Concrete roof tiles are becoming popular nowadays because of their design, affordable prices, and ease of use for roofs with steep pitches and high winds.
To help you decide whether this type of roofing is the best for you, we’ve compiled a list of everything you need to know to make an informed purchasing decision.
What Are Concrete Roof Tiles?
Concrete roof tiles are sometimes called ‘flagstones’ because they resemble flagstone in appearance and texture, although they’re much heavier.
Roof tiles have a flat surface that’s typically textured with small grooves or ridges so water will run off smoothly without pooling up at the bottom edge, making them excellent to use on roofs where there may be standing water after heavy rains.
What Are Concrete Roof Tiles Made Of?
Concrete roof tiles are made of a mixture of sand, cement, and water molded under heat and high pressure. This process creates a tile similar to regular concrete but with the added benefit of being lightweight and durable. The difference between concrete roof tiles and traditional concrete is that the former is usually stronger than the latter.
How Are Concrete Roof Tiles Made?
- The first step in making concrete roof tiles is mixing the ingredients. Sand, water, cement, and iron oxide are combined to create a mixture that can be pressed into molds.
- The resulting mixture is then poured into molds that have been prepared beforehand. These molds are made of wood or steel and are shaped depending on the manufacturer.
- The tiles are placed in molds to dry for at least five hours.
- After the concrete tiles have been set, they are removed from the molds and treated with a water-based masonry sealant.
- The tiles are now subjected to break strength tests to ensure their quality.
- The tiles are stacked into pallets.
Are Concrete Roof Tiles Heavy?
Weight is a serious concern when considering the installation of concrete roof tiles. Concrete tiles are heavier than other roofing materials, but they have a lot of benefits that make them well worth the extra weight.
Concrete roof tiles can weigh from 800 pounds per 100 square feet (for 6″ x 6″ tiles) up to 1,1200 pounds per 100 square feet (for 10″ x 10″ tiles).
What Is Under a Concrete Roof Tile?
Roofing felt is an underlay that sits underneath the concrete roof tiles. It is advisable to install one or two layers of underlayment before putting concrete tile roofing.
Most roof underlayments are made from asphalt-impregnated fiberglass or polyester and are designed to prevent water from leaking through cracks in your roof’s surface. Some types can even help with heat transfer from your home’s interior to its exterior by keeping surfaces cool and preventing condensation from forming on the roof felt.
How Long Does Concrete Roof Tiles Last
Concrete roof tiles can last up to 60 years. However, concrete tiles can last much longer than this if properly installed, maintained, and repaired.
How to Tell if Your Concrete Roof Tiles Need to Be Replaced?
If you’ve had your concrete roof tiles for more than 30 years, it’s probably time to replace them with new ones. There are some easy ways to determine if your concrete tiles need replacing:
- Cracks or chips in the surface of the tile
- A poor drainage pattern on your roof (flooding after heavy rains)
If there is no visible damage on your concrete tiles, but you want to replace them because they’re old or aren’t performing well anymore, just make sure that you hire a professional contractor who knows how to install these types of roofs properly before proceeding with any work on the project.
How Do You Maintain Concrete Roof Tiles?
When it comes to maintaining your concrete tiles, it’s all about keeping them from cracking under pressure.
- Keep the tiles clean. Concrete tile roofs are made of cement, which can absorb water over time if they’re not kept clean. If your tiles are dirty or covered in mold or algae, you might consider taking them down and replacing them with a different type of tile.
- Use a roof rake. A rake can be used to sweep away any loosened dust and debris from your roof surface. When it rains, you should be using this tool to quickly remove any extra moisture before it has an opportunity to set into gaps or cracks between tiles, which can result in mold growth if left untreated.
- Don’t store anything heavy on top of your roof tiles. Storing objects with moisture can cause cracks in the surface that will leak when it rains or snows heavily. You should also avoid storing items containing oil or grease on top of the tiles—these substances can damage the tiles over time and attract insects such as termites and ants.
- Avoid using strong chemicals. Bleach or abrasive cleaners may damage the surface of your tile if they are not thoroughly rinsed away afterward.
That being said, there are some things you can do to extend the life of your roof tiles even further:
- Make sure to keep your gutters clean. Clean roofing materials mean no standing water gets trapped inside them over time which could cause damage underneath your house over time if left untreated long enough.
