Tiled roofs are durable and beautiful. Tiling can be very expensive and heavy, in fact, it is expected to be so, since roofing material can last for hundreds of years. Traditionally, a majority of roofing tiles were made from fired clay, slate or terracotta. Today’s roofing tiles are made from tinted, molded concrete. One can find roofing tiles in a wide range of shapes -flat, curved, fluted, interlocking and more.
Tile roofing is one of the best choices for roofs that often experience exposure to salt air or hot weather. This is why you often see tile roofs in California, coastal Florida, and the Southwest. They are also ideal for climates experiencing infrequent rains which dump a large amount of water in a short amount of time. If you live in an area that is prone to cloudburts from heavy rainfalls, you can surely find a style of tiles to protect your home.
If you are considering roof tiling your home, remember that these systems are extremely heavy and can also break under certain conditions. In order to support its weight, roof framing needs to be sturdy structurally.
Here are some popular tile styles-
- Spanish tiles: These tiles will give your home the classic Southwest roof look. They resemble rows of lapping waves with troughs in between them to carry water away. These tiles are best suited for places facing infrequent but very heavy rains. Spanish tiles can be found in clay, concrete and terracotta.
- Scandia tiles: These tiles resemble Spanish tiles but they are inverted. They have wide scallop-shaped troughs and sharp vertical ridges. These tiles are popular in northern European architecture.
- Double Roman tiles: These tiles resemble Spanish tiles, but have rows that are ribbed. Double Roman tiles are often seen in Mediterranean architecture. These tiles are made of concrete but can also be found in clay and terracotta.
- Flat shake tiles: These tiles are made of concrete and are designed to resemble the texture of wood shakes. Slate roofs are basically flat shakes. Flat shake tile roofs have flat surfaces that shed frequent light rains. These tiles are favorable in areas with heavy rainfall.
- Pantile roofs: These roof tiles are made of clay and are flattened in an S shape. This creates a ripple appearance. Pantiles tiles are a lot lighter and cheaper than most tiles as well.