Watch the video on Concrete Roof Tiles.
Homes in northern climates face harsh winter weather, and the roof takes the brunt of what Mother Nature dishes out. This severe weather can do damage to a roof's asphalt shingles. Replacing shingles is costly, and the new shingles won't match the faded color of the older shingles.
The best practice for constructing a durable roof that's capable of withstanding brutal Northern winters is to install a concrete roof tiling system. Concrete roof tiles can withstand a variety of tough weather conditions, including the freeze-thaw cycle, wind speeds up to 120 mph, hail, rain, earthquakes, and even fires. This resilience enables tile manufacturers to offer some of the longest warranties in the roofing industry. Most manufacturers offer a minimum of a 50-year warranty.
Concrete tile is made from extruded concrete. Extruded concrete is subjected to high pressure as it passes through rollers, exiting as a ribbon of concrete. It's then placed into molds before going through a short curing process.
Worried about the weight of concrete tiles? To be on the safe side, make sure the roof has been engineered to withstand the weight before you install them. A concrete tile roof weighs no more than three layers of asphalt shingles, and most homes can support that amount of weight.
Concrete tile is durable enough that it can be walked on. Homeowners can access the chimney or put up holiday decorations without damaging the tiles.
Concrete tiles consist primarily of cement, sand, and pigments, and are available in an array of colors and styles appropriate for any regional or architectural preference. Colors include the whites and pinks predominately found in Florida, the gold, orange, and brown earth tones found in Colorado, and the blue-grays found in New England.
Tiles are colored with metallic oxide pigments using one of two methods: color through or slurry coating. In the color through process, pigments are added to the concrete so that the color is mixed all the way through the tile. Slurry coating, which is used on tiles in warm regions, involves bonding a colored concrete top layer to a non-colored base. Slurry-coated tiles won't withstand stand the freeze-thaw cycle of colder northern climates.
Concrete roof tiles should be installed over the roof underlayment, from the bottom to the top, following tile manufacturer's guidelines. Tiles should overlap each other to guard against moisture intrusion. Hips and ridges need a cap tile.
A properly installed concrete roof tile lasts a minimum of 50 years, and with a variety of colors and styles to choose from, is an attractive, durable solution for homes in harsh climates. For more information, visit the Tile Roofing Institute.
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