Types and characteristics of ceramic tiles, advantages and disadvantages - why has this roof been trusted for thousands of years? Flat tiles: laying Flat tiles

Ceramic tiles are a natural roofing material that can make a home not only more attractive, but also prestigious, because due to its high cost This type of roofing is not available to everyone. At the same time, ceramic tiles provide reliable roofing for a very long time.

Characteristics and types of ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are a durable roofing material due to their high performance characteristics, which are provided by high quality feedstock and well-established manufacturing technology.

Features of production, composition and structure

At the core ceramic tiles there is clay. For production, only fatty and refractory types of clay are used. The production process itself consists of the formation of elements, their drying and further firing.

Roofing tiles are made from special types of clay and last at least 100 years

Ceramic tiles can be sold in both in kind, and be covered with a special protective glaze, which is made from glass or engobe - a special clay mass.

A well-made product has a fairly dense structure and a reddish-brown tint.

Video: handmade ceramic tiles

Technical characteristics and dimensions of the material

Ceramic tiles have standardized parameters:

• dimensions - 24x39 cm or 33x42 cm (depending on the manufacturer);
• weight - 40–70 kg/m2 (when calculating the total weight of the roofing structure, it is necessary to take into account its increase due to the use continuous sheathing and strengthening the rafter system).

The standard that regulates the production of ceramic tiles allows for chips or curvatures, but not more than 3 mm, and also differs from standard width and heights by 3 mm and 5 mm, respectively.

Natural tiles have a high specific gravity, That's why rafter system it needs to be strengthened

The technical characteristics of ceramic tiles distinguish them from most other roofing materials.

1. The service life of roofing tiles reaches one hundred years, but subject to compliance with the rules of transportation, installation and maintenance.
2. Due to the nature of production, ceramic tiles are absolutely fireproof. During manufacturing, the material is fired in a furnace at a temperature of about 1000 o C, so such a roof will not burn even if the flame engulfs all the walls and ceilings.
3. The roofing tiles are highly durable and can withstand significant mechanical loads, such as snow, so they can be laid in any terrain. But at the same time, this material is quite fragile, so in order for the roof to withstand the stated loads, it must be properly transported and laid.
4. Tile roofing is resistant to frost. It is valued not so much for its ability to maintain its performance properties during negative temperatures, how much for the property of a material not to be damaged as a result of repeated freezing and thawing.

The appearance of ceramic tiles is very specific. Parts may have several modifications:

Untreated ceramic tiles are brownish-red in color. To expand the color range, special glazes are used that can create a colored film on the surface of the tiles. It, in turn, can be glossy or matte.

Some manufacturers are able to produce two-color ceramic tiles, which look very unusual.

Advantages and disadvantages

In addition to the fact that ceramic tiles look very presentable, they have other advantages:

Despite a large number of There are still advantages and disadvantages of ceramic tiles and they cannot be ignored when choosing a roofing material:

• large mass, which requires strengthening the rafter system, which increases installation costs;
• the high cost of the material itself and components for such a roof;
• difficulty in transportation (ceramic tiles can withstand high temperatures and acid, but are easily scratched during transportation);
• fragility (hail and strong winds can damage the tiles);
• the need to arrange a roof with a large angle of inclination, which is not always appropriate.

Types of ceramic tiles

On construction market There are three main types of ceramic tiles.

1. Natural. This type of material has a matte surface. The color is always the same - red-brown due to the presence of a large amount of iron in the clay, which gives it this shade during the firing process. Over time, color may change due to further oxidation of iron. The tiles are covered with a patina, which not only makes the material greenish-gray, but also increases its strength. It is recommended to choose natural tiles if you want your house to resemble a medieval castle.

   Natural ceramic tiles have a matte red-brown surface

2. Engobed. Before firing, this type of tile is covered with a mixture of water, powdered clay and dyes, and the color does not appear immediately, but only after the end of exposure high temperature. Angobe tiles are ideal for decorating a site in a classic or rustic style. It does not fade or crack over time.

