Choosing Clay Tile For Your Home
There's nothing that evokes a sense of history, of romance and old world adventure more than a clay tile roof. Both relaxing and dignified, it's the perfect finish for a number of architectural styles, from Mediterranean and Spanish to Japanese, and is found on homes and offices from Boston to California. Although various shades of terra cotta are by far the most popular, clay roof tile comes in a surprising array of colors, and designers have even successfully mixed colors to dramatic effect.
 The use of clay tiles for roofing has a long history, going back to ancient China, Rome and Greece. It's used commonly in the Mediterranean today and throughout Spain, and in Florida and the US Southwest, as it both reflects and holds in solar heat. Designers can choose from various styles, including flat, interlocking Roman tiles, barrel, rectangular barrel, s-curved, and Italian tiles, to name a few.
Clay tiles are formed, then dried completely for up to four days. Perfect tiles are then kiln heated for many more days. As the tiles are handmade in this way, they can appear to cost more than shingles or metal roofs. But their beauty and durability more than make up for the price and keeps them an enduring popular choice. Color can come naturally from the clay the tiles are made from, producing vibrant reds, red-oranges, and various earth tones, or the tiles can be glazed to make them black, white, yellow, silver, green or blue. It's easy to find a style and color to match any building, whether residential, or professional, and a clay tile roof goes well with a variety of building materials.
When buying clay roof tile, look for lead-free tiles that come with at least a 50 year warranty, and try to get tiles that can resist salt, ice and rain, especially if you live up north. Quality tile should be able to hold its color and be durable for the entirety of its life. When making your final budget, remember to include all the material you'll need, the transportation involved as well as labor and installation costs. As tile installation varies from other roofing, it's important to have a licensed roofer experienced with tile to install your new roof. It will both look better when installed by a tile roofer, an save you expensive repair costs down the line.
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