If you’ve ever visited Florida and most other parts of the southwest United states, there’s a pretty good chance that you will have seen concrete or clay tiles at least once. They are the traditional Spanish-looking, red tiles that are also called a variety of other names, including terracotta clay tiles and architectural clay tiles.



WHAT DO CONCRETE OR CLAY ROOF TILES LOOK LIKE?
Although we are used to seeing these clay and concrete tile styles on Spanish-style homes, they can actually come in a variety of colors and styles, often mimicking the finish of other tile types. With grey shades, these tiles can be made to look very much like a slate roof, and with other colors and designs, you can even create a faux wood-style roof. One of the reasons they are loved so much, of course, is because of that baked clay shade — an orange-brown tone that can really add value to the appeal of a neighborhood.

CONCRETE OR CLAY ROOF TILES — THE PROS
If you’re willing to pay out for the work, you can get your hands on bespoke, handmade clay or concrete tiles for your home, but this tends to be more of a specialist field and won’t be offered by all roofing contractors or companies in the area. If there are a lot of those red clay tile buildings in the area, you’ll be more likely to find one that will specialise in that particular area of roofing. This roof type is designed to do well in hot temperatures, and the materials won’t burn or suffer under the baking heat of a hot summer. Just like metal roof types, some manufacturers and roofing contractors will offer a lifetime guarantee for a clay or concrete structure, and they’re known to be very long-lasting as long as they are taken care of.

CONCRETE OR CLAY ROOF TILES - THE CONS
Unfortunately, there is a fair bit of maintenance required when you opt for a clay or concrete tile roof, but it’s the kind of maintenance that you should do on any roof, really, regardless of material — remove moss, make sure there aren’t areas of damp, check after bad storms with hail, etc. Although strong and long-lasting, this roof tile type doesn’t tend to fare so well in a bad hailstorm.

You’ll be looking at paying more for a clay or concrete roof than you would a three-tab asphalt roof (for example). The same kind of pricing structure applies to this one as a metal one, so you’d be looking at spending approximately $16,000 to $17,000 on a roof that would cost you around $8,000 that if you’d opted for asphalt. If you're interested in learning more about concrete or clay roofs, or would like to have a specialist roofer come to your home to assess if this roof type would work well on your residential building, give us a call.

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