shows, concrete roof tiles are secured to the roof deck using one of three methods:
The concrete roof tiles are nailed to roof battens running parallel to the roof eaves. Gaps are left in the battens so that water passing through the tiles drains down tothe eaves, and a waterproof membrane is below the battens.
Concrete roof tiles may be secured by a combination of nailing to the roof deck and concrete. This is the method used also to secure clay roof tiles on some Florida homes such as the Boca Raton Roof shown here.
Hurricane clips are recommended or often required by local building codes in hurricane prone areas. The clips are fastened to the roof deck, usually with multiple fasteners, and clip to edges of the roof tiles. In high wind and hurricane areas the number of fasteners is also increased.
On older clay and concrete tile roofs it was common practice to nail only every fourth tile, and in areas where high winds are not common, such as on these homes in Patzcuarso Mexico, only the tiles at the roof perimeter are secured at all. |
To install concrete roofing tiles in high wind areas, areas of hurricanes or seismic areas, see the roofing tile connecction methods discussed at CLAY TILE WIND & SEISMIC CONNECTORS
Concrete Roof Tile Sources
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction lists these producers and sources of concrete roofing tilies:
- Bartile Roofs, website:
www.bartile.com
- Eagle Roofing Products, website:
www.eagleroofing.com
- Entegra Roof Tile, website:
www.entegra.com
- MonierLifetile, website:
www.monierlifetile.com
- Vande Hey-Raleigh, website:
www.vhr-roof-tile.com
- Westile, website:
www.westile.com
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.
Sketch of types of concrete roof tiles provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates.
Also see concrete roofing tiles discussed at TILE ROOFING and concrete corrugated roofing products at CORRUGATED ROOFING and at ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING. For concrete roof tiles installed in high wind or seismic areas, also see CLAY TILE WIND & SEISMIC CONNECTORS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about concrete roofing products, design, installation, inspection, troubleshooting & repair
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- 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)
- Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0471788368
ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
- "Choosing Roofing," Jefferson Kolle, January 1995, No. 92, Fine Homebuilding, Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newton CT 06470 - 800-888-8286 - see http://www.taunton.com/FineHomebuilding/ for the magazine's website and for subscription information.
- 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.
- 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
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
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.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
- ...
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 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.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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.)
- 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
- 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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