   Angobe tiles are coated with a mixture of water and powdered clay before firing, so they have a special color that appears after heat treatment

3. Glazed. Glaze is a glassy substance that is applied to the tiles before firing. When exposed to high temperatures, it hardens, making the surface of the tiles glossy. This type of material has a more aesthetic appearance and better waterproofing properties. The processing method allows you to give the coating any color.

   Glazed tiles can have any color, which is determined by the composition of the coating used

Roofing pie for a ceramic tile roof

High-quality installation of a roof made of ceramic tiles is only possible if all layers of the roofing pie are present. For ceramic tiles, it has the following design.

1. Rafter system.
2. Vapor barrier. Retains vapors from living quarters and does not allow them to reach the insulation. It is attached with an overlap of 10 cm vertically and horizontally. It is recommended to glue the overlaps with special insulating tape, and secure the material itself with slats.
3. Thermal insulation. Insulation must be laid between the rafters, while minimum thickness material should be 150 mm. Mineral or glass wool can be laid under ceramic tiles.
4. Waterproofing. Protects insulation from external moisture and condensation. Depending on type waterproofing material a ventilation gap may be required. Using waterproofing film with microperforation between the insulation and waterproofing, you need to leave a space of 2–4 cm. When laying super-diffuse film, a ventilation space is not needed.
5. Lathing and counter-lattice. These elements provide a ventilation gap in the under-roof space, which prevents the formation of condensation under the tiles.

The roofing pie for ceramic tiles has a traditional structure, but the large weight of the material requires mandatory reinforcement of the rafter system

Tools and materials

No special tools are needed to install ceramic tiles. The parts are produced with special holes for self-tapping screws, through which you need to attach the tiles to the sheathing. Therefore, before laying the roof, you need to prepare a screwdriver, a building level and grinder with a stone disc for cutting elements.

Material calculation

Very important stage is to calculate the required quantity of ceramic tiles. When calculating, you need to take into account:

• the overlap with which the material is laid - it depends on the angle of inclination;
• useful length of material (from total length tiles need to subtract the overlap size);
• usable width (indicated in technical documentation).

The calculation process itself occurs in the following sequence.

1. The number of parts in a horizontal row is determined. To do this, the length of the roof must be divided by the usable width. For example, if the length of the roof is 6 m, and the useful width of the tiles is 30 cm, then 600 / 30 = 20 elements of ceramic tiles will be needed for one horizontal row.
2. The number of rows is calculated. To do this, the roof height must be divided by the usable length. For example, let the length of the roof be 5 m, its inclination angle is 25 degrees, and the amount of overlap is 7.5 cm. Then the length of the tiles taking into account the overlap (useful length) is 42 - 7.5 = 34.5 cm, and the number of rows - 500 / 34.5=15 (the value is always rounded up).
3. Knowing the number of rows and the number of elements in each row, you can calculate general need in material: 15 ∙ 20=300 pcs. To this amount you need to add 10% for fighting and cutting. Thus, to cover the roof in question, 300 ∙ 1.1 = 330 elements of ceramic tiles will be required.

How many fasteners will be needed?

To fasten the tiles, you can use galvanized screws or special clamps. Not every part of the coating needs to be fastened. It is necessary to record:

• the bottom row, which runs along the cornice;
• row along the pediment;
• row along the ridge;
• tiles in a checkerboard pattern - if the roof slope is more than 50 o.

The amount of fasteners will be equal to the number of tile roof parts that need to be fixed.

To fasten ceramic tiles you need to use galvanized screws

Features of installation of ceramic tiles

The process of installing a ceramic tile roof consists of several stages.

Sheathing device

The sheathing and rafter system for a roof made of ceramic tiles must be reinforced, so it is very important to make the calculation correctly.

It is necessary to take into account the considerable weight of the material (on average 40 kg per 1 m 2 of roof). To this value it is necessary to add snow load. For rafter legs it is not necessary to take a thick beam; you can simply reduce the installation step. To install a roof under ceramic tiles, it is recommended to choose timber with a cross-section of 75*150 mm, while the pitch between the rafters cannot be more than 90 cm (it is better to reduce it to 60 cm).

