Roof Tiles: Benefits and Applications

About this course.

The two main roof tile types used in Australia are concrete tiles and terracotta (fired clay) tiles, and while both are durable, non-combustible, heavy and modular roofing products that work within the same tiled-roof system, they differ in what they are made from and how, which flows through to their colour behaviour, appearance, cost and some aspects of performance. Knowing the characteristics of each is the starting point for choosing well and for setting realistic expectations with a client. This module describes the two types and the properties they share and do not share.

Concrete tiles are made from cement, sand and water, formed under pressure into shape and then cured rather than fired. Their colour comes either from pigments mixed through the tile or, very commonly, from a surface coating applied to the tile, and they are made in a broad range of profiles — from bold, deeply curved traditional shapes to flat, low-profile contemporary looks. The main characteristics that make concrete tiles popular are their strength, their wide availability, the large range of profiles and colours, and a generally lower cost than terracotta. The one characteristic to understand and communicate honestly is colour behaviour: where a concrete tile's colour comes substantially from a surface coating, that finish can weather and fade over the years, which affects long-term appearance (and prompts occasional recoating) more than it affects the tile's structural performance. Concrete tiles are heavy, which — like all tiled roofing — means the roof structure must be designed to carry the load.