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Are you in need of a tile roof that can protect you against the heat and heavy downpour? Do you also want your roof to have an aesthetic feel for your home?
You’ve come to the right place! We just got back from Europe on a company trip and we learned so much about this clay roofing system (check out our trip picture below)
This article will go over the different questions, considerations, and types of Spanish clay tile roofs you should focus on.
Where did Spanish Tile Roofs start?
These clay roofs originated in Spain. For over 100 years, mosaic clay tiles have been equipped to roof palaces, houses, cathedrals, etc.
Fast forward to the present, and we have modern-day architects apply the Spanish style of clay tiled roofing all over Florida.
As the years went by, improvements and technological advancements have been applied. In effect, it enhanced the longevity and lifespan of the Spanish clay tiles.
The upgrade in materials has allowed the addition of composite and metal materials to duplicate the appearance of the clay tile roof minus the vulnerable state of conventional ceramics tiles.
How long does a Spanish Tile Roof Last?
Typically, clay roofing tiles have an average life span of about 100 years. This past summer, our roofing company took a trip to Croatia where almost every roof is made up of Spanish Tile. We were trained by local roofing companies on installing this product and were shown some roofs that were over 200 years old! Above is a picture from that educational trip.
This means that the tiles’ total life-cost is much lower than an asphalt roofing system (as long as it was installed correctly)
Can you walk on Spanish Tile Roofs?
Walking on a Spanish Tile roof is playing with fire and we don’t recommend doing it unless you are a roofing professional. If at all possible, we do not walk on the roof but rent a lift that allows us to make roof repairs without putting weight on the clay roof.
What colors are available for a Spanish tile roof?
Traditionally, a Spanish clay tile roof uses the color red. However, you also have to consider the colors of each neighboring home, subdivision guidelines, and finding colors that will blend smoothly with your red clay roofing tiles.
All you have to do is choose a set of color paint chips from your nearest paint store and put them against a bare white wall.
Doing this will help you check out the different color schemes that you may not see anywhere else.
The trick is to analyze your paint chips outside your home with 100% sunlight to see each chip’s full color.
Here are some of the available colors, depending on geography and climate.
For humid and warm climates, you have white, sand, cream, light yellow, and brown. For a greener and northern environment setting, green and maroon best fit your red clay roofing tiles.
What are Spanish tile roofing materials made of?
The modern-day Spanish clay roof is made out of ceramic or concrete tiles. Rolled sheet metal can also make up a Spanish tile roof.
Other manufacturing companies use copper and other steel options for better longevity. These tile roofing types are more lightweight, durable, and long-lasting than your conventional ceramic or concrete tile.
How much does a Spanish roof tile cost?
Typically, the installation of clay tile roofing costs around $25,000 to $50,000. The prices vary per size, slope, and pitch of your tiles.
The price of a clay tile roof can range between $10 to $18 per square foot or $1000 to $1800 per square inserted on a regular-sized home.
The cost of your clay roofs will depend on the pricing of your local provider for roofing materials.
Who are the best Manufacturers for Spanish Tile Roofing Material?
Before buying the clay roof of your choice, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the different manufacturers of such tiles.
Doing so will help you determine each manufacturer’s strengths, weaknesses, and other things to consider when buying your clay roof and clay tiles.
Ludowici
Let’s be honest. All types of roof tiles are prone to potential damage brought about by mildew, algae, and green moss.
It doesn’t help that the weather patterns vary from season to season, resulting in damaged clay tiles and roofs. These are things you need to avoid for your home.
Thankfully, this is where Ludowici comes in. It uses premium terra cotta, which is made out of 100 percent clay tiles. This type of clay tile is environmentally friendly.
It also helps that these clay roofs are not made out of these dangerous materials for tiles on roofs:
- Materials made out of petroleum
- Materials made of cement
- Sand
- Unreliable synthetic materials
- Surface sealers
It also helps that all Ludowici clay tiles are ASTM C1167 Grade 1 Certified, meaning it can withstand extreme winter conditions.
Pros
- Weather Resistant
One advantage of these tiles is it can withstand various weather patterns, no matter how extreme they may be. This is because it is Grade 1 Certified by ASTM C1167.
It can even resist the strongest typhoons and harshest tornadoes. It’s good to know that each clay tile and clay roof has the approval of Miami Dade, Florida Building Code, and the Texas Department of Insurance.
- Breaking Strength
With the help of profile engineering, premium raw materials, and Ludowici’s construction process, each clay tile roof can resist more stress and external damage than any other clay tile roof.
Since their clay roof is made out of terra cotta, it provides one of the strongest breaking strength of all clay tiles in this niche.