The sheathing pitch must be equal to the useful length of the tiles

For lathing, you can use 50x50 mm or 40x60 mm bars. It must be borne in mind that the bars that will be located along the eaves in the future should be about 15–20 mm wider than the others. The number of rows of sheathing should be equal to the number of rows of tiles.

How to lay tiles correctly

The peculiarity of laying the material is that to prevent destruction of the rafter system and sheathing from significant movements, all roofing material must be lifted onto the roof at once. But at the same time, there should be several boxes with tiles and they should be evenly distributed over the entire roof.

The process of installing ceramic tiles is carried out in several stages.

Video: installation instructions for ceramic tiles

Installation of additional elements

Installation of additional elements is necessary only after all the tiles have been fixed.

Video: installation of the valley and ridge element

Installation errors

Errors in working with ceramic tiles can occur as a result of little experience. The following problems are considered the most common.

1. Different laying steps on roof slopes. The presence of this error can be determined visually. The tile elements will be positioned unevenly, and there may be gaps through which moisture can easily penetrate into the under-roof space.
2. Strong attraction of fasteners to the sheathing. Such actions can lead to destruction of the material due to the formation of tension during the cold season.
3. The roof slope is too low. It must be at least 22 o for interlocking roofing and 35 o for non-interlocking shingles and beavertail elements.
4. The use of large-format tiles for arranging roofs of complex shapes. In this case, the parts need to be cut, which increases the amount of waste and complicates the installation itself.
5. Use of low-quality accessories. The service life of ceramic tiles is about 100 years. This means that everything additional elements, for example, screws or adhesive tapes must also last the same amount of time, otherwise repairs cannot be avoided.

Maintenance of the finished roof

The service life of the material also depends on proper care. Ceramic tiles are not picky in this matter. Most stains and dirt from the surface of such a roof can be easily removed with rainwater. If stains still remain (this usually happens if the house is located near any businesses), it is recommended to use special cleaning products. The use of hard brushes is allowed, but when cleaning glazed and engobed tiles you need to be extremely careful.

Material life

Ceramic tiles can withstand about 1000 cycles of freezing and re-thawing, which indicates that the material can be used for at least 100 years. Although manufacturers do not risk providing such a guarantee for their material. As a rule, the accompanying documents indicate a figure of 35 years.

To ensure the maximum service life of ceramic tiles, they must not only be installed correctly, but also carefully maintained and the roof repaired in a timely manner.

Ceramic tile roof repair

The main reason for roof repairs is improper installation of tile plates, which causes them to withstand significant loads for which they are not designed. As a rule, repairing a ceramic tile roof involves replacing damaged elements. This must be done in the following sequence.

Ceramic roof coverings are considered the oldest of all roofing materials. Natural tiles are made from clay, which is specially prepared and mixed with various materials. This allows us to talk about the high environmental friendliness of the coating and its good performance durability.

Production

Natural ceramic tiles are made from ordinary pottery clay (Creaton, Erlus, Tondach). This natural mineral perfectly tolerates exposure to water and temperature changes. But pure clay is not flexible, so to give it elasticity, various synthetic substances are added to the powder. There are two production options ceramic panels:

1. Tape. The finished clay mixture is poured into a large flat mold, which is processed using pressure and high temperature. Afterwards, the resulting slab (or strip) moves along the rolling table and is cut. This production is characterized by high speed, so this type of tile production is most often used in factories;
2. Stamping. This is a slightly different system. A large number of molds or stamps are used into which the clay mixture is poured. After pouring, it is processed in an oven. Next, the stamps are pressed. This allows you to create tiles with an interesting texture or unusual wave. Such tiles are more expensive than strip tiles, but they are distinguished by their beauty and durability.

Another variety natural tiles is cement-sand (Sea Wave, Irta, Coppo). Like clay, it has excellent technical characteristics and is environmentally friendly, but at the same time, it costs an order of magnitude cheaper than ceramic. Such roofing materials are made from a mixture of concrete and colored polymer pigments. Externally, these panels are practically indistinguishable from clay ones, but they are much cheaper. It should be noted that concrete and clay have almost identical compositions. The only difference is that the clay to obtain high hardness must be fired in a kiln at a temperature of 1000 degrees, and concrete - 600.

