Aspects to Consider for a Tiled Roof
Posted on: 18 November 2020
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The roofing across your home protects you from the elements and stops moisture getting inside to start a mould and mildew infestation. The roof also affects how appealing your home looks from the street. Many cladding materials are on offer, including concrete and terracotta tiles. Consider the following aspects of tiles when considering the possibilities.
Diverse Profiles
Tiles offer many design options to personalise the roofing. You can install different shapes such as a classic S-shape, where the overlapping tiles create a sea of soft waves over the roof. Other profiles include a double-S shape and tiles with squarish ridges. Flat concrete tiles can mimic slate and other natural substances. Thus, you can create different looks for your home, some more rounded, and others sleeker. Manufacturers offer designs to suit all architectural styles from traditional to modern.
Abundant Colours
With tiles, you can select a colour from a vast range. Terracotta comes in red, orange, tan, gold, blue, and other hues. Producers of concrete tiles can imbue them with virtually any pigment. Different companies create many popular shades and tones of subtle and mixed colours such as blue-grey, red-brown, and grey-green. These hues mimic the colours found in nature which are rarely primary colours like fire engine red and bright yellow, for instance. Thus, you'll have beautiful shades to pick from for your roofing.
Installation
When installing a tile roof, contractors will consider several aspects. For example, they'll first need to know that the roof and building framework can carry the tile weight. If you're switching from a lighter material such as corrugated metal, it may need buttressing. As well, tiles need a blanket of sarking underneath to block rainwater from creeping between the tiles and to reflect solar radiation away from your home. Laying the tiles is quite involved, as they need to be attached one by one to the horizontal battens, which form part of the roof skeleton.
Durability
If you look after your tile cladding, it should last for decades. Some terracotta roofs can endure up to 100 years. Make sure to book a regular inspection to check for cracked or missing tiles. You should never ignore gaps in the tiling as rainwater can rot timber beams, insulation, and ceiling plaster if it's allowed to seep inside. Also, regard any moss spreading across the tiles as the enemy. While it looks innocent and charming, it can ruin your roof and lead to dampness, mould, and mildew.
For more information about tile roofs, contact a local roofer.