Thinking Through Concrete Tile Roofing Installation on a house in Western Pennsylvania?

Our roofers will go over weight, framing and freeze-thaw in plain words, and what to check before you commit

Call 412-858-8858 before you choose a profile or a color

Not Every House Suits Tile, and Why It Is Worth Asking

Most roofs in this area are shingle, so a tile roof is a choice that calls for a few extra questions; a roofer should be willing to say if it is not.

Clay and concrete share a look, though they differ in weight, in how they absorb water and in how they age; concrete is usually the heavier and the more varied in style.

For anyone weighing Concrete Tile Roofing Installation, the house comes first, since the framing sets what the roof can carry; a clear answer on the structure is worth having before you fall for a profile.

Can the House Carry Tile, Before Anything Is Ordered

A tile roof is a heavy roof, and the weight sits on rafters that were designed for something lighter on many older houses; an engineer or a qualified framer can check the numbers.

A deep layer of dense Pittsburgh snow adds real load to a roof that is already heavy with tile; a shaded valley holds it longer.

Your plan for Concrete Tile Roofing Installation should state what was looked at and what it showed; get it in writing if the house is old.

Water Inside the Clay or Concrete, Season After Season

Moisture that gets into clay or concrete freezes and thaws all winter here, and every cycle stresses the tile; ask for it before you order.

Dense, well-fired clay and carefully made concrete resist moisture better, and a sealed finish can add protection; tile of unknown origin is a poor risk.

Frost resistance is a central question for Concrete Tile Roofing Installation in this part of the country; do not accept a vague answer.

Holding Tile Down in the Wind: What the Tile Rests On

Tile is a water-shedding layer, not a waterproof one, so the underlayment beneath it does the sealing work; ask what product goes under yours.

Tiles are fastened by hand to a set schedule, and the method has to hold against wind and gravity; ridgelines and hilltops take the strongest wind.

  • Eaves and valleys should be shown on the plan.
  • The battens that carry the tile should get a plain explanation.

Careful work under the tile is what makes Concrete Tile Roofing Installation dependable, since the visible surface rests on everything below; compare the lists when you compare proposals.

Matching the Tile to the Street: Seeing It in Daylight

A flat tile has a slim, tailored look, while a barrel or curved profile casts deeper shadows and a bolder line; a roof with many hips and valleys needs a shape that can be cut cleanly.

Clay keeps a natural color through the years, while concrete takes its color from pigment and finishes that can fade; hold a sample against the siding on a sunny day and a gray one.

The look is a big part of why people choose Concrete Tile Roofing Installation, and the profile and color should suit the whole building; a profile that looks right on one house may not on yours.

Slate, Shingle or Tile, Side by Side

Next to shingle, tile is heavy, though some natural slate is heavier, so the house may already be built for something like it; asphalt is lighter, goes on faster and is simpler to repair.

Tile asks for more up-front planning than shingles, and the reward is a long-lived surface that needs little upkeep; compare lifetimes as well as the first outlay.

Any honest discussion of Concrete Tile Roofing Installation includes the cases where another material would suit the house better; decide with the whole picture in front of you.

Cracked Tiles and How to Handle Them, and What to Avoid

A cracked tile is a future leak, and walking on cold, brittle tile breaks it easily; look for slipped or cracked tiles after a big storm.

Snow sliding off tile can break tiles below or fall on whatever is under the eaves, so snow guards are worth thinking about; snow guards for tile are specialized parts, installed at the time of the roof.

After the job, Concrete Tile Roofing Installation needs little more than debris clearing, crack checks and a watch on the flashing; call a roofer, not a handyman, for repairs.

From Tear-Off to Ridge Cap: a Plain Account

Prep for a tile roof takes longer than for shingle, because the deck and the structure matter so much; tile is delivered by truck and lifted to the roof by conveyor or crane.

Tiles are laid from the eave upward in courses, cut to fit at hips and valleys, and fastened to the pattern set for the roof; metal flashing is closed up at the chimneys and walls to match.

Partial Jobs and Mixed Rooflines: Planning the Odd Spots

Matching a new tile to an old one is hard, since colors and profiles change from batch to batch and from maker to maker; an exact match may not exist, so plan the blend.

Any plan for Concrete Tile Roofing Installation on an older home should say how the odd spots will be handled; do not let the odd corners be treated as an afterthought.

A Short List for Tile: for Any Proposal

  • Can my framing carry tile and a heavy snow load, and who decides?
  • What happens when a tile cracks, and how is it matched?
  • How will you handle snow sliding off the eaves, and how is it detailed?

Take the Next Step, and Plan It Properly

A tile roof is a long commitment, so the questions are worth asking before anything is ordered; bring your questions and any photographs of the house.

Dial 412-858-8858 and tell us what you have in mind for Concrete Tile Roofing Installation; we can begin with a look at the roof you have today.