Types of natural tiles:

Advantages and disadvantages

Not every home can be covered with ceramic or concrete natural tiles. The fact is that its main disadvantage is its high weight. For ceramic panels it can reach up to 70 kg per 1 square meter. This can affect the stability of the entire structure (especially if the foundation is pillar or pile). At the same time, metal tiles weigh up to 20–30 kilograms per square meter.

One more significant drawback is that installation of the coating can only be done panel by panel. For example, if soft tiles For flat roof laid in layers, then ceramic or concrete is attached to one panel at a time. You will also need to use special fasteners for installation. These should be long enough construction nails. For example, as for slate – 100 or 200.

Also, for this type of installation roofing a special rafter design is required. They must be reinforced, otherwise the beams will not withstand the pressure and the walls will begin to deform. This is very important point, which must be calculated at the building design stage.

Advantages of using natural tiles:

1. Of all types of roofing, this is the only one that allows the roof to “breathe.” Accordingly, much less condensation collects. This is useful for buildings located near bodies of water;
2. This roof is very reliable. It can withstand not only various atmospheric precipitations, but also physical influences. A particularly well-known quality is its resistance to wind – metal sheets often break down while more natural than panel No;
3. Durability up to 100 years. At home with ceramic coating can be used for up to 100 years without worrying about covering. Of course, the master recommends updating ceramic or cement tiles every 10 years, but this is not a critical requirement;
4. This type of tile does not age. Clay and cement do not lose their aesthetic properties from exposure to sunlight. This is very important, because often dull color becomes one of the reasons for replacing the roofing;
5. It can be installed without special equipment. All you need is a hammer, nails, a level;
6. Ceramics and concrete have excellent sound insulation qualities. Siding, metal tiles and other similar materials make a lot of noise when it rains. Ceramic or concrete tiles practically do not make any sounds. This is especially true when designing a residential attic.

Installation

Video instructions for installing natural BRAAS tiles

Step-by-step instructions on how to install a roof made from natural Braas tiles:

Price overview

You can buy natural tiles in almost every city; their price depends on the specific manufacturer and the types of this roofing material. The coating is sold both from the manufacturer and in company stores.

You will be interested to know that in our advanced digital age, when roofs are made using almost nano-technologies, most buildings in Europe are still covered with real, environmentally friendly tiles. Amazing, isn't it? And there are reasons for this! Ceramic tiles on the roof of a house are rightfully considered an aristocratic choice; they serve faithfully for at least 100 years and are resistant to any weather.

In fact, tiles made from ordinary clay are the embodiment of centuries-old craft traditions, our history. Which is no worse modern materials made of metal or bitumen, and, thanks to the possibility of producing shards of different shapes and designs, it is also not inferior in decorativeness!

And if before this time, in the process of choosing a roofing material, you did not like either metal, shingles, or euro slate, think about it: perhaps you were looking for exactly this option?

Let's look at why ceramic tiles are so good, their pros and cons, and the features of use as a roofing covering for private construction.

Clay tiles: centuries-old traditions and modern technologies

Clay tiles are one of the oldest and finest roofing materials used throughout the world. And today it is one of the best and most reliable roofing coverings. Considering that modern ceramic tiles, unlike the experience of previous generations, are made using a completely different technology.

Cement-sand tiles were first invented and produced back in the 18th century in Bavaria. This roof covering was made manually, and although the technology itself is quite similar to modern technology.

This is what the production of real ceramic tiles looks like:

IN tunnel kilns tiles go through three stages:

1. Warming up to 120°. At this moment, physically bound moisture leaves the still wet plates, and the clay material loses its plasticity.
2. Firing at temperatures up to 900°. Here, when the temperature reaches from 450 to 600 degrees, all the bound moisture in the shards finally evaporates, and all the tiles acquire their rigidity. The hotter it gets, the faster inorganic impurities burn and the plasticity of the ceramics is lost. And once the threshold of 800°C is exceeded, the surface strength of the plate increases.
3. When reaching 1000 degrees Celsius, a low-melting mineral melts in the tiles. The joints envelop and pull together less fusible particles, causing the shingles to settle and compact.