- Absence of Mold or Mildew
One of the features of the Ludowici clay tile is its low moisture absorption rate. Having a low moisture absorption rate is important because moisture can decompose materials.
Other roof tiles such as concrete and asphalt shingles have an average absorption rate of 6 to 15 percent. On the other hand, this clay tile roof has the lowest moisture absorption rate of only 2 percent.
Also, Ludowici clay tiles do not require additional maintenance and sealants for the enhancement of their performance.
Cons
- Cost
The only drawback of this clay tile is how expensive it is to install in your home.
For starters, natural clay has a starting average price of $15,000 – $17,000. That’s around $10 to $12 per square foot.
A terra-cotta clay tile roof can be 20 to 30 percent more expensive than conventional clay. One reason is that the material seeps the roof’s color during the installation process. In short, the color of this clay roof will never fade.
You may want to look at the cost before going for these particular clay tiles.
Tejas Borja
Tejas Borja is another reliable manufacturer for clay roof tiles. With over 100 years of high-quality service, Tejas Borja has been the leading clay tiles provider in Spain.
They construct their roof tiles with high-quality methods that eclipse the standards and procedures of other manufacturing services.
It features curved roof tiles which were constructed through extrusion. The edges are concurrent with one another, resulting in expanded ends, making it easier to install these clay tiles in your home.
Pros
- Aesthetic Appeal
Thanks to its BorjaDECOR feature, these roof tiles are a combination of stylish finishes and aesthetic color patterns.
Rainbow-colored combinations will surely make your home stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. Here are some of the colors you can choose from.
- Cognac
- Cobalt Blue
- Green
- Carmin
- White
- Slate
- Grey
- Brown
- Inkjet Technology
Spanish tiles with Inkjet technology incorporates BORJAJet technology to allow digital printing for manufacturing purposes.
This results in the combination of rich natural materials and industrial components of ceramic tiles. It helps that Tejas Borja incorporates solid finishing techniques.
These provide results for all types of roofing options, designs, and projects.
- Raw Materials
While it looks cute to insert these modern advancements, we must not overlook the basic raw materials used to make such tiles.
Without these materials, this roof would not even be a possibility.
For generations and centuries, Tejas Borja went on an expedition to collect some of the best materials for their roofs and tiles. As a result, it helped them relate to nature and their overall surroundings.
These were some of the raw materials they found in their journey.
- Ceramic Slate
- Ceramic Stone
- Ceramic Cement
- Ceramic Oxide
- Ceramic Cotto
- Ceramic Marble
- Ceramic Wood
Cons
- None
Other Tile Roof Options
Here are some alternative tiles you can go for. These do equally as well as the original Spanish clay tile roofs.
Composite Roof Tile
If you want to go for alternative tile roofing, composite roof tiles should be at the top of your choices. It steps its game up in terms of matching the elegance of old school European roofing.
Composite roof tile is a commonly-used term that characterizes many types of semi-cylindrical tile roofing. The arrangement usually follows an intertwined pattern.
Here are some of the pros and cons you should consider whether or not to buy this type of tile roofing.
Pros
- Environmentally Friendly: One of the advantages of these clay tiles is its environmental benefits in the sense its roofing materials are made out of recyclables.
- Color: Another advantage that separates this type of composite roofing with the rest of the pack is its multi-colored feature. All tiles have different patterns and designs that seamlessly cascade with the squares.
Cons
- Longevity (or lack thereof): An improper installation results in a reduced lifespan of composite tiles for your home may. This also might happen if there is no appropriate attic ventilation included in your home.
- Cost: Due to the never-ending changes in unpredictable weather patterns, you might need to keep replacing your composite tiles. You may be required to do this often, and as a result, the cost will start to add up in the long run.
Metal Roofing
Another alternative to your Spanish clay tile is metal roofs. This is another popular option among homeowners because of their efficiency, longevity, and durability.
Here are some of its advantages and disadvantages
Pros
- Longevity: These roofs will last you for 40-70 years.
- Durability: Most roofs can resist wind gusts, corrosion, and other high-impact catastrophes.
- Energy Efficiency: Reflects solar heat, which makes you save up to 10 – 25 percent from lower cooling costs.
Cons
- Cost: The cost of such roofs can be twice or thrice as expensive than other roofing materials.
- Noise: When it rains, metal roofs can get noise. You can add soundproofing devices, but it will just add to your cost.
- Performance: Your roof may not deliver if not installed appropriately.
Conclusion
We were able to go over the important factors when buying clay tiles.
We also got to look at some of the best manufacturers and alternatives to such tiles.
We hope this article was able to guide you in your process of buying the Spanish clay tile that best suits your home.
