Clay Tile Roof Prep Work for Installation

CLAY TILE ROOF CONNECTIONS - Clay tile roof batten layout specifications
- Clay tile roof layout and stacking for roof tiling
- Clay roof tile installation procedures, details, specifications
Questions & Answers about prep work for clay tile roofing: battens, tile stacking, tile layout.
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Clay tile roof batten guidelines: this article describes the requirements for battens on clay tile roofs, and how to stack and lay out tiles for roof installation.

Prep Work Requirements for Clay Tiled Roofs

This article describes the requirements for battens on clay tile roofs, and how to stack and lay out tiles for roof installation. This article series discusses best practices in the selection and installation of residential roofing. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons.

Also see our clay roof tile home page CLAY TILE ROOFING and see CLAY TILE ROOF STYLES, DESIGNS for detailed descriptions of different clay roof tile styles and characteristics, and see ROOFING TILE SHAPES & PROFILES for the basics of roof tile profiles and what they mean.

Batten Specifications for Clay Tiled Roofs

Tiles with projecting head lugs can be installed either directly on the deck or with the lugs fitting over pressure-treated wooden battens nailed horizontally across the roof.

Roof tile battens are typically nominal 1x2 or 1x4 lumber, but they may be larger to accommodate snow loads or unsupported spans over counterbattens.

Battens for use on clay tile roofs should be made from pressure-treated lumber except in very dry climates.

Clay tile roof battens are nailed at minimum 24 inches on-center with spaces for drainage every 48 inches. Lay out battens to provide equal courses with a minimum 3-inch head-lap, unless the tile profile is designed for a specific head-lap.

Watch out: as Smith (NRCA) pointed out, battens shimmed off of the roof deck should be supported 12" o.c. to avoid sagging. -Ed.

Fasten the roof battens with 8d galvanized nails or corrosion-resistant 1 1/2-inch 16-gauge staples with 7/16-inch crowns.

Battens under clay roofing tiles are recommended on roof slopes greater than 7:12 to provide solid anchoring and on slopes below 3:12 to minimize penetration of the underlayment. On low slopes and in areas subject to ice damming, counterbattens nailed vertically up the roof slope are also recommended to promote drainage.

Counterbattens on clay tiled roofs should be minimum 1/4 x 2 inches thick in moderate climates, 3/4 inch thick in areas subject to ice damming. When battens are nailed directly to the deck, allow a 1/2 -inch gap every 4 feet or set the battens on minimum 1/4 -inch shims placed at each nail (see Figure 2-21 above).

Layout and Stacking Specifications for Tiled Roofs

Lay out the courses so that tile exposures are equal with a head-lap of at least 3 inches (unless the tile specifies a different lap).

Snap lines on the underlayment along the top of each course or along each batten. One or more vertical lines can also be helpful in keeping the tiles aligned. Accurate layout is critical with most tile patterns.

Next, carry tiles up to the roof and distribute the weight equally across the roof, as tiles weigh as much as 10 pounds each.

Depending on the tile, stacks of about 6 to 10 tiles is workable. Our photos (above-left - DF) shows roof tiles stacked and ready for installation in Mesquite Cove AZ.

If mixing different colored tiles, arrange bundles with the correct proportions on the ground before stacking them on the roof.

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

Tile Roof Batten Options from NRCA

In the 1990's NRCA's Thomas Smith noted that a paper published in the Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Roofing Technology expressed concern for the lack of conservative roofing industry guidelines for the components of tile roofing systems in the U.S. The recommendations in the then-current NRCA Steep Roofing and Waterproofing Manual indeed included recommendations for tile roof underlayment, fasteners, and metal flashings, but Smith noted that these were "non-conservative" for many areas in the United States (and other locations of challenging weather).

Smith posed some interim batten options to improve the life of tile roof systems, including

Except in hot and dry areas (U.S. desert Southwest for example) use preservative treated battens (as recommended above by Bliss);
Use treated wood for ridge and hop nailers
Use treated wood for strips into which tiles are fastened;
Wood treatment should comply with AWPA Standards C2 and P5 or AWPB LP-2
Use battens 4 feet long with a space of 1/2" between ends of each batten to provide a drainage path for water that passes through the tiles to the underlayment, or provide kerf cuts about 1/4" wide at 2" on center [presumably on the bottom surface of all battens - Ed.] - or
Spacers (shims) can be placed between batten and roof underlayment to hold the batten off of the roof surface using spacers constructed of 2" squares of asphalt shingles or treated wood lath, 12" on center to avoid batten sagging

Resources: Roofing Materials & Equipment Suppliers

Manufacturers

Concrete Roof Tiles

Bartile Roofs www.bartile.com

Eagle Roofing Products www.eagleroofing.com

Entegra Roof Tile www.entegra.com MonierLifetile www.monierlifetile.com

Vande Hey-Raleigh www.vhr-roof-tile.com

Westile www.westile.com

Clay Roof Tiles

Altusa, Clay Forever LLC www.altusa.com

Ludowici Roof Tile www.ludowici.com

MCA Clay Tile www.mca-tile.com

U.S. Tile Co. www.ustile.com

Tile Fasteners and Adhesives

Dow Building Products www.dow.com/buildingproducts Tile Bond polyurethane foam tile adhesive

Fomo Products www.fomo.com Handi-Stick polyurethane foam tile adhesive

Newport Fastener www.newportfastener.com Twisted wire systems, hurricane clips, nose clips, and the Tyle-Tye TileNail