After the oven, the tiles are cooled, and the roofing material acquires its water resistance and strength. The finished ceramic tiles are carefully inspected by specialists, who reject them, mark them and send them to the product warehouse.

And at the same time, the main point of checking tiles remains, as hundreds of years ago, tapping metal object on the plates - they should produce a ringing and clear sound.

Types of tile profiles: style and practicality

Modern ceramic tiles please not only with their environmental friendliness and color, but also with their style diversity. The whole secret of this or that design is in the profile, and we will now look at what they are:

• Low profile shingles have a flat section for water drainage and an internal lock. On the roof, such tiles have a slightly wavy appearance. This one, for example, is produced by Koramic.
• Wave tiles with a lock are distinguished by the presence of a concave drainage part and a curved arched surface of the other part.
• Gutter shingles have an internal interlock and a flat water trough, like a cross between flat and low profile shingles.
• Smooth tiles with a concave drainage section that gives the most beautiful wave-like appearance.
• Roof tiles with internal lock has a central rib, which gives the tiles special mechanical strength. A separate type is tiles with smooth surface and internal lock.
• Roman interlocking tiles immediately stand out among others thanks to their arched shape, which is considered typical of Mediterranean architecture. Even more aesthetically pleasing are tiles with a double arch, which are more economical due to the presence of two waves on the tile.
• Nunk-munn, or “monk-nun.” A true classic! But you will be surprised to learn that the “monk-nun” in Europe is no longer used for private house construction, but for the restoration of historical objects.
• For the roofs of ordinary houses, Mediterranean tiles are usually used - they look as if they have been lying on the roof under the scorching sun for at least 100 years.
• The Romanesque profile, which originated from the Roman, but is also classified as Mediterranean, is considered especially stylish.

Here's what all these types of ceramic tiles look like in real life:

Where do all these species come from? It's all about architectural trends, because graceful curves were once considered the height of excellence roofing elements and ornate decorations.

But today designers strive for purity and strict lines in everything, in order to somehow give comfort to the building among the surrounding chaos and oversaturation. And therefore, the classic flat profile of ceramic tiles is at the height of fashion today.

By the way, if in the process of searching for a nice tile for own home you'll stumble upon unusual shape, which is not included in any classification at all - don’t be surprised, modern manufacturers like to pamper their customers with such “goodies”.

Color and design: what is the secret of manufacturers

The real, original color of ceramic tiles is brick, otherwise called terracotta. In catalogs of modern tiles you will also find it under the term “natural red”.

But clay for the production of tiles is mined in the most different places, and even in the same area it has completely different shades on different depths. As a result, the fired shards have a shade from yellow-terracotta to almost crimson.

And even more: you will hardly find samples even approximately similar in shade from different manufacturers, because the term terracotta actually means a whole range of shades. Some companies even offer a whole mix of shades of terracotta, especially since it is fashionable, and the color seems to play on such a roof.

If we talk about the natural coating of tiles, today two types of firing of ceramic tiles are practiced: oxidized and reduced. And the main shade of the tile depends on the choice of one type or another. The difference between them is what kind of gas is used during firing - natural or oxygen.

In oxidized firing, oxygen is supplied in large volumes, which gives natural tiles the famous reddish tint, and in the process of reduction firing, iron lowers its valency and colors the tiles brownish and black.

All this happens in special ovens where there is no air at all. But in the case of reduction firing, oxygen is drawn out of the iron oxide.

The firing of roofing tiles itself is a rather lengthy process, and this is at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius. After this, the tiles are cooled and packaged.

If the firing was restorative, then the tiles will have a non-uniform color, because even in a quarry the clay is often non-uniform, although this is precisely the feature that is in fashion today. But with restorative firing, the color of the tiles can easily be changed towards darker shades.

Additional coating: engobing and glazing

Before ceramic tiles are sent for firing, they are, at the request of the manufacturer, subjected to additional processing or left completely natural (such tiles are also in demand).

