Maybe you’re pricing a tile roof and concrete keeps coming up as the more affordable choice. Or you already have a concrete tile roof, and it’s started to look faded and chalky, a few pieces have cracked, or there’s a leak nobody has managed to track down. Either way, you want to know how concrete tile roofing in Kansas City really holds up, from someone who’ll tell you the downsides too.
Concrete tile can be a good roof here. It also behaves differently from clay in a cold, wet winter, and most people don’t hear about that part until something goes wrong.
APC Roofing installs and repairs concrete and clay tile roofs around the Kansas City metro. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, and we’ve been in business since 2017. Your inspection and estimate are free. Call 913-398-5020.
What concrete tile is
Concrete tile is made from sand, cement and water, pressed into shape and cured rather than fired in a kiln. It comes in flat profiles that look like slate or wood shake and in curved profiles that look like Spanish clay. On many concrete tiles the color sits in a coating on the surface instead of running all the way through.
Like any tile roof, the tile isn’t the waterproof layer. It sheds most of the water and shields what’s underneath. The underlayment on the deck does the real waterproofing, and that’s what usually wears out first.
Concrete tile roofing in Kansas City: the freeze-thaw question
Concrete absorbs more water than good clay tile. In a warm climate that hardly matters. Here, water soaked into a tile can freeze, expand and thaw again and again over one winter, and over the years that wears away the surface, flakes the edges and can crack tiles.
That doesn’t rule concrete out. It means a few things matter more in Kansas City than they would in Florida or Arizona. Choose a product made and rated for freeze-thaw climates. Keep moss, leaves and debris out of the laps so the tiles dry out between storms. And deal with cracked tiles before water gets into them and freezes.
Snow and ice add weight and can back water up at the eaves and in valleys, so clear gutters and valleys help the whole roof drain.
Hail and concrete tile
Small hail rarely does more than scuff concrete tile. Larger hail can crack or break pieces, and corners and thin edges go first. Cracks are hard to see from the ground, so a check after a big storm is worth it.
If a storm did real damage, you file the claim with your insurance company and you pay your deductible. We’ll document the damage with photos, write the estimate and work with your adjuster. Be wary of anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible.
Fading, efflorescence and growth
Concrete tile changes how it looks over time, and not all of it is a problem.
Fading. When the color is a surface coating, years of sun wash it out, especially on south- and west-facing slopes. It’s cosmetic, but it makes matching replacement tiles harder.
Efflorescence. A whitish, chalky bloom on newer tiles is usually mineral salts working their way out of the concrete. Weather tends to clear it on its own.
Moss and algae. Growth in the overlaps holds water against the tile, and in winter that’s the water that freezes. Gentle cleaning helps. A pressure washer doesn’t. It strips the surface coating, and the person holding it cracks tiles as they walk the roof.
Weight and switching to concrete tile
Standard concrete tile is heavy, several times the weight of shingles. If your home has never had tile, an engineer should check the framing before you switch. Lightweight concrete tile weighs noticeably less and may work on a house that can’t carry the standard kind. If a lighter material makes more sense for your house, we’ll say so.
Concrete tile repair and relay
Most concrete tile repairs are small: a few cracked tiles, a slipped piece, loose ridge caps, or flashing at a chimney or wall that has failed. Each new tile has to be fastened the same way as its neighbors and sit flush with them. A profile that’s still made can match closely. A discontinued one gets salvage or the nearest match, and the color usually won’t be exact at first.
When the underlayment has worn out across a whole slope, the fix is a lift and relay. The tiles come off, damaged decking gets replaced, new underlayment goes down and the tile goes back on. Some tiles break in the process, so plan on a few replacements.
Concrete or clay?
Concrete tile usually costs less than clay and comes in more styles. Clay absorbs less water and keeps its color, which is a real advantage in a freeze-thaw climate. Our clay tile roofing in Kansas City page covers the other side of that choice. If you’re ready for a new tile roof, see tile roof installation in Kansas City.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request an estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. We look at the tile, flashing and underlayment, take photos and give you a written estimate. If a handful of tiles will fix it, you’ll hear that. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up.
Leaving a cracked tile through a Kansas City winter gives water a chance to get in and freeze. Catching it early usually keeps the repair small.
Concrete tile roofing questions
How long does concrete tile last in Kansas City?
The tile itself can last for decades with care, though freeze-thaw shortens that for lower-grade products. The underlayment usually needs replacing well before the tile does.
Is faded concrete tile a problem?
Fading is cosmetic and doesn’t mean the tile is failing. What matters more is whether tiles are cracked, flaking or soaking up water, and that’s what an inspection checks.
Does concrete tile handle hail?
It handles small hail well. Large hail can crack it, as it can most roofing. If hail worries you, ask about impact ratings when you compare products.
Can you match my existing concrete tile?
If the profile is still made, usually closely. If it’s discontinued, salvaged tile or the nearest current match fills in, and new tile may look brighter for a while.
Talk to a Kansas City tile roofer
Call 913-398-5020 or book your free inspection online. All our tile services are on the Kansas City tile roofing page.
The goal is a tile roof that sheds water all winter, keeps its looks and stops keeping you up at night. You’ll know exactly what shape it’s in and what it needs next.
