Terminology

• Profile: high (barrel, S), medium, or flat (low profile) tile shape
• Mission / two-piece barrel: pan and cover tiles
• Interlocking tile: side locks and head lugs that interlock with neighbors
• Battens: wood or plastic strips that tiles hang on; counter-battens raise them for drainage
• Direct-deck: tiles fastened directly to sheathing over underlayment
• Foam-set / adhesive-set: tiles set with polyurethane adhesive
• Hurricane clips / wind clips: clips holding tile noses in high wind
• Bird stop / eave closure: closure at the eave under the first course
• Ridge and hip trim: trim tiles set on ridge nailers or mortar
• Lightweight tile: reduced-weight concrete tile for reroofing over existing framing

Standards

Ratings

• Installed weight about 9 psf to 11 psf for many concrete profiles (900 lb to 1,100 lb per square); clay and lightweight tiles vary by product
• Wind resistance by attachment method and testing per code-referenced standards
• Fire: Class A over most decks

Test standards

• ASTM C1167: clay roof tile
• ASTM C1492: concrete roof tile
• ASTM C1568, C1569, C1570: tile wind resistance testing (overturning, wind tunnel, lift coefficient)
• SBCCI SSTD 11: tile wind resistance
• TRI and FRSA installation manuals: industry installation guidance

Materials

• Clay tile: fired clay; color through the body; very long life
• Concrete tile: extruded, colored concrete; lower cost; heavier per profile
• Lightweight concrete tile: reroofing where structure is limited
• Underlayment: high-temperature self-adhered or two-ply systems; underlayment life often governs reroofing
• Fasteners and adhesives: corrosion-resistant nails, screws, clips, and foam adhesive

Detailing

• Confirm structure for tile dead load, especially when replacing lighter roofs
• Specify long-life underlayment; it is the water barrier
• Use metal valleys, head and step flashing, and pan flashing at walls and penetrations
• Provide walkways or service routes; tiles crack underfoot
• Use bird stops and eave closures; ventilate under battens in hot climates

Uses

Specific uses

• Residential roofs in warm and fire-prone regions
• Spanish, Mediterranean, and mission style buildings
• Hospitality and institutional sloped roofs
• High-wind coastal regions with tested attachment
• Historic roofs needing matched clay tile

Pros and cons

Pros

• Very long life; clay can exceed the life of the building
• Fire resistant and noncombustible
• Color and profile variety
• Ventilated air space under tiles reduces heat gain

Cons

• Heavy; may need stronger framing
• Brittle; breaks under foot traffic and impact
• Underlayment replacement needed long before tiles wear out
• Higher cost than shingles

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

• Clay formed and kiln-fired; concrete extruded and cured
• Installed on battens or direct to deck, fastened, clipped, or foam-set per wind design

Main manufacturers and suppliers

• Westlake Royal Building Products
• Eagle Roofing Products
• Ludowici

Trade association: Tile Roofing Industry Alliance.

Typical costs

• Concrete tile, installed: $7 to $18 per sq ft
• Clay tile, installed: $15 to $22 per sq ft and up
• Lightweight concrete tile, installed: $8 to $14 per sq ft

Sources

• Florida Building Commission: concrete tile product approval FL41594 (installed weights), https://floridabuilding.org/upload/PR_Tech_Docs/FL41594_R3_AE_FL41594_2024-25_ESR-2528 HVHZ.pdf
• UpCodes: 2024 IBC Chapter 15 (tile standards and wind testing), Chapter 15 Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures: Department of Defense Building Code 2024 | UpCodes
• AskDoss: tile roof cost in 2026, Tile Roof Cost 2026 | Clay Concrete & Slate Pricing
• Fox Haven Roofing: tile roof cost, South Florida 2026, Tile Roof Cost in South Florida 2026 | FoxHaven Roofing
• Tile Roofing Industry Alliance: resources, Tile Roofing Industry Alliance - Org Name
• Wikimedia Commons: Red clay roof tiles.jpg, by Aplucas0703 (CC BY 4.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_clay_roof_tiles.jpg