OSI Sealants www.osisealants.com RT 600 synthetic rubber tile adhesive

Polyfoam Products www.polyfoam.cc Polyset and Polyset One polyurethane foam tile adhesives

Wire works, Inc. www.wireworks-inc.com Tile hooks, hook nails, copper and stainless-steel nails

More Information about Roofing Materials, Methods, Standards

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) www.asphaltroofing.org

Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau www.cedarbureau.org

Metal Roofing Alliance www.metalroofing.com

Tile Roofing Institute www.tileroofing.org

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-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

ARMA - Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer's Association - http://www.asphaltroofing.org/
750 National Press Building, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20045, Tel: 202 / 207-0917
ASTM - ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959 USA The ASTM standards listed below can be purchased in fulltext directly from http://www.astm.org/
NRCA - National Roofing Contractors Association - http://www.nrca.net/, 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 600, Rosemont, IL 60018-5607, Tel: (847) 299-9070 Fax: (847) 299-1183
"Design for Long-Lasting Tile Roof Systems", Thomas L.Smith, AIA, CRC, PRofessional Roofing, [ca 1998 Date pending], p. 54
UL - Underwriters Laboratories - http://www.ul.com/
2600 N.W. Lake Rd.
Camas, WA 98607-8542
Tel: 1.877.854.3577 / Fax: 1.360.817.6278 E-mail: cec.us@us.ul.com

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The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

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Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for this article. All rights and contents are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
Architectural elements: the technological revolution: Galvanized iron roof plates and corrugated sheets; cast iron facades, columns, door and window caps, ... (American historical catalog collection), Diana S Waite, available used out of Amazon.
Asphalt Roofing Residential Manual,
Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
Built-Up Roof Systems, Manual, C.W. Griffin, Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (July 1982), ISBN-10: 0070247838, ISBN-13: 978-0070247833
Concrete Folded Plate Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author), Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998, ISBN-10: 0340662662, ISBN-13: 978-0340662663
Concrete Shell Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author),
Concrete Dome Roofs (Longman Concrete Design and Construction Series),
Concrete Roofing Tile, History of the, Batsford, 1959, AISN B000HLLOUC (availble used)
Copper Roofing, by CDA
Copper Roofing, Master specifications for copper roofing and sheet metal work in building construction: Institutional, commercial, industrial, I.E. Anderson, 1961 (hard to find)
Corrugated Iron, Building on the Frontier, Simon Holloway
Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design Construction methods for new and existing buildings Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection Details on optimal soil formulation Illustrations featuring various stages of construction Best practices for green roof maintenance A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality Tips on the LEED design and certification process Considerations for assessing return on investment Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs Useful checklists, tables, and charts
Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
Historic Slate Roofs : With How-to Info and Specifications, Tina Skinner (Ed), Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN-10: 0764330012 , ISBN-13: 978-0764330018
Low Slope Roofing, Manual of, 4th Ed., C.W. Griffin, Richard Fricklas, McGraw-Hill Professional; 4 edition, 2006, ISBN-10: 007145828X, ISBN-13: 978-0071458283
- Roof failure causes in depth (and specific methods for avoiding them)
- Roof design fundamentals and flourishes, based on voluminous industry research and experience
- New technologies and materials -- using them safely and correctly
- Comprehensive coverage of all major roofing systems pecifications, inspection, and maintenance tools for roofing work
Metal Roofing, an Illustrated Guide, R.A. Knowlton , [metal shingle roofs],
Patio Roofs, how to build, Sunset Books
Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
Roof Tiling & Slating, a Practical Guide, Kevin Taylor, Crowood Press (2008), ISBN 978-1847970237,
If you have never fixed a roof tile or slate before but have wondered how to go about repairing or replacing them, then this is the book for you. Many of the technical books about roof tiling and slating are rather vague and conveniently ignore some of the trickier problems and how they can be resolved. In Roof Tiling and Slating, the author rejects this cautious approach. Kevin Taylor uses both his extensive knowledge of the trade and his ability to explain the subject in easily understandable terms, to demonstrate how to carry out the work safely to a high standard, using tried and tested methods.
This clay roof tile guide considers the various types of tiles, slates, and roofing materials on the market as well as their uses, how to estimate the required quantities, and where to buy them. It also discusses how to check and assess a roof and how to identify and rectify problems; describes how to efficiently "set out" roofs from small, simple jobs to larger and more complicated projects, thus making the work quicker, simpler, and neater; examines the correct and the incorrect ways of installing background materials such as underlay, battens, and valley liners; explains how to install interlocking tiles, plain tiles, and artificial and natural slates; covers both modern and traditional methods and skills, including cutting materials by hand without the assistance of power tools; and provides invaluable guidance on repairs and maintenance issues, and highlights common mistakes and how they can be avoided. The author, Kevin Taylor, works for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors as a technical manager presenting technical advice and providing education and training for young roofers.
The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
Slate Roofing in Canada (Studi4es in archaeology, architecture, and history),
Smart Guide: Roofing: Step-by-Step Projects, Creative Homeowner (Ed), 2004, ISBN-10: 1580111491, ISBN-13: 978-1580111492
Solar heating, radiative cooling and thermal movement: Their effects on built-up roofing (United States. National Bureau of Standards. Technical note), William C Cullen, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off (1963), ASIN: B0007FTV2Q
Tile Roofs of Alfred: A Clay Tradition in Alfred NY
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Wood Shingle Roofs, Care and Maintenance of wood shingle and shake roofs (EC), Stanley S. Niemiec (out of print)
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