How to Build a Spanish Style Roof

Find the proper underlayment for your Spanish style roof by researching the local building codes. The most commonly used underlayment is 30-pound felt. Once the right underlayment is obtained, install it across the roof by laying it flat and attaching it to the roof with 1-inch roofing nails or staples (staples are permitted by most building codes). Secure the underlayment with nails or staples every few inches.

Install corrosion-resistant metal flashing in valleys and around chimneys roof edges and skylights. Nail it to the roof using roofing nails. Most flashing is designed with nail holes, so use the flashing as a guide for there to nail it down.

Use roofing nails to nail a 2-inch cant strip to the edge of the roof. Be sure it is flush with the edge. A cant strip is placed under the edge of the lowest row of tiles on a roof to give the tiles the same slope as the rest of the tiles. It is also used to avoid sharp bends in the roofing.

Connect the measuring tape to the eave and stretch it vertically to the top of the roof. The eave is the lower border of the roof that overhangs the wall. Using chalk, mark the underlayment where the tiles will lay, going from bottom to top. Spanish style tiles have approximately a 1 inch of overhang at the edge, so incorporate this overhang into your measurements. For example, if the tile is 18 inches, the first chalk mark would be 17 inches up from the eave, the next one 17 inches above that, and so on until you reach the top. Repeat on the other side of the roof.

Secure the roof battens with roofing nails. Battens are used to provide the fixing point, or base, for roof tiles. Make sure they are flushed with the marked chalk line. Subtract 3 inches from the length of tile being used and mark the roof for the rest of the battens. For example, if the tile is 18 inches, the marks should be placed every 15 inches.

Install the Spanish style tiles, working from the center of the roof first, and moving toward both sides to ensure symmetry. The tiles connect to each other to lock together. Remove any unwanted debris from the tiles to assure the joints will interlock properly.