If they want to get exactly red tiles as a result, then they do not process them with anything additional, so as not to disrupt the process of formation of iron oxides, which is what they produce. beautiful shade. But, if without losing environmental friendliness and quality, you want to achieve something else unusual design, here they resort to tricks.

So, a time-tested reliable method is engobing. Here white clay is mixed with water and colored clay or mineral pigments are added to it.

As a result, engobed tiles do not crack over time, do not fade over time, and retain their strength throughout their entire existence. After all, engobe is also clay, and therefore, with temperature changes, both the coating and the tiles contract and expand equally:

Another method of painting tiles is the wet asphalt effect. It is achieved if a glassy mass is added during the baking process of the engobe, and general coverage turns out to be of particularly high quality.

Another good way change the color of the tiles - glazing. Here, the tiles are coated with a powdery material that, when fired, gives them an elegant glass-like surface. The whole secret is in the metal ions that are included in this glaze.

As a result, glazed tiles are perfectly protected from pores and look like new. Any rain instantly washes away streams of dirt from it and restores its shine. Even after decades, glazed ceramic tiles look like new.

By the way, engobe is completely resistant to ultraviolet rays, therefore, as the manufacturer promises, even after 80 years such tiles will have a beautiful appearance. brown. And the most interesting thing is that before firing, such tiles look blue in color!

Unfortunately, sometimes manufacturers are cunning and pass off as a glaze a high-quality engobe, which has a high glass content. But real glaze in the right sense is a pure glassy mass and a two-stage production process. That's why it's more expensive, and that's why it's so bright and beautiful in color.

See how unique the product is when you use environmentally friendly materials and modern technologies:

Engobe allows you to make the surface of ceramic tiles more dense, and the fired pores are slightly closed. Those. The ability to absorb water and release it is still there, but less so.

If the tiles are glazed, they are completely sealed and no longer absorb moisture at all. This is why growths do not form on glazed ceramic tiles, because they still need at least a small amount of moisture.

There is also this approach. If the amount of sand in the manufacture of tiles is more than 40%, then during firing a glassy surface is formed - a glaze.

If pure crushed glass with pigment, or pure quartz sand is applied to the surface, then the firing process produces thin glass on top of the tiles, which not only reflects light rays, but refracts them. This allows you to change the shade of your roof depending on where the sun is! This is called "toplasure".

Little secrets. The following also help to give the desired shade to the tiles:

• The manganese contained in the final color gives the shingles a dark brown color;
• Iron and lime make the tiles light yellow;
• Addition of the mineral magnetite produces a light red color.

Thanks to the appearance of engobe and glaze color palette real ceramic tiles today have expanded to several dozen shades!

Ceramics as a roofing covering: advantages and disadvantages

Both new and old tiles look great on the roof. At the same time, modern tiles have locks that determine the progress of laying the coating. The only disappointing thing is that all the clay for ceramic tiles is brought from abroad; in our country it is not mined for this purpose.

And in order to choose really high-quality modern tiles for your roof, focus on these 6 points when purchasing:

Now let's talk about the disadvantages of ceramic tiles.

Yeah, it's really heavy. The weight of one shard, depending on the manufacturer, ranges from 1.8 to 3.8 kg, which is why one square meter of coating ultimately weighs from 30 to 65 kg. All this creates a serious load on the roof, and therefore the rafter system has to be built stronger, and the final estimate comes out completely differently.

In addition, if you hire professional roofers, their labor will cost a little more than if they were working with thin metal or bitumen sheets.

And finally, a heavy roof creates a certain load on the foundation and walls of the house, which must be taken into account at the design stage.

Types of modern ceramic tiles

Basically, ceramic tiles today are produced in the following types: stamped, which is also divided into grooved, molded and grooved.

Stamped tiles: emphasis on style

Stamped varieties are Dutch, Marseilles, Munch-Nunn and S-shaped. Stamped tiles also include ridge tiles as a separate type.

