Clay Roof Tiles & Clay Shingles Roofing Costs

Clay Roof Tiles & Shingles

While it’s most common to find clay tile roofing on Florida roofs or California roofs, it can work with almost any design scheme. Combining one of the most traditional building materials with more modern materials like glass, metal roofing, or wood roofing makes for a unique, beautiful architectural juxtaposition that will make your home design really stand out. Additionally, clay tiles will maintain their rich, warm, earth tones for 100 years.

* There are some alternative to all natural clay roofing tiles such as faux clay tiles made in the form of concrete tile roofing and metal tile roofing.

Clay Tile Roofing Cost & Life Expectancy

• Clay Tile Roof Cost: $2.5 to $5 per square foot.
• Clay Roofing Installation Cost: $7000 to $15000 for a 1500 square foot roof.
• Life expectancy: 100+ years.
• All Natural Material.
• Class-A Fire Rated – Does Not Burn.
• Easy to Maintain
• Recyclable.
• Long Lasting.
• Possible State or Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Roof Installation

Installing a roof of clay tiles generally runs around $2.50 to $5.00 a square foot for lower-grade tiles in standard shapes and earth colors. Custom-glazed colors and custom-shaped premium clay tiles can be wildly expensive, however, adding a premium to that amount. The roofing price of your installation can also increase depending on the complexity of your roof, e.g. a steep slope, multiple levels, or skylights. It’s also important to note that these prices don’t cover the demolition and removal of any existing roof.

Though the initial investment can be quite expensive, the low life cycle costs of clay tile roofing can save you money in the long run. Clay tile roofs are impervious to insects, rot, and fire. In terms of maintenance, you won’t incur costs related to mold, stains, or color loss. Clay tile roofs have also been known to last for 100 years, so it’s likely the only roof you will ever need. You may also want to investigate the possibility of earning state or federal tax credits for upgrading to an energy efficient clay tile roof.

Clay Tile Roof Installation Cost – Labor

Clay tile roofing installation requires special tools and equipment, and it should be done by an experienced clay roof installer. The labor portion of the project will cost about $7,000 to $10,000 for a 1,500 square foot roof, but due to the complex nature of installation, don’t rely on any numbers until you’ve gotten an estimate from a clay roofing installation contractor in your area. The labor process involves installing necessary underlayment before the tiles themselves can be installed.

Unless your home is a new construction, you will need to remove your old roof and do a roof replacement. When you talk to your clay roofing contractor, make sure the estimate includes necessary permits, equipment transportation, and labor,  as well as roof removal and disposal fees.

Clay Tiles & Shingles Costs – Other Considerations

• Degree of Roof Slope for Clay Tiles: If your roof’s slope is less than 18 degrees, clay roofing tiles may not be the ideal material for your home in regards to water runoff and weight.

• Clay Tile Weight: The heaviness of tile is something to think about as you approach this project. Tiles are more than twice as heavy as asphalt shingles, so unless your home has previously had a tile roof, you will need to have your home evaluated by a structural engineer. If your home needs additional structural support, this could increase the cost of the clay roofing project by thousands of dollars.

• Clay Roofing Underlayment: One of the great things about clay tile roofs is that they last for a long time. However, the roof underlayment beneath them isn’t quite as staunch, and it will need to be replaced every 20 years. Tiles are also somewhat fragile in spite of their durability, so make sure you only allow experienced clay roof repairmen on your house, even for the most basic projects. The good news is that when it comes to maintenance, the most you’ll need to do (unless the tiles incur damage) is lightly rinse them once per year.

Clay Tile Roof Maintenance & Cleaning

Though clay tiles are very durable, be sure to inspect your roof regularly and replace roofing materials of any cracked or chipped tiles immediately. Never pressure wash your tile roof. Instead, it should be washed and buffed by hand. Consider hiring a professional  clay tile roofing cleaner who is well-versed in how to move around on a clay tile roof and will be able to quickly and easily apply primers and paints to keep your roof cool and looking great without causing any damage in the process.

Clay Roof Tiles & Energy Efficiency

Clay tiles are made from natural materials. Nearly all of the production waste–clay, water, and glaze–can be recycled and rejected or broken tiles can be crushed and reused.

Clay tiles can increase the energy efficiency of your home. Clay tiles have natural thermal resistance from the raw materials from which they are created, and, since they are installed individually, rather than in sheets or in overlapping style, the natural airspace around the tiles creates a natural ventilation that provides a thermal barrier for heat transfer to the roof deck. This Above Sheathing Ventilation(ASV) can result in greatly reduced heat flux transfer when compared to a baseline asphalt shingle. This can assist in the movement of the peak load demands by several hours, which directly benefits those living in warm climates as well as those in cold conditions.

Things to Consider With Clay Tile Roofs

Clay Tile Weight Problems:

Clay tiles are very heavy. Before investing in clay tiles, make sure that you reinforce your roof so that it can support the weight. It is also important to note that clay roofing is not suitable for a DIY project. Despite its durability, clay tile roofing is very delicate and can easily break if walked upon. If properly installed, clay roofing can last decades.

Clay Tile Fastens: 

The main problem with clay tile roofing is usually improper fastening. There are two types of fastening systems for clay tile roofing – interlocking and overlapping. Interlocking clay tiles essentially hook onto each other, while overlapping must be nailed into place as they do not have a “lip” for attachment. Make sure that you collaborate closely with your clay tile roofing contractor to ensure your fastening system is problem free from the start.

You may also be interested in some of these roof type options as well:

• Copper Roof 
• Clay Roof Tiles
• Concrete Tile Roof
• Corrugated Roof
• Foam Roof
• Hip Roof
• Metal Roof
• Rubber Roofing
• Slate Tile Roofing
• Standing Seam Metal Roof
• Steel Roof
• Tar and Gravel Roofing
• Tile Roofing
• Tin Roofs

* Use our roofing calculator to find your roof replacement costs here.