A clay tile roof is the kind of feature people notice on a house. So when a few pieces crack after a hailstorm, or one slides out of line and leaves a gap, you want them fixed without the patch standing out and without a crew breaking three tiles for every one they replace.
Clay tile roofing in the Ozarks takes a careful hand. The tile itself lasts a very long time. The parts around it and under it need attention long before that, and finding replacement pieces that match takes some work.
APC Roofing repairs and installs clay tile roofs. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, with an office in Springfield, and your inspection is free.
What makes clay tile different
Clay tile is shaped from natural clay and fired in a kiln at high heat. The color goes all the way through the tile, so it doesn’t wash out the way surface-colored products can. A clay roof that’s been up for decades often looks close to how it did when it went on.
Well-fired clay also absorbs very little water. That’s a real advantage in a place where winter brings freeze-thaw cycles, because water that soaks into a tile and freezes is what makes tile surfaces flake. Clay tile sold for cold climates is graded for this, and the grade matters here.
Clay is brittle, though. It takes sun and rain for decades, but a hard hailstone, a falling limb or a misplaced boot can crack it.
How clay tile roofing in the Ozarks handles winter
Southwest Missouri winters swing above and below freezing over and over. On a clay roof, that mostly affects the pieces around the tile rather than the tile.
Mortar at the ridge and hips cracks and crumbles as it ages through those cycles, and pieces of ridge tile can loosen. Water that gets into an already cracked tile freezes and widens the crack. And ice at the eaves can back water up under the lowest course of tile if leaves and debris are already holding it there.
None of that makes clay a bad choice here. It just means the roof needs a check every so often, and especially after a winter with a lot of ice.
Clay tile profiles
Clay tile comes in a few main shapes:
- Barrel tile, the classic half-round pieces laid in alternating rows, one facing up as a channel and one facing down as a cap
- S tile, which combines the channel and cap into one piece
- Flat or interlocking tile, which sits closer to the deck and can resemble slate
Curved profiles look striking but catch leaves in their channels, so they need clearing more often on a wooded lot.
Clay tile repair: what usually goes wrong
Most clay tile problems are local. A tile cracks from hail or a limb, a piece slips because its fastener rusted or broke, the mortar at the ridge crumbles, or the flashing at a chimney or wall fails. Each of those can be fixed without touching the rest of the roof.
The skill is in getting the old tile out and the new one in without cracking the tiles around it. Clay pieces overlap and lock into one another, and they’re often fastened in ways you can’t see from above.
Matching is the other challenge. If your tile is still made, a matching piece can be ordered. If it’s not, the best option is often salvaged tile from the same line, or the closest match, placed where it shows the least. Weathered clay and brand-new clay can differ slightly in shade, and that’s worth knowing up front. Our page on tile roof repair in the Ozarks goes deeper on repairs.
When the underlayment wears out
Clay tile often lasts much longer than the underlayment below it. When that membrane gets old and brittle, leaks start showing up in different spots, and patching tiles doesn’t stop them.
The fix is usually a relay. Crews remove the clay tiles by hand and stack them, repair any soft decking, put down new underlayment and set the original tiles back. You keep the roof you love, with a fresh waterproof layer under it. Some tiles always break in the process, so having spare or salvaged pieces on hand helps.
Putting clay tile on a house for the first time
Clay tile is heavy, and a house framed for shingles may not be able to carry it. Before switching, an engineer should check the roof framing. If you’re building or converting, see tile roof installation in the Ozarks, or compare it with concrete tile roofing in the Ozarks.
How it works
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. We’ll check the tiles, ridge, valleys and flashing, lift tiles where needed to see the underlayment, and give you photos and a written estimate.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up. You’ll get a realistic timeline for your job, and the crew cleans up before leaving.
Clay tile roofing questions
Can my old clay tiles be reused?
Often, yes. Sound clay tile can usually be taken up and reinstalled over new underlayment. Some pieces break, so a few replacements are normal.
How do I clean a clay tile roof?
Gently. A pressure washer can force water under the tiles and damage them. A low-pressure rinse and clearing the valleys and gutters by hand is the safer route, ideally done by a roofer who knows where to step.
Does hail break clay tile?
Small hail rarely does. Large hail can crack it, so have the roof checked after a serious storm.
Is a single cracked clay tile urgent?
Not usually an emergency, since the underlayment is still doing its job. But a crack lets sun and water reach that underlayment, so it’s worth fixing soon.
Keep the roof that sets your house apart
A clay tile roof that gets a little care can stay sound for a very long time. Left alone, cracked pieces and worn underlayment slowly let water into the deck.
Call 913-398-5020 to book your free inspection. You’ll know exactly what your clay roof needs, and you’ll keep it looking and working the way it should. See all our tile roofing in the Ozarks services.