Molded tiles: classic traditions

The next type of ceramic tile is strip tile. It is also called tile plastic molding. It was relatively recently that the most beautiful types of tiles were born.

A separate type of it is semi-dry pressed tiles; this is how flat tiles with a “beaver tail” profile are produced.

Groove tiles: for special roofs

Groove tiles have a larger surface area and a more complex profiled shape. You will recognize it by the presence of closures that form a lock. And it, in turn, facilitates the connection of tile elements during installation, and also increases the tightness of the entire roof.

Another beautiful view tiles - Mediterranean. These are made in southern countries, always with a big wave and look as if they had been lying on the roof for decades.

Often, even before installation, problems arise when the length of the tiles does not correspond to the distance between the sheathing bars that have already been installed. Then these types of plates come to the rescue, which allow shift along the length, and this ensures problem-free installation:

By the way, the appearance of such locks on tiles caused a real revolution among roofing materials! After all, locks not only greatly facilitated installation and enhanced the sealing of the entire roof covering, but also perform additional function water drainage.

As a result, such tiles can be laid like a movable construction set, with different pitches:

Such tiles are simply remarkable in that they can be “moved” vertically and there is no need to cut off the upper or lower shards!

Special tiles: for visual effect

And finally, let's look at individual species tiles that are still produced in addition to the ordinary ones intended only for stingrays:

• Ridge tiles, as the name suggests, is laid on the ridge. They also produce decorative ones, with rooster figures.
• Side end or pediment, needed for arrangement gable overhangs roofs. It is divided into right-sided, left-sided and universal.
• Support tiles needed for installation near chimney bridges and steps, as well as for snow retainers.
• Ventilation tiles provides ventilation inside the slopes. She has the most different shape, but they always lay it where the ventilation gap is interrupted, i.e. near hatches or windows. It is also necessary where the roof has a large area, because natural ventilation through cracks in the ridge is usually not enough.
• Tee or double for connecting skates. Needed where ribs or skates meet.
• Cross, serves to connect the ribs hip roof, where there are no skates at all.
• End and start ridge tiles, which will help to beautifully decorate the edges. The ridge cap is needed to completely close ridge tiles on a skate.
• Antenna attachment pass-through tiles are necessary in order to correctly extend the antenna. There is also a separate ventilation nozzle for the passage tiles, which is needed for sewer risers and channels.

The consumption of ordinary tiles is about 10 pieces per square meter, additional ones - depending on the complexity of the roof itself.

There is also a type such as transparent tiles made of acrylic glass or plexiglass to create daylight under the roof. This replaces part of the natural tiles.

Review of popular brands: market diversity

Ceramic tiles are produced by many brands in several collections:

Also pay attention to the German ceramic tiles Laumans:

And finally, let’s touch on the issue of installing ceramic tiles.

Those who have never encountered working with such materials are worried about how exactly they will lift heavy shards onto the roof, how to work with them, and how to properly distribute the load. In fact, there is also a simple and time-tested technology here:

You have already seen that for many centuries the craftsmen worked for a reason, carefully creating each shard by hand, and covered the roofs of their houses in the best traditions of their area. This is exactly how houses are built, in which both grandchildren and great-grandchildren then live with pleasure!

Nowadays a beautiful, spectacular roof made from first-class materials is business card home and can say a lot about the status of its owners, for example, a roof made of natural tiles. This classic coating time-tested, associated with quality, durability and good taste.

Ceramic and cement tiles - what's the difference?

They are made from natural materials: ceramic from clay, cement from Portland cement and quartz sand. The significant weight of both materials requires the construction of a strong frame for its installation, and it must also be taken into account in the calculations when designing building structures.

For high-quality installation tiles, you will need the services of a specialist in laying tile roofing. Both ceramic and cement tiles can be used on any type of roof, including those with a complex configuration.

How long will it last?

Ceramic tiles are rightfully considered the most durable material— its service life is 150 years. At the same time, it does not lose its performance properties, and its appearance with the appearance of patina “with age” only adds aesthetic charm. Less beneficial in this regard are cement tiles, which do not have the effect of aging, and their age is limited to 70-100 years, which, however, is not so little.

