Tuscan Tile Roof Installation Techniques

Description

• Tuscan tile roofs are made out of terracotta or clay, and are so-called because they top many structures in the Tuscany region, which lies in Italy north of Rome. The tiles have elongated, semi-circular appearance in reddish-brown. Roofers salvage the originals from historic structures to add the patina of centuries to an American house. Homeowners who want the look but not the expense, can opt for modern Tuscan roof tiles, which typically come from clay, water and natural gas firing. Whether new or old, this roofing material comes in different sizes and shades, and can withstand extreme weather conditions.

Basics

• Local and state building codes take their standards for all tile roofing from the International Residential Code, which is maintained by the International Code Council. The nonprofit council was established in 1997 to combine the competing codes and to eliminate conflict. The IRC requires solid or spaced sheathing boards as a roof deck for tile roofs. The deck must have a slope that rises at least 2 1/2 units for every 12 units of horizontal movement, usually designated as 2.5:12. Slopes from that minimum up to 4:12 have a low slope and require double underlayment.

Underlayment

• Underlayment is the lining between the Tuscan tiles and the roof deck. It protects the roof deck from penetration by moisture and other elements. The two layers of lining required by low-slope tile roofs must start at the eaves with a 19-inch parallel strip. It must then continue with 36-inch-wide parallel strips that overlap every 19 inches. Slopes more than 4:12 need only one layer of underlayment, applied like shingles from the eaves, and lapped every 2 inches. For areas with high winds, corrosion-resistant fasteners are used according to manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Attachments

• The IRC demands the use of corrosion-resistant nails that are at least 11 gauge, with a 0.31-inch head that can penetrate the entire roof deck or at least 0.75 inches, whichever is less. The attachment wire must be at least 0.083 inches, with the parameter spanning at least three courses that measure a minimum of 3 feet from the edges of eaves, or the sides of hips or ridges. Fastening depends on the climate, roof slope and underlayment, but must follow manufacturer’s instructions and IRC guidelines. For solid decks without battens, every tile needs a fastener. For low-slope spaced or solid decks with battens, fasteners are not needed. For high-slope spaced decks without battens, either one fastener is required per tile in every other row, or for slopes over 12:12, one fastener is needed per tile.