Tile Roofing

Tile roofs last 50 years or more, with some Spanish colonial tile roofs from the 1920s still working fine. They're fireproof, which matters in California where wildfires are a real concern. They handle wind well and look great with that Mediterranean or Spanish style that fits the Central Coast aesthetic.

The downsides are weight and cost. Tiles are heavy and your house needs proper framing to support them. They cost more upfront than asphalt shingles, but over the life of your house, tile is often cheaper because you never replace it.

Clay tiles are traditional and made from fired clay like pottery. They last the longest, look the most authentic, and are lighter than concrete but more expensive.

Concrete tiles are made from cement and are heavier but cheaper than clay. Both work fine for Central Coast homes. Clay is better if budget allows, while concrete is a good alternative if you want the tile look for less money.

We install both depending on your preference and budget. We can show you samples of each style and help you pick what works for your house.

This is the most important part of a tile roof. Tiles themselves are porous and don't keep water out, so the underlayment is what actually waterproofs your roof.

We use high-quality synthetic underlayment rated for 30+ years to match the life expectancy of the tiles. Cheap underlayment fails in 15-20 years, which means you have to tear off all the tiles, replace the underlayment, and reinstall tiles. That's expensive, so it's worth doing it right the first time with quality materials.

Installing tile is more complex than shingles because of the weight and individual pieces. First we make sure your roof structure can handle the weight since tiles weigh 600-900 pounds per square. Some older houses need reinforcement before we can proceed.

We install underlayment over the entire roof, which is what actually keeps water out. The tiles just protect the underlayment from sun and impact. Then we install battens or counter-battens for tiles to attach to, followed by installing tiles row by row from bottom to top with each tile overlapping the one below it.

Ridge tiles seal the peak while hip and valley tiles seal those transitions. The whole process takes 1-2 weeks for a typical house depending on size and complexity. If the framing cannot carry that weight, metal roofing is the lighter roof that still lasts for decades.

Tiles break when someone walks on them wrong, branches fall on them, or they just crack over time. Individual tiles are easy to replace since we keep common types and colors in stock. We slide out the broken tile, slide in a new one, and secure it in about ten minutes per tile.

Tiles need less maintenance than most roofing but aren't maintenance-free. Walk your roof carefully once a year to check for broken or slipped tiles and fix problems before they cause leaks. Clear debris from valleys and around penetrations. Check flashing around chimneys and skylights since that's where leaks usually start, not the tiles themselves.

Tile roofs are really heavy compared to shingles. Your house might need structural reinforcement before tile installation, which we evaluate during the estimate. Most houses built in the last 40 years in this area can handle tile, but older houses sometimes can't.

Tile roofs breathe better than solid roofing materials since air flows under the tiles and over the underlayment. That keeps your attic cooler in summer, which means lower energy bills. Light-colored tiles reflect heat better than dark tiles, but even dark tiles perform better than asphalt shingles.

Tile handles coastal conditions well since salt air doesn't hurt clay or concrete. The bigger concern is wind, so we use more fasteners and sometimes foam adhesive under tiles in coastal installations to keep them secure in strong winds.

If you want a roof you'll never replace, tile is the answer. RoofTop Company has installed and repaired hundreds of tile roofs on the Central Coast and we know what works.

Call us for an estimate. We'll assess your structure, show you options, and provide a detailed quote. Then we'll install a tile roof that outlasts everything else on your house.