- Make sure all vents are closed tightly. Closed vents will help prevent wind damage during storms, which can cause cracks on your roof tiles.
How to Clean Concrete Roof Tiles
The key to having a long-lasting roof is to make sure you’re cleaning them properly. Here are three easy steps to clean your concrete roof tiles:
- Spray lukewarm water onto the surface of each tile with a spray bottle or hose. Be sure not to use too much water.
- After you’ve cleaned the surface of each tile with water, make sure that there are no puddles left behind on top of any of them; if there are still some left behind after spraying with water, then spray again until they’re completely gone.
- Once the tiles are all dry, clean up any leftover debris underneath each tile using a broom or other brush.
Can You Pressure Wash Concrete Roof Tiles?
Although pressure-washing concrete roof tiles are possible, roofing experts warn that pressure-washing roof tiles should not be done.
Never use high-pressure water jets as this can cause damage to the concrete. Instead, soft-wash your roof and use good cleaning solutions.
Types of Concrete Roof Tiles
Natural concrete roofing tiles are made from cement, fine aggregate, water, and clay or other minerals.
These tiles are typically used on small buildings or in rural areas where it is cheaper to use less-expensive materials.
They are also more environmentally friendly because these tiles require less energy to produce than synthetic ones.
Synthetic concrete roofing tiles are made from cement, fine aggregate, water, and chemicals like polymer resins that give them their color and texture.
Synthetic concrete tiles have become increasingly popular due to their low cost and durability compared with natural ones. However, creating artificial concrete requires more fossil fuels during production than natural ones.
Fiber concrete roof tiles are a type of composite roof tile that uses a combination of sand and cement, and fiberglass to create a light, durable roofing material.
These tiles are relatively new on the market and are gaining popularity because they offer many benefits over traditional concrete roof tiles.
Are Concrete Roof Tiles Expensive?
Concrete tiles are more affordable than other roofing materials, but that doesn’t mean they’re cheap. Concrete tiles can cost $400 to $2000 per 100 square feet in the United States. That’s about $4.00 to $20.00 per square foot for a standard-size roof of about 1000 square feet.
Read our comprehensive guide to concrete roofing costs and the cost of tile roofing for a breakdown of what kind of pricing to expect.
The average installation price for a concrete tile roof is $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the size of your roof and whether or not your roof needs to be replaced from scratch or just repaired.
On average, the cost of installing concrete roof tiles on a house with a 1000 square foot roof is $20,000. This cost does not include the cost of extras like concrete tile roof underlayments or the cost of materials required for installation, which will vary based on your location and local weather conditions.
Replacing old underlayments, correcting sagging roofs, patching leaks, and replacing broken tiles can cost $5 to $10 per tile.
Most homeowners spend less than $100 or up to $1000 per year to maintain their concrete roof. There is little to no maintenance needed on the roofing itself, as it is a low maintenance surface.
Manufacturers usually set a concrete roof tile’s lifespan at roughly 30 years. Thus, the properly installed and maintained concrete tiles can last for more than 60 years.
Concrete Roof Tiles Alternatives
Asphalt roof tiles are commonly used for roofs of houses, garages, warehouses, and buildings for industrial or commercial purposes. Asphalt shingle, also known as asphalt roofing, is a building material composed of mineral granules, asphalt, and polymers.
Concrete Roof Tiles vs. Asphalt Roof
Concrete is more durable than asphalt, but it is also more expensive. Concrete roof tiles can be used in both hot and cold climates, and they also offer better longevity than asphalt roof tiles.
Steel and aluminum are the most common metallic roof tile materials. Metal roofs are lightweight and easy to install. Metal tiles come in various designs and patterns to resemble things like barrel tiles, slate tiles, and shingle patterns.
Concrete Roof Tiles vs. Metal Roof Tiles
Metal Roofing is a lot more durable than concrete roof tiles. Metal tiles don’t soften in the sun, so the finish won’t get damaged or peeled off during high temperatures.
Metal roofs also last longer than concrete ones. Although, metal roof tiles are noisier and more difficult to repair than concrete roof tiles.
Well, we hope you’ve found our blog on concrete roof tiles informative. Now that you know what concrete roof tiles are and have a solid understanding of how to maintain them, it’s time to decide which kind of roofing is the best fit for your home. Make sure to keep this guide bookmarked so you can refer to it whenever you need more information.
