Structural review
An engineer or span check confirms the structure especially when replacing shingles.
Tile Roofing
Tile Roof Installation Kenilworth, NJ
A Kenilworth tile roofer can help choose between clay and concrete, flat or curved profiles, and install the full system beneath the tile. One call to (908) 613-5001 reaches a nearby tile installer.
Before any tile goes up, the question is whether the house can hold it. Clay and concrete tile weigh far more than shingles, so homes framed for a lighter roof often need a structural review and sometimes added framing. On new construction, the framing is sized for tile from the plans onward.
Then comes choosing the tile itself. Clay holds its color through the whole tile and lasts for generations, and concrete tile is heavier, more absorbent and offers a wide range of shapes and finishes. Profiles run from flat tiles that look like slate or shakes to S-shaped tile and two-piece barrel tile.
A tile roof is only as good as the underlayment and flashing hidden beneath it. Most tile needs a slope of at least 2.5 in 12, and building codes call for a doubled underlayment on slopes below 4 in 12. Picking a durable underlayment at the start pushes the first relay decades down the road.
Many tile roof installation calls in Kenilworth also turn up a need for tile roof replacement or roof installation.
Need tile roof installation in Kenilworth? Call (908) 613-5001 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Kenilworth.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a tile roof installation
Here is how a roofer usually installs a tile roof.
Check the structure
Before ordering tile, the load on the rafters or trusses is checked, reinforcement is planned if needed and the permit is filed. Tile is ordered with extra for cuts, hips and future repairs.
Lay the underlayment
Solid sheathing is inspected and renailed, then the roof is dried in with underlayment, doubled where the slope calls for it. This is the layer that handles every drop of water that slips past the tile.
Batten layout
Battens are fastened across the roof at spacing set by the tile, and on many roofs counter battens run beneath them so water can drain freely. The gap under the tile also helps heat escape before it reaches the deck.
Install flashing
Valley metal, wall and headwall flashing, chimney flashing and soft metal flashing for vent pipes go in before and during tiling. Tile flashing has to reach up and over curved profiles, so it is larger than shingle flashing.
Set the field tile
Tile goes on from the eave up, with an eave closure to keep birds out and fasteners or foam adhesive chosen for local wind requirements. Cut tiles at hips and valleys are fastened too, since small pieces are the first to blow off.
Finish the ridge
Ridge and hip caps are set on a raised ridge board, either in mortar or with a dry ridge system and a vented closure that lets attic air out. Before the crew packs up, cracked pieces are swapped out.
What is included
A complete tile roof system
Underlayment system
Felt, synthetic or self-adhered underlayment is installed before any tile goes on the roof.
Tile flashing
Every penetration and wall joint is flashed so water stays on top of the underlayment.
Ridge finish
Eave and ridge details are finished so birds and wind-driven rain stay out.
Tile fastening
Tile is fastened with nails, screws, clips or adhesive in a pattern set by the tile profile.
Related service
Barrel Tile Roof Installation Kenilworth, NJ
Barrel tile is the classic two-piece tile roof: half-round pan tiles laid concave side up, with cover tiles laid over the joints between them. Their tapered shape and deep profile create the rolling texture that defines the style. The open curves at the eaves and ridges must be closed so birds, wind and rain cannot get in.
For barrel tile installation on a Kenilworth home, each cover tile is secured with nails, wire ties, clips or foam adhesive, depending on the slope and wind rules. Pans and covers have to run in straight lines with even exposure, which takes careful layout before the first pan goes down.
Related service
Spanish Tile Roof Installation Kenilworth, NJ
Spanish tile usually means the S-shaped profile that combines a pan and a cover in a single piece, giving the look of barrel tile with half the pieces. Clay and concrete Spanish tile are both common, in solid and blended colors. Side interlocks help it shed water, though the curved ends need bird stops and ridge closures just like barrel tile.
Spanish tile roof installation in Kenilworth follows the same system as any tile roof, from structure check to underlayment, flashing and tile. The curves make flashing tricky, so roofers use shaped metal or flexible flashing that conforms to the tile. If you choose a blend, the roofer mixes tile from several pallets at once to spread the color evenly.
Local help
Tile Roof Installation Near Me
In Kenilworth, new tile roofs go onto homes of every age, from fresh builds to older houses moving away from shingles. In Kenilworth and neighboring communities including Roselle Park, Union, Cranford and Roselle, the biggest variable on a conversion is whether the existing framing can carry tile, while homes already built for tile can usually go straight to choosing a profile and color.
For tile roof installation in Kenilworth, NJ or nearby towns like Roselle Park, Union, Cranford and Roselle, call (908) 613-5001 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
Roofs in this climate
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. That is why roof repair in Kenilworth is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Kenilworth
Roofers in Kenilworth know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Tile Roof Installation questions
What underlayment goes under a tile roof?
Options include heavy felt, synthetic sheets and peel-and-stick membranes, often doubled on lower slopes. Since the tile can outlast the underlayment by decades, a longer lasting underlayment pays off. On slopes below 4 in 12, code requires two layers.
Can my house hold a tile roof?
Tile weighs several times as much as asphalt shingles, with concrete tile usually the heaviest. A home framed for shingles needs a structural check before switching, and some need added framing. Some lighter weight tile products are made for homes with less structural capacity.
What is better, clay or concrete tile?
Each has real strengths. Clay keeps its color through the tile, is lighter than most concrete tile and can last for generations. Concrete tile comes in many profiles and finishes, but it is heavier, absorbs more water and its color fades over time.
How long does it take to put on a tile roof?
Expect more time than a shingle job, since each tile is placed and fastened by hand over more layers. Complex rooflines and framing work before tiling can stretch the schedule. Once the underlayment is down, the house is protected from rain while tile goes on.
Can tile be installed over an existing roof?
The old roofing is torn off before tile is installed. Removing the old roof also takes weight off the framing, which matters with a material this heavy.
More questions? Call (908) 613-5001
Related services
Tile Roof Replacement
Full tile roof replacement when the underlayment, fasteners or tile have reached the end of their life, with salvage of good tile wherever it makes sense.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Installing a new roof layer by layer, from drip edge and underlayment to flashing, vents and the finished roofing, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
Learn moreTile Roof Inspection
A close look at the tile, underlayment, flashing, valleys and attic of a clay or concrete tile roof, before buying a home, after a storm or as the underlayment ages.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Kenilworth roofer about tile roof installation
Call (908) 613-5001 for a local roofer in Kenilworth and nearby towns.