According to technology, the ideal roof slope angle for ceramic tiles is 22-45 degrees, for cement tiles - 22-60 degrees. If it is necessary to lay it on steeper slopes, it is necessary to attach each element separately to the sheathing.

Types of tiles

Munch-nunn(“monk-nun”) consists of a concave and a convex element. First, “nun” elements are laid on the base from the ridge to the canopy, which create concave gutters. The places where they connect are covered with 5-8 centimeter overlaps with convex “monk” tiles.

Installed in a coronal manner. It is used on curved surfaces and is easy to install; it is a classic tile roofing system.

A complex shaped roof can be laid groove tiles. Its elements, thanks to the “tolerances” on the locks, can be moved apart relative to each other, allowing freer installation on curved surfaces.

When laying tiles, per 1 sq. m of surface there are 13 elements of ceramic groove tiles, 10 cement or 40 flat. There are also large-format tiles, the dimensions of which allow you to lay 11 pieces per 2 sq.m.

For installation on conical roofs, there are so-called roofing wedges, which allow you to adjust the roof covering to a complex roof shape.
Cement tiles can be single (S-shaped Dutch) or double.

How much does a natural tile roof weigh?

1 sq. m. ceramic tiles can weigh from 39 to 72 kg, cement tiles - 45 kg. This creates a significant burden on load-bearing structure roofs. In addition, the method of laying the tiles also matters. The most popular - flat tiles - are also the heaviest of roofing coverings.

The advantages of a heavy roof are its ability to suppress noise and withstand strong winds. If the tiles are laid correctly, its individual elements during strong wind“behave” like keys: they rise and fall. Tiles help reduce costs insulating materials. And if an individual tile “fails,” it is easy to replace.

Roofs with ox-eye windows look gorgeous. In such roofs, grooved or flat tiles are used, which, due to their small sizes, make it possible to lay the roof on curved surfaces in a crown or scale manner.

What additional elements are used?

So, for laying the roof with tiles, manufacturers produce elements for gable overhangs (gable tiles), for installing installations above the roof level (walk-through), for lighting the attic (transparent), various elements for curved roof surfaces (with a very small radius). To cover the joints of roof slopes, special ridge tiles are used.

Tubular, corner and lattice snow holders, roofing and support steps are also used, with the help of which movement on the roof is carried out.

How durable are shingles?

Tiles are an exceptionally durable and reliable roof covering material. The process of firing and drying takes place at a temperature of 1000 degrees. Ceramic tiles are fire resistant, and their frost resistance is 150 cycles. Cement tiles are also resistant to temperature fluctuations (100 freezing and defrosting cycles).

To further protect the tiles from moisture, engobe is applied ( protective covering from liquid clay, reduces the moisture capacity of tiles to 5%) and glazing. For enhanced protection cement tiles from moisture, frost, ultraviolet rays and dirt, it is coated with acrylic or acrylic-silicate paint. Low porosity and moisture capacity prevent moisture accumulation and the absence of biological corrosion.

Flexible tiles or metal tiles

Natural tiles without a protective layer are more porous and therefore more susceptible to contamination and the appearance of moss and lichens on the surface (however, they do not affect the strength of the tiles). To keep the tile surface clean, especially if the house is located in the forest or is surrounded by tall trees With the leaves inevitably falling, it is recommended to wash the roof once a year with a stream of water under high pressure.

The most resistant to overgrowing are glossy glazed ceramic tiles.

In the coastal zone near the sea, the roof covering is especially tested for strength by the aggressive sea wind, which affects the structure of the materials.

Can a slate roof be replaced with tiles?

In this case, it is the specialist who must determine the technical condition of the frame on which the slate was laid - whether this structure can withstand the heavier weight of the tiled roof, as well as whether the cross-section and distance between its elements are suitable for laying a new covering.

Often, insulation and dry plaster slabs are placed on the old frame before replacing the roofing. If the technical condition of the old frame does not meet the requirements for laying tiles, it must be replaced. And finally, let's watch a video on how to choose the right metal tiles.

We hope this article will be useful to you.