How to Install a Tile Roof

Tile is an excellent roof surface because it is waterproof and is able to withstand deep freezes and high winds. They can also be easily repaired because individual tiles, if they break or fall off, can be replaced with a minimum of fuss. A variety of materials can be used to make tile, including concrete, slate and clay.

Things You'll Need

• Tiles
• Two rulers
• Plywood
• Underlayment
• Nail gun
• Nails

Instructions

1. Pick out your tile. Most tiles do not come in different colors, but you can select a price range and material that you like. Concrete tiles are the heaviest but also the most durable. Clay tiles are lighter but are more prone to break and slate tiles fall in between concrete and clay in weight and in durability.

2. Check you roof's construction. Make sure your roof is able to support the weight of the tiles, if it has not been tiled before. A building inspector can help you determine how much weight your roof can hold and what sort of tile it can support. Also check that it is sloped enough to not have leaks (your roof will need a pitch of at least 3/12 to be viable for a tile roof). A 3/12 pitch means that for every foot forward your roof goes, it needs to also have a drop of at least 3 inches. The best way to measure this is by using two rulers. Get on the roof and hold one ruler parallel to the ground with one end touching a tile. Then, measure from the 12-inch mark on the ruler down to the next tile. The drop should be at least 3 inches.

3. Support your tiles. A good form of support is plywood sheets. A 3/4-inch thick sheet of plywood will be able to support even heavy concrete tiles and should be laid down over every part of the roof that is being tiled.

4. Install your underlayment. Underlayment is a type of membrane that helps to cushion the tiles and keep the roof from leaking. Underlayment should be put on top of the plywood.

5. Put the tile into place. While it is not necessary to lay down all of the tile at once, it is important to put tiles down in sections before nailing them into place. You need to ensure that they are stable and interface without gaps.

6. Nail the tiles into place. Depending on the type of roof and tile, you might need to use different lengths and sizes of nails. These can be pounded into place, but it is much faster to use